ER season 3

The third season of the American fictional drama television series ER first aired on September 26, 1996, and concluded on May 15, 1997. The third season consists of 22 episodes.

Plot
Early in the season, Susan Lewis leaves for Phoenix to live with her sister and niece. Before she leaves, Greene realizes his feelings for her and races against time to declare them. He makes it to Union Station just as she is boarding the train. He stops her and declares his love, begging her to stay. Susan leaves anyway, but not before kissing Mark and declaring, as the train pulls out of the station, that she loves him too. In the aftermath of her departure, Mark begins to fall into depression, develops a meaner attitude, and starts sleeping with County General nurse Chuny Marquez, although they soon break up. Towards the end of the season, he is viciously attacked in the ER bathroom, and the thug is never caught. Although some suspicions arise over former patients and families, his beating was no more than a random act of violence. He becomes increasingly paranoid about his personal safety and distances himself from friends and family.

Meanwhile, Doug and Carol draw closer, culminating in a kiss at the end of the season. Doug is said to be attending therapy throughout the season, although this is never shown on-screen. This is possibly due to one of his one night stands dying in the hospital just after they were together, and Doug questioning his actions. Carol considers going to medical school, but eventually decides that she loves her work as a nurse too much to change.

Carter, now an intern, continues to lock horns with Benton, especially over Benton's treatment of surgical intern Dennis Gant. This eventually results in Gant committing suicide by throwing himself in front of a train and despite the ER staff's best efforts, Gant eventually dies from his injuries, devastating Carter who begins blaming himself and Benton for not doing more to prevent Gant's suicide.

Benton also starts dating Carla Reece, who becomes pregnant and gives premature birth to his son at the end of the season. Weaver supports Jeanie, who is forced to reveal her HIV-status early in the season, when Mark gains unauthorized access to her medical records. While Jeanie struggles with her condition, she becomes involved with a doctor from the Infectious Diseases department, before reuniting with her ex-husband, Al.

Production
Original executive producers John Wells and Michael Crichton reprised their roles. Lydia Woodward joined them as a third executive producer having previously served as a co-executive producer since the first season. Mimi Leder did not return as a co-executive producer having moved into directing feature films. Carol Flint returned as a co-executive producer. Christopher Chulack returned to his role as director and producer and was promoted mid-season to fill Leder's position as director and co-executive producer. Paul Manning returned to his supervising producer post. Long-term crew member Wendy Spence Rosato returned as a co-producer. Neal Baer and Lance Gentile were promoted from their second season positions as executive story editors to co-producers for the third season. Gentile continued to act as the series medical consultant. Penny Adams joined the series as a co-producer mid-season. Finally Michael Hissrich joined the production team in the junior role of associate producer.

Wells, Woodward, Flint, and Manning continued to regularly write episodes, with each contributing to 10 or more episodes this season. Baer and Gentile also continued to regularly write episodes contributing to eight and four episodes respectively. Joe Sachs returned as technical adviser and wrote a further episode. Regular writer Tracey Stern also returned and contributed a further two episodes. Second season writer Belinda Casas Wells also returned and wrote a further two episodes. They were joined on the writing staff by Samantha Howard Corbin and Jason Cahill with three episodes each. Anne Kenney contributed to the story for a single episode. Barbara Hall wrote the teleplay for a single episode.

Chulack continued to regularly direct episodes and helmed a further four episodes in the third season. Richard Thorpe, Félix Enríquez Alcalá, and Rod Holcomb were all returning directors for the third season. Thorpe continued to act as a cinematographer on some episodes in addition to directing. Jonathan Kaplan joined the directing team as a regular and contributed three episodes to the season. Tom Moore and Paris Barclay also made their series debuts and directed two episodes each. The other new single episode directors were David Nutter, series editor Jacque Elaine Toberen, Perry Lang, Davis Guggenheim, and Michael Katleman.

