I'm a huge spoiler fan so below are all the spoilers that I have managed to come across. If you know of any other spoiler sources or are a source yourself feel free to contact me. Although pretty reliable most of the time these are only spoilers so they may or may not end up being true. If you want hard facts stick to the NEWS and TV SCHEDULE pages. The most reliable spoilers are from EpneBelle, people at Weavered (Donatella/Bluebelly/Carterfan), Zap2it and Ain't It Cool News. Not so reliable are from Wanda and other sources.

 next to spoilers added within the last 48 hrs. Please scroll down to see the newest spoilers !


Casting

Marcello Thedford will play Pratt's roommate, Leon. According to TimWil at TWOP, the character is African-American. Physically large and overpowering. Rooms with Dr. Pratt, who's his caregiver and friend. He's "slow" as a result of injuries sustained in Detroit and can be childish and sweet one moment and a vicious animal the next. Wanda from E! adds: We discover that Pratt has a roommate who's mentally disabled due to a childhood accident, and Pratt is his caretaker. The roommate sticks around for at least a few episodes.

Wanda
-From jo12: I heard that Philly's Tom Everett Scott is taking a role as Abby's brother on ER--true?
Yep, it's true. Tom Everett Scott (also of That Thing You Do! and the dearly departed The $treet) is playing Abby's brother, Eric, for eight episodes. Supposedly, Scott Foley's name was tossed into the hat at one point but was scrapped when his show A.U.S.A. was picked up for midseason on NBC. Not sure if it's changed, but the original plan for Tom's character Erik was a little something like this: He's in the Air Force and is a really likeable, relaxed and friendly guy. But Abby suspects that he's suffering from a mood disorder (à la mom) that he's able to hide from others.

Speaking of fatherhood, Michael Gross revealed on the Today show this past Monday that he will be returning to ER next season to reprise his role as Jack Carter. Rumor has it we'll also be meeting previously unseen friends and family of both new and established characters for story arcs next fall - but that's kind of a no-brainer.

Wanda
-From beckygene: Is it true that Sally Field is coming back to ER?
Yes. She returns for a "multiple-episode arc" in midseason. Her storyline will coincide with that Abby's brother, Tom Everett Scott, who is also hiding a mood disorder.

-From chloesaver: Anything more on ER? Is Tom Everett Scott a regular?
No. He'll star in eight episodes, but he has not been added as a permanent cast member. The WB's Do Over just tapped him to play the adult Joel Larsen, so he might not be able to sign on permanently to ER, even if they end up wanting him. Unless, of course, the show is cancelled--and sadly, although Do Over is actually very funny, its chances up against Survivor and Scrubs are not good.

General Spoilers

Wanda
-From rufololb: I've got to admit, I'm missing the focus on medicine and interesting cases from the early years of ER. Will we ever be seeing that again?
Ask, and ye shall receive. Noah said this when I interviewed him at the NBC party: "We're going to get back to telling a lot more medical story lines, staying on stage 11 (the hospital set) a lot more and dealing with the bureaucracies. There's going to be a new rivalry between Kerry and I, because we're both going to be in positions of authority now. John Carter doesn't take any shit anymore."

-Okay, how about this: Carter and Abby fans have very little to worry about, at least in the first few eps. And there isn't much to worry about with Leslie Bibb either, apparently. Expect smooth sailing (and steamy showering) for awhile.

-Another ER Fling for Corday? Don't bet on it. Even though it sounds like one of the ER cast members wants to kindle the flame.
A few weeks ago at a Peacock-net party, Alex Kingston laughed at rumors of a love connection between Dr. Corday and Dr. Romano (Paul McCrane) during the upcoming season.
"Oh, come on," Alex said with a jovial eye roll. "It's because Noah Wyle spread this rumor, not maliciously."
Alex seemed legitimately in the dark about any upcoming Corday-Romano love connection and made her own preference perfectly clear: "The thing is, Paul and I really love working together, but I feel there's more fun to be had without them being romantically linked. There's more fun in flirtation and the sort of love/hate relationship they have than if they finally end up together. It's much more interesting to keep the tension alive."
Based on the scoop I'm hearing about a first-ep helicopter accident, you can bet your right arm there'll be plenty of that.

