Setting the Tone: An ER Retrospective

Join Elizabeth, Lauren, and Daniel as we recap our favorite medical drama! We're taking a weekly look back at each episode of the hit TV series "ER". We'll break down every episode, as well as look at how each episode impacts the overall story of the iconic 15 season show. Theme music provided by Andrew Edwards of Blue Police Box Music.

Patreon Preview: S13 Wrap Up 11/13/2025

Patreon Preview: S13 Wrap Up It’s that time again! Join the STT hosts and special guest Jake from The Popular Court as we recap all the good and bad that was season 13. Hear our opinions on the season as a whole, what we loved and what we hated the most, as well as some thoughts from your fellow listeners. Want to hear the full episode, including the semi-annual “Tone-y” awards? Support us at the $5 level over at patreon.com/settingthetonepodcast to enjoy that plus over 75 additional hours of bonus audio and video content. /episode/index/show/settingthetonepodcast/id/38965120

S13E23 "The Honeymoon Is Over" 11/06/2025

S13E23 "The Honeymoon Is Over" This week: Moretti observes the flaws in patient care down in the ER, the writers go back to the custody battle well with Gates and Sarah, Ray ain’t got no legs, Luka heads overseas, Frank is buying into the Homeland Security propaganda a bit too much, Pratt and Abby treat a kinkster who got beaten up by a confused guy, and Neela’s outing to a peace rally turns violent. /episode/index/show/settingthetonepodcast/id/38818820

S13E22 "Sea Change" 10/30/2025

S13E22 "Sea Change" This week: The ER reopens with the same old problems, Morris tries to convince Hope to stay longer at their expensive hotel, Larry has vastly overestimated how much Sam is into him, no one knows Ray (or what’s left of him) is, Abby believes in the power of love and it leads to a tricky diagnosis, Mae Lee says goodbye to County, and Pratt argues about the realities of the ER with Stanley Tucci. /episode/index/show/settingthetonepodcast/id/38763090

S13E21 "I Don't" 10/23/2025

S13E21 "I Don't" This week: Love is in the air as Luka surprises Abby with a wedding, Gates and Ray’s fight for Neela’s affections comes to a violent end (in more ways than one), Timmy tries to hook up with every single nurse, Morris and Hope finally seal the deal, and Neela gets kissed by some drunken individuals. /episode/index/show/settingthetonepodcast/id/38599055

S13E20 "Lights Out" 10/16/2025

S13E20 "Lights Out" This week: The staff scramble to empty the ER after a temporary closure is announced by Luka, Chaz’s initiation into the paramedic crew goes horribly wrong, Sam helps guide Diana through the last choices of her life, Gates gets into a fist fight with his dad, and Pratt and Ray treat a teenager who has been poisoned by a jealous classmate. /episode/index/show/settingthetonepodcast/id/38505110

S13E19 "Family Business" 10/09/2025

S13E19 "Family Business" This week: Pratt reconnects with Chaz who is pursuing a new career, Sarah is trying to get the Gates household in order, Abby is a bit paranoid about Baby Joe’s fever, A flower delivery man crashes his van while attempting to save a pair of brothers, Luka and Gates do everything they can for an elderly man with Alzheimer’s after his son dies suddenly, and Sam goes all She-Hulk on a cop. /episode/index/show/settingthetonepodcast/id/38418605

S13E18 "Photographs and Memories" 10/02/2025

S13E18 "Photographs and Memories" This week: Neela’s still getting shoved out of the way for Mae Lee, Gates has a talk with Sarah about her parentage, a wild new med student appears, Sam treats a dying man who is being constantly photographed, Luka and Abby try to calm Morris and Hope down about the upcoming wedding, Abby’s favorite flight nurse has some surprising character development, and it’s all hands on deck after a semi truck plows into a compact car containing a family. /episode/index/show/settingthetonepodcast/id/38334370

S13E17 "From Here To Paternity" 09/25/2025

S13E17 "From Here To Paternity" This week: Hope’s wedding senses are tingling as Luka and Abby begin to plan the big day, Pratt connects to a patient who was shot while trying to stop his son from killing someone else, Neela has some new competition in the form of a special med student, Gates has some daddy issues, and the entire ER does their best to help a hypothermic family whose car was trapped in the snow for two days. /episode/index/show/settingthetonepodcast/id/38287190

S13E16 "Crisis Of Conscience" 09/18/2025

S13E16 "Crisis Of Conscience" Content warning: patient suicide This week: Gates treats a dying woman whose story isn't quite lining up, Luka dives back into work, Neela uncovers a major ethical problem with a kidney transplant, Crenshaw is a sub, Ray treats a beaten cheerleader, and Andy Dick can see the future. /episode/index/show/settingthetonepodcast/id/38205045

