Untreatable: Unpopular Opinions

[CrazyInAlabama]

I totally hated the way Sam's son refused to believe his father was ever going to care.    And the times where Sam would come home, and the kid had invited his father in after he kept lying about just coming to see his son was sad.     

[starri]

I may have offered this one up already, but...

Extremely UO:  Rewatching the show, I found I didn't hate Lucy as much as I remembered.  I don't think her death was any great loss to the show, but watching the show after having been in her shoes, I think I understood her better.  I was really fortunate that almost all of the residents and attendings I worked with during med school were phenomenal, but there was one particular person who was so awful (and I was far from the only person to have issues with him/her, so I know it wasn't me), I had days when I was seriously rethinking my career choice.  I've used Carter's interactions with her (and with the students he had in S4) as examples of what not to do with my own students.

Plus, she was going to be a psychiatrist, and I have to give it up for the home team.

[Dr.OO7]

8 minutes ago, starri said:

I may have offered this one up already, but...

Extremely UO:  Rewatching the show, I found I didn't hate Lucy as much as I remembered.  I don't think her death was any great loss to the show, but watching the show after having been in her shoes, I think I understood her better.  I was really fortunate that almost all of the residents and attendings I worked with during med school were phenomenal, but there was one particular person who was so awful (and I was far from the only person to have issues with him/her, so I know it wasn't me), I had days when I was seriously rethinking my career choice.  I've used Carter's interactions with her (and with the students he had in S4) as examples of what not to do with my own students.

Plus, she was going to be a psychiatrist, and I have to give it up for the home team.

Lucy wasn't so bad. She suffered mostly from bad writing. Despite her brief time on the show, she actually went through a very realistic character arc from bumbling and clueless to more confident and capable. If only they hadn't shoved her in our faces all the time.

[Bastet]

The writing, yes, with the icky Lucy/Carter thing they insisted on setting up for a while, but it's also the acting, at least for me; Kellie Martin has bugged me in every production in which I've sat through her performance.  I could not have been more surprised that I was just as invested in Lucy's final hours as I was Carter's, and I will always give props to Martin for the look on her face when she mouths, "PE?," perfectly conveying Lucy's knowledge that she has a pulmonary embolism and her survival may well be short-lived.

[Growsonwalls]

I just feel like with Lucy the writers were trying too hard to recreate two great dynamics:

1) The Benton-Carter teacher-student/mentor-mentee dynamic. That was obviously a big fan favorite, and they wanted Carter to get his own student and struggle with "teaching" her. However as I've said the chemistry between Noah Wyle and Kellie Martin was just not there, whereas La Salle/Wyle always had great chemistry. Not the fault of Kellie Martin, especially as we now know that the antipathy between Martin and Wyle extended offscreen as well.

2) The writers also trying to have a second big romance after Carol/Doug. For instance "The Good Fight" sort of echoes the time Carol and Doug had to go "out of the ER" on the medic van at night after their personal relationship hit rock bottom when Doug's one-night stand ended up dying and Carol was totally disgusted. However as I said the chemistry between Lucy and Carter wasn't there, and plus with Carol and Doug we'd seen their relationships' ups and downs through two whole seasons already. 

Plus as I've said I don't think Martin had enough depth as an actress to really make the character work. She often came across as bratty and petulant and I don't think that was even intentional.

[CrazyInAlabama]

I also disliked the Carter/ Lucy relationship.    Carter was a jerk to her, she hid that she didn't know basic procedures, the entire Ritalin issue was absurd, and there was zero chemistry between the two.     I did think the stabbing, and the aftermath, especially with Romano and Corday was really well written, and acted.     

I also hated Sobriki's (the killer/stabber) character with the follow up episode a season or two later, and his wife still saying that he wasn't responsible, when she was talking to people who watched their co-workers suffer.    And Dr. Lewis acting like he wasn't dangerous, and Carter should just get over that the man was there, was awful on her part, and didn't ring true.  I think in real life, Carter would have been taken elsewhere in the hospital, and then told why, and he wouldn't have had to see Sobriki face-to-face, and have him talk about how it wasn't his fault.    