-From misterpeepers: Wandy, Wandy, Wanda--any new ER dish? I mean besides about Carter?
Hmmm...Is there anyone else on that show? Oh, wait, um, what's that guy's name, the gorgeous one with the voluptuous wife whom I always try to trip on the red carpet...
Oh, yes. Goran Visnjic! He's finally getting a storyline, so watch out, ladies. Luka has turned over a new leaf and is a consummate playboy--he has the Dodge Viper, the bachelor pad, the string of women, including one (a total stranger) he has sex with immediately, no questions asked. He's having a good time, putting himself first for a change. The job and everyone else--including exes--come a distant second.

-From jo12: I heard that Philly's Tom Everett Scott is taking a role as Abby's brother on ER--true?
Yep, it's true. Tom Everett Scott (also of That Thing You Do! and the dearly departed The $treet) is playing Abby's brother, Eric, for eight episodes. Supposedly, Scott Foley's name was tossed into the hat at one point but was scrapped when his show A.U.S.A. was picked up for midseason on NBC. Not sure if it's changed, but the original plan for Tom's character Erik was a little something like this: He's in the Air Force and is a really likeable, relaxed and friendly guy. But Abby suspects that he's suffering from a mood disorder (à la mom) that he's able to hide from others.

-You're a fickle bunch today, aren't ya?! Okay, how about the 411 on Don Cheadle's character. D.C. begins his tenure during November sweeps, as a mature medical student. He has Parkinson's Disease and is determined not to let his disability overwhelm his life. Luka is dismissive of him, but he impresses everyone on staff, especially Dr. Romano.

Entertainment Weekly preview of ER
Mourning the death of Dr. Greene (Anthony Edwards), widowed mom Corday (Alex Kingston) seeks comfort with her mum (Judy Parfitt) and dad (Paul Freeman) in London, where the season premiere was partially shot. Will she stay in the U.K.? ''Let me put it this way: Alex is with us for the season,'' says exec producer Jack Orman. Carter (Noah Wyle) assumes Greene's old role as the moral leader of the ER and pursues a relationship with nurse Abby (Maura Tierney), much to the chagrin of Kovac (Goran Visnjic). New hires include Mekhi Phifer (now a regular as Dr. Pratt), ''Popular'''s Leslie Bibb as med student Erin Harkins, and Don Cheadle in a four-week arc as a financier-turned-surgical intern. Maybe his ''Ocean's Eleven'' costar George Clooney wrote him a letter of recommendation.

ERUdition Board moderator
In Season Nine, Luka the Lothario has slept with at least five women by episode seven. Two of them appear to be married, with children. Meanwhile, NBC characterizes Luka's feelings for Abby as "brotherly affection," and uses the "L" word when discussing Carter and Abby.

EpneBelle added
I assure you that at least one has a child and that another is married.

Wanda
From mandi3w: Oh great TV goddess, do you have anything juicy on ER?
Good news for Carter/Abby fans: From what I've seen so far, they're huggy-humpy-lovey for awhile, getting more and more serious as the season progresses. In what looks to be a November episode, Carter bonds with Abby's brother (Thomas Everett Scott), who's thinking of moving to the area and is supportive of her ongoing difficulties with her mother. (Sally Field returns on November 21.)

Wanda
Fresh Blood: Those ER docs might be dropping like flies, but the cast's attitude has hardly flat-lined. "There really isn't a doom-and-gloom sense about the place," Noah Wyle says. "We have some great cast additions, and they're really committed to being there." Namely, Philly's Tom Everett Scott, who stars in eight episodes as Abby's brother Eric, an Air Force cutie who's hiding a secret only mom may understand--good thing Sally Field reprises her role November 21. And Leslie Bibb (Popular) is likely to catch the eye of Luka (Goran Visnjic) while his former fling (Maura Tierney) gets downright steamy with the new head doc (Noah Wyle). And speaking of Carter's newfound power: "There's going to be a rivalry between Kerry and me, because we're both in positions of authority now," Wyle says. "John Carter doesn't take any shit anymore."

