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The Best Episodes of ER

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Every episode of ER ranked from best to worst. Let's dive into the Best Episodes of ER!

The Best Episodes of ER

ER explores the inner workings of an urban teaching hospital and the critical issues faced by the dedicated physicians and staff of its overburdened emergency...
  1. Background image for Hell and High Water
    9.2/10(8 votes)

    #1 - Hell and High Water

    S2:E7

    In the middle of a torrential rainstorm, Dr. Ross stumbles across a child trapped in a drainage pipe rapidly filling with water. Doug does everything possible to save the boy, Ben Larkin. Harper develops a bond with a young girl with separated parents.

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  2. Background image for 24 Hours
    9.1/10(14 votes)

    #2 - 24 Hours

    S1:E1

    A day's worth of trauma takes its toll on the men and women of the ER. Dr. Greene looks into leaving the ER and joining private practice. Among other events, multiple casualties are brought in when a building collapses. New medical students report for duty, including Dr. Benton's new trainee, the young and inexperienced John Carter.

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  3. Background image for On the Beach
    9.1/10(7 votes)

    #3 - On the Beach

    S8:E21

    Dr. Greene's final days are spent in Hawaii with Rachel, teaching her to drive and surf. When he suffers a seizure, Elizabeth is called. Mark refuses to go home. He manages to make amends with his daughter before his eventual death.

    Director:John Wells
    Writer:John Wells
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  4. Background image for Freefall
    9.1/10(7 votes)

    #4 - Freefall

    S10:E8

    On Thanksgiving Day, a helicopter crash outside the ER leaves several injured, and kills Dr. Romano. Alex tries to bring Sam and Luka together.

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  5. Background image for The Healers
    9.0/10(10 votes)

    #5 - The Healers

    S2:E16

    Shep and Raul respond to a massive fire without proper equipment, risking their lives to save addicts and their children. Shep will be okay, but Raul has third-degree burns covering his body; it's only a matter of time. The ER is flooded with burn victims. Chloe returns to Chicago. Doug is stood up by his father for a basketball game.

    Director:Mimi Leder
    Writer:John Wells
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  6. Background image for Secrets and Lies
    9.0/10(6 votes)

    #6 - Secrets and Lies

    S8:E16

    After some staff members are caught going through a dominatrix's bag, Weaver makes them attend a sexual harassment seminar, where they learn about each other.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:John Wells
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    The 20 WORST Episodes of ER

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  8. Background image for Orion in the Sky
    9.0/10(5 votes)

    #7 - Orion in the Sky

    S8:E18

    As Dr. Greene's brain tumor begins affecting his coordination, he becomes concerned that his fate will be similar to the terminally ill patients he treats.

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  9. Background image for Heal Thyself
    9.0/10(6 votes)

    #8 - Heal Thyself

    S15:E7

    While out for a mind-clearing run, Banfield encounters a desperate situation and finds herself trying to rescue a young girl from drowning in a nearby lake. Painful memories of her son in mortal danger and Dr. Greene's heroic attempts to save him are triggered during the experience. Meanwhile, Gates attempts to pull some strings to help out a homeless war veteran, and the interns continue to struggle in the ER.

    Director:David Zabel
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  10. Background image for A Shift in the Night
    8.9/10(8 votes)

    #9 - A Shift in the Night

    S2:E18

    Mark finds himself manning a very crowded ER on his scheduled night off, filling in while Doug is out with whiplash and Susan meets with her lawyer. He tries to juggle hunger pangs, 40+ patients in the waiting room and a never-ending stream of traumas.

    Director:Lance Gentile
    Writer:Joe Sachs
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  11. Background image for Two Ships
    8.9/10(7 votes)

    #10 - Two Ships

    S12:E8

    The ER prepares to take in victims from a plane collision, while Neela and Pratt head out to the crash site where Neela makes heroic efforts. At the end of the day, Neela gets a surprising visit.

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  12. Background image for Blizzard
    8.8/10(13 votes)

    #11 - Blizzard

    S1:E10

    A severe blizzard leaves the ER utterly devoid of patients, leaving the staff free to goof off. In the middle of their fun, a call comes from dispatch, informing the ER of a 40-car pile-up with dozens of casualties. The ER goes from being deserted to capacity. All surgeons are called in. Bob surprises everyone with a quick and life-saving decision. A new doctor, Angela Hicks, arrives just at the right time. Ross and Linda return from the Caribbean just as Carol makes a surprise announcement.

    Director:Mimi Leder
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  13. Background image for Baby Shower
    8.8/10(8 votes)

    #12 - Baby Shower

    S2:E15

    The ER hosts roughly a dozen pregnant women when a sprinkler bursts in the maternity ward. Carter plays tour guide for the visiting surgical intern hopefuls before going through the interview himself. Benton tries to bring a hopeless patient back from the brink of death in a marathon surgery. Jerry tries to convince the others that basketball player Scottie Pippen visisted. Doug visits his father.