[WendyCR72]

20 minutes ago, CrazyInAlabama said:

And Dr. Lewis acting like he wasn't dangerous, and Carter should just get over that the man was there, was awful on her part, and didn't ring true.

That makes me rage, because the character as she was prior would have never, EVER done that. But this was also around the time Abby became Super-Everything, so she gave Carter all the sympathy at the expense of poor characterization for others. But then, as you point out, that whole follow-up was disgusting, so at least the character assassination fit right in.

[CrazyInAlabama]

And the way Abby later treated Carter when his grandmother died was exactly like the Lewis character did with Sobriki.    It was bizarre, that the characters would flip from nice and sympathetic, to rude, and uncaring.   It almost seemed as if there wasn't a continuity book describing the characters that the writers could look at, and I think most shows have something like that.  

[Claire85]

I still get queasy watching Sobriki’s return. The suspense...when will Carter see him? How will he react? 

Also: shut up x1000, Susan.  I bet if you asked everyone else in that ER, they would be fine with Abby’s decision to restrain him. 

[MVFrostsMyPie]

8 hours ago, Claire85 said:

I still get queasy watching Sobriki’s return. The suspense...when will Carter see him? How will he react? 

Also: shut up x1000, Susan.  I bet if you asked everyone else in that ER, they would be fine with Abby’s decision to restrain him. 

And all the emotions that go through Carter as he hears that voice, and then his reaction to the bathroom, with the puking... I thought NW did a good job with all of that.

[CrazyInAlabama]

I can't stand Kem.     When she came to Chicago to announce her pregnancy, and see how Carter lived, she treated everyone at the hospital like idiots, and like she knew how to do everything better.     I think she married Carter after they lost the baby, because she saw a meal ticket, and could get her Africa AIDS project supported.

I know in real life the actress was in demand, and that's why she kept disappearing, but I found the entire routine of running back to Paris for her mother's treatment over the top, since it went on for seasons on end, and that's where Kem was going in the last episode when she told Carter to go with her or else.     I bet the fictional divorce cost Carter big.    I also found the 'just a friend' routine with the man in Paris laughable, since it was obvious the other man wasn't just a friend.

Edited September 11, 2018 by CrazyInAlabama

[Growsonwalls]

30 minutes ago, CrazyInAlabama said:

I can't stand Kem.     When she came to Chicago to announce her pregnancy, and see how Carter lived, she treated everyone at the hospital like idiots, and like she knew how to do everything better.     I think she married Carter after they lost the baby, because she saw a meal ticket, and could get her Africa AIDS project supported.

I know in real life the actress was in demand, and that's why she kept disappearing, but I found the entire routine of running back to Paris for her mother's treatment over the top, since it went on for seasons on end, and that's where Kem was going in the last episode when she told Carter to go with her or else.     I bet the fictional divorce cost Carter big.    I also found the 'just a friend' routine with the man in Paris laughable, since it was obvious the other man wasn't just a friend.

 

Kem and Carter also had the lamest endgame ever. So Carter comes back to County and opens a clinic, but Kem still has to be in Paris? It seemed like that relationship was already over, and neither gave a crap about it being over. 

In fact one of the weird things about Season 15 was that it had all these beloved characters come back, but with the exception of Carol/Doug all of them seemed to have an "oh yeah I broke up with him/her. Oh well, who gives a crap" situation. 

Edited September 11, 2018 by Growsonwalls

[BigBeagle]

Quote

I can't stand Kem.

I'm sorry, but this is a thread for unpopular opinions :-)

[Heathen]

2 hours ago, CrazyInAlabama said:

I can't stand Kem.     When she came to Chicago to announce her pregnancy, and see how Carter lived, she treated everyone at the hospital like idiots, and like she knew how to do everything better.     I think she married Carter after they lost the baby, because she saw a meal ticket, and could get her Africa AIDS project supported.