Alt.tv.er
Carter and Abby will begin living together some time between Episode One and Episode Seven. (this is unconfirmed)

Wanda
-From lovewither: You've been a bit prudish lately with the ER scoop. Give it up!
What, don't I even get dinner first?! Okay, here's something I haven't yet mentioned. In a November sweeps episode, Luka's job is on the line when nearly all the nurses demand disciplinary action against him. This season, he's quite the ladies man, and his bad attitude and sexual antics (in the workplace, ooh-la-la) are seen as jeopardizing patient care or something. Yeah, now who's the prude?!

-From wittyhere: On ER, will Sandy be back? I'm hoping Weaver gets to have a love life.
Oh, she'll have a love life--and a family life. Later on this season, Weaver and her girlfriend Sandy decide to start a family. Weaver is pregnant.

-From sarahlain: On ER next season, is it true sweet Luka is going to be a jerk?
He's a player, yes. Fast cars, fast women...Fast track to plummeting ratings? You decide. Either way, ER is going to have some serious competition from Without a Trace, the new missing-persons drama from the producers of CSI.

EPISODE 3: "Insurrection"

EpneBelle
"INSURRECTION"
Syringes thrown, guns pulled, vibrators whizzing into the hallway...
Hello, Abby's brother.
Susan, Deb, and Abby have a girls' night out...Deb dancing on speakers and
crowd surfing.
Luka tells Abby he's happy for her.
Slow security reaction is suddenly an issue after 8 years *snicker*.

Donatella
Pratt's roomate is named Leon, played by Marcello Thedford.

Steveskeletal (user at weavered.com)
Apparently Steve was lucky enough to be an extra in the nightclub scene, this is what was said:
"Ok, my character is a club goer at a rave club. Abby and Susan are in the club sitting at a table to my right, I'm at the bar dancing with friends. I don't remember all of the dialogue, but they are talking about a guy, and Abby says something about him "at home listening to Thelonius Monk,"(could this be Carter ? - Editor) and they both start laughing. While Abby and Susan are sitting at the table, I dance in front of them on my way to the dance floor. A waitress comes over, sets a tray full of drinks on the table in front of them, and asks if they would like a drink. During one of the takes, the actor playing the waitress spills the drinks all over Maura, and Maura says something like "oh shit!," then shooting stops for awhile so Maura can go change. One of them asks where Jing-Mei is, and the other points to stage. Jing-Mei is dancing on the stage where the DJ is. She does a stage dive into the crowd of ravers, and body surfs as they pass her to the back of the crowd. She is laughing and really enjoying herself. This was done several times with an asian stunt double wearing a black wig. Later, they filmed Ming-Na doing the scene so they could get the close-ups of her smiling and laughing. Neither one was dropped, so it was very successful! I think Ming-Na was a little scared that she would land on her head!"

NBC
GUNPLAY IN EMERGENCY ROOM PROMPTS DEFIANT CARTER TO LEAD INSURRECTION -- After an enraged drug addict pulls a gun on Dr. Chen (Ming-Na) and other staff members, a fed-up Dr. Carter (Noah Wyle) leads a divisive walkout when his request for metal detectors is delayed -- thereby endangering the lives of new patients. Elsewhere, Dr. Lewis (Sherry Stringfield) counsels an exhausted elderly woman (guest star Shirley Knight) whose adult son is dying from Huntington's disease -- the same affliction that killed her husband. In addition, Dr. Pratt (Mekhi Phifer) tries to safeguard his developmentally disabled brother (guest star Marcello Thedford) and comforts Chen after her brush with death; Dr. Kovac (Goran Visnjic) treats an HIV-infected boy whose parents arouse his curiosity; and Abby's (Maura Tierney) brother (guest star Thomas Everett Scott) gets an eyeful when he visits the hospital. Laura Innes, Paul McCrane and Sharif Atkins also star.