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  14. Background image for Night Shift
    8.8/10(9 votes)

    #13 - Night Shift

    S3:E11

    Carol has to fire two of the nurses. Meanwhile, Gant feels Benton is too hard on him.

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  15. Background image for Exodus
    8.8/10(6 votes)

    #14 - Exodus

    S4:E15

    Because of benzene that's been spread, the ER has to close. Weaver gets felled and Carter has to take the lead.

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  16. Background image for The Crossing
    8.8/10(5 votes)

    #15 - The Crossing

    S7:E15

    In the series' 150th episode, a massive train wreck mobilizes the emergency room doctors. Corday, Carter and Kovac rush to the scene. Corday falls and injures her back, bringing on contractions in only her 25th week of pregnancy. While amputating the legs of a fallen firefighter, Corday stops because of her pain.

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  17. Background image for The Providers
    8.8/10(6 votes)

    #16 - The Providers

    S11:E12

    When a 16-year-old girl who had received a kidney transplant from her father arrives at the emergency room feeling dizzy, Carter traces the problem to a new drug that the girl was taking to control seizures related to her kidney dysfunction.

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  18. Background image for Alone in a Crowd
    8.8/10(5 votes)

    #17 - Alone in a Crowd

    S11:E15

    A soccer mom finds herself completely aware of everything going on around her, but is unable to move or speak after suffering a stroke.

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  19. Background image for Body and Soul
    8.8/10(6 votes)

    #18 - Body and Soul

    S12:E13

    Dr. Nate Lennox, a former professor with ALS, is brought in as the progression of his disease is chronicled through his own flashbacks as he is treated by each of the doctors at one point. As Lennox wants to give up, Abby fights to convince him to keep on fighting.

    Director:Paul McCrane
    Writer:Joe Sachs
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  20. Background image for The Gallant Hero and the Tragic Victor
    8.8/10(8 votes)

    #19 - The Gallant Hero and the Tragic Victor

    S12:E21

    Pratt struggles to get a straight story when two abused boys come into the ER with their father. Two U.S. Army officers enter the ER.

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  21. Background image for Day One
    8.7/10(9 votes)

    #20 - Day One

    S1:E2

    Dr. Lewis tries to get a mentally disturbed individual admitted to the psych ward. Carter has a difficult day, treating many members of wedding party, suffering from food poisoning. Dr. Ross finally visits Carol, eight weeks after her suicide attempt. Dr. Greene deals with an elderly gentleman having a difficult time letting go of his dying wife. He also discovers that Jenn passed the bar exam.

    Director:Mimi Leder
    Writer:John Wells
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  22. Background image for Love's Labor Lost
    8.7/10(9 votes)

    #21 - Love's Labor Lost

    S1:E19

    A busy Dr. Greene goes all day in solving his patients' problems until he encounters the case of a pregnant woman suffering from complications that threaten both her life and her unborn baby's.

    Director:Mimi Leder
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  23. Background image for Full Moon, Saturday Night
    8.7/10(9 votes)

    #22 - Full Moon, Saturday Night

    S1:E20

    Mark, still upset over the loss of Jodi O'Brien, takes the night off but ends up in the ER anyway, albeit an hour late, when the new chief runs a drill at 2:00 a.m. Benton begins to realize his mother's future is not bright. Carter and Deb compete against each other. A small moon coinciding with the naturally heavy Saturday night traffic causes an exciting night.

    Director:Donna Deitch
    Writer:Neal Baer
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  24. Background image for Fathers and Sons
    8.7/10(7 votes)

    #23 - Fathers and Sons

    S4:E7

    Ross and Greene travel to a near-deserted stretch of California to investigate circumstances surrounding a death in Doug's family.

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  25. Background image for The Good Fight
    8.7/10(6 votes)

    #24 - The Good Fight

    S5:E8

    Carter and Lucy scramble across Chicago to find a dying girl's father who's a perfect match for her very rare blood type. Benton operates without transfusions to save the little girl's life.

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  26. Background image for The Letter
    8.7/10(6 votes)

    #25 - The Letter

    S8:E20

    Dr. Carter reads a letter from terminally ill Dr. Green to the ER staff. Dr. Weaver lashes out at a mentally challenged patient. A terminal, homeless man continues asking for Dr. Green.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Jack Orman
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Best Episodes Summary

"Hell and High Water" is the best rated episode of "ER". It scored 9.2/10 based on 8 votes. Directed by Christopher Chulack and written by Neal Baer, it aired on 11/9/1995. This episode scored 0.1 points higher than the second highest rated, "24 Hours".