Courtney B. Vance

Angela Bassett will likely not miss her husband too much when she’s working on “ER” this season. He’ll be on set with her.

Courtney B. Vance, Bassett’s real-life spouse, has taken a recurring role for the NBC drama’s 15th and last season. He’ll be playing the husband of Bassett’s character, a new attending physician at County General.

“We are excited to see the on-screen chemistry and emotion this incredibly talented husband and wife team will bring to our show,” executive producer David Zabel says. “Fans are in for a treat, and we couldn’t be more thrilled that they chose ‘ER’ to make their first [TV] appearance together.”

Vance starred on NBC’s “Law & Order: Criminal Intent” for five seasons, playing Assistant District Attorney Ron Carver. His TV credits also include Lifetime’s “State of Mind,” the original “Law & Order” and the 1995 HBO movie “The Tuskegee Airmen.”

On the big screen, he’s appeared in “The Hunt for Red October,” “Panther” — which also featured Bassett — “Cookie’s Fortune” and “Space Cowboys.”

Download ER Episodes

As “ER” marches to its 15th and final season, the body count will begin.

Executive producer John Wells says not all of the current cast members will be around for the series finale in 2009. He also could not deny that at least one current cast member will be killed off before the finale: “I don’t really want to answer that. Take that answer for what you will,” he said.

What if Wells does kill off someone?

“It would be someone whose story has played out,” he said.

As for series star Noah Wyle, Wells says, “We had always planned that the end of the series would involve Noah returning because he was so central as a new character at the very beginning, an entering character growing up in the ER. So we pulled out those old notes and came out with a lot of new things.”

The series is bringing aboard Angela Bassett as the new chief of the emergency room – but Wells says she isn’t being introduced for an eventual spin-off.

In fact, no “ER” spin-offs are in the works, but NBC has asked in the past, he said, “Sort of like how ‘CSI’ did ‘CSI: Miami.’ ”

Wells has had the finale thought out for years, and has even been taking notes for a while now.

“We had a series of the story lines and things that we wanted to do. I had sort of assumed at the end of Season 8 that that would be about it, but we were around Season 6. … So we’re going to be talking, I think, during the season about the condition of the health-care system because it will be our last time to really comment on it.”

Let’s Download ER Episodes

What will the final season of ER bring to long time fans of the show as it winds down its long run on television?  The Enquirer reports this week that it has an exclusive sneak peek of what’s in store when “ER” returns this fall for its final season.  That means spoilers galore from the weekly magazine so if you want to be surprised you may want to stop reading right now.

Are you still reading?  Okay, here is what the Enquirer’s insiders have dished to the magazine.  Last season’s dramatic finale hinted that either Dr. Abby Lockhart (Maura Tierney), nurse Samantha Taggart (Linda Cardellini) or Dr. Gregory Pratt (Mekhi Phifer) had perished in a fiery ambulance explosion.

***

Now, The Enquirer is reporting that it has learned exclusively that after an emotional effort to save Dr. Pratt’s life, his character is killed off during the chaotic, multi-victim trauma caused by the blast.  “There’s a very emotional attempt by the staff to save his life, but Dr. Pratt, severely burned, dies,” revealed an insider.  “The only good news is that Abby lives!”

The magazine reports that despite Tierney’s surprising announcement last year that she’s ready to leave the show - and that she asked producers to “kill Abby” when it comes time for her to leave - producers decided not to kill be but made a deal with the actress to stick around for at least three episodes of the long-running series, says the source.  Not only have they given her a “nice way to leave” - they’ve brought back two of the series’ most beloved stars, Noah Wyle and Laura Innes.

***

The report notes that Abby, her character’s onscreen husband, Dr. Luka Kovac (Goran Visnjic), and their son, Joe, move away to work at a Boston hospital, sources say.  “It’s going to be an emotional last season for one of the best medical shows ever,” added the source.  The series premiere, titled, “Life After Death,” airs Sept. 25 at 10 p.m. on NBC.

Let’s Download ER Episodes

Dr. Ross? Pshaw. The ER return that most fans — or at least the most vocal fans — have been clamoring for is that of Dr. Barnett. And this fall, their prayers will be answered when Shane West’s Ray heads back to County General with a new lease on life and eyes for the woman that got away, his ex-roomie and unrequited love, Neela.

Let’s rewind first: When last we saw Ray, he was heading home to Baton Rouge to mend his broken heart and recover from a tragic car accident that left him a double amputee. As West points out, “He wasn’t in a very good head space.”

Well, a lot can change in a year. When Ray returns in the Oct. 30 episode, he’ll have both feet firmly planted on the ground — literally and figuratively. “He’s walking on his own again,” reveals executive producer Joe Sachs. As we’ll learn, Ray has endured months of rehab, during which he was fitted with new cutting edge prosthetics. “He in no way appears disabled. He’s been through hell and has come out a better, stronger guy. He’s matured. He knows what’s important in his life.”

What or who? Although only back for a brief time — Ray’s in Chicago for a medical conference related to physical medicine/rehabilitation (his new specialty, natch) — Sachs hints that his presence has a huge impact on Neela. “His return affects her in a big way,” he says. “It stir the embers of that relationship and makes her question, “Could I be with this guy now?”

Sachs isn’t providing an answer to that question, although he promises that “Reela” fans will be “satisfied by the story.” Adds West: “He’s coming back at the right time, when she needs that friend and possibly that romance back. There are definitely sparks reignited.”

So much so that the Oct. 30 episode won’t be the last we’ll see of Ray. West is on board for at least one more episode, to air shortly before ER signs off for good in May. “It’s going to be a double surprise,” the actor teases. “One in the beginning of the season when he returns, and one at the end.” Hmmm…. might that second surprise involve oh, I dunno, a ring?

Hey, speaking of surprises, here’s another one: Next week’s Ask Ausiello will feature more scoop on West’s highly-anticipated return. In the meantime, go ahead and celebrate your hard-fought and well-earned victory in the comments section, Reela fans.