S13E15 "Dying Is Easy" 09/11/2025

S13E15 "Dying Is Easy" But pacing isn't, apparently. /episode/index/show/settingthetonepodcast/id/38079460

S13E14 "Murmurs Of The Heart" 09/04/2025

S13E14 "Murmurs Of The Heart" Content warning: Discussion of two suicides. This week: Chaos unfolds around Chicago as Tony tries desperately to save Meg’s life after she overdoses, Pratt eventually gets out of jail but is surprised to see who bailed him out, flames engulf the entirety of Sam’s apartment building, and Ames kidnaps Kovac and severely injures him while going on a stroll down memory lane. /episode/index/show/settingthetonepodcast/id/38036840

S13E13 "A House Divided" 08/28/2025

S13E13 "A House Divided" This week: Alex reclaims his title as king of the s****y kids list, Pratt proves once again why you should never talk to the cops without a lawyer, Kerry is still here for some reason, Ray and Gates once again clash over patient care (but it’s really about Neela), Abby’s mystery old man friend’s identity is revealed, and the episode has a weird amount of cliffhangers. /episode/index/show/settingthetonepodcast/id/37795535

S13E12 "Breach Of Trust" 08/21/2025

S13E12 "Breach Of Trust" This week: Kerry gets an enticing job offer in Miami, Gates brings Sarah to the ER for the day, Pratt and Hope’s church clinic secret is revealed in the worst way, Alex is getting his criminal record started, Sam’s grandma makes a surprise visit, and Luka’s budget problems lead to a surprise firing. /episode/index/show/settingthetonepodcast/id/37697600

S13E11 "City Of Mercy" 08/14/2025

S13E11 "City Of Mercy" This week: The Temu Newsies strike again as Ray and Gates leave the ER to help a pregnant teenager, Abby finds out what Luka has been doing to Ames, the Morris growth arc continues as he spends more time with Hope, Sam works to find out what really happened to an abandoned homeless woman, Neela is getting all sorts of attention (some professional, some creepy), and County General celebrates Christmas in a variety of ways. /episode/index/show/settingthetonepodcast/id/37603155

S13E10 "Tell Me No Secrets..." 08/07/2025

S13E10 "Tell Me No Secrets..." CW: talk about the sexual assault of a minor This week: Tensions continue to rise between Ames and Kovac, everyone thinks Ray and Katey are dating, a handsome new nurse joins the ER for a little while, Neela is giving the cold shoulder to Gates, the Morris redemption arc reaches new heights, Abby treats the man from the bar last episode, and the staff treat Kovac’s hospital lawyer’s daughter after a violent incident. /episode/index/show/settingthetonepodcast/id/37561115

S13E9 "Scoop and Run" 07/31/2025

S13E9 "Scoop and Run" This week: It’s Thanksgiving at County as Abby gets sucked into a long helicopter run that leads to a mass casualty incident, Luka puts his chef hat on, Gates and Neela get interrupted multiple times in some awkward positions, Sam has Alex helping out in the ER, Crenshaw and Jane finally meet, and Pratt goes to Kerry for some gay advice. /episode/index/show/settingthetonepodcast/id/37433760

S13E8 "Reason To Believe" 07/24/2025

S13E8 "Reason To Believe" This week: The shitty kids list comes alive /episode/index/show/settingthetonepodcast/id/37353980

S13E7 "Jigsaw” 07/17/2025

S13E7 "Jigsaw” Do you wanna watch an episode? /episode/index/show/settingthetonepodcast/id/37203490

S13E6 "Heart Of The Matter" 07/10/2025

S13E6 "Heart Of The Matter" This week: The verdict is in for the case of Ames v Kovac, Morris is being Morris about a TV appearance, Neela tries to get some extra OR time by being sneaky, Luka weighs telling a dying man just how serious his condition is, Ray is bad in the sack, Gates helps a very friendly teenage girl with Asperger’s, Pratt’s plans get interrupted, and Kerry steals Morris’ spotlight. /episode/index/show/settingthetonepodcast/id/37154465

S13E5 "Ames v. Kovac" 07/03/2025

S13E5 "Ames v. Kovac" This week: Kovac faces off in court against an old patient who believes he was treated poorly after suffering a stroke in the ER, Chaz reconnects with Pratt, Abby takes charge during her first day back from maternity leave, Ray gets asked out, and the surgery squad inadvertently lights a patient (and a med student) on fire. /episode/index/show/settingthetonepodcast/id/37050020

