Carter Checks Into Rehab | ER

After finally accepting he needs help for his narcotic addiction, Benton takes Carter to a special facility for addicted doctors.
From "Homecoming" (Season 7 Episode 1)
First broadcast October 12th, 2000
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[@RogueBlackOp]

Thing was, the only person who got through to Carter wasn’t Greene, Weaver or anyone else. It was Benton. The man who mentored Carter and helped mold him into the amazing doctor he would become. Benton was his rock at the end of the day.

[@mikeg8375]

I agree about Benton but I think Greene and Carter also had a special relationship. It was Dr Greene who advocated to Weaver to get him some help instead of firing him... and he taught him quite a bit as a doctor also. And who can forget the scene in the pilot where Greene gave him the memorable speech after he got sick... God I miss this show. We talk about these characteristics as though they were family!

[@JHoczela]

He was.

[@jenniferwilliams5478]

Then Benton left in s8

[@jono77]

No shit

[@stormangelus6638]

That moment when Benton told Carter he could do this: Carter realized just how bad it was, and that if Benton said he could, he could. Benton had a marvelous ability to see into the real strengths of a person.

[@clairekehoe3667]

Benton was more of a father to Carter than his own Dad.

[@therealmistahjay]

More like a big brother.

[@sugaloaf9889]

@@therealmistahjay agreed. Mark is the father figure,I think.

[@joemckim1183]

His father should've known better too since he raised Alex, Mallory and Jennifer beforehand(Family Ties).

[@dangurney1042]

Hell his grandmother was more of a parental figure to him than either of his real parents.

[@scottknode898]

Carter’s grandmother was more of a mother to him then his mother and Dr Greene was a father figure to Carter and mentor.

[@mikeg8375]

I remember being so angry with the writers when I first watched this. But years later and having watched substance abuse destroy so many people around me I have realized this was brilliant. And it was satisfying to see him lick the problem.

[@jenniferwilliams5478]

I never knew he got stabbed and went to rehab until I started rewatching this show on Hulu

[@superpod64367]

I'm have been on Narcotics for 24 years constantly because of Crohns disease....This convo is Necessary....Necessary. Necessary...because it shows the face of addiction does not discriminate and for those of us who want to stop....but medically can't because of an ongoing disease that is always going to be apart of the equation...Thanks for understanding...My mom was disgusted and disappointed for years until she found herself in the same situation as me and now apologizes everday...The struggle is Real. This is the party e everyone regrets they were invited to.

[@Rabascan]

When the nurse tells him where he can get his fix if he needs it, it's a pivotal moment. Because you can't fix someone who don't want fixing, and if he genuinely didn't want help, he could've turned on his heel to watch his life go down the drain.

[@ftse1]

Carter really seemed to spiral downward after Lucy died. Never really found himself until he leaves for Africa with Kem. He followed his heart with Kem & hoped things could work after the loss of their child. After his best efforts, he knew coming back to County was the right move

[@pho3nix-]

Kem made him even MORE depressed

[@Takecareofyourbusiness]

Kem was a mess for him

[@presentfuture7563]

I'd argue that the show "lost" him even earlier, altering his personality in annoying ways to better force a Lucy pairing that never actually happened (thank god - my unpopular opinion). He was already not the same Carter at the start of Season 5. *They never give a reason.* Anna? Chase's OD? Getting cut off by Gamma? I think someone in the writer's room was gunning for him. It makes no sense, and the changes eventually get phased out.

[@presentfuture7563]

@Ryan Scri Hey Ryan! I've seen you elsewhere around the newly revitalized ER-verse. I agree to the extent that they 'revived' his essential Carterness in later seasons...but having binged straight through S8 so far, I have to say #5 was just *egregious* in many ways. I don't know who was in charge, but it was a mess. Major shark-jumping. They didn't just f* with our boy John, they tried to sell that whole ridiculous Amanda Lee storyline, and generally shoehorned in all kinds of forced dramatic cliches. And even some superficial religious sentiment that would've belonged on a different show. There were a handful of good stories, but they were mainly given to Corday or Benton. I *adored* Carter, which is why I'm so offended by how they altered him for the sake of an aborted plot.

