I am a recent fan to ER. I have been trying to watch and tape as many episodes as I can both on NBC and TNT.

I don't know if this comment has been discussed before, but I thought it is interesting how they entitled each episode. A lot of thought goes into many of them. Many are easy to guess why they decided on that title, but some have multiple meanings and significance. So my question is this what is one of your favorite titles and why?

I thought "Homeless for the Holidays" was an good title for Season 3's Holiday episode. First of all we have Charlie the runnaway, who is indeed homeless, who Doug takes in and brings to Carol's "interesting" family get together. But also in a way Doug himself is homeless. There is no family holiday celebration waiting for him when he gets home. Gant, who was to share his holiday with Carter's family ends up on his own. Benton shows up on Carla's doorstep with a pointsetta, he purchased at some mini-mart. Mark, goes to Jen's new home to be with Rachel with his present of a stray (homeless) dog , who he has cleaned up for her. In a way he is homeless too. And last but not least, Jeanie. Her HIV status is made known in this episode and she is referred to as Worker X until she sets other's straight. She is working the night shift with Maggie. Earlier in the day her husband drops off a Christmas decoration from the home they used to share. She has no family to share her holiday with, except her hospital family which is the significance to me of the last scene when Maggie mentions something is missing from the tree and Jeanie adds her star. So all and all many of the cast are "homeless" for the holidays one way or another.

-- SB (SB@aol.com), July 15, 2000

Answers

Well, first, I loved the title Match Made in Heaven, because I was so happy it was referring to Lucy. Such Sweet Sorrow was great for JM's exit, and even May Day was great, because someone pointed out it was a "may day" for everyone about Carter's problems. But these are season 6.

Into that Good Night just sounds like an honorable title for doctors who are still saving lives while most are at home, asleep. Everything Old is New Again...reference of course to Carol NOT marrying Tag (and maybe even Doug's relief that she didn't!) and Carter finding out he's coming back. Who's Appy Now is just funny and very appropriate. I'm sure I'll think of more.

-- Elaine (mrsclooney78@hotmail.com), July 15, 2000.

This is a great questions. One of my favorite titles is "Greene with Envy". This was the episode when Dr. Lawrence was hired by Kerry and Marc was none too pleased. If anyone connected with ER is reading, I think there should be an episoded entitled "Greene Eggs and Ham". I don't know what the episode would be about, but that title is classic. I also like "Carter's Choice". This episode dealt with a blood shortage when a rapist and the cop who shot him are brought into the ER. Carter's had to choose who got the little blood there was. He choose to autotransfuse the rapist--a decision which really upset Dr. Del Amico.

-- Carin Haseltine (cdenisehaze@usa.net), July 15, 2000.

Hey SB, great question! I thought about that as well from time to time and I think that the writers are doing a great job picking the right titles. (well- most of the time) My favorite title is Season 5's 'Choices of Joi' because I think the title has so much significance, but I also like 'Such Sweet Sorrow' (sweet and sorrow fits perfectly for JM/ Carol leaving the show ) and 'The Peace of Wild Things' simply because it's a beautiful title. There are lots more from earlier seasons that I like as well, but I often don't remember the plot too well, so I can't tell if they have a significance or special meaning.

BTW, have you realized how many titles include Carter? There's 'Welcome back, Carter', 'John Carter, MD', 'Dr. Carter, I presume' and 'Carter's Choice'. Mark has three I guess, and Carol has one title named after her. Is there anyone else who has a title named after him/her?

-- Anne (annebercher@gmx.de), July 15, 2000.

Lucy had one. It was called "Day For Knight".

-- Cammie (rmaelhorn@home.com), July 15, 2000.

'Day for Knight' (Lucy) 'Nobody doesn't like Amanda Lee'?? She was kinda a doctor, And mayby 'How the Finch stole Christmas' may have been related to Cleo Finch, but I dunno! I thought that 'Such Sweet Sorrow' was a great title because in Romeo and Juliet, the line is, 'Parting is such sweet sorrow, i shall say goodbye till it be morrow' - and it was really sad that Carol was leaving but happy too because she was gonna be with Doug! I thought 'May day' was a good title too even though i only understood it a couple of days ago - I always assumed that it meant the actual May day (As in the first of May) and then i realised that those are the words people use when they are in trouble or its an emergency, just like Carter and his drug problem.

-- Vicki (ms_peachy_pie@hotmail.com), July 15, 2000.

I believe there was and episode from either season 4 or 5 entitled "Leave it to Weaver". I think she becomes the official acting head of the ER in this one. And yes "May Day" is a great title for season six's season finale.

-- SB (SB@aol.com), July 15, 2000.

Don't forget "Abby Road" from season 6. Good episode, good album too.

-- Ryan Mulligan (pxpres@idt.net), July 15, 2000.

There's also "When the Bough Breaks" - most obviously about the school bus accident, but I think there was also a subplot with Benton and Carla's baby, and I thought maybe there was something with Carter getting over his relationship with Benton, you know, "You're not a baby any more..."

