Just like they used to do in the old days once in a while, tonight's "ER" really focused deeply on one story. There were a couple of minor side plotlines, but really just enough to touch the story surrounding Ray Liotta's character's malady and treatment. And, as if to reassure us that "ER" can continue beyond this season, it leaned very heavily on some of the newer regular characters.
They must've had a lot of trouble getting this one down in length. The episode started with credits running under the first scene, and they skipped the theme entirely. ER's already got an extra minute and a half. That's OK; this one was worth it.