I know in real life the actress was in demand, and that's why she kept disappearing, but I found the entire routine of running back to Paris for her mother's treatment over the top, since it went on for seasons on end, and that's where Kem was going in the last episode when she told Carter to go with her or else.     I bet the fictional divorce cost Carter big.    I also found the 'just a friend' routine with the man in Paris laughable, since it was obvious the other man wasn't just a friend.

Kem and Carter never made sense. That storyline was obviously just a way to get Noah Wyle off the show. Carter should have ended up with Debbie, the NGO worker he worked with (and was dating?) in Congo before he met Kem. They had chemistry and the pairing made sense. Kem and Carter went together like oil and water. 

[doodlebug]

8 hours ago, Growsonwalls said:

Kem and Carter also had the lamest endgame ever. So Carter comes back to County and opens a clinic, but Kem still has to be in Paris? It seemed like that relationship was already over, and neither gave a crap about it being over. 

In fact one of the weird things about Season 15 was that it had all these beloved characters come back, but with the exception of Carol/Doug all of them seemed to have an "oh yeah I broke up with him/her. Oh well, who gives a crap" situation. 

If you recall, Carter also called Kem after the kidney transplant, and, yet, she apparently didn't bother to stop by and see how he was doing afterwards.  From the little bit we saw on the show, it sounded like Kem knew he was in kidney failure and back in the US for a transplant.  By that time, her mother had been ill for years.  Surely, she could've flown to Chicago for a few days to be with him when he first came home.  But, no, apparently not.  Then, when she does come into town for the dedication of the Joshua Carter Center a couple months later, it appears she arrives without telling him she's coming and, despite the fact that he's been through a lot and has just used his family fortune to do something incredible in the memory of their son; she plans to stay less than 24 hours.  Face it, Carter, she's just not that into you.

In the end, his relationship with Kem made Carter look pathetic and delusional.  Spending 5 years pining after someone who didn't care about him very much at all was not a good look for him or for anyone else.

[Growsonwalls]

32 minutes ago, doodlebug said:

If you recall, Carter also called Kem after the kidney transplant, and, yet, she apparently didn't bother to stop by and see how he was doing afterwards.  From the little bit we saw on the show, it sounded like Kem knew he was in kidney failure and back in the US for a transplant.  By that time, her mother had been ill for years.  Surely, she could've flown to Chicago for a few days to be with him when he first came home.  But, no, apparently not.  Then, when she does come into town for the dedication of the Joshua Carter Center a couple months later, it appears she arrives without telling him she's coming and, despite the fact that he's been through a lot and has just used his family fortune to do something incredible in the memory of their son; she plans to stay less than 24 hours.  Face it, Carter, she's just not that into you.

In the end, his relationship with Kem made Carter look pathetic and delusional.  Spending 5 years pining after someone who didn't care about him very much at all was not a good look for him or for anyone else.

I didn't even remember this but the body language between Kem and Carter is so cold in their final scene together. She is doing that fast-walk/sprint to get away from him and doesn't even want to commit to lunch with him? After he names a clinic after their dead son? She has the sourest bitch-face on too.

This is contrasted to the warm looks and body language between almost everyone else in that final episode. Hell, Benton and Corday end things on a more fanfic-y note than Kem and Carter. When Benton/Corday saw each other there was clearly affection there. Kem and Carter look like two people on an awkward Tinder hookup where the guy couldn't get it up. If this were the ER I'd say "time of death of Kem-Cart: a long-ass time ago." 

Edited September 12, 2018 by Growsonwalls

[CrazyInAlabama]

My guess is the only thing Kem cared about was getting Carter's family money.    She might have been emotional about the center being named for her son, but I'm not sure if it was because she couldn't get her hands on the money too.    I'm hoping the fictional Carter had a pre-nup, but he was so naive about her being the love of his life, and the loss of the son, that I'm not betting he was sensible about that either.