Main cast

 * Anthony Edwards as Dr. Mark Greene – Attending Emergency Physician
 * George Clooney as Dr. Doug Ross – Pediatric Emergency Medicine Fellow
 * Sherry Stringfield as Dr. Susan Lewis – PGY-4 ER Senior Resident (episodes 1–8)
 * Noah Wyle as Dr. John Carter – PGY-1 Surgical Intern
 * Julianna Margulies as Nurse Carol Hathaway – ER RN and Nurse Manager
 * Gloria Reuben as Jeanie Boulet – ER Physician Assistant
 * Laura Innes as Dr. Kerry Weaver – Attending Emergency Physician
 * Eriq La Salle as Dr. Peter Benton – PGY-4 General Surgery Senior Resident

Supporting cast

 * Doctors and Medical students
 * William H. Macy as Dr. David Morgenstern – Chief of Surgery and Emergency Medicine
 * Sam Anderson as Dr. Jack Kayson – Chief of Cardiology
 * Amy Aquino as Dr. Janet Coburn – Chief of Obstetrics and Gynecology
 * John Aylward as Dr. Donald Anspaugh – Chief of Staff
 * CCH Pounder as Dr. Angela Hicks – Surgical Attending Physician
 * Glenne Headly as Dr. Abby Keaton – Pediatric Surgeon
 * Maria Bello as Dr. Anna Del Amico – Pediatric Emergency Medicine Fellow
 * Jorja Fox as Dr. Maggie Doyle – Intern PGY-1
 * Omar Epps as Dr. Dennis Gant – Surgical Intern PGY-1
 * Matthew Glave as Dr. Dale Edson – Surgical Intern PGY-1
 * Iqbal Theba as Dr. Zagerby – Ophthalmologist
 * Harry Lennix as Dr. Greg Fischer – From Infectious Diseases department
 * Perry Anzilotti as Dr. Ed – Anesthesiologist
 * Don Perry as Dr. Sam Breedlove – Surgical Attending Physician
 * Ted Rooney as Dr. Tabash – Neonatologist
 * Jami Gertz as Dr. Nina Pomerantz – Psychiatrist
 * Melissa Chan as Dr. Leung Joo Hua
 * Dwier Brown as Dr. David Herlihy


 * Nurses
 * Ellen Crawford as Nurse Lydia Wright
 * Conni Marie Brazelton as Nurse Conni Oligario
 * Deezer D as Nurse Malik McGrath
 * Laura Cerón as Nurse Chuny Marquez
 * Yvette Freeman as Nurse Haleh Adams
 * Lily Mariye as Nurse Lily Jarvik
 * Vanessa Marquez as Nurse Wendy Goldman
 * Jenny O'Hara as Temp Nurse Rhonda Sterling
 * Dinah Lenney as Nurse Shirley
 * Bellina Logan as Nurse Kit
 * Lucy Rodriguez as Nurse Bjerke
 * Suzanne Carney as OR Nurse Janet


 * Staff, Paramedics and Officers
 * Abraham Benrubi as Desk Clerk Jerry Markovic
 * Kristin Minter as Desk Clerk Miranda "Randi" Fronczak
 * Charles Noland as Desk Clerk E. Ray "E-Ray" Bozman
 * Deborah May as Director of Nursing Mary Cain
 * Erica Gimpel as Social Worker Adele Newman
 * Skip Stellrecht as Chaplain Miller
 * Mike Genovese as Officer Al Grabarsky
 * Ron Eldard as Paramedic Ray "Shep" Shepard
 * Emily Wagner as Paramedic Doris Pickman
 * Montae Russell as Paramedic Dwight Zadro
 * Lyn Alicia Henderson as Paramedic Pamela Olbes
 * Brian Lester as Paramedic Brian Dumar
 * J.P. Hubbell as Paramedic Lars Audia
 * Meg Thalken as Chopper EMT Dee McManus


 * Family
 * Christine Harnos as Jennifer "Jenn" Greene
 * Yvonne Zima as Rachel Greene
 * Michael Beach as Al Boulet
 * Khandi Alexander as Jackie Robbins
 * Ving Rhames as Walter Robbins
 * Lisa Nicole Carson as Carla Reece
 * Rose Gregorio as Helen Hathaway

Guest stars

 * Lawrence Tierney as Jack Johnson (Episode 3)
 * John Diehl as Mr. Johnson's son (Episode 3)
 * William Sanderson as Mr. Percy (Episode 7)
 * Ewan McGregor as Duncan Stewart (Episode 15)
 * Currie Graham as James (Episode 15)
 * Joe Torry as Chris Law
 * Jim O'Heir as Mr. McKenna
 * Kirsten Dunst as Charlene "Charlie" Chiemingo
 * Harry Shearer as John Symthe
 * Julie Hagerty as Brenda Wilkerson
 * Joe Lisi as Mr. Gunther
 * Nan Martin as Mrs. Curwane
 * Veronica Cartwright as Norma Houston
 * Chad Lindberg as Jad Houtson
 * Clea DuVall as Katie Reed