Thursday December 23, 2004
9:59 PM 1.0 ER
MAKEMBA

CHRISTMAS IN THE CONGO HAS CARTER FINDING LOVE AND HOPE; THANDIE NEWTON GUEST-STARS -- On Christmas Eve, a chilled emergency room staff do their best to observe the holiday while a crusading Dr. Carter (Noah Wyle) does the same half a world away in a run-down Congolese medical clinic as recent flashbacks reveal his clashes with Makemba (guest star Thandie Newton, "Mission: Impossible 2"), a beautiful native AIDS worker over the meager resources -- and they slowly fall in love. As Carter re-adjusts to the heat, filth and dangers of the region, he keeps in touch with his Chicago friends and embarks on a personal mission to save a pregnant mother who is dying of AIDS, he is confronted by anti-Americanism from his French comrades. Even so, Carter is determined to bring the joy and love of Christmas to the local children of Kisingani. Laura Innes, Goran Visnjic, Maura Tierney, Sherry Stringfield, Sharif Atkins, Mekhi Phifer, Parminder Nagra and Linda Cardellini also star. Emmy Award-winning series executive producer John Wells wrote the episode.