The season premiere offers multiple points-of-view of the same events a la "Rashomon" as Dr. Greene ministers to a sobbing young woman who was injured during a confrontational television talk show melee where she learned bitter family news -- but Greene has to face his own demons when a board of inquiry investigates the curious death of his serial killer patient. Meanwhile, a stoic Dr. Carter must attend a family funeral which reunites him with his detached rich parents. Dr. Benton keeps a watchful eye on the recovering Cleo while he deals with his grieving sister's attempts to cope with her teenaged son's death. While Greene helps with others injured on the talk show, he also works on a homeless man who was mugged. A nervous Dr. Weaver returns from her "African" sabbatical and warily waits to see how her colleagues react.

Just when Dr. Carter thinks he's done for the day, the ER sucks him back in frenetic fashion as he is swamped with problematic patients -- including several heavy metal roadies and musicians after concert accidents -- while Dr. Benton is shocked to hear tthe full report when his young son is involved in a car accident. Newly appointed chief resident Chen panics when she is overwhelmed with patients -- one of whom she misdiagnoses -- while Dr. Weaver is suddenly AWOL on personal business just as several lives are in the balance. Meanwhile, Abby feels neglected by a distracted Dr. Kovac on an ugly night out, and she especially resents his flirty relationship with an attractive French waitress.

Dr. Greene is surprised when his rebellious teenaged daughter suddenly appears at the hospital after running away from his ex-wife while a skirt-chasing Dr. Malucci flirts with disaster and Dr. Carter and Abby draw even closer to each other. A hesitant Dr. Chen is tested when she struggles to save the life of an abandoned baby -- who some believe has a birthmark resembling a religious icon. A resourceful Malucci does some fast work when he tries to help an ailing patient while stuck together in a hospital elevator. Dr. Romano dresses down Dr. Weaver when a local newspaper investigates the death of a patient who expired on her watch.

Former County General alumna Dr. Susan Lewis returns to Chicago looking for a new job and swings by her old digs to renew friendships -- especially with Dr. Greene -- while a nervous Dr. Chen is accompanied by Dr. Weaver to a "risk management" review of her treatment of a deceased patient. Elsewhere, Dr. Benton is caught beween a life-saving surgery and the need to pick up his young son before his school locks up. Dr. Corday meets Dr. Lewis and struggles with the parents of a young boy with a rare and chronic disease who have grown discouraged with his long-term prognosis. Dr. Kovac is surprised when a beautiful French waitress shows up in the ER and asks for him.

A wary Dr. Lewis returns to County General and clashes with Abby and others while her patients include a misunderstood Hispanic woman with seizures -- and Dr. Greene treats an injured man whose frantic daughter mistakenly crushed him with her car. Elsewhere, Lewis ministers to a man who is pretending to be comatose for a very good reason; Dr. Benton tries to leave the surgery room when he learns that his young son is missing; Dr. Carter is shocked to see his ailing grandmother brought to the hospital; Dr. Corday must adapt to co-habitating with Greene's teenaged daughter and is investigated when another patient dies of infection.

Dr. Corday's ordeal over the recent infectious deaths of several patients balloons when she is shadowed by a taskmaster who follows her to check for cleanliness while Dr. Lewis fields two college patients who are suddenly attacked by a fast and lethal virus. Elsewhere, Dr. Benton clashes with his toddler son's "other" father, Roger, over visitation rights; Dr. Kovac arranges for the ER to hire his friendly French barmaid as a runner with near-disastrous results while he treats a bedraggled young man for a cut -- and discovers a more dangerous drug hhabit; Abby flirts with a wounded fireman and Dr. Greene must referee between his self-indulgent 14-year-old daughter Rachel and his tense, fed-up wife Corday.

A brittle Dr. Corday desperately searches for a possible "Angel of Death" who's been secretly murdering her elderly patients -- leaving her to shoulder any possible blame -- while a pensive Dr. Benton reluctantly agrees to a paternity test to prove he's the real father of his son Reese. Elsewhere, Dr. Greene hardly shares a happy home with a stressed-out Corday and his wild teenaged daughter Rachel who now also courts trouble at school. Dr. Carter shares disappointing news with his ailing but headstrong grandmother who still intends to keep an active schedule even if it kills her, and he also joins Dr. Lewis in treating a young, self-abusing woman who's been cutting herself. A bright new and inquisitive first-year student makes all kinds of impressions on the curious staff. A resentful Abby nonetheless comforts new staffer Nicole after a traumatic event.

When a torrential rainstorm pounds Chicago, patients stack up while Dr. Weaver speeds to an accident site where a pregnant woman lies injured inside a wrecked ambulance while live power lines spark -- until heroic first-year resident Gallant makes a dangerous leap of faith. Elsewhere: a shaky Dr. Benton gets the lab reports that will determine if he is the father of his son Reese; Kovac's new girlfriend gets in trouble and gives him some unexpected news; Dr. Carter is shocked to see his grandmother wheeled in after breaking her hip in a hit-and-run car accident which injures a young woman -- and Dr. Greene tends to a guilt-ridden boy who feels responsible for the disappearance of his younger brother after playing in a flooded river.

Dr. Benton and his attorney begin a bare-knuckle fight in court to take custody of his young son from Roger -- the boy's "other" father -- while Dr. Corday waits for a distraught husband to decide if surgeons can remove his terminally injured wife's organs for transplant before time runs out. Elsewhere: Dr. Greene and Dr. Lewis treat a brain-damaged teenaged boxer who was hurt while sparring with his guilt-ridden brother; Dr. Weaver crosses paths again with a feisty firefighter who once helped her in the field; Dr. Carter tries to aid a young woman who complains of a nasty recurring allergic reaction; and Greene suspects the worst when the boyfriend of his rambunctious teenaged daughter Rachel tests positive for marijuana.

