Lucy Knight
Encyclopedia
In the NBC
television series ER
, the fictional character Lucy Knight is a medical student
portrayed by actress Kellie Martin
. The character was part of the show for the 5th and 6th seasons. When she was first introduced on ER
, Dr. Doug Ross
called her a "by the book" medical student. Kellie Martin's removal from the main cast opening credits was in the 15th episode of season 6.
At the beginning of her rotation at County General, she was popular with the attendings and nurses, who often treated her as another colleague. Lucy does run into trouble with Nurse Carol Hathaway
after she asks for help with an IV. Lucy, unable to start an IV asks Carol for help and doesn't own up to Carter that she can't start one until they end up in a trauma. Again Lucy winds up in trouble with Carter after a Halloween party at her med school gets out of control and two students nearly die. Angry about work that has been thrown at him at the last minute, Carter leaves Lucy in charge of the party even though, as RA, that is his responsibility. Carter and Lucy eventually come to an agreement after the episode "The Good Fight" when the pair spend a day and evening searching for a little girl's father who has the same extremely rare blood type as she does.
Although the pair find the father, it is ultimately too late for the girl. At the end of this episode, Carter and Lucy reconcile in their sadness at their failure. During this episode, Lucy reveals to Carter that she was brought up by her mother, and that she did not know her father.
During the episode The Storm: Part 1, Lucy accidentally karate kicks Carter while performing a work-out video with Chuny (one of the nurses) in an exam room. Carter is knocked over and has to be put on a gurney
and treated for a cut head. The pair did make out in the x-ray room, but nothing came from it. Carter ended their brief relationship since it is unethical for medical students and their residents to be romantically involved.
Near the end of Season 5, it is revealed that Lucy is on Ritalin and has been since high school. Carter urges her to quit and she eventually does. When her performance at County begins to suffer, Lucy goes back on the Ritalin without telling Carter.
to come forward and admit his possible mistake when using a Bunsen Burner that was thought to have caused an explosion in the ER. The explosion was later proven to have nothing to do with the Bunsen Burner which Dave, thanks to Lucy's urging, admitted to using.
Lucy clashed with nurse Carol Hathaway
when they both made a plea for the last bed in a rehab clinic, the bed ultimately went to Carol's patient which led to outright friction between the pair. Lucy also clashed with Dr. Cleo Finch
when Cleo undermined Lucy's judgment in regard to a young boy and his Mother who both had alcohol abuse problems.
Lucy was finally able to come into her own and show her potential in the Christmas episode How the Finch Stole Christmas when patient Valerie Paige comes to the ER in desperate need of a heart transplant. Lucy goes above and beyond to ensure Valerie gets the life saving procedure she needs - even going so far as to bang on Dr. Robert Romano's door in the middle of the night on Christmas Eve. Though, initially angry with her, Romano agrees to do the operation after Lucy berates him for his seemingly flippant attitude towards the dying patient. Though she faces a reprimand from Romano, he seems to have more respect for her from then on.
Later in the episode The Domino Heart, Valerie dies from complications after another surgery, devastating Lucy. This makes her ponder her time at County General and prompts her to give a moving speech to Dr. Luka Kovac about it, "It's never been very easy for me to be here, sometimes I felt like I would never fit in. But at the beginning of every day I have been grateful that I'm walking in here of my own choosing and not being carried in here on some gurney and at the end of every day if I have helped just one person, it's been worth it. And that didn't happen today and it makes me sad...". Luka reminds her that her day is not yet over and that she may still help that one person. At that moment another patient arrives near the ambulance bay, and Luka asks her to assist. The episode ends with them rushing the patient into the ER and Luka teaching her procedures and asking her questions.