[doodlebug]

1 hour ago, CrazyInAlabama said:

My guess is the only thing Kem cared about was getting Carter's family money.    She might have been emotional about the center being named for her son, but I'm not sure if it was because she couldn't get her hands on the money too.    I'm hoping the fictional Carter had a pre-nup, but he was so naive about her being the love of his life, and the loss of the son, that I'm not betting he was sensible about that either.

We never saw Kem trying to get Carter's family money, IMO.  She didn't seem to care very much about it.  She enjoyed staying at Gamma's mansion but was supportive when Carter told her he was donating it to charity.  When he bought the gorgeous townhouse in Chicago, it didn't seem like it mattered to her.  She never asked for expensive things, never maxed out his credit cards or anything else.  I don't think she was all that interested in his money, except when he was donating it to help her own HIV charity in Africa.

[Heathen]

5 hours ago, doodlebug said:

We never saw Kem trying to get Carter's family money, IMO.  She didn't seem to care very much about it.  She enjoyed staying at Gamma's mansion but was supportive when Carter told her he was donating it to charity.  When he bought the gorgeous townhouse in Chicago, it didn't seem like it mattered to her.  She never asked for expensive things, never maxed out his credit cards or anything else.  I don't think she was all that interested in his money, except when he was donating it to help her own HIV charity in Africa.

Kem said once or twice that she was afraid she could get used to living in luxury, or even in comfort, in Chicago. 

I got the impression Kem had some skeletons in her closet. 

[CrazyInAlabama]

Kem's family was pretty well off too, apparently.    I think when she found out how rich Carter's family was she wanted the money to finance her AIDS clinic, not a clinic in Chicago.  And no one will ever convince me that she wasn't boinking the 'friend' in Paris.  

 

They are showing the episode where Carter goes to Paris because Kem's mother is sick.     I just watched that scene at the hospital when he arrives where Kem is stunned he's there, and she asks Carter if he's been dating, and is shocked when he says no.    That's when she admits the man with her is an old boyfriend, and later Kem's mother tells Carter that he needs to fight for her.       He was such a fool when it comes to Kem.    

Edited October 9, 2018 by CrazyInAlabama

[eskimo]

I was so happy when Benton left, he was such a joyless asshole.  And I liked it better when Clooney was gone, and the nurse who played is SO.  I tried to watch those early episodes, and I just don't enjoy them as much.  I'm definitely a later season ER person.  Seasons 8 and up are where it's at for me.   

[Madam Captain]

I didn't really like Jeanie at all. To me she seemed to think she was entitled to everything after she fought to get her job back (after she was diagnosed with HIV) and I actually disliked her even more after that. I couldn't stand Carla either, the way she treated Peter was terrible and she just seemed fake to me. In the later seasons, I hated Brenner, I hated everything about him. 

[Dr.OO7]

On 11/25/2018 at 2:25 AM, Madam Captain said:

I couldn't stand Carla either, the way she treated Peter was terrible and she just seemed fake to me.

I hated her even before the "He may not even be yours" revelation, because her Season 3 behavior was already pretty reprehensible--getting pissy when Benton asked if he was the father, refusing to talk to him when he was trying to apologize and reach out to her, getting even bitchier because he wasn't at her beck and call 24/7--and became even moreso with the realization that she did that knowing there was a chance someone else was the father.

[doodlebug]

7 hours ago, Camille said:

I hated her even before the "He may not even be yours" revelation, because her Season 3 behavior was already pretty reprehensible--getting pissy when Benton asked if he was the father, refusing to talk to him when he was trying to apologize and reach out to her, getting even bitchier because he wasn't at her beck and call 24/7--and became even moreso with the realization that she did that knowing there was a chance someone else was the father.

She was really awful.  Carla had been a successful restauranteur, flirty and fun.  After she got pregnant, she was incapable of caring for herself.  Remember she couldn't possibly give herself insulin injections?  Even if Peter wasn't a doctor, how could she possibly expect her partner to leave work so he could test her blood sugar and give her insulin all hours of the day and night?  There are little kids who do this all by themselves, but Carla, an otherwise competent professional woman, couldn't do it?