S13E4 "Parenthood" 06/26/2025

S13E4 "Parenthood" This week: Morris makes the ill-advised decision to attend one of his children’s soccer games, Abby gets a peek at the lives of nannies, Pratt juggles an avalanche of patients and teaching responsibilities, Neela gets paired up with a new med student, Gates continues to struggle with his paperwork (at least according to Pratt), and Luka helps a young boy crushed by a tree. /episode/index/show/settingthetonepodcast/id/36962880

S13E3 "Somebody To Love" 06/19/2025

S13E3 "Somebody To Love" How do you do fellow gays? Support a real life LGBTQIA+ non profit by buying a piece of our STT Pride merch! 100% of all proceeds go to the Howard Brown Health Center! https://www.bonfire.com/store/setting-the-tone-store/ /episode/index/show/settingthetonepodcast/id/36843115

S8E16 "Secrets & Lies" REUPLOAD 06/12/2025

S8E16 "Secrets & Lies" REUPLOAD This week: It’s a bottle episode! After rummaging through a sex worker’s personal belongings, Abby, Carter, Gallant, Luka, and Susan all have to take a class about proper workplace conduct. Sword fights, Shakespeare performances, sex talks, and deep conversations ensue. *Reuploaded because a certain podcast service removed it for copyright* /episode/index/show/settingthetonepodcast/id/36978150

S8E8 "Partly Cloudy, Chance Of Rain" REUPLOAD 06/12/2025

S8E8 "Partly Cloudy, Chance Of Rain" REUPLOAD This week: A massive rain storm messes up everything in Chicago, Mark fights to save a little boy who drowned, Cleo is leaving County, Benton is NOT the father, Gamma does a hit and run on the Pink Ranger, Nicole is a thief, Carter and Susan continue to flirt, and Kerry and Gallant battle the elements and risk electrocution to try and save a stabbing victim and her baby. *Reuploaded because a certain podcast service took it down for licensed music* /episode/index/show/settingthetonepodcast/id/36978130

S13E2 "Graduation Day" 06/12/2025

S13E2 "Graduation Day" Sally Field's in this one, what more do you need to know? /episode/index/show/settingthetonepodcast/id/36741400

S13E1 "Bloodline" 06/05/2025

S13E1 "Bloodline" CW: Sexual assault of a main character. This week: Steve’s kidnapping plan takes some major turns for the worse, Jerry undergoes open heart surgery to repair his wounds, Abby is stubborn as ever as her condition threatens the life of her unborn child, Luka does what he can from the sidelines for both Jerry and Abby, and Neela makes a great save from the surgical observation room. /episode/index/show/settingthetonepodcast/id/36683900

Patreon Preview: Season 12 Wrap-up 04/24/2025

Patreon Preview: Season 12 Wrap-up It’s that time again! Join the STT hosts and special guest Jake from The Popular Court as we recap all the good and bad that was season 12. Hear our opinions on the season as a whole, what we loved and what we hated the most, as well as some thoughts from your fellow listeners. Want to hear the full episode, including the semi-annual “Tone-y” awards? Support us at the $5 level over at patreon.com/settingthetonepodcast to enjoy that plus over 75 additional hours of bonus audio and video content. /episode/index/show/settingthetonepodcast/id/36077000

S12E22 "Twenty One Guns" 04/17/2025

S12E22 "Twenty One Guns" This week: Sam and Luka get caught up in Steve’s attempt to escape prison, Kerry is under fire for hiring Clemente in the first place, Pratt helps Neela get the closure she needs at Gallant’s funeral, Morris is very picky with his patients on his last day at County, Abby consider’s Luka’s sudden proposal, and a shootout erupts in the ER that leaves everyone’s favorite desk clerk in critical condition. /episode/index/show/settingthetonepodcast/id/36075995

S12E21 "The Gallant Hero and The Tragic Victor" 04/10/2025

S12E21 "The Gallant Hero and The Tragic Victor" This week: The ER staff are devastated after Gallant is killed by a roadside bomb in Iraq, Neela has to be forced to stop working, Jane has a perfect Jane moment with Abby, Ray tries his best to help Neela, and Clemente’s mental health issues finally hit the breaking point. /episode/index/show/settingthetonepodcast/id/35918680

S12E20 "There Are No Angels Here" 04/03/2025

S12E20 "There Are No Angels Here" We're done with the Africa episodes. /episode/index/show/settingthetonepodcast/id/35797395

Setting the Tone: An ER Retrospective

TOPICS