Samantha Taggart

Samantha Taggart
Linda Cardellini as Sam Taggart
First appearance	October 30, 2003 (Season 10, "Out of Africa")
Last appearance	April 2, 2009 (Season 15, "And In the End...")
Portrayed by	Linda Cardellini
Information
Nickname(s)	Sam
Gender	Female
Occupation	ED
Title	Charge Nurse (2003–present)
Family	Mary Taggart (mother) Kelly (sister) Gracie (grandmother) Tony Gates (boyfriend)
Children	Alex Taggart

Samantha "Sam" Taggart is a fictional character on the NBC television drama ER. She is played by actress Linda Cardellini. Linda Cardellini's addition into the main cast opening credits was in the 5th episode of season 10.

Sam is a nurse and single mother; she has a son, Alex (played first by Oliver Davis, later by Dominic Janes). Alex was born when she was fifteen; she has had to raise him mostly on her own. She comes from a family of losers and alcoholics; her anger towards Abby Lockhart in Season 14 when Abby tells the staff she had a relapse while working is explained when she tells Abby that she came from a long line of drunks who never tried to stop drinking.

Viewers first meet Sam in the Season 10 episode "Out of Africa," where she distinguishes herself by quickly and effectively giving an intravenous sedative to an unruly patient, even impressing the usually stubborn Dr. Romano. Sam shows herself to be an assertive, experienced, and talented nurse throughout the episode, though she loses her professionalism a bit when she discovers Dr. Luka Kovač's unknowing part in her son Alex's diabetic fit while he befriends the boy. She replaces Abby Lockhart who was head nurse, but decided to become a doctor instead. Her no nonsense attitude had gotten her in trouble early on. In the episode "Death and Taxes", she hid Dr. Robert Romano's mechanical hand after accusing the ER Chief of touching her inappropriately with the device. In addition, in the episode "Impulse Control", she punches an assault victim's abusive boyfriend in the face when he threatens her as she tries to call the police, but overcomes Dr. Kerry Weaver's knee-jerk lack of support and helps the abuse victim follow through on pressing charges.

Sam soon notices a bond between Alex and Luka. Though initially uncomfortable with Luka's involvement with Alex, Sam eventually accepts it and becomes good friends with Luka. Later, a romantic relationship develops. Unexpectedly, Alex's father, Steve (played by Cole Hauser), returns and attempts to push Luka out of their lives. When she discovers Steve might stay permanently, Sam panics, packs up, and runs away. Before doing so, however, Luka runs to her, trying to get information from her as to why was she is doing this. Ignoring him and his slams on the car, fighting tears, she drives away. Sam has had a history of picking up and moving around the country to escape Steve. She worries that he will ruin her and Alex's life and that they cannot coexist with Steve.