[Madam Captain]

It was like Carla wanted Peter to help her when she was pregnant and after Reese was born so obviously she used him as a father figure, until Roger came along. I'm so glad Peter won custody of Reese after Carla died, even though he wasn't his biological father. To me, Peter was always a father to Reese. 

On 09/09/2018 at 8:35 AM, CrazyInAlabama said:

I totally hated the way Sam's son refused to believe his father was ever going to care.    And the times where Sam would come home, and the kid had invited his father in after he kept lying about just coming to see his son was sad.     

I couldn't stand Sam's son at first but when he got older and the actor was changed that played him, I found him more tolerable. Sam wasn't really my favorite character either.

[Lozu68]

Is anyone still reading this thread? Just piping in to say...I’m currently rewatching (again) Seasons 12+...and finding I don’t hate the later episodes as much as I did when I was bingeing straight through. I mean...I’ve already seen the whole series, I know the last 3 seasons were SO completely different from the early, heyday years. But if you watch them outside from the show’s own shadow...still a lot of merit. Actually didn’t hate Pratt’s trip to Darfur. The Forrest Whittaker episodes were quite compelling. And....as someone who has always been a huge Abby Lockhart fan...I really can see why people hated the character. S12/13 she became so arrogant...I get the writers we’re heading for her character to do a 180 from the “woe is me” that plagued her in her nursing days...but what they gave her was really obnoxious. (Though...Maura still nails each performance, regardless. Amazingly...she can always rise above the script.)

[readster]

On 9/9/2018 at 8:20 PM, WendyCR72 said:

That makes me rage, because the character as she was prior would have never, EVER done that. But this was also around the time Abby became Super-Everything, so she gave Carter all the sympathy at the expense of poor characterization for others. But then, as you point out, that whole follow-up was disgusting, so at least the character assassination fit right in.

Oh I hated that too and that also goes right up there with how Abby's abusive neighbor, Ryan. Just broke the door in and punched her straight on. Yes, Luka found him and beat him up. Yet, his lawyer friend is all: "Well, someone tracked him down and beat him, so it's not fair to him." What the hell was that? I know the writers were trying to say that sometimes that abusers get off like that and so forth. However, Ryan knocked the door so hard to break the chain and point blank hit Abby. That is breaking and entering and direct assault. Yet, just like the with the scizo guy who stabbed Carter and killed Lucy it was: "Well, he wasn't in control of his actions and he's a great husband and dad and his fellow students got him a good lawyer!" I hated the court systems on ER, they said they were trying to be realistic, but even when they went in favor of the stars of the show, it was poorly depicted. I remember one actually lawyer in Chicago said: "I wish my cases would go that way, because they haven't in the last 15 years I have been practicing." 

[Claire85]

What was also unbelievable to me was that Carter was not notified when Sobricki was released. Of course then there would be no dramatic moment. 

[MVFrostsMyPie]

I would have thrown up too if I came face to face with Sobricki. Heck, I feel that way when I run into some of my ex-boyfriends unexpectedly, and they didn’t even stab me (just metaphorically 😉). 

I still can’t believe how easily Sobricki got off, even with a schizophrenia diagnosis. I mean for Christ sakes, he murdered one person and almost murdered another person. 

[WendyCR72]

54 minutes ago, MVFrostsMyPie said:

I would have thrown up too if I came face to face with Sobricki. Heck, I feel that way when I run into some of my ex-boyfriends unexpectedly, and they didn’t even stab me (just metaphorically 😉). 

I still can’t believe how easily Sobricki got off, even with a schizophrenia diagnosis. I mean for Christ sakes, he murdered one person and almost murdered another person. 

And I couldn't believe the bullshit that Carter was never even NOTIFIED about this psycho's release. (Okay, sometimes in real life, it does happen, but those cases usually seem like bureaucratic errors than just disregarding it as it appeared to be here.)