Zap2it
Dr. Carter leads a walkout of the "ER" when he thinks the doctors' lives are in danger. Is this what Mark meant when he told him to set the tone? A drug-addict will attack Dr. Chen and Dr. Pratt will comfort her (hmmmm ... possible romance?) On Oct. 10, we'll meet Abby's brother (played by Tom Everett Scott) and Dr. Pratt's brother, who is developmentally disabled.

TV Guide
Carter takes drastic steps to improve security conditions at County after a
frustrated patient takes matters into his own hands---violently; Meanwhile,
Gallante tends to a hypochondriac who refuses to leave any symptom unchecked;
Pratt (Mekhi Phifer) is keeping a secret about his home situation; and Kovac
has an unhappy ex-lover to contend with. Harkins: Leslie Bibb. Corday: Alex
Kingston. Gallant: Sharif Atkins.

Bluebelly
A drug-seeker holds Chen at gunpoint in front of the rest of the staff. He's demanding an immediate injection of stronger drugs than he was earlier prescribed.
Afterwards, Carter is furious with Weaver, since security has failed the ER once again. She stalls, complaining about costs, and Carter walks...then Abby does, then Frank, and so on. Not everyone joins them.
Weaver eventually concedes, but tells Carter that the costs will have to be recovered from elsewhere in the department's budget, and gives him a difficult decision to make.
Luka joins the walkout.

EPISODE 4: "Walk Like A Man"

EpneBelle
Luka pulls a Malucci in the storage closet.
Abby morphs into Carol some more by unwillingly becoming nurse manager.
Kerry screws up big time on live television.
Elizabeth manages to find her former bedside manner again.
Carter bitches at Susan for barhopping with Abby.

ER Daily
Captain Closet's partner is the mother of a patient he treats.

Title change from "Don't Call Me Mikey" to Walk Like A Man"

NBC
UNGALLANT DR. GALLANT CHAFES OVER FATE AND CARE OF PATIENTS -- Young Dr. Gallant (Sharif Atkins) gets worked up over the callous treatment afforded to an addled elderly patient (guest star Diane Delano) under his repeated care and confronts Dr. Pratt (Mekhi Phifer) when he reports a suicidal Army Ranger (guest star David Barrera) -- whom Gallant promised to protect. Likewise, a protective Dr. Carter (Noah Wyle) is agitated when he discovers that girlfriend Abby (Maura Tierney) downed alcohol while out with her girlfriends. Elsewhere: Dr. Weaver (Laura Innes) just isn't herself as she makes repeated -- and embarrassing -- mistakes; Dr. Kovac (Goran Visnjic) dallies with the mother of a little girl (guest star Alexandra Kyle) facing kidney failure; and Dr. Corday (Alex Kingston) treats the wife of a senior citizen (guest star Willis Burks II) who's suffering from Alzheimer's. Paul McCrane, Ming-Na and Sherry Stingfield also star.

TV Guide
Tensions between meek med student Gallant (Sharif Atkins) and arrogant intern Pratt (Mekhi Phifer) reach a fever pitch as they battle over two trobuled patients. The conflict begins after Pratt meddles in Army recruit Gallant's treatment of a suicidal soldier. But when Dr. Kayson (Sam Anderson), the chief cardiologist, refuses to help a known hypochondriac (Diane Delano), Gallant finally hits his limit and unloads on Pratt for having too much to say and too little to offer once the woman's symptoms prove to be legitimate. In other storylines, Abby tries to set the record straight with Carter about her drinking and Kerry makes a disastrous television appearance.

