| "Union Station" | |
| Season 3, Episode 8 | |
 | |
| Air date | November 21, 1996 |
| Written by | Carol Flint |
| Directed by | Tom Moore |
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Union Station is the 8th episode of the 3rd season of "E.R." It was first aired on November, 21 in 1996. It was written by Carol Flint and directed by Tom Moore.
Plot[]
It's Susan's last day. Carol stands up for her nurses when one of them is being rotated to another department.
NBC Description[]
SERIES STAR SHERRY STRINGFIELD DEPARTS THE ER: Dr. Lewis (Sherry Stringfield) and Dr. Greene (Anthony Edwards) are faced with a personal decision that will affect both their futures.
Dr. Keaton (Glenne Headly) tries to teach Dr. Benton (Eriq La Salle) a new approach to surgery.
Nurse Hathaway (Julianna Margulies) fights with the nursing administrator over her staff being pulled out to float in other departments. Jeanie (Gloria Reuben) is surprised at Al's (Michael Beach) sudden maturity.
When a drunk woman comes into the ER in labor, Dr. Doyle (Jorjan Fox) reports her to the police. On Healthmobile duty, Dr. Ross (George Clooney) bends the rules to help a teenage girl, Charlie (guest star Kirsten Dunst), who brings in a friend's baby for vaccinations.
Nurse Wright (Ellen Crawford) and Officer Grabarsky's (Mike Genovese) wedding plans take an unexpected turn. Noah Wyle and Laura Innes also star.
Short summary[]
It's Susan Lewis' last day and Mark Greene is still hesitating to tell her exactly how he feels. Baby Megan finally leaves the hospital but Benton feels awkward accepting the parents' thanks. Dr. Carter and Dr. Keaton are seeing each other, but are doing their best to make sure it's all hush hush. Doug Ross keeps working on the mobile clinic and again meets Charlie, a teenager he treated previously. Nurse Hathaway pushes back when one of her nurses is to be rotated out to another department. Nurse Lydia Wright decides to return her wedding dress when her policeman boyfriend puts off their wedding again but he makes special arrangements.
Characters[]
- Anthony Edwards as Mark Greene
- George Clooney as Doug Ross
- Sherry Stringfield as Susan Lewis
- Noah Wyle as John Carter
- Julianna Margulies as Carol Hathaway
- Gloria Reuben as Jeanie Boulet
- Eriq La Salle as Peter Benton
- Laura Innes as Kerry Weaver
Trivia[]
- Actors Ellen Crawford and Mike Genovese who get married in this episode are married in real life.
- For the episode "Union Station", in order to keep Sherry Stringfield's departure a secret, false copies of the script circulated amongst the production staff. Only writer Carol Flint, director Tom Moore, the shooting crew, Stringfield, and Anthony Edwards knew the ending ahead of time, and it was filmed on location in Chicago the Saturday before the episode was slated to air. Editor Kevin Casey got a call the following Monday from a confused assistant saying that the footage of the final scene which had just arrived did not match the script. Flint eventually set them both straight and Casey went to work, editing right up to the airdate. NBC didn't even know what was actually going to happen before the episode aired.
- This episode is Sherry Stringfield's final appearance, until she rejoined the cast in 2001. She left again in 2005, but returned again for a guest appearance in the series' final episode in 2009.
- At this stage in the series, George Clooney would be working 4 days on "ER" and 3 days on Batman and Robin (1997). This meant that he was invariably extremely tired on set.
- This marks the first episode to feature the departure of one of the show's original line-up regular cast (although Sherry Stringfield would return several years later).
Quotes[]
Dr. Mark Greene: [chasing after Lewis' train, shouting] Susan! Susan! Susan!
Dr. Susan Lewis: Mark!... My God, are you okay? You came to say goodbye?
Dr. Mark Greene: No... stay. I want you to stay.
Dr. Susan Lewis: But, Mark, I...
Dr. Mark Greene: I love you. And I'm stupid for not saying it before.
Dr. Susan Lewis: No, it's OK. I knew. In a way I knew.
Dr. Mark Greene: We belong together. Tell me you don't feel the same.
Dr. Susan Lewis: I'm sorry.
Dr. Mark Greene: We're right together.
Dr. Susan Lewis:Mark, you are my best friend in the whole world, I don't know how I'm gonna make it without you.
Dr. Mark Greene: Don't go!
Dr. Susan Lewis: I have to. I don't belong here any more, I have a new life, it's going in a different direction.
Dr. Mark Greene: Susan... I don't wanna lose you!
[they kiss and Lewis boards the train]
Dr. Susan Lewis: I'll never forget you.
[as the train pulls away]
Dr. Susan Lewis: I *do* love you.
Dr. Mark Greene: [can't hear] What?
Dr. Susan Lewis: I love you!
__________________________________________
[Lydia places a large box on the desk of the nurses' station]
Dr. Susan Lewis: Hey, what's in the box? Bridal shop?
Nurse Haleh Adams: Did you and Al finally set the date?
Nurse Lydia Wright: No, the opposite.
Nurse Connie Oligario: She broke off with Al.
Nurse Lydia Wright: I'm returning this ridiculous fake virgin outfit, and they'd better not offer me store credit!