I think Carter has had the most episodes named after him. There was also "Calling Dr. Hathaway." I don't think Doug or Benton have ever had episodes named after them.

-- Tracy (bankybooda@aol.com), July 15, 2000.

Speaking of "Nobody does it like Amanda Lee" what was the point of that story line? Doug getting a call form Portland or Seattle could have been done without that storyline involved.

-- Cammie (rmaelhorn@home.com), July 15, 2000.

"One More For The Road". The song "One For My Baby"(Fred Astaire sang it at one point) always reminded me of Doug spending all his time in bars lamenting over his failed relationship with Carol. The whole line "Make it one for my baby and one more for the road" kinda made me think of Doug taking a final chance on getting Carol back.

-- Lara Aine (survivingseattle@hotmail.com), July 15, 2000.

I like "Loves Labor Lost" and "Dr. Carter, I presume". They really do a good job of picking the titles!

-- amanda (amanda.rehm@home.com), July 15, 2000.

"All In The Family" was a great title because Lucy was part of their family. I can't think of a better title.

-- Cammie (rmaelhorn@home.com), July 15, 2000.

I also like the title "Love's Labors Lost" because it's the title of a Shakespeare play. I'm surprised at how many people I've spoken to who don't know that, but I guess it's just not well-known enough. Oh well. :)

-- Cecelia (evilstoat@hotmail.com), July 15, 2000.

I hate to be nit-picky, but the title isn't "Day for Knight", it's "A Day for a Knight". I know it's a subtle difference, but it makes more sense the proper way. It was Lucy's first shift in the ER. Please don't hate me, but I know my ER titles. Carol did have a title named for her. It was "Calling Dr. Hathaway"--the episode when she took the MCAT and scored very well.

-- Carin Haseltine (cdenisehaze@usa.net), July 15, 2000.

Carin, I just looked it up at www.digiserve.com and the title does say "Day For Knight" Did someone screw up when they put down?

-- Cammie (rmaelhorn@home.com), July 15, 2000.

Carin, I don't mean to be disrespectful or anything, but Cammie is right. The episode title is "Day For Knight"

-- Adorra (er_chick24@hotmail.com), July 15, 2000.

In the paper, it says that "Robbery" and "Faith" are supposed to air tonight. I'm guessing that Robbery is another name for "The Long Way Around", but i've never seen them change show names. Anyone heard this?

-- Ryan Mulligan (pxpres@idt.net), July 15, 2000.

The title of the first episode of season 6 is creating quite a quandry. I looked up tnt.turner.com and they list the title as "Day for a Knight" and I watched the episode on tape and it lists it as "A Day for a Knight" yet some web sites list it as "Day for Knight". I say to hell with it, it doesn't matter. Everyone is right. Sorry for creating such a commotion over something that doesn't matter.

-- Carin Haseltine (cdenisehaze@usa.net), July 15, 2000.

Actually, "Into That Good Night" doesn't refer to doctors saving lives while everyone else sleeps, although that could be a double meaning. It is a line from a poem (the author escapes me just now) and "that good night" is death. The poem exhorts us not to "go gentle" into death, but to keep fighting for life.

In that episode, at least two people died. One was some sort of gang member who crashed a car after some violent act. Obviously, dying from violence is not a gentle way to die.

The other person to die needed a heart transplant, but he ran out of time. The doctors brought him back two or three times, the final time so his wife could say good-bye. That man told the doctors he wasn't ready to die, but finally seemed to make his peace with the inevitable. But the fact that he was brought back so many times shows us that he was not going gently into death, but was fighting it for as long as he could. A very appropriate title.

-- Annie (GoldenLaur@aol.com), July 15, 2000.

I don't mean to start another commotion, and I agree, it doesn't matter, but it was actually the season *five* premeire. :) Forgive me!

-- Adorra (er_chick24@hotmail.com), July 15, 2000.

Annie, the poet who wrote "Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night" was Dylan Thomas. (Bob Dylan named himself after this guy.) Trivia Queen strikes again! :)

-- Cecelia (evilstoat@hotmail.com), July 15, 2000.

I personally thought "Be Still My Heart" was a good title. Before I heard of it I never knew how much that expression was used, but now I notice it all the time in books in stuff.

-- Jenna (jhicks@siue.edu), July 15, 2000.

I agree that this is an interesting thread. Several of the epi titles have intrigued me in the past. Sleepless in Chicago from season 1 was obviously taken from the movie title but I was thinking, perhaps Doug and Carol even have some "Sleepless in Seattle" nights now??? "And baby makes two" was the title of an old, old movie. Season two also had Mama said there'll be "Days like this" and one of my favs--"Take these broken wings" which is a lyric from one of the primo Beatle guitar songs. (I've even seen Paul sing it in person!) In season three "Fear of Flying" was the name of a rather risque book by Erica Jong. Groucho Marx had a tv show many moons ago called "You bet your life". Season four both Exodus and My Brother's Keeper were references to the old Testament. I guess there are some young viewers out there who don't know that many years ago there was a tv commercial with a catchy little jingle that went "Nobody doesn't like Sara Lee!" And where did the line-They shoot horses, don't they? come from A movie or a book? Thje title Day for Knight has always made me think of the old song, "Night and Day" but I can't remember who sang it. So, does anyone out there recognize "Sins of the Fathers"? It meant something before it was an ER epi and is there a reference to something else for "The Peace of Wild Things"?