EPISODE 5: "A Hopeless Wound"

EpneBelle
It's Halloween. Ella's a cow, Carter's a skeleton, and Abby's a "Naughty
Nurse". Use your imagination.
Romano returns to work and hovers too close for Elizabeth's liking.
Elizabeth supervises a new flock of med students, including Paul Nathan, who's
confident, great with patients and has Parkinson's.
The staff treats a woman and her baby after a homebirth gone bad.
An apartment building fire brings burn patients once more - in various
costumes.
Luka acts like an ass to everybody.

Donatella/Bluebelly
Abby is one naughty nurse.
Romano returns Elizabeth's wedding ring.
Corday supervises Nathan, the oldest newest medical student at County on surgical rotation. He has Parkinson's. (Don Cheadle will be playing this role and I believe Micheal J. Fox was a consultant for the show - Ed.)
Weaver indentifies with an woman in her 40's who is having pregnancy complications.
Kovac lets his personal problems affect his work.
(Laura Innes will direct this episode)

Carterfan
ABBY:
He got my boobs, but my heart belongs to you, boney boy."
CARTER:
"Yeah, I'll give you a bone, nasty nurse."

Ain't It Cool News
Halloween falls on the first day of sweeps this season, and we've gotten a big chunk of “ER’s” Oct. 31 Halloween installment, titled “A Hopeless Wound.”

* The episode introduces Don Cheadle as Paul Nathan, a middle-aged med student suffering with Parkinson’s. He impresses everybody, including Romano, when he spots a misdiagnosis of necrotizing fascitis. We learn that Nathan was, until recently, a successful commodities trader.

* Ella goes trick-or-treating as a cow.

* Rocket Romano gets some bad news regarding the fine motor skills of his reattached arm. We seem him highly frustrated at having to just lend advice to slower and less talented surgeons.

* County finds itself contending with a Halloween-night apartment fire that sweeps through a gay costume party. Dozens of homosexuals find their bodies fused to their jungle-girl, Cher, and Streisand outfits. Pratt gets fairly creeped out by the flood of half-charred drag queens.

* Kovac cheeses off Chuny by almost laughing when a horny patient puts the grab on her hinder. Kovac gets in more serious trouble with Weaver later in the show after he convinces a distraught mother to sign a DNR order for her doomed newborn, who suffers from a deadly genetic defect. (This whole storyline should prove another enormous ER tearjerker.)

* John and Abby agree to spend their entire shift together in costume. Abby turns up as a “naughty nurse,” while John arrives in a skeleton outfit. At shifts end, Abby gives her falsies to the horny patient, but tells Carter, “He got my boobs, but my heart belongs to you, boney-boy.”

Scavenger hunt at Weavered
Carter is treating Woody, a homeless drunk patient, towards the end of his shift. Abby comes to talk to him and Woody tells her that she's the most beautiful nurse in the hospital and asks to play with her breasts as his 'dying' wish. Carter is slightly annoyed, but Abby pulls out two 4x4's and hand them to Woody and tells him to knock himself out. As Carter and Abby walk away together, he jokes that she puts its out for just anybody. And then come the lines about "you have my heart" and "I'll give you a bone, nasty nurse." She corrects him that it's "naughty" nurse and that nasty nurses are the naughty ones that get diseases and Carter jokes that it happens when you go around letting people play with your boobs.

Bluebelly
Romano gets some bad news regarding the fine motor skills of his reattached arm. We seem him highly frustrated at having to just lend advice to slower and less talented surgeons.
The episode introduces Don Cheadle as Paul Nathan, a middle-aged med student suffering with Parkinson’s. He impresses everybody, including Romano, when he spots a misdiagnosis of necrotizing fascitis.
Romano returns to work and hovers too close for Elizabeth's liking.

EPISODE 6 "One Can Only Hope"

Epnebelle
A disciplinary hearing is scheduled for Luka, after the nurses (minus Abby) sign a petition against him.
Elizabeth is still struggling to connect with her patients, and resistant to Nathan working as a surgeon.
Carter and Abby have a night out with Eric and his new girlfriend, whom Abby has concerns about.
Pratt tries to reassure a shaken Chen after a bad day.