), a man with schizophrenia
, checks into the emergency room. While in a delusion
al state, he acquires a knife
that was to be used to cut a Valentine's Day
cake and stabs Knight multiple times: twice in the abdomen, once in the chest and once in the neck. Dr. Carter enters the room, seeing a Valentine for Lucy on the floor, he picks it up and looks over it smiling, then from the shadows Paul comes up behind Dr. Carter and stabs him twice in his lower back. Dr. Carter falls into shock and hits the floor, gazing in surprise at Lucy lying in blood on the other side of the gurney. Her face is pale, and her hair is wet with blood. She is in shock and soon passes out. Lucy had received 4 serious stab wounds to her internal organs, lung, and neck. Although Dr. Weaver and Dr. Corday are able to stabilize Lucy in the ER, and Corday and Dr. Romano
are then able to repair her tissue damage, she soon develops complications, including a pulmonary embolism
. Despite the efforts of Drs. Corday and Romano, Knight dies while in the catheter lab awaiting a Greenfield filter; her time of death, as pronounced by Dr. Corday, is 02:56 hours.
Lucy's memorial service takes place in the episode "Be Patient," although it is not seen on-screen. In the episode, Carter asks Jing-Mei "Deb" Chen how the funeral was; Deb replies that it was quite pleasant, but that it was strange to be attending a funeral for Lucy. That same day, Lucy's mother, Barbara Knight, arrives to clear out her locker. She eventually seeks Carter out and, after an afternoon of talking, asks Carter if being stabbed hurts, as her daughter spoke highly of him. Carter lies and says that it didn't hurt at all in order to put her mind at ease.
In the episode "A Match Made In Heaven," a letter for Lucy arrives from a med school. She had matched to County, and, had she lived, she would have been given a position as a psych resident.
a closet wall where all the past doctors and employees have put their locker name tags. Amongst them, the tag "Knight" can be seen. The same happens when Dr. Neela Rasgotra
on episode 20 Shifting Equilibrium put her tag name on that wall.
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
television series ER
ER (TV series)
ER is an American medical drama television series created by novelist Michael Crichton that aired on NBC from September 19, 1994 to April 2, 2009. It was produced by Constant c Productions and Amblin Entertainment, in association with Warner Bros. Television...
, the fictional character Lucy Knight is a medical student
Medical Student
Medical Student may refer to:*Someone studying at medical school*Medical Student Newspaper, a UK publication...
portrayed by actress Kellie Martin
Kellie Martin
Kellie Noelle Martin is an American television actress who is known for her roles as Rebecca Thacher on Life Goes On, Christy Huddleston on Christy, Lucy Knight on ER, and Samantha Kinsey on Mystery Woman.-Early life:...
. The character was part of the show for the 5th and 6th seasons. When she was first introduced on ER
ER (TV series)
ER is an American medical drama television series created by novelist Michael Crichton that aired on NBC from September 19, 1994 to April 2, 2009. It was produced by Constant c Productions and Amblin Entertainment, in association with Warner Bros. Television...
, Dr. Doug Ross
Doug Ross
Dr. Douglas "Doug" Ross is a fictional character from the television series ER, portrayed by George Clooney. George Clooney's removal from the main cast opening credits was in the 16th episode of season 5.-Plot details:...
called her a "by the book" medical student. Kellie Martin's removal from the main cast opening credits was in the 15th episode of season 6.
Conception and creation
Prior to this role in ER, Martin called herself "One Take Kellie". She was not used to the medical jargon her character had to say, and claimed that it once took 12 takes to correctly pronounce "renal vein thrombosis."Season 5
During season 5 she was a third year medical student. Dr. John Carter was quickly assigned as her resident while she completed her emergency room rotation. Knight and Carter became close friends after a rocky start.At the beginning of her rotation at County General, she was popular with the attendings and nurses, who often treated her as another colleague. Lucy does run into trouble with Nurse Carol Hathaway
Carol Hathaway
Nurse Carol Ross is a fictional character on the popular television show ER, portrayed by Julianna Margulies from 1994 to 2000. Julianna Margulies' removal from the main cast opening credits was in the final episode of season 6....
after she asks for help with an IV. Lucy, unable to start an IV asks Carol for help and doesn't own up to Carter that she can't start one until they end up in a trauma. Again Lucy winds up in trouble with Carter after a Halloween party at her med school gets out of control and two students nearly die. Angry about work that has been thrown at him at the last minute, Carter leaves Lucy in charge of the party even though, as RA, that is his responsibility. Carter and Lucy eventually come to an agreement after the episode "The Good Fight" when the pair spend a day and evening searching for a little girl's father who has the same extremely rare blood type as she does.
