Birdie

Was the robotic arm just the camera though? I might be wrong. But I seem to remember Elizabeth saying things like, “Aesop, down…Stop.” And then she’d shoot a separate laser thing to do the actual surgery. Like, the robotic arm wasn’t a scalpel or any instrument for cutting or suction or whatever. But I agree. Romano deserved better; he could’ve been made into one of those hardass, but great teacher characters (I seem to remember a little moment between him and Gallant where they’re both in the lounge and Gallant is studying. Romano suggests a better text to read from, and I think also tells him a bit about the surgery Gallant’s reading over). As for the person above who mentioned Abby: It’s known that I don’t like her either, but I remember it as you remember it. I remember her brushing off Coburn’s “tell it like it is” sponsor advice. I remember interpreting the fact she went to meetings across town or different places or whatever line she fed rather than the one Coburn suggested as her lying as well. Her coming back from rehab and getting her conditions for returning to work, and the meeting where she was told she’d have to start all over when she got back from Croatia because they couldn’t monitor her there. Ugh, and Luka’s pushy and sexist confrontation with Coburn. I must’ve missed the same “chunk of time” you missed, lol. But I think the person you’re debating either is remembering something different or interpreting it differently. Maybe they’re referring to offscreen? Like, because she agreed with the review board to go to meetings and all the conditions they laid out that she was working the steps and such? 🤷‍♀️

Lydia and Al were cute together, and so were Jeanie and Reggie. I really wish the writers would have allowed Jeanie and Reggie to have remained happy together. I can’t think of any “later” relationships I cared about. It just became a revolving door of ER hook-ups where everyone passed around each other. ETA: I did think Morris and Claudia together were cute and glad she wasn’t part of the ER. I keep remembering that ep where she’s at his apt, and she says about the paint scheme, “What is up with the brown? It’s like fifty shades of feces in here.” And then Morris sets about painting the walls. 🤣 And of course their meet ugly when we’re first introduced to Claudia as the undercover cop.

Oh, I totally forgot Keaton! *slaps forehead* You’re right; I didn’t think they were bad together. I saw some chemistry there too. And, yeah, I didn’t count Lucy in there, but I, too, am glad that went nowhere. I liked her when I first watched the show (as a character, not any love interest), but she doesn’t grow on me after rewatches. Re: the Morris and Banfield ep mentioned above - that is a good ep. Won’t say anything more because don’t want to spoil it for the watcher above.

Ugh, the Kem eps have begun to repeat on Pop. (It doesn’t help that I just don’t like the character either). How come almost every woman they tried to pair Wyle with on this show, he had zero chemistry with? IMHO, the only romantic interest he clicked with was Christine Elise as Harper. Rebecca De Mornay? No. Julie Bowen? Nope. Maura Tierney? Ha, no. Mädchen Amick? Meh, ok, there was maybe a little something there. This isn’t really a commentary on Wyle’s acting (though I’ve seen him in things other than ER, I haven’t been “blown away” by anything; he’s good 🤷‍♀️ ), but more so on the casting directors, I suppose. Because he had chemistry with Jorja Fox as friends with Doyle and Maria Bello (wish she’d stuck around, but then I wonder what TPTB would’ve done to destroy that relationship if Anna and Carter did eventually get together). And I think he and Ming-Na connected well, but I’m glad Carter and Chen never got together because I think it’s important to depict healthy, platonic-hetero relationships. I’m sure there are those that disagree with me though. Again, just my little opinions.

I never thought Mark and Lizzie were terrible together until they threw Rebellious Rachel in the mix. Could’ve done without that mess. Though the spiciness in her personality was lost when she got with him; it was just a very stark contrast to the flirtatious and gregariousness with which she came into the show.

McCrane def deserved better, so much better. He deserved better than what they devolved his character into, and he deserved a better send off. I originally started watching 9-1-1 because she’s on it! :) Thanks for the feedback on JM’s book; pity she didn’t dish more on her ER time. Like you said, funny stories, not mean gossip or anything. More along the lines of the stories George was telling on the cast zoom get together. I still laugh at the story he told about the director yelling at the guest lady, “YOU GON’ CRY!” And then she couldn’t, and she tells George, all mortified, “I just couldn’t cry!” And he tells her, “No, but I bet you do on the car drive home.” 😂