Epnebelle
Some sort of attitude thing (referring to how Luka upset all of the nurses).
He and Chuny also apparently have a fling prior to this. Don't get me started on that. I pray to god that somehow gets cut.
The petition is signed by only the female nurses (except, of course, Abby). No male nurses involved.
Edited to add that I have it on very reliable authority that Luka will have slept with at least *three* (count 'em, three) different women by Episode Six.

jobwagner at alt.tv.er
I think this spoiler about filming in Chicago fits the spoiler about carter/Abby/Eric/Eric's
girlfriend going out on the town
Here is the spoiler:
So today I'm at work (I work on Navy Pier) chatting with my boss, and she
mentioned how last night she and her friend watched ER film when they got off
work. I was like, what?! I'm always off on Fridays, and after I ripped her a
new one for not calling me, she told me what she saw...
She said that they were filming on the grassy part of the pier, the west end,
like at the very front -- she doesn't watch the show that much, but said she
definitely saw Noah Wyle, along with a woman who had reddish hair (Abby?), and
another man with blonder hair. She said the way they were acting it was as if
the blonde guy and the girl were the couple, which puzzles me. She also said
Noah looks *really* skinny.
Anyway, the scene they were filming was some sort of party scene with -- get
this -- country LINE DANCING. I was laughing hysterically at that one...
Anyway, I was trying to figure out who the 2 people could be -- she asked what
Maura Tierney looked like, and when I said "the chick that used to be on
newsradio" it rang a bell with her. It definitely wasn't Elizabeth, because
she said the girl had straight hair, pulled back... As far as the blonde guy
-- I'm clueless on this one as well.

Donatella
Haleh tells Abby that she has been a nurse for many years. She talks about how nurses really run this place. She mentions how nurses don't get enough credit and money for the work they do. Haleh mentions she has given up on being appreciated. However, she won't let any of the nurses be taken for granted.

Ain't It Cool
Some tidbits gleaned from a November sweeps episode titled “The Lottery.”
* Did somebody say “Olaf the Troll”? The Illinois Powerball jackpot is up to $87 million, and admissions clerk Jerry will take to reselling lotto ducats to fellow County staffers.
* Now that John and Abby have officially coupled, sensitive widower Luka Kovac has apparently transformed into a rabid womanizer, and endures an ugly breakup with County’s second-hottest ER nurse, Chuny Marquez. Kovac’s behavior even sparks a petition signed by all the female ER nurses (save Abby).
* Abby’s brother Eric (Tom Everett Scott), like his mom, suffers from a mood disorder, and turns up in Chicago in love with a young woman he just met. (Eric also confides to Carter that Abby was famous at her Catholic school for wearing a Sex Pistols T-shirt over her jumper.)
* Corday expresses serious doubts about the surgical future of Parkinson’s-riddled middle-aged med student Paul Nathan (Don Cheadle). Nathan takes his concerns about Corday’s concerns to Romano.
* Nathan proves himself a hero again when he befriends a 26-year-old named Alison whose rare and painful genetic disorder causes her to sign a DNR.
* Corday will treat a 14-year-old who was apparently drugged and raped. The twist is the teen doesn’t appear to remember what happened to her, and the girl’s father doesn’t want Corday to let the kid in on the bad news. Mrs. Greene will also help a jumpy rookie cop with a nasty gash in her hand.
* Jing-Mei is jumpy too after she encounters a belligerent biker patient who calls her a “yellow bitch” and threatens to “come back and cut you up!” Pratt decides it’s his job to calm her down.
* Big Susie will deal with a elderly woman with noisy digestive issues, and send Abby’s brother out in search of lottery tickets.