Although the pair find the father, it is ultimately too late for the girl. At the end of this episode, Carter and Lucy reconcile in their sadness at their failure. During this episode, Lucy reveals to Carter that she was brought up by her mother, and that she did not know her father.
During the episode The Storm: Part 1, Lucy accidentally karate kicks Carter while performing a work-out video with Chuny (one of the nurses) in an exam room. Carter is knocked over and has to be put on a gurney
Gurney
A gurney, known as a trolley in British medical context, is the U.S. term for a type of stretcher used in modern hospitals and ambulances in developed areas. A hospital gurney is a kind of narrow bed on a wheeled frame which may be adjustable in height. For ambulances, a collapsible gurney is a...
and treated for a cut head. The pair did make out in the x-ray room, but nothing came from it. Carter ended their brief relationship since it is unethical for medical students and their residents to be romantically involved.
Near the end of Season 5, it is revealed that Lucy is on Ritalin and has been since high school. Carter urges her to quit and she eventually does. When her performance at County begins to suffer, Lucy goes back on the Ritalin without telling Carter.
Season 6
Lucy's role in the early episodes of season 6 are rather small, having only minor sub plots such as helping a young artist who was taking cocaine or by urging Dr. Dave MalucciDave Malucci
Dr. Dave Malucci was a fictional character on the NBC prime time drama ER. He was portrayed by Erik Palladino.- Season 6 :Dave Malucci first appears as second-year resident. He often breaks protocol to get things done; he appears uncaring but is occasionally shown to be both sensitive and insightful...
to come forward and admit his possible mistake when using a Bunsen Burner that was thought to have caused an explosion in the ER. The explosion was later proven to have nothing to do with the Bunsen Burner which Dave, thanks to Lucy's urging, admitted to using.
Lucy clashed with nurse Carol Hathaway
Carol Hathaway
Nurse Carol Ross is a fictional character on the popular television show ER, portrayed by Julianna Margulies from 1994 to 2000. Julianna Margulies' removal from the main cast opening credits was in the final episode of season 6....
when they both made a plea for the last bed in a rehab clinic, the bed ultimately went to Carol's patient which led to outright friction between the pair. Lucy also clashed with Dr. Cleo Finch
Cleo Finch
Dr. Cleo Finch was a fictional doctor in the television series ER, from Seasons 6 through 8 . She was portrayed by actress Michael Michele.-Life at County:...
when Cleo undermined Lucy's judgment in regard to a young boy and his Mother who both had alcohol abuse problems.
Lucy was finally able to come into her own and show her potential in the Christmas episode How the Finch Stole Christmas when patient Valerie Paige comes to the ER in desperate need of a heart transplant. Lucy goes above and beyond to ensure Valerie gets the life saving procedure she needs - even going so far as to bang on Dr. Robert Romano's door in the middle of the night on Christmas Eve. Though, initially angry with her, Romano agrees to do the operation after Lucy berates him for his seemingly flippant attitude towards the dying patient. Though she faces a reprimand from Romano, he seems to have more respect for her from then on.
Later in the episode The Domino Heart, Valerie dies from complications after another surgery, devastating Lucy. This makes her ponder her time at County General and prompts her to give a moving speech to Dr. Luka Kovac about it, "It's never been very easy for me to be here, sometimes I felt like I would never fit in. But at the beginning of every day I have been grateful that I'm walking in here of my own choosing and not being carried in here on some gurney and at the end of every day if I have helped just one person, it's been worth it. And that didn't happen today and it makes me sad...". Luka reminds her that her day is not yet over and that she may still help that one person. At that moment another patient arrives near the ambulance bay, and Luka asks her to assist. The episode ends with them rushing the patient into the ER and Luka teaching her procedures and asking her questions.
Death
In various interviews, Kellie Martin stated that she and the producers felt the character of Lucy was not working, so it was decided that Lucy would be written out of the show permanently. On February 14, 2000, over the course of two episodes, "Be Still My Heart" and "All In The Family", Paul Sobriki (played by David KrumholtzDavid Krumholtz
David Krumholtz is an American actor best known for playing Professor Charlie Eppes in the television series Numb3rs. He appeared as Seth Goldstein in Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle and its two sequels, Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay and A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas...