[@presentfuture7563]

I challenge anyone to do a binge of seasons 1-5 and not notice the change. I only harp on it because he was my fave character, and the writers pissed me off SO BAD when they did violence to him just to invent friction with the new kid. The post-attack arc might have been the same, but it might also have been different.

[@stevedrums1675]

They were brothers with a deep love. I truly enjoyed the arch of their relationship.

[@emmamcmahon1738]

To anyone that is going through rehab, is thinking about it, is relapsing and is trying to get better, or anything else I just want you to know that I am so happy that you are trying to get better. I understand that we don’t know each other, but not everyone has someone on their life to support them so I just want you to know that I am so so proud of you! I wish you the best luck on this journey and pray that it leads you to success and a healthier happier life. Good luck y’all!

[@skyejacques]

Thank you 💟

[@allenharper2928]

Currently in a Residential Rehabilitation Treatment Program at a Veterans hospital. 22 days left in a 45 day program, first time through this kind of rehab, fighting a 25+ year drug problem. It's tough, but with the support of the staff here, and my brother veterans in the program, I think I can do it this time.

[@Xie_ekko]

Oh my god, this is the fricken BEST EPISODE ( Besides when Kerry finds Carter and Lucy after the Stabbing LOL )

[@kerriethompson2073]

Poor Carter. He went through the most crap on the show next to Dr. Greene.

[@natkam451]

I would say the most, because at least dr.Greene was able to be really happy with Elizabeth, Carter loved Kem very much, but the writers made them miserable most of the time and that sucks. They made Carter suffer too much throughout the show. They could at least let him become a father, he would be a great father, but no, even his child had to be killed after all he already endured. I seriously started to hate these writers later on, because of what they were doing to Carter.

[@jfluter]

Phew.....checking into a facility is one of the toughest things one can do. Still love this show, even though it is decades old at this point.

[@baguettebtch]

best medical show♡

[@penelope144]

Doing this very thing in just about two weeks…I’m scared but ready.

[@jakebreedlove9619]

@@penelope144how did it all turn out?

[@SardonicALLY]

I think if Lucy had lived he never would have recovered from addiction. Carter never took the easy way out in his life. Never took the cozy family job, never took the cozy job in medicine, and he never let any of his friends down no matter how hard it was to help them. If he didn't owe it to Lucy to come back from his addiction he would have taken the hard way out of life too ... never let anyone tell you addiction is the easy way out, it isn't.

[@sugaloaf9889]

He probably wouldn't have started either, had she lived. Unless some other tragic event brought it on.

[@SardonicALLY]

@@sugaloaf9889 He started because he was knifed in the back several times by an unseen assailant and got addicted to the meds to help manage the pain. That is enough psychological and physical trauma to get him started. I would say.

[@Chaosandicecream]

Philip Dunne And don’t forget survivor’s remorse 😭

[@ngrp27]

Well Lucy would have had a hard time too

[@SuperWave86]

Dang makes me wake up on my addiction with Alcohol and been finally abstaining from drinking and just thinking of the receptionist with her hard attitude and words about continuing the addiction with junkies on the street. Glad this clip is helping me become more conscious to be sober

[@emmamcmahon1738]

Congratulations man that’s awesome! I understand that we don’t know each other, but I wish you the best on this journey. So proud of you my brother!

[@yvetterene]

Hugs to you.

[@richieperez8315]

I love their relationship ❤️, it like big brother and little brother relationship.

[@jaymleung]

Do you have that scene where the ER staff walks out in protest after a patient was able to bring a gun into the ER and Carter tries to advocate for Metal Detectors

[@yvettejones5323]

Dr. Benton may have given Dr. Carter hell from day one but he ended up becoming one of the best friends he ever had. What I didn't like about this storyline was how John was treated like someone who got hooked on pain meds for kicks and giggles. The man was attacked and stabbed and became addicted to the narcotics he was given for pain and everyone knew why he was struggling with addiction. I'm not saying he shouldn't have been treated like an addict but the reason behind why it started should have factored more into their responses to him.

[@my_quiet_riot]

But, he was an addict. Trying to point fingers of why he got there would be justifying his addiction. Not a good move when you're trying to help somebody get into rehab.