Donatella
Carter, Abby Jody, and Eric are sitting at a table in a place that plays country music . People are dancing to the music.Carter and Abby are drinking sodas.
ERIC: Catholic school refugees, both of us. Abby was completely famous. She used to wear a Sex Pistols T-shirt over her jumper.
CARTER: (to Abby) I hope you kept that uniform.
ABBY: You were pretty bad yourself.

Bluebelly
Title change from "The Lottery" to "One Can Only Hope"

Bluebelly
Pratt and Chen are taking each other's clothes off at his house.

ER Exchange Board
The petition against Luka: Abby learns about it from Haleh. Malik dismisses it as whining, and says the other nurses think Abby won't do anything because of her past relationship with Luka. Abby tells Luka that the petition is about his attitude; he says he has a good attitude and Abby scoffs (hard to tell whether it was a good natured scoff or not). At a meeting with Kerry and Romano, Abby tries to praise the nurses while dismissing its importance. They discuss Chuny's possible motivation in starting it -- because of how the Luka/Chuny relationship ended. Romano indicates an Executive Committee will handle it.
Eric, Abby and Carter: Eric asks Abby for some money. She seems to be questioning his love life, asks him about his smoking, and is becoming increasingly worried about him. Carter dismisses Abby's worries. After work, they go to the Navy Pier with Eric and his girlfriend, Jody.
Susan sees two different patients, including a skateboard punk. She plans on using her hoped-for lottery winnings to buy Antonio Banderas, and corrects Pratt.
There is lots of teaching going on, a lot of patients that everyone seems to be involved with, including Kerry, Nathan, Corday, Harkins, Gallant, Pratt and Chen.
Quote:
...In my preliminary info, Leon does appear and Chen scampers off.

Rbeezer
(Unconfirmed Spoiler)
During the hearing for the complaints against Luka, Abby brings up Chuny's relationship with Luka and lets it be known that the relationship ended on bad terms. The implication apparently is that the petition was motivated by that bad ending.
Here's where it gets good.
Someone notes that Abby didn't sign the petition and says her relationship with Kovac must have ended on better terms. Abby says something like 'Oh my God, you did not just say that.'
Romano makes a crack about it must be true, chicks dig accents.
He then says the decision will be settled by another group in three weeks time.
Rbeezer later added...
Sorry, I don't know all the answers to your questions. I only had a little bit of information. I think the reason the person brought it up was to imply Abby had agenda for her actions. So my guess is the person who brought it up may be on the side of the nurses who did sign the petition.
Oh, and one other thing. Look for Abby to be less than sweet to Erin, the blonde intern/medstudent/whatever. (Abby snaps at her over a patient or something like that.) Erin is the one some have speculated Luka beds in an early episode. I personally won't believe that crap till I see it.
And no, I don't know why Abby is less than sweet to her, nor do I know if it's just a one time thing or things have been like that between them from the first day Erin showed up or if it started if/when Abby discovers Luka has an interest in Erin (if he has an interest in her; we'll see).

EPISODE 7: "Tell Me Where It Hurts"

EpneBelle
Nathan begins to become unsure in the face of Elizabeth's discouragement.
Abby turns to Carter for support "as her world closes in around her" when Eric goes AWOL and is later arrested.
Luka is confronted by the husband of a woman he's been sleeping with, and later leaves a bar with a prostitute.
Oh, and Weaver's pregnant !!!
At the alt.tv.er newsgroup, someone suggested that Weaver's pregnancy was a mix-up, or that she'd abort or give the baby up for adoption. Epnebelle replies:
No. She's happy about it and she's still with Sandy.

