Ep 1. Homecoming (AKA Indian Summer)

In the ER season 7 premiere episode titled "Homecoming" (AKA Indian Summer), we see the return of Dr. Mark Greene (Anthony Edwards) after taking a leave of absence from his job at County General Hospital in Chicago. He has been on a sabbatical in Hawaii and is now back to resume his work as an emergency room doctor.

The episode takes place during a particularly hot and humid day in Chicago. The heat causes chaos in the Emergency Room as there is a surge in patients, many of whom are suffering from heat-related illnesses. Mark is called into action right away and quickly gets to work, taking charge and managing the busy ER.

As Mark settles back into his job, he reconnects with his colleagues, including his former love interest, Dr. Susan Lewis (Sherry Stringfield). The two share a moment as they catch up on each other's lives. We also see Mark's relationship with his daughter, Rachel (Yvonne Zima), who had moved to Hawaii with her mother following Mark's divorce. Mark and Rachel spend a day together exploring the city and reconnecting.

Throughout the episode, we see other storylines play out, including a young boy who is brought into the ER after being hit by a car and an elderly woman who is found wandering the streets. The boy's parents are in a state of panic and the ER team works quickly to stabilize him and get him into surgery. Meanwhile, the elderly woman has no family or friends to claim her, so the hospital staff works to find her a safe place to go.

As the episode progresses, the tension builds as the temperature continues to rise and the ER becomes more and more crowded. The staff is pushed to their limits as they work tirelessly to care for all the patients, and we see the toll this takes on their personal lives. We see glimpses into the personal struggles of Dr. Lewis, Dr. Carter (Noah Wyle), and Nurse Hathaway (Julianna Margulies), among others.

The episode concludes with Mark making a decision about his future at County General Hospital. He is offered a new job in Hawaii, but ultimately decides to stay in Chicago and continue his work in the ER. We are left with a sense of hope as the ER team bands together to care for their patients, despite the chaos and stress.

Overall, "Homecoming" (AKA Indian Summer) is a thrilling and emotional premiere episode of ER. It showcases the incredible work of emergency room doctors and nurses while also exploring the personal lives of the characters we have come to know and love. With excellent acting and writing, this episode sets the tone for what promises to be another exciting season of the iconic medical drama.