[@susanaaguayo9442]

He was becoming a danger to the patients, so they couldn't cuddle him. He was an addict, and needed help. He got it, and I believe they actually protected him.

[@CatieCass]

They were giving Carter a healthy dose of tough love. No matter the reason for his addiction, he was an addict nonetheless. It may seem harsh, but the way they went about it was the right way.

[@johnh6065]

They cared about him and didn't want to lose him or a patient. Some more and some less I'm sure. Benton went the whole way with him because he loved him and wanted to support him. I think they got it about right. They didn't want to end up losing him and Dr Knight.

[@alphanerd7221]

They "why" is irrelevant. It isn't about blame or responsibility. It's about fixing a problem.

[@natkam451]

@Kerrie Thompson I would say the most, because at least dr.Greene was able to be really happy with Elizabeth, Carter loved Kem very much, but the writers made them miserable most of the time and that sucks. They made Carter suffer too much throughout the show. They could at least let him become a father, he would be a great father, but no, even his child had to be killed after all he already endured. I seriously started to hate these writers later on, because of what they were doing to Carter.

[@LMays-cu2hp]

So cool. I do miss this show so much..

[@mohammadalmutairi3202]

I love this show

[@silentsmurf]

The receptionist is the detective from Barry! I didn’t realize it until the tough love part

[@I_Heart_Hader]

Paula Newsome is Queen 👸

[@sugaloaf9889]

Poor Carter. I know he did this to himself, but still. I feel bad for him. Can't walk straight, breathing shallow… :(

[@basstian]

Tough love!

[@winryrockbell8792]

More full episodes

[@giordanotirelli6028]

Happy birthday carter from italian boy live in rome and I m fan of er

[@brianstraight9308]

Great scene but a neat little detail and credit to the folely artists what Carter is descending the stairs and he leans over the railing and lets out a large spit blob, they put the sound of it hitting the bottom of the well in. A faint little "splat" sound. Dunno why out of all of this that stuck out to me, but it did. I mean, would that kind of sound detail even come through on the TV's we had in 2000?

[@Xerruy]

Could you do Morris’s DID patient from season 13’s ‘Jigsaw’?

[@marwaahmadtv]

I feel very bad for him

[@dixbowman3452]

She told him!

[@nv3389]

I dont understand. Told him what ?

[@dixbowman3452]

@@nv3389 the lady dared him to relapse and go to get drugs on the corner. She called him out.

[@dixbowman3452]

She is giving him tough love.

[@nv3389]

@@dixbowman3452 Oh.. Thanks

[@Squawk24]

@@dixbowman3452 it's an archaic view on treating people with opioid use disorder. Imagine treating a fat heart disease patient like this if they have a heart attack? "Yeah, we'll give you nitro after group. You need to learn to say no to red meat before we can treat you."

[@kasarrobin5420]

She was close to telling him.were to get a fix.i think only a block or two off

[@me2285]

Do a scene where Carol sings I can't give you anything but love to Kate on the. Phone

[@jennharper872]

He should of been given something you cant go to meetings with yourself going through withdrawal.

[@oddfellowfloyd]

Right?? That hard, cold, dim hallway, and no compassion, let alone medical assessment and attention, first??

[@dmcrun3572]

The lady said they would take care of it. There is a process for this

[@my_quiet_riot]

There's the argument of making an addict work for their addiction, and their recovery. An addict is a reptile. They are not themselves. And they need to see what their glorious fixes causes them to be. It is life or death. As a doctor, he HAS to be able to see it.

[@karimah8687]

Remember this clinic is for doctors who got addicted to drugs and not the normal run of the mill drug addict. They had to be forced to feel and see what the drugs was doing to them. Since they are doctors they would know how fake their withdrawal symptoms to make them look worse to get sympathy. That explains the no sugar coating. Plus the nurse said they will take care of the withdrawals

[@brettcordes3602]

Actually it’s the single best time to meet the group therapy members that you’ll be working with.

[@patrickperry8951]

This is still hard to watch

[@charlesferdinand422]

WTF is this you can't go to meetings (which are in themselves largely useless) if you're in full-blown physical withdrawal what the hell were they trying to accomplish here? "Tough love" approaches and "interventions" have the worst relapse rates according to the newest data found in the medical literature.