), a man with schizophrenia
Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is a mental disorder characterized by a disintegration of thought processes and of emotional responsiveness. It most commonly manifests itself as auditory hallucinations, paranoid or bizarre delusions, or disorganized speech and thinking, and it is accompanied by significant social...
, checks into the emergency room. While in a delusion
Delusion
A delusion is a false belief held with absolute conviction despite superior evidence. Unlike hallucinations, delusions are always pathological...
al state, he acquires a knife
Knife
A knife is a cutting tool with an exposed cutting edge or blade, hand-held or otherwise, with or without a handle. Knives were used at least two-and-a-half million years ago, as evidenced by the Oldowan tools...
that was to be used to cut a Valentine's Day
Valentine's Day
Saint Valentine's Day, commonly shortened to Valentine's Day, is an annual commemoration held on February 14 celebrating love and affection between intimate companions. The day is named after one or more early Christian martyrs named Saint Valentine, and was established by Pope Gelasius I in 496...
cake and stabs Knight multiple times: twice in the abdomen, once in the chest and once in the neck. Dr. Carter enters the room, seeing a Valentine for Lucy on the floor, he picks it up and looks over it smiling, then from the shadows Paul comes up behind Dr. Carter and stabs him twice in his lower back. Dr. Carter falls into shock and hits the floor, gazing in surprise at Lucy lying in blood on the other side of the gurney. Her face is pale, and her hair is wet with blood. She is in shock and soon passes out. Lucy had received 4 serious stab wounds to her internal organs, lung, and neck. Although Dr. Weaver and Dr. Corday are able to stabilize Lucy in the ER, and Corday and Dr. Romano
Robert Romano (ER)
Dr. Robert 'Rocket' Romano is a fictional character on the TV series ER. He was portrayed by Emmy-winning actor Paul McCrane. Paul McCrane's removal from the main cast opening credits was in the 9th episode of season 10....
are then able to repair her tissue damage, she soon develops complications, including a pulmonary embolism
Pulmonary embolism
Pulmonary embolism is a blockage of the main artery of the lung or one of its branches by a substance that has travelled from elsewhere in the body through the bloodstream . Usually this is due to embolism of a thrombus from the deep veins in the legs, a process termed venous thromboembolism...
. Despite the efforts of Drs. Corday and Romano, Knight dies while in the catheter lab awaiting a Greenfield filter; her time of death, as pronounced by Dr. Corday, is 02:56 hours.
Lucy's memorial service takes place in the episode "Be Patient," although it is not seen on-screen. In the episode, Carter asks Jing-Mei "Deb" Chen how the funeral was; Deb replies that it was quite pleasant, but that it was strange to be attending a funeral for Lucy. That same day, Lucy's mother, Barbara Knight, arrives to clear out her locker. She eventually seeks Carter out and, after an afternoon of talking, asks Carter if being stabbed hurts, as her daughter spoke highly of him. Carter lies and says that it didn't hurt at all in order to put her mind at ease.
In the episode "A Match Made In Heaven," a letter for Lucy arrives from a med school. She had matched to County, and, had she lived, she would have been given a position as a psych resident.
Season 15 Remention
Eight years later, during the 15th season of ER, at the end of the October 16, 2008 episode The Book of Abby, long-serving nurse Haleh Adams shows the departing Abby LockhartAbby Lockhart
Dr. Abby Lockhart is a fictional medical doctor on the television series ER. She is portrayed by Maura Tierney...
a closet wall where all the past doctors and employees have put their locker name tags. Amongst them, the tag "Knight" can be seen. The same happens when Dr. Neela Rasgotra
Neela Rasgotra
Dr. Neela Rasgotra is a fictional character portrayed by Parminder Nagra on the television show ER. Following the departure of Goran Visnjic, Maura Tierney, and Mekhi Phifer this left Nagra as the longest term cast member on ER and it also made her character the show's main character so, in terms...
on episode 20 Shifting Equilibrium put her tag name on that wall.