EpneBelle
Kerry (with Sandy standing next to her) to Susan: " *We're* going to have a baby. "

ER Exchange Board
(unknown if source is reliable):
From Freya and Stormwatcher. This is not everything that will happen and may not make the final script.
Luka realizes Kerry is pregnant and asks her about it. Luka might be asleep at the admit desk, because Susan calls to him to wake up. He treats two young patients, including boy with a GWS to the eyes and drives his Viper on to a golf course to convince a specialist to come in for surgery. At the end of the day, a man shows up at the hospital to beg Luka to stop seeing his wife because he is trying to put his family back together. Later, Luka takes a phone call from the wife and he tells her she should stop calling him. Even later, while sitting alone in the bar, he is approached by a redhead. After conversation and agreement to leave together, she names her price. Luka looks away, finishes his drink, stands to go, then turns back and escorts her out.
Susan seems emotionally reluctant to treat a young boy but Kerry gives encouragement to her. Later, Susan and Kerry have a conversation (don't know what), but ends with the news of the baby. At the end of the day, Susan, in her apartment, has candles lit, soft music playing and a nice dinner prepared, but she eats alone. (Interesting that this scene is set just before the one of Luka in the bar.)
Eric is AWOL from the Air Force, who thinks he has PTSD, and whom Eric never told about Maggie being bi-polar. When the MP's arrest him in front of Abby, Eric is livid and yelling at Abby, accusing her of betrayal. Later, Carter comes home to Abby with dinner (they are living together) to find she bought some wine and opened it, but (very important) she has not drunk any. She tells Carter of her struggles and pain, and Carter is very supportive of her.
Again, lots of patients with poignant stories, lots of teaching, Harkins and Gallant, Nathan and Corday, Pratt, Chen and Kerry.

Donatella
A foursome of four golfers are on the the fairway when a Viper appears on the fairway. They are upset by the car driving on the fairway. Luka is driving the Viper and stops and ask for Dr. Abrams. Luka tells him that he needs to come with him now because he did not respond to a page about a 14 year old with a ruptured globe and might lose his eyesight. Luka tells him to get in the car. The guy ask if he is kidnapping him. Luka says that he is an escort service. Abrams knows Luka is serious. Luka tells another guy to shut up when the other guy speaks about the situation. When Abrams is concerned about his clubs Luka tells the the man he told to shut up to take his clubs. Abrams gets into Luka's car . The Dr. mentions he was just trying to get one more round of golf in.

EPISODE 8: "First Snowfall"

Epnebelle
Abby travels with Gallant to Nebraska to see her brother after his arrest, and encounters Maggie.
After a drunk driver injures a family, Carter and Corday start an emergency heart-lung transplant.
Winter in Chicago: Carter gets in the middle of Malik and Erin's snowball fight, while Luka skis in to work.

ER Exchange Board
Spoilers for #8, title is TBA. Just to remind everyone, this information is very incomplete. In fact, we suspect that the following spoilers account for less than half of the total final material. Remember that this is based on early scripts and may change before broadcast:
Abby/Gallant/Eric/Maggie: Gallant assists Abby in attempting to locate, by phone, where the MPs took Eric. They seem to locate him at an Air Force base in Nebraska, because next we find that both of them have traveled to the base. It's obvious that Gallant is there to help Abby communicate with the military personnel and to help maneuver her through the base and the system. Abby tries to keep Carter updated via the phone. Eric does not want to see Abby (which hurts), because he's angry with her, and at Eric's request, they have sent for Maggie, who appears on the scene. Maggie is on her medication and is apparently functioning normally. Eric is facing a court hearing to determine whether he will be court marshaled or simply receive a medical discharge. Abby is upset, because she has not had time to make any arrangements for his treatment should he be discharged.
Back at the hospital: Heavy snow has resulted in school cancellations and the closing of city offices. Erin and Malik are having a snowball fight when Carter walks into the middle of it. Luka skis into to the ambulance bay.
While things start out quietly, a very tragic accident brings a mother and her two sons to County. They were building a snowman on a blocked street when a drunk driver hit them. The drunk driver also comes to County with non-life threatening injuries. Corday and Luka begin working on the mother, but Susan steps in when Corday is needed to work on one of the boys. Carter helps Corday prepare one of the sons for the transplant team. Nathan follows Corday throughout and they also treat the drunk driver. The father, in the middle of dealing with all of the tragedy has a tough decision to make.
The episode ends with Elizabeth building a snowman with Ella.