[@lourdesabreu4537]

You have to remember to this was about 20 years ago that this episode aired maybe a little longer maybe a little shorter so things were different back then hopefully it's gone to the better now

[@brettcordes3602]

This is the single best time to go to the group meeting and meet the fellow addicts who you’ll be working with. It won’t be for long…maybe 5-10 minutes. But Carter will look back on that experience as a bottom from which to work.

[@zlatanp479]

John Carter? Yes...

[@giordanotirelli6028]

Today carter 52 years

[@Tigirismoon]

In this day and age, is anyone else weirded out by the lack of plexiglass in the receptionist office?

[@michaelnorris6168]

Tough love. That general population needs more tough love.

[@SNNetwork]

No we need more,babying by joe Biden

[@jennyoneill8879]

Wentworth miller was in the episode

[@whitneyhite5156]

Could you upload the episode where Abby gives birth to lucas baby

[@_Lane_]

Luka's 😉 (And her, of course. 😁)

[@SamuelPearlman]

10th and Piedmont, got it!

[@TaqveemKhalid]

even professionals have issues to deal with.

[@brettcordes3602]

You are right. The disease of addiction is so all-consuming though that Carter will have a lot more in common with a street meth-head than he’d ever think.

[@user-ny9gx4fm4k]

G❤️D #NoahWyle #EternalDoctorCarter's Phenomenal I ❤️ #ERForever! 💓

[@tashamorriss8997]

The receptionist looks like Oprah!

[@MichaelBell-fx8yr]

How are you going from Michael bell

[@janettsmith1023]

Where can I find this show (It doesn’t have to be free)

[@chloelyons5385]

If you’re in the UK you can get it on the channel 4 app

[@amberjohnson4820]

Hulu has it.

[@v.gorski3050]

If you have XFINITY cable, they show it every morning M-F in the early mornings. About 6 - 8 episodes in a row; Channel is POP tv.

[@Ena83]

@@chloelyons5385 cheers x

[@hungarygirl8940]

HBO MAX

[@dragonzord18]

That lady is or was Leon Vance wife on NCIS

[@Ellypoem]

Why is he spitting? Is that an effect of withdrawal?

[@abigaildeeks8328]

Yes

[@Ellypoem]

@@abigaildeeks8328 how so?

[@MsTinkerbelle87]

Elly Poem he’s nauseous...why does this have to be explained when there is Google?

[@Ellypoem]

@@MsTinkerbelle87 wow, thanks for the kind response. Making a conversation is all ma'am. Enjoy your day.

[@dixbowman3452]

@@Ellypoem nice response.

[@charlesferdinand422]

Haha I love how ignorant people think they can just physically force someone to stop using a drug and then think the addict is cured, and that an addict can stop using drugs by sheer will. It's also funny how they believe that the withdrawals are psychological. But the worst addiction-related myth is that of the so-called "interventions" which in reality are extremely cringey and annoying and studies show they're more harmful than useful.

[@tammysvlogs2293]

Should never start to begin with!

[@katscratchfever3506]

@@tammysvlogs2293 you realize how quickly it could happen to you? A car wreck, an injury, or illness that requires a dose of narcotics and you’re hooked? Don’t think you’re too good for it. I assure you you are not.

[@susanaaguayo9442]

@@tammysvlogs2293 Try getting stabbed in the back and live with the pain, and the survivor' s remorse because he lived and someone else did not. Back pain is not a joke.

[@amberanime]

With interventions I think it depends on who does it, how they do it, what they say, in what tone, and at what time as well as how the person who is the target of it is feeling that day. (terrible day= terrible response no matter what. Good stable day= may react more open minded/touched/understanding to it) I think loved ones showing group concern and a way to potentialy help isn't a wrong thing. But if you ambush people with rehab thats not going to go well.

[@riab6021]

​@@katscratchfever3506 I recently had a morning where I was unable to get out of bed due to the severity of pain. A few months prior I fractured a vertebrae. Then I fell again. I had to call an ambulance. They gave me two choices for the pain -- morphine or fentanyl. I told them morphine. They said it could make me nauseous. I was scared of the fentanyl. They gave it to me anyway. I was fully ambulatory out to the ambulance.

[@kayj9930]

Was he on narcotics after getting stabbed?