[doodlebug]

1 hour ago, MVFrostsMyPie said:

I would have thrown up too if I came face to face with Sobricki. Heck, I feel that way when I run into some of my ex-boyfriends unexpectedly, and they didn’t even stab me (just metaphorically 😉). 

I still can’t believe how easily Sobricki got off, even with a schizophrenia diagnosis. I mean for Christ sakes, he murdered one person and almost murdered another person. 

It was also completely unrealistic.  My brother is bipolar with schizophrenic tendencies.    A couple years after Sobriki got off easy in ER, my brother went off his meds and broke into the house where my family had lived when he was a teen-twice within a couple of weeks.  Because he'd done it twice, he was charged with stalking the woman who lived there even though he had no idea who was living there.  He broke a window to get in and he placed his jacket into the frame to avoid getting cut, so he was charged with possession of criminal tools (the coat).  He was found mentally ill and unable to stand trial.  He was sent to a forensic mental health facility (locked ward) for a period corresponding to the jail time he would've gotten.  He would've served 6-8 years (he didn't take anything, he actually left his watch and other personal stuff there and never touched the woman who lived there).  He ended up confined in a locked facility for 6 years and was required to report to a probation officer monthly for 2 years and was tested regularly to be sure he was still on his meds.  No way Sobriki was out and back with his family in under 2 years.

While my brother was hospitalized, he actually befriended a guy who, while delusional, stabbed his father to death, thinking he was the devil; very similar to what Sobriki did.  It was his first offence, he had been released from a psychiatric hospital the day before the killing.  This was in 1994, he is still in a locked facility.  

[Claire85]

And did anyone else think Sobricki had a bit of an attitude when he saw Carter? “Oh, its you.” And he just wanted to explain how he was better now and Carter should understand he (Paul) has a disease, etc. Just apologize and shut up, Paul. 

[Dr.OO7]

17 hours ago, MVFrostsMyPie said:

still can’t believe how easily Sobricki got off, even with a schizophrenia diagnosis. I mean for Christ sakes, he murdered one person and almost murdered another person. 

That's TV law for you. Every crime show makes it seem like "not guilty by reason of insanity"= "get out of jail free", when in truth, you can end up in a psychiatric hospital for as long as what would have been your prison term, if not LONGER--Andrea Yates will probably never leave the mental hospital she's been confined to, and neither will Russell Eugene Wilson (who shot up the Capitol in 1998), who has been deemed unfit to even stand trial because of. . .paranoid schizophrenia.

1 hour ago, Claire85 said:

And did anyone else think Sobricki had a bit of an attitude when he saw Carter? “Oh, its you.” And he just wanted to explain how he was better now and Carter should understand he (Paul) has a disease, etc. Just apologize and shut up, Paul. 

I thought so too. Like it was an annoyance to him.

[doodlebug]

2 hours ago, Claire85 said:

And did anyone else think Sobricki had a bit of an attitude when he saw Carter? “Oh, its you.” And he just wanted to explain how he was better now and Carter should understand he (Paul) has a disease, etc. Just apologize and shut up, Paul. 

Yeah, he seemed utterly shocked that Carter didn't embrace him like a long lost brother and express understanding and complete forgiveness for almost killing him (and the near destruction of his life in the aftermath).  For a guy who was smart enough to be a lawyer and who had undoubtedly had hundreds of hours of therapy, it was totally unrealistic for him to expect Carter to react positively to the sight of him.

[MVFrostsMyPie]

Same with his wife. Like duh Carter, of course you should totally be over the whole thing and not feel bitter or raw or have PTSD reactions, it’s no big deal! 

[MVFrostsMyPie]

Also I get a freaking chuckle every time I watch the season 6 episode where Chen tells Greene she consulted the “DMS” and thinks Carter’s bipolar. First of all, Chen, it’s the DSM, and second it’s called PTS-fucking-D. 

[Claire85]

If I were Carter I may or may not have used my family’s extensive wealth and influence to make sure Sobricki never saw the light of day again. But I’m vengeful that way. 