Let me preface my responses with I don’t have first hand knowledge of AA or NA or any addiction rehab program. I’m sure some spouses might do this, but the sponsors, if put in that position, should do what Coburn did. (I think) she kept Abby’s confidence, and told Luka to talk to her himself. As far as Luka’s comment about her husband, uh, well, Luka, perhaps her husband leaving was a blessing for her, and being alone and focusing on herself allows her to continue her sobriety as well as provide support to your wife - even when it appeared Abby didn’t really want her support because it meant confronting her faults. Like the worst thing for a woman is to not have a man in her life 🙄. I am by no means a Sam fan at all, but she was well within reason to confront Abby and ask if she’d ever been drunk at work. We see that she has as they show a flashback to some episode to where Abby’s uncharacteristically addled and clumsy in a trauma. I don’t think there’s mention of Carter having a drinking problem; I think he abstains from drinking (for the most part - he does drink that champagne with Gamma in honor of his grandfather) as a part of abstaining from narcotics. I guess he figures it’d be easier to abstain because now it’s been established he has an “addictive personality” - he could probably easily develop a drinking problem. Remember, he wouldn’t even take OTC painkillers when Susan told him at yoga “if he was gonna be a tough guy about pain, he couldn’t complain” before she knew what he’d been through. I think him going to AA was just a means to bring him and Abby together. I mean, if this were a smaller town that only had an AA meeting to go to rather than NA, I would think any meeting is helpful, but, yeah, Chicago is going to def have NA meetings too. And ER decided to completely ignore the rule about sponsors can’t be of the opposite sex (something Abby herself even tells Carter). So, yeah, a ploy to bring Carby to fruition.

Carter is O-; they needed more universal donor blood. I only remember because I am O- as well, and I try to donate whenever I’m able. Both because I can give to everyone and because it’s the only kind I can take, lol.

I am one of those “new generation watchers” JM spoke of - I watched ER for the first time as a HS senior a couple of years ago. It was a nostalgia thing for my mother; sort of a “here’s what I dug when I was your age” type of thing as ER premiered during HER senior HS year. But it was the first time my mom watched the whole series. But JM is right regarding the show’s technology: I totally didn’t really notice the ancient or lack of technology. I don’t think I really noticed the missing cell phones in the early seasons until that guy, Susan’s patient with the giant ass brick looking one, or when I saw Benton using the pay phone. But the giant change in technology from then to now doesn’t take away from the show at all; I’ve always maintained the earlier seasons are my favorites. I guess that’s one way the show is timeless. And Carter’s speech from Lockdown. Damn, how appropriate is it for now. “It’s not about taking away your rights; it’s about keeping you safe.” I loved all the banter between all of them. GC obv talked way more than everyone else, but it wasn’t in a rude way, and every thing he said was nearly always lifting somebody else up and giving kudos to someone else. Or telling a hilarious story. 😄 Omg, the clip they showed of him as the long-haired “police officer by day, rockstar by night”! He’s like, “I don’t know why it didn’t take off.” 😂 When they mentioned Deezer D, I had been thinking, “I would so love to have him here as a part of this.” I bet he would’ve had some fun stories to tell and great things to say. 😢 I would love a part 2 with McCrane, La Salle, Stringfield, Freeman, Gedde Watanabe, Sharif Atkins, and Benrubi. And the woman who played surgical nurse Shirley all those years! But, yeah, I really enjoyed those 2 hours. 😊

I can understand your point. But, up until then, it was always Carter bending over backward to be there for Abby, canceling his plans for her, choosing to go with her to fetch her mother over his girlfriend (I use that loosely though because, really, how serious was he about Rena?), trying to rearrange his work schedule to go here or do this or that for her, etc. Also, you’d think she’d have the forethought to make sure there was no alcohol in the limo if she was set on bringing Eric to the funeral and keeping him in the car. And Eric is an adult; Abby had tried and tried to help him and her mother. You can’t force someone to want or accept your help (an adult anyway; sure you can force a kid); her mother finally accepted she needed her meds for life in order to stay steady, but Eric wasn’t there yet. When was the point supposed to come where Abby wouldn’t be killing herself emotionally trying to save her brother? I don’t have experience with mentally ill family members, but it just seems like at some point the healthier thing to do for yourself and your life is to step away - not necessarily forever but for the time being. Is Abby supposed to be his babysitter for the rest of his life? Somehow I don’t see Luka being too pleased living with Abby, Joe, and Abby’s brother all in one house...what a strain on the marriage that’d be. Perhaps Carter should’ve considered all the points you made, but I think at that point he himself was getting pushed to the brink being tied up in Abby’s family drama, and then you throw Gamma’s death on top of him (the one person in his family who he always had a steadfast relationship with, regardless of whether they saw eye to eye or not). (There isn’t meant to be any snark in my tone toward you; I’m aware over the internet things can come across incorrectly. I am genuinely interested in your reply and perspective to my questions),