[@mikeg8375]

I believe he references being on prescribed pain medication at one point, but by the end of the season he was injecting Fentanyl. There's a good chance Abby saved his life by blowing him in when she saw him do it.

[@tangmo70]

John carter

[@Squawk24]

Typical. Treating sick people like criminals. Supposedly they know addiction is a disease, but treat the patient like a moral failure. Would they treat a fat diabetic like shit for eating mashed potatoes?

[@brettcordes3602]

The group meeting will only be for 5-10 minutes. It’s a one-time opportunity for him to meet his fellow group members while at his bottom. It’s incredibly important and will pay dividends indefinitely. He’ll get his meds soon.

[@michaelnorris6168]

Not for me, I think Doug and Mark’s relationship was even more compelling and gut wrenching. From the very first scene, till when Doug was compelled to leave because he broke one too many rules.

[@HG-qi3cp]

That lady is no help with addiction patients.

[@stephaniegittinger7980]

They're supposed to be that way

[@jocastabryan]

And it's totally counterproductive. Recovery is hard work. It doesn't need to be made harder with nastiness from the people who purport to help. If sobriety is made intentionally horrid, what logical person would choose it?

[@sadieyoung7397]

Yeah Carter became a different person I didn’t like after he got stabbed. He finally showed some growth in the Congo but his choice in women sucks. He goes after the unattainable. He built up a dream version of Abby in his head and when he finally got to date her she wasn’t going to live up to his expectations but he loved Kem despite her flaws and that’s the best reason of all to love someone. It’s why Carter and Abby weren’t meant to be. Luka and Abby loved each other flaws and all. I did want a happy ending for Carter but they seemed to love to keep Kem rejecting him.

[@susanaaguayo9442]

After he got stabbed, he had to deal with an addiction, with a very obvious PTSD that everyone seemed to ignore, survivor's guilt. Trauma changes a person.

[@crisvanfan]

Kem was traumatized after the death of their baby...

[@seinfeld11123]

tremors from fentanyl... common its not that bad.

[@sarcasticallyrearranged]

Unregulated "drug rehab" were you don't have to have a program that actually works since there's no federal regulations, but they'll gladly take your insurance money!

[@brettcordes3602]

I’m not sure what the intent of this comment is. This particular rehab facility is based off of Talbott in Atlanta…a rehab for professionals. It is NOT a “luxury” program and is phenomenal.

[@stephaniegittinger7980]

Sounds like you know. Grow up

[@jenniferwilliams5478]

He looked horrible in this episode

[@dcg509]

This doesn’t seem realistic

[@jessicagonzalez697]

In what way exactly?

[@dcg509]

@@jessicagonzalez697 he’s in active withdrawal and would have to detox under medical supervision, not go right to a meeting. Also Carter is wealthy and would be at the fanciest closest rehab

[@DeadmanWalking789]

@@dcg509 He didn't arrange the rehab, his colleagues did. Plus, it's mentioned that it's specially for doctors with drug problems, so it could easily be a bit out of the way (Hell, it probably would be, since they'd want to make it hard for them to contact any friends they may be tempted to ask help them relapse). As for the detox part, yeah, they really should have let him work that out first.

[@dcg509]

@@DeadmanWalking789 also Peter couldn’t abandon John like that he’s treating him and responsible for John. Benton won’t hand him over to a non MD

[@samlila678]

And the cruel response? Is that normal I realize some may need tough love or maybe that wrong too but what she said I believe she went too far

[@strangerrrrrrr]

it looked so hot when he was playing with his spit omfg.....

[@charlesferdinand422]

That nurse looked like the kind of shithead who doesn't know shit about drugs so he locks a junkie up for a few days and expects the guy to come out reborned and believes an addict can cure himself with willpower, in reality, quitting cold-turkey has the worst relapse rates, along with interventions, most times the addict is left worse than before and even more addicted.

[@tiffanye9403]

Should of called schooled not homecoming

[@baguettebtch]

have

[@jenniferwilliams5478]

Because of the football game as well

[@CodyYoung-yu2gu]

I think the lady was rude especially to Benton

[@Harry-bn5mp]

He shouldn't have gone to rehab

[@crisvanfan]

He was sick...