[readster]

On 2/26/2019 at 11:29 AM, Camille said:

That's TV law for you. Every crime show makes it seem like "not guilty by reason of insanity"= "get out of jail free", when in truth, you can end up in a psychiatric hospital for as long as what would have been your prison term, if not LONGER--Andrea Yates will probably never leave the mental hospital she's been confined to, and neither will Russell Eugene Wilson (who shot up the Capitol in 1998), who has been deemed unfit to even stand trial because of. . .paranoid schizophrenia.

I thought so too. Like it was an annoyance to him.

Like I said, goes back to when Ryan broke down Abby's door and punched her right in the face. The lawyer friend turns to Abby that Ryan was attacked a bar, even though no one knew the guy who hit him and acted like Abby hired a hit man while she was stuck in a hospital bed. Saying: "But you don't know anything about that?" She didn't even know it happened until after the lawyer/friend said those things. Yet, it was: "well, yeah, he broke in and hit you and yes, his wife doesn't want to go back home to his constant abuse. However, someone beat him back, so yeah, it's all your fault, bitch!" I wanted the guy to walk out he door and then get ran over with a car. Yeah, TV justice/drama indeed. 

[starri]

On 2/26/2019 at 1:28 PM, MVFrostsMyPie said:

Also I get a freaking chuckle every time I watch the season 6 episode where Chen tells Greene she consulted the “DMS” and thinks Carter’s bipolar. First of all, Chen, it’s the DSM, and second it’s called PTS-fucking-D. 

While I really liked Dr. Deraad, the psych attending who popped up now and then, the show seemed to get that particular branch of medicine more consistently wrong than the others.  Even though I thought Tom Everett Scott did a really good job of playing manic (actors overshoot that all time), just about everything about Abby's family was absurd.

And for frack's sake, Jing-Mei, I know you're not a psychiatrist, but you went to medical school.  You know what bipolar looks like.

[doodlebug]

10 hours ago, starri said:

While I really liked Dr. Deraad, the psych attending who popped up now and then, the show seemed to get that particular branch of medicine more consistently wrong than the others.  Even though I thought Tom Everett Scott did a really good job of playing manic (actors overshoot that all time), just about everything about Abby's family was absurd.

And for frack's sake, Jing-Mei, I know you're not a psychiatrist, but you went to medical school.  You know what bipolar looks like.

Jing-Mei should also know what the DSM is and not get it confused with something else.  PTSD has also become a rather well known mental health issue in the past 20-30 years and, good Lord, Jing-mei was there!  I find it hard to believe that absolutely no one in that ER ever spent a moment worrying about how Carter was coping emotionally with the assault until he was totally off the rails.  That it never occurred to Chen or anyone else that Carter needed mental health support was the worst part of the whole plotline.

[PepSinger]

On 3/2/2019 at 9:15 AM, doodlebug said:

Jing-Mei should also know what the DSM is and not get it confused with something else.  PTSD has also become a rather well known mental health issue in the past 20-30 years and, good Lord, Jing-mei was there!  I find it hard to believe that absolutely no one in that ER ever spent a moment worrying about how Carter was coping emotionally with the assault until he was totally off the rails.  That it never occurred to Chen or anyone else that Carter needed mental health support was the worst part of the whole plotline.

Yes! They acted as if it were totally common and normal to return to work immediately after a stabbing with no emotional/mental health support. WTF?

[readster]

41 minutes ago, PepSinger said:

Yes! They acted as if it were totally common and normal to return to work immediately after a stabbing with no emotional/mental health support. WTF?

Or how about when after Abby was kidnapped and held at gunpoint by gang members to fix their fellow member. They went to the next episode going: "She is returning to work after a month." I wanted to go: "Did she see a shrink, because she needs one!" Of course everyone acting like Maggie disappeared was "like her" when no one didn't go: "Where the hell is she?" I mean she was held captive for close to 8 hours. Anyone else would be: "This isn't like her!" Instead everyone acted like she got up and disappeared from work when she was upset and no one batted an eye.

