Follow the lives of the emergency room staff and doctors of Chicago’s County Hospital, a level one trauma centre where the difference between life and death rests on split-second decisions. Determined to save lives in a place where nothing is taken for granted; everything is uncertain for the team except that another person will be rushed through the emergency room doors in the next moment...

The thirteenth season of ER contains plenty of suspense and drama for the doctors and staff of Chicago’s County Hospital. There's a marriage, a hostage situation, one of the staff commits murder, and two regular cast members leave the show.

Highlights include:

Ames V. Kovak: While Abby readjusts to the hospital after being at home with her baby. Kovac has his own challenge: a malpractice suit filed by a distraught man who came to the ER with a cough and left partially paralysed. This episode sees Forest Whitaker star as Curtis Ames - a recurring role which pans out over the course of this season with an explosive conclusion.

Reason to Believe: The ER becomes a temporary refuge for three homeless children who've constructed an elaborate fantasy world to replace the filth and fear they live in.

A House Divided: In the same night Abby gets two nasty shocks. Meg makes a dramatic (and possibly fatal) gesture. Weaver leaves the ER. So does Pratt - in handcuffs - after his church clinic plan goes wrong.

Family Business: A middle-aged man suffering from heart failure has only one concern: his devoted father who will have no one to turn to and no place to go if the son dies.

The final three episodes also see one of the regular cast bow out of the show (I won't spoil it by telling you who, but the conclusion will ensure that there isn't a dry seat in the house) while the fate of another cast member is left in the balance.

Extras include deleted scenes for the majority of the episodes.

Once again, this box set is spread over three discs, with eight episodes on each disc (four on each side). This greatly reduces the price of the box set (when compared to other TV show releases) allowing fans to own all 23 episodes for just under £45 - which is impressive when you consider that some releases retail at £35 for half a season.

Yet another great collection of drama from the ER room.

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Pete Boomer