Take This Job And Shove It: Following its takeover by an HMO, Westphal resigns from St. Eligius by dropping trou and telling new boss John Gideon "You can kiss my ass, pal".
Tranquil Fury: After Peter White is found not guilty for rape, Westphall makes him aware that he not only is disappointed in him, but now has has no respect and utter contempt for him as a human being.
Verbal Tic: Has a tendency to address people as "pal" or "lady".
Dr. Ben Samuels (David Birney)
Chuck Cunningham Syndrome: While billed second only to Ed Flanders, his character becomes less prominent over the course of the first season. He is neither seen nor heard from again after the 20th episode of the season, and no explanation is given.
Really Gets Around: A subplot of the pilot episode involves Samuels telling all his sexual conquests that he's contracted a venereal disease.
Dr. Daniel Auschlander (Norman Lloyd)
The hospital's avuncular Chief of Services, a liver specialist who has been diagnosed with liver cancer.
Badass Grandpa: His grandchildren are seen from time to time.
Saved by the Fans: Lloyd was only supposed to do four episodes before his character died, but ended up proving to be so popular that he lasted six seasons.
Dr. Jerk: Especially earlier in the series. In the second episode, after saving a man's life with a bypass operation, he comments to the patient's young, chubby son that his son's a doctor, and that maybe the younger Craig will operate on him someday.
Good Is Not Nice: Type 2/Type 4. He is very blunt to the point of rudeness. He is impatient, fussy, and arrogant. What drives him, though, is a deep conviction in the preciousness of life, and he will not tolerate any less of others than he does himself.
Dr. Jerk: A much milder case than Dr. Craig, though.
Huge Guy, Tiny Girl: A non-sexual example: he is at least a foot taller than his fellow surgical intern Jackie Wade.
Innocently Insensitive: When Dr. Martin returns to work after her stay in the psych ward following her second rape, he manages to be even more insulting while apologizing for his past behavior.
Designated Victim: Starting in season 2, something bad would usually happen to Morrison.
Season 2: His wife Nina dies after slipping and hitting her head in the bathroom. He is cut from the residency program. Is only reinstated because a slot opened up after Wendy Armstrong's suicide.
Season 4: Injures himself while running to make rounds and slipping on vomit. Son Pete is kidnapped. Raped while doing a Westphall-mandated community outreach service in a local prison.
Season 5: Suffers from PTSD as a result of his rape. His attacker escapes from prison and stalks his family. Son Pete inadvertently shoots his attacker dead.
Season 6: Second wife Joanne moves back to Seattle after her first husband sues for custody following the death of Morrison's attacker.
Worthless Foreign Degree: In the pilot episode, Morrison tells a patient that he had to go to medical school in Mexico because his grades were not good enough for American universities. In season 3, it is revealed that the school was a shady "accelerated" program that counted experience instead of giving a full medical training, and Morrison has to fight to keep his job.
Your Cheating Heart: Her fourth husband leaves her in season 3 because of her affair with Richard Clarendon, the union negotiator. Apparently, this happens so often that four of her five children aren't particularly fazed by it.
Dr. Vijay Kochar (Kavi Raz)
Butt Monkey: Frequently the target of Dr. Craig's racism.
Demoted to Extra: Was a regular during season 1 and 2, only billed as a guest star thereafter.
Billing Displacement: Appears front and center on the DVD box despite him being just one part of an Ensemble Cast, arguably a more minor character than fellow residents Jack Morrison, Victor Erhlich or Wayne Fiscus.
“Well Done Son” Guy: Chandler's main motivation for getting into medicine was to please his father.
Ax Crazy: After being released on bail before her trial, Shirley exhibits no remorse for murdering Peter White in cold blood. On her first shift back in the ER, she pulls a gun out on a patient and refers to him as "Peter".
Huge Guy, Tiny Girl: Fellow residents Victor Ehrlich and Jack Morrison tower at least a foot over her.
Married to the Job: Wade's eleven-year marriage ends in season five, as the long hours of her residency leave husband Robert to seek affection from a younger woman.
Orderlies Are Creeps: Averted. Luther is the one person any doctor, nurse or patient would be glad to have around.
Uncle Tomfoolery: Chandler calls Luther out on this in "Equinox".
Joan Halloran (Nancy Stafford)
Dr. Robert Caldwell (Mark Harmon)
Bus Crash: Mark Harmon left the show halfway through season 4 when his character contracted AIDS. In the series finale, the characters receive word that Dr. Caldwell has died.
Byronic Hero: Particularly during season 4, when his impulsive and reckless side comes to the surface.
Porn Stache: In the first half of season 2, Mark Harmon had a very thick mustache. He gets rid of it in the episode "A Pig Too Far", but not before walking around with it half-shaved off.
Suspiciously Similar Substitute: Averted somewhat; while Ridley is a replacement for Dr. Beale, their demeanors are pretty different.
Dr. Simon Weiss (Philip Sterling)
The Shrink: The longest lasting psychiatrist character, although less prominent than Beale or Ridley.
Warren Coolidge (Byron Stewart)
Gentle Giant: At 6' 8", he towers over patients and doctors. Used to moving effect in "Weigh In, Weigh Out", where he fulfills a dying man's request to be rocked like a baby.
Dr. Roxanne Turner (Alfre Woodard)
Dr. Carol Novino (Cindy Pickett)
Dr. Seth Griffin (Bruce Greenwood)
Heel Faith Turn: After possibly contracting AIDS, Griffin becomes a born-again Christian when he meets the new hospital chaplain.
Smug Snake: Griffin at least started out this way, particularly when he tried to pit fellow first year residents Carol Novino and Susan Birch against each other. Birch ends up taking the fall for a patient death for which Griffin was responsible and is kicked out of the residency program.
Parental Substitute: Tends to be this to Dr. Ehrlich.
Stephen Craig (Scott Paulin)
Drugs Are Bad: Stephen's drug addiction causes friction with his father. His drug use is also a factor in the car accident that kills him.
Generation Xerox: Following in his dad's footsteps by becoming a doctor.
Elizabeth "Lizzie" Westphall (Dana Short)
The Caretaker: She is this for her autistic brother Tommy, to the point where she feels guilty for going to Vassar and ends up transferring to a local school.
Dead Guy Junior: Named for Dr. Westphall's mother, who died in a fire when he was young.
Tommy Westphall (Chad Allen)
Dead Guy Junior: Named for Dr. Westphall's late father Thomas.
Verbal Tic: Due to his autism, he always refers to himself in the third person and in very simple, broken phrases. ("Tommy want cereal", "Tommy go now")
Richard Clarendon (Herbert Edelman)
Union negotiator who begins a relationship with Helen Rosenthal in season 3.
