In the fourth season-opener, it introduces "The Colonel" (guest-star Peter Graves) and Grandma Ruth (guest-star Barbara Rush) back in the Camdens lives as they just returned from being out of the country for six months. Simon surprises his grandparents with his new haircut. Matt decides to move out of the house and gets his own apartment with his friend John Hamilton. Aunt Julie's new husband Hank (guest-star Ed Begley Jr.) gets Matt a job at his hospital working in the cafeteria. Also, a big surprise happens when Eric begins to suffer a mild heart attack due to the stress from his job. Eric spends a few days in the hospital with the support from his family. Within the coming weeks he must take things slow awhile recovering.

Becker performs his doctorly duties at the diner when a woman begins to choke on her food. After regaining her composure, the woman intensely expresses her gratitude to Becker, which takes him more than a little off-guard. As the days go by, Becker's fears are compounded when she begins to drop by the office and his apartment bearing gifts and well-wishes. Soon enough, Becker is outright panicked, and convinced that she's a certifiable lunatic who's become a danger to his well-being.

Mitch is on a beach in Hawaii where he witnesses a family washed off the rocks. Mitch immediately reverts to lifeguard mode and pulls them from the water. He finds the daughter unconscious and rescues her too. She resumes breathing, but is still taken to the hospital in a coma.

Against Carrie's wishes, Doug buys a motorcycle which causes them to have a huge fight; Meanwhile, Arthur gets a job at a pretzel store.

The grisly murder and castration of a New York cabbie draws the elite Special Victims Unit of the NYPD, including veteran Detective Elliot Stabler and his partner, Olivia Benson, who soon discover that the victim had assumed the identity of another man, mainly because he himself was a wanted man.

Tonight, comedian Andy Richter.