I am – Hercules!!

The Valentine’s Day “ER” in which everybody – Kovac, Corday, Weaver, Romano, Chen, Green, Benton, even hot new med student Abby Lockhart – worked to save the lives of Lucy Knight and John Carter aired again in Los Angeles last night, and it’s still pretty hard to sit through that installment dry-eyed. Jack Orman, who wrote that one and many more like it, doubtlessly penned the 10th season opener, as he has every season premiere since season seven.

The improbably named “Mr. Zambano” always gets the “ER” spoilers right. Learn now, among other things, Luka Kovac’s fate:

Hey, Herc!

Here are some summaries from the first two episodes of Season 10 ER. Look for the third episode soon, as they've just finished filming it.

Mr. Zambano.

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Season 10 Premiere: "What Now?"

In the teaser, a truck slams into a Mercedes, which slams into the El Station by the hospital. The ambulance bay entrance is blocked off, and firefighters have to remove the driver, her daughter, and her daughter's two friends.

John goes straight to Abby's apartment upon arrival in Chicago. Abby asks him if she can have her key back.

The empty Carter mansion makes him realize just how alone he is. He has an epiphany when he looks in the mirror and isn't satisfied with what he sees.

Later on at the hospital, Pratt and Susan try to talk them into getting back together. Pratt tells John that he just may have given Abby the impression that he had a "good time" without her. Susan reminds Abby that he tried to apologize, and that he went straight to her as soon as he got back.

Abby thinks it was because he was horny.

Neela, a cute new med student (Parminder K. Nagra from Bend It Like Beckham fame), is told by a patient not to put off marriage for too long, but to find a man who earns good money and treats her right.

Pratt makes a special point of getting to know her.

She takes the phone call confirming that Luka Kovac is dead.

Pratt and Carter treat an HIV+ patient with no preventative health coverage. Pratt remarks that the beaurocrats involved in Medicaid should just take the patient out back and shoot him, that it would be a lot easier.

Michael Gallant becomes "Dr. Gallant."

Weaver tells off the foreman of a construction company that is renovating the ER, because the work isn't getting done fast enough.

The staff, in the meantime, have to go to other floors to use the bathroom.

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10.2: "The Lost"

The second episode set in Africa, filmed at the same time as last year's season finale. Carter goes back to the Congo to find Luka's body.

On the plane, he meets Steve, who works for the Embassy. Steve is drunk, and won't leave Carter alone until he's told the reason for the trip: a friend's been murdered. At the airport, he gives Carter his business card.

Gillian is waiting for John at the airport, and gives him a hug. Depressed, she later jokes that she would like a gun to kill herself.

Luka is thought to be dead because no one has heard from the people taken captive at the clinic in three days. Luka's name is on a list of those dead. Carter questions, did anyone actually see the body? No one has. He is shown Luka's bloody identification badge, and told that it is not possible to get the body for burial until the end of the war.

Luka's life had been spared by a mother, who gives him a cross to wear and insists he's a priest. He's seen almost all of the others shot and killed. He's sick with malaria and delirious, hearing voices and Barber's "Agnus Dei". Chanting prayers and crying, very much out of it, he leads a group of killers in a profound religious experience. The killing stops.

Steve, uncomfortable that Carter actually sought him out for help, advises him to offer a gratuity to "buy" Luka's body back.

He takes Steve's advice, and withdraws $20,000 from the bank.

Gillian takes Carter to meet an acquaintance on the negotiating team: Debbie, a hot blonde who "isn't Carter's type" when Gillian notices his attraction and tries to play Matchmaker. Debbie informs Carter that if they're caught bribing the enemy, they'll wind up with their heads mounted on sticks. She won't help, but suggests he accompany her on a mission to rescue the wounded, because perhaps someone in the area might have information.

In the truck, Gillian works on Debbie, suggesting Carter's kinda cute. Debbie denies her interest.

Later, Debbie offers Carter a beer. He's listening to Les Nubians on his Apple I-Pod™ while a guy in the background roasts a goat over a fire... He defends his type. She rants about America's selective interest in humanitarian effort. He soul-searches out loud. She stares into his eyes, suddenly overtaken with the will to do anything he asks.

She changes her mind about helping. She bribes the Mai Mai to give them a ride to Kasese the next day. She bribes them with Carter's I-Pod™.

They find Luka holed up in a run-down hut, curled up in the corner on the grass floor, unrecognizably dirty and sick. The woman who gave him the cross, and her daughter, are with him.

“ER” 10.1 airs 10 p.m. Sept. 25 on NBC. 10.2 airs 10 p.m. Oct. 2 on NBC.

I am – Hercules!!