My problem with Abby was first) she had a complete personality transplant between when we first meet her and when she shows up as a series regular. First meeting she’s Carol’s cheerful, encouraging OB delivery nurse; second go round, she’s this cynical, bitter-ass med student/ER nurse. It was just a complete 180, like the writers forgot how they wrote her in the twins’ birth episode. Second) she was a Mary Sue who was “great” at everything, and even her “faults” were written so as to be sympathetic and make her appear like this heroic martyr. (“Yes, she’s morose and fatalistic and her self-esteem is taking a hit and she struggles to stay sober, but she had a tragic childhood full of responsibility at a young age and now she has to again take on so much responsibility and she’s just afraid of people getting too close” ugh). She questions residents’ and attendings’ authority, but somehow, she always ends up being both righteous and “right.” She’s doing procedures no med student should do, both on her own and at others’ suggestion (Abby can do it; she’s soooooo smart and advanced), and they always end up correct. And it’s always in the better interest of the patient (even when the PATIENT DOESN’T WANT IT). 🙄 And everyone agrees on Abby when they’re doing the “rank to match” thing. And then when they’re talking about patient satisfaction scores, somebody says, “Abby is the only one with decent scores” because of course she is). And the Neonatology attending tells her she’s “one of the best med students she’s ever had” and thinks she should go into the field. Somebody mentioned the ep where Gamma died, and how Abby made it all about herself and her brother. I remember Carter being incredulous that Abby was going to run off to Eric when HE needed HER (for once), and he says, “go, go get your brother; my grandmother will still be dead” and walks away from her. I applauded his clap back 👏 I was glad he finally said something to her. And somebody also said something about Sally Field as her mother. Ugh, yes, that ep where she brings everyone orange juice and bagels in that ridiculous dress and shoes and she begin banshee shrieking “Abbyyyyyyy! Abbyyyyyyyyy!” I have to mute the tv until she’s finished.

I have some questions about a couple of episodes recently shown. Maybe somebody can answer them. 1. Wouldn’t they know Mark never shocked Fossen given the readout of Fossen’s heart rhythm? I would think there would be a spike in the reading when he shocked him, but he shocked the air. Wouldn’t that not show anything on the reading, so Mark couldn’t lie his way out? 2. Luka “explains” Nicole’s kleptomania as her “inability to trust people.” Like, what? I think an overwhelming amount of people on earth can say they have trust issues, but they have no compulsion to steal. I admit I have no experience with psychology. Hoping to take an intro course this summer though. 3. Carter having to turn his grandmother into the DMV because of her recently diagnosed condition. Do doctors really have to do this in some instances? I am a Type 1 (juvenile) diabetic diagnosed at 11, and I just had to promise I’d check my blood glucose before every time I got behind the wheel (I wear a CGM which makes it easy). And I wear a medical bracelet. But is there a list or something doctors are aware of when they have to report a patient? Sorry for all questions, but I know there are a variety of experienced people on the board that might help answering my curiosity.

So, I have “All in the Family” on Pop going kinda in the background as I work on school stuff before my first class of the day. I do like this episode in addition to “Be Still My Heart” (though in that episode Abby had barely arrived on the scene and was already showing she “knew more” than everyone else when she was arguing with Carter about doing heroic measures for that old woman even though the patient didn’t want it). But these episodes will always signal when the series started to wane with me, and the magic I felt among the cast and stories told was ebbing. I’ve seen the series all the way through already (probably a couple of times), and it’s always these episodes where I begin to get a bit sad for “earlier times.” Because these episodes signal, for me, the Era of Abby is imminent. 🙄 McCrane, Innes, and Kingston acted the hell out of this episode though. It still gets me with the scene with Corday and Romano and nurse Kit when Lucy is having the PE. And Weaver starting the ball rolling by finding them. And I’m not a Benton fan (arrogance, way he treated women - Jeannie especially sometimes), but him charging down the stairs, slamming into the cop to get to the trauma room to Carter hits as well. But, if the series “went downhill” or “lost its mojo” for y’all, at what point was it? Just curious.

Lol, yeah, it was. And Carter trying to spin a tale of Benton apologizing for mistreating him as Benton is coming out of anesthesia. 😆

Yeah, Wendell ends it because Carter doesn’t love her - or at least can’t say he does. I’m not sure how long the two had been dating before she told him she loves him in that ep. It may have felt to Carter a bit premature? I don’t know And Carter’s like, “I had a baby with her. I’m just supposed to cut her out of my life?” Yes, Carter, people do it all the time. You are not beholden to her for life because she birthed your stillborn child. If he’s going to date another woman, there need to be boundaries. Answering the call in the middle of the night IN BED with your current girlfriend was a dick move. I’m with Wendell; I wouldn’t stand for it either. But I think she still had an inkling there was something there with Kem because of the previous phone calls he received, but she never expected him to take a call while she was in bed next to him.