-- joan (joanofarc24@hotmail.com), July 16, 2000.

Isn't "The Peace of Wild Things" a poem? I think it is. Dr. Lawrence recites it--I think he had to learn it in school and it had such an impact that he never forgot it. Oh--sorry about the Season 5/6 mistake. I actually knew it was Season 5, but my fingers are quicker than my mind. Oops...

-- Carin Haseltine (cdenisehaze@usa.net), July 16, 2000.

"The Peace of Wild Things" can be found in the FAQ. Here's the URL:

http://www.digiserve.com/er/faq/node6.html#SECTION00065700000000000000 0

For the specific section. :)

-- Cecelia (evilstoat@hotmail.com), July 16, 2000.

I remember the poem now at the end of Wild Things. Thanks for the reminder. I think it would be a safe assumption to believe that the person who decides the episode titles is a well rounded literate individual. Cool!

-- joan (joanofarc24@hotmail.com), July 16, 2000.

Carin, trust me, no need to apoligize about that mistake, its happened to me many, many times! :)

One more thing, (and now I'm going to seem like a know it all, but I swear I'm not!), Andie, Hanson didn't have a song calld "Middle of Nowhere." Trust me, I know. (This is soo embarressing, but...) I used to *love* Hanson, and I still know all the words to their songs! :::blushing::: How embarressing to admit!

-- Adorra (er_chick24@hotmail.com), July 16, 2000.

Oh, i forgot to add one thing, their (Hanson's) cd was called, Middle of Nowhere, so Andie you were right about that!

-- Adorra (er_chick24@hotmail.com), July 16, 2000.

Joan, the line "They shoot horses, don't they?" is from a movie of the same title starring Jane Fonda and another actor who's name escapes me now. It came out in the early seventies, I think.

-- S. Trelles (trelles@ix.netcom.com), July 17, 2000.

But the epsidoe title was They TREAT horses, not shoot them!

-- Annie (GoldenLaur@aol.com), July 18, 2000.

I could be wrong, but I think they named it that just to be funny. You know, because they treated a horse in that episode...? Maybe? I don't know!

-- Adorra (er_chick24@hotmail.com), July 18, 2000.

its really neat too, what they've been able to do with "Greene." "Greene with Envy" "It's Not Easy Being Greene," can anybody think of anymore titles with marks name?

-- catherine (catsclaw_007@yahoo.com), July 18, 2000.

Yeah there was a Hanson song w/ the words Middle of nowhere was the last song on that CD and the song it was in was Man From Milwaukee

-- bridgette (bridgette713@hotmail.com), July 19, 2000.

Yes, Bridgette, there was a song with the *words* middle of nowhere in them, but it wasn't a sing title. (This is so embaressing, but just to prove my point,) Man From Milwakae starts like this: "It started in a bus stop in the *middle of nowhere*..."

Adorra (recovering Hanson Junkie! :)

-- Adorra (er_chick24@hotmail.com), July 19, 2000.

Don't worry about it Adorra! I loved New Kids On The Block when everyone started hating them. Yes I liked NKOTB.

-- Cammie (rmaelhorn@home.com), July 19, 2000.

I doubt that they got "The Middle of Nowhere" from a Hanson song...that is very common phrase.

-- amanda (amanda.rehm@home.com), July 19, 2000.

Though I am 99% sure nobody is reading this thread any more, I still feel compelled to toss in my two cents. "Day For Knight" is also from a literary work, though unfortunately I cannot give any specifics. I am not even sure if the original is spelled k-n-i-g-h-t or n-i-g-h-t. "Sins of the Fathers" is a very common phrase; I've even seen it used as an episode title on tv shows other than ER. For some reason I think it may refer to a biblical quote. Not sure, though. :-)

-- Maureen S. (shepcaff@ix.netcom.com), December 07, 2000.

I haave always liked the subtle play on words and references to other episodes/characters in titles. For example somebody mentioned the episode title "Take These Broken Wings" which is a line from a song by The Beatles called "Blackbird". This is the song that Chloe and Susan sang while Chloe gave birth to little Susie in "motherhood". Susan sang the song to little Susie again at the end of the same episode and also at the end of the episode "And Baby Makes Two". The part of the song which was sung was "Blackbird singing in the dead of night, take these broken wings and learn to fly, all your life". Which was a subtle message as to where Susan's life was going at that a particular time. The plays on words in titles are far more obvious such as "Day For Knight" and "Greene With Envy" but are just as good as the more subtle ones.

-- Jacqueline Hope (kobi@acay.com.au), July 14, 2001.