The Bridge

The chaos of an urban, public hospital emergency room and the lives of its devoted doctors and staff, a Chicago building collapses, and everyone in the ER must overcome personal dramas to save lives.

An elderly man insists on keeping his dying wife on life support against her wishes; an attractive patient and an outbreak of food poisoning bedevil Carter.

A confused patient (Rosemary Clooney) wanders the hospital, singing; Ross prescribes a spinal tap for an 18-month-old boy, alarming the father.

A patient (Alan Rosenberg) will not last the night without a heart transplant; Ross admonishes a woman for not buying her daughter asthma medicine.

A business contractor prepares his family for his impending death because a heart donor can't be found for him. Greene's wife gets a job in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

A pizza-delivery man crashes through the hospital's doors; a deadbeat sister (Kathleen Wilhoite) wants to stay with Lewis.

Nurse Hathaway (Julianna Margulies) tells Dr. Ross (George Clooney) of her future domestic plans; Dr. Benton (Eriq La Salle) realizes something important about his fellowship rival (guest star Tyra Ferrell); Dr. Lewis (Sherry Stringfield) has a surprise birthday party.

Dr. Ross (George Clooney) is left in charge of the emergency room when Dr. Greene (Anthony Edwards) spends a day with his wife (Christine Harnos); Dr. Benton (Eriq La Salle) tries to save a high-school wrestler (guest star Kevin Connolly) who has starved himself.

An injured teen confesses to Hathaway that he was responsible for two deaths in a car accident but denies it when police arrive.

A multiple-car accident floods the emergency room with patients; a patient (Malgoscha Gebel) believed to be mentally impaired surprises the doctors.

A nearly drowned boy pre-empts Greene's Christmas shopping; Madame X (Rosemary Clooney) switches to holiday fare.

Carter is allowed to observe surgery; Lewis learns Chloe is leaving; Ross teaches a teen mother how to nurse her baby.

Greene's criticism shakes Lewis' confidence; a man considers removing his brain-damaged son from life support.

Lewis goes before the review board when a hostile attending doctor holds her responsible for a patient's death.

Morgenstern (William H. Macy) offers Greene a prized position on the hospital's staff; a terminally ill patient (Linda Kelsey) begs Greene to end her pain.

A woman (Meg Foster) abandons her recently adopted, AIDS-stricken daughter at the emergency room; a cop brings in a dog he hit with his car.

Believing it's Dr. Benton's birthday, Dr. Carter plans a surprise party for him; Dr. Ross frees a child trapped in a stuffed tiger's jaws.

After 48 hours of duty, Benton won't go home; Hathaway's plans to adopt a Russian girl are threatened when her past is investigated.

Complications threaten the lives of a woman and her unborn child; Ross has a date; a teen is poisoned by insecticides.

Dr. Benton (Eriq La Salle) confronts the reality of his mother's (Beah Richards) medical condition; Drs. Greene and Ross (Anthony Edwards, George Clooney) meet with the new chief (Michael Ironside); Dr. Carter (Noah Wyle) treats a pregnant astrologer (guest star Kimmy Robertson).

Dr. Greene fears a contagious patient may flee; competitive Deb Chen goes too far; Dr. Lewis treats an armed woman.

Benton dazzles the staff; Lewis suspects a doctor/patient is not what he seems; Ross agrees to coach Jake's Little League team; Greene goes to Milwaukee.

Even though Jeanie is married, Peter finds himself attracted to her. The ER staff discovers that Carter is rich. Greene tries to reconcile with his wife. Hathaway struggles to write her wedding vows.

Dr. Lewis' mother (Valerie Perrine) drops by the hospital to see her and Chloe (Kathleen Wilhoite); Ross treats eight children with digestive trouble.

Hathaway and Taglieri's wedding day arrives; Greene gets good news and bad; Carter works his last day of ER rotation; Benton treats an AIDS patient.