The Handmaid's Tale

Young doctors face life and death daily in the emergency room of a major hospital.

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

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.

Greene and the new chairman clash over an attempted suicide; Greene feels he is losing his wife.

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.