As Christmas nears, Benton endures rage and frustration when the custody trial for his son, Reese, reaches a critical stage. Benton must choose between his job and his child unless cranky Romano agrees to tailor Benton's work schedule. Meanwhile, a busy Carter finds romance and receives some upsetting news from his father, Jack, who is visiting for the holidays. Carter also ministers to a boy, Ben, whose fall from a tree causes great concern amongst his tight-knit family. Weaver is perplexed by a pregnant woman, Theresa Mathews, who is ready to deliver a baby despite remaining in a coma for a year. A sobbing young mother, Paula Gamble, accidentally shoots her son. Abby curiously spies on Kovac's elusive French girlfriend, Nicole, as she sneaks through the hospital.

On her birthday, Abby receives a few unwelcome surprises, including the news that Kovac plans to leave town for two months to work in Bosnia. She also finds out that her ex-husband is engaged to remarry. Despite Abby's efforts to prevent it, Carter has an uncomfortable encounter with the patient, Paul Sobriki, who stabbed him and killed a fellow doctor two years ago. Abby cares for a young boy, Douglas Leeman, after his mother dies in the hospital. And she shares a drink with her neighbor, Joyce, one of the few people who acknowledge Abby's birthday.Meanwhile, when the wife of a burn victim learns that her husband had been taking illicit drugs, she forces her children to observe his condition in order to teach them a lesson. Carter questions the motives of his mother, Eleanor, who arrives in Chicago to care for his grandmother, Millicent. Firefighter Sandy Lopez, now dating Weaver, discovers that Weaver is not always forthright at work about her sexual identity. Greene confronts Rachel after finding cigarettes and condoms in her book bag. Chen schemes to use information against Weaver to become fully reinstated.

Lewis clashes with Weaver over the treatment of an injured condemned murderer, Mike Kinney, who wants to die in the emergency room rather than wait for his execution. Abby urges her battered next-door neighbor, Joyce, to seek shelter from Joyce's abusive husband, Brian. A weary Carter must endure the warring of his parents, Jack and Eleanor, as they plan their divorce. Carter also diagnoses an aspiring rapper who tests positive for HIV but refuses to tell his naïve girlfriend. Meanwhile, Weaver is embarrassed in front of her colleagues by her uninhibited firefighter girlfriend, Sandy Lopez. Weaver is also forced to rehire an indignant Chen after evidence is revealed that could implicate Weaver in the death of Chen's patient. Greene tries to help a guilt-stricken father, Julio Echeverria, who suffers a heart attack on the day his estranged daughter is to be married. At home, Greene struggles to rein in his wayward 14-year-old daughter, Rachel.

Greene and Corday are terrified when their helpless baby daughter is brought in, suffering from an accidental overdose. Lewis treats a father and daughter who were injured after opening a letter bomb. Weaver seethes when Romano gives some of her numerous duties to Lewis. Carter meets a dying 12-year-old leukemia patient, Mickey, brought in by Carter's charitable mother, Eleanor. The doctors marvel at a 13-year-old girl, Stacy, who crashed her mother's car while trying to drive the inebriated woman home. Gallant sympathizes with a sickly homeless man, Manny, and Manny's friendly mutt, Stinky. And Abby gets a desperate, late-night visit from her next-door neighbor Joyce.

With their baby daughter still fighting for her life, Greene and Corday argue after she orders Rachel out of their home. Abby regrets championing her battered neighbor, Joyce, who refuses to charge her husband, Brian, with abuse. Tainted snacks cause food poisoning among several staffers. Carter confronts his mother, Eleanor, over issues of emotional abandonment and gets a surprise visit from his father, Jack. The emergency room team treats an elderly swimmer with heart problems, a fearful 15-year-old girl with vaginal bleeding, a recent lottery winner who was unlucky enough to have been stabbed by a falling icicle and a diminutive stripper, Ginger, who accidentally swallowed a customer's wedding ring.

As Greene's medical problems reappear, Corday lives in a hotel room with the baby, angry at Greene for the way he dealt with Rachel following the infant's overdose. Greene treats a father, Ian Nevinger, who severely burned himself while experimenting with illegal drugs. With the patient's life in immediate jeopardy, Greene is further tormented by Ian's refusal to let his family see him in his horrific condition. Meanwhile, Chen copes with a teenager, Theresa Matthews, who has been comatose for over a year yet is inexplicably pregnant. A young girl, Brianna, arrives in the emergency room with her father, who suffers from critical gunshot wounds. A teenager, Aaron James is injured after his father gets careless with a snowmobile. Abby becomes furious when Brian, the neighbor who beat her, is released from custody and moves back in next door to her. And former front desk clerk Jerry returns and clashes with his replacement, Frank.

After a dominatrix, Medusa, inadvertently leaves a bag of sex toys in the emergency room, causing a few moments of hilarious but inappropriate behavior amongst the overworked staff, Weaver angrily orders Abby, Carter, Lewis, Kovac and Gallant to attend a day-long sexual harassment seminar. Waiting for the tardy instructor, the five share intimate details about their relationships while alternately mocking and challenging each other. Abby and Lewis frankly discuss their problems with Carter and Kovac, and the two men have a fencing match--literally and figuratively--that reveals much about their respective attraction to Abby.