The Letter

Episode aired May 2, 2002
TV-14
46m

IMDb RATING

9.0/10

819

YOUR RATING

Noah Wyle and Maura Tierney in ER (1994)

Drama Romance

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.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.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.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

9.0/10

819

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

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User reviews7

9.0819

Featured reviews

10spasek

One Life Touches So Many

Never mind that the reading of Greene's letter--and then Corday's--is tribute to the classic Henry Fonda/Jack Lemmon film, "Mister Roberts" in which Ensign Pulver (Lemmon) reads a letter from the beloved Mister Roberts (Fonda) before reading the notification that Roberts was killed in the line of duty. We get something similar with Greene's letter followed by Corday's.

And yet, as powerful as the first five minutes of the episode was, it's the last five that transcends even that one. We come full circle as Carter clearly remembers one of the most important pieces of advice that he received on his first day; advice from Dr. Greene himself as he repeats it nearly verbatim to a shaken Gallant after a particularly gruesome trauma.

A farewell letter is powerful but taking something---a lesson--and applying it, is an even greater tribute because you're telling that person, "You taught me something valuable."

I also found it clever that, despite their constant battling, Weaver still valued Mark and considered him a friend as we see her visibly shaken after learning of his passing. As we find from the classic film, "It's a Wonderful Life"...one life touches so many. And sometimes, we are unaware of the hole that an absence leaves until it's brought to reality.

As good as John Carter is, Mark Greene was always the heart and soul of ER, and that was a void that was never able to be filled after he left. In short, ER was never the same again, which only tells you how valuable and beloved the character of Mark Greene was.

9atprick

Time stops for no man

Sheesh.... What an emotional opening scene, throw out classic dramatic structure, the first 5 minutes was brutal. The rest of the episode was members of the ER remembering Mark, coping and recovering from the news in the letter. It's Carters ER...

Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
The speech that Carter gives to Gallant in this episode is the same as the one that Dr. Greene gave to him in the Pilot.

Goofs
When Carter goes to clean out Greene's locker, the door swings open to the right. However, when Greene left the ER for good, his locker opened to the left.

Quotes
[Dr. Greene's note]
Dr. John Carter: Dear ER Gang, So here I am, out on the beach at 5:30 in the evening. Elizabeth is drinking juice, but I'm all about the Mai Tai's. The sun is going down, Rachel is dipping Ella's toes in the ocean as they head off on their quest for the perfect seashell. Weirdly enough, I find myself thinking, you know what would make this moment complete? Some jogger dropping to the sand, short of breath, so I can sweep in with a piece of bamboo to perform a nice, clean intubation, fix the guy up, and send him off with a good, simple dispo. Which I guess is my way of saying I miss you all and that dingy place. Lots of times I thought I should have chosen a different career or go into private practice, something easier, less grinding, more lucrative, but since I've been gone, I realize that outside of doing what I'm doing right now, sitting on this beach with my family, staying at County all those years, doing what we do on a daily basis was the best choice I ever made. I know what you're thinking, but trust me, it's not hard to appreciate once it's over. As much as a part of me would like to believe that the ER can't go on without me, the smarter part realizes that you are an incredible group of doctors and nurses who approach every day with such skill, compassion and thoroughness, that when it comes to patient care, I know my absence will hardly be felt. In order to leave, I had to go the way I did, but I wouldn't want any of you to think that I didn't value each of you and the years we worked together, or that I didn't have things of a more personal nature to say. Most of you, I think, have an idea of what those things might be without me writing them down, but still... Ella is laughing and waving for me. Rachel found her shell. Mark.
[a footnote from Elisabeth]
Dr. John Carter: Mark died this morning at 6:04 a.m. The sun was rising, his favorite time of day. I sent this on so that you might know he was thinking of you all and that he appreciated knowing you would remember him well.