[Dr.OO7]

On 3/2/2019 at 9:15 AM, doodlebug said:

Jing-Mei should also know what the DSM is and not get it confused with something else.  PTSD has also become a rather well known mental health issue in the past 20-30 years and, good Lord, Jing-mei was there!  I find it hard to believe that absolutely no one in that ER ever spent a moment worrying about how Carter was coping emotionally with the assault until he was totally off the rails.  That it never occurred to Chen or anyone else that Carter needed mental health support was the worst part of the whole plotline.

41 minutes ago, PepSinger said:

Yes! They acted as if it were totally common and normal to return to work immediately after a stabbing with no emotional/mental health support. WTF?

The show never seemed to handle that very well. Aside from the concern for Mark after his attack, no one was ever worried about Carol/Carter/Abby/Sam after similarly traumatic experiences.

[WendyCR72]

On 3/2/2019 at 9:15 AM, doodlebug said:

That it never occurred to Chen or anyone else that Carter needed mental health support was the worst part of the whole plotline.

The show did suck at these details, BUT Mark did ask Carter more than once if he had talked to someone/had seen a shrink. So Mark was on the ball there. Carter blew him off.

[readster]

3 hours ago, Camille said:

The show never seemed to handle that very well. Aside from the concern for Mark after his attack, no one was ever worried about Carol/Carter/Abby/Sam after similarly traumatic experiences.

How about Luka. Being almost killed more than once, including being presumed dead in Africa. No, he's just great and wants to go back because he has nothing else. 

[Dr.OO7]

44 minutes ago, readster said:

How about Luka. Being almost killed more than once, including being presumed dead in Africa. No, he's just great and wants to go back because he has nothing else. 

Not to mention actually killing someone himself, especially since he was clearly sinking into a deep depression.

[MVFrostsMyPie]

There was a whole lot of unresolved PTSD going on. Just once I wish like one of them would have flipped the switch and been like, “you know what? I really should see a therapist. I’m going to go to the therapist. Clearly I am having issues that are interfering with my everyday functioning and professional life.” Everyone in that freaking department was always in denial and stubborn. 

I know it’s not as “exciting” to have someone go to therapy (especially since their coworkers are either too involved in their personal lives or totally clueless and aloof as to what’s going on) but I wanted to for example, punch Luka in the GD face for most of his behavior. Every time I watch that scene with him pounding the mugger’s head against the pavement I cringe so hard. I would have liked to hear Carter expand on his feelings of guilt and trauma in a therapy sesh or something. I feel like the audience needed more closure on Lucy’s death through Carter’s behavior. I would have liked that to more openly play a part in his recovery as an addict. 

[Dr.OO7]

13 hours ago, MVFrostsMyPie said:

There was a whole lot of unresolved PTSD going on. Just once I wish like one of them would have flipped the switch and been like, “you know what? I really should see a therapist. I’m going to go to the therapist. Clearly I am having issues that are interfering with my everyday functioning and professional life.” Everyone in that freaking department was always in denial and stubborn. 

I know it’s not as “exciting” to have someone go to therapy (especially since their coworkers are either too involved in their personal lives or totally clueless and aloof as to what’s going on) but I wanted to for example, punch Luka in the GD face for most of his behavior. Every time I watch that scene with him pounding the mugger’s head against the pavement I cringe so hard. I would have liked to hear Carter expand on his feelings of guilt and trauma in a therapy sesh or something. I feel like the audience needed more closure on Lucy’s death through Carter’s behavior. I would have liked that to more openly play a part in his recovery as an addict. 

The only therapy sessions we saw were Susan's after she was forced to relinquish her niece to her sister (more TV law bullshit). 

And speaking of unpopular  opinions,z as much  as I liked  Susan, I found  that particular episode  quite dull. It's Doug's I would have liked to see.

[MVFrostsMyPie]

Yeah it was dull. But I found both Susan and Mark dull in general. So they would have been a great dull couple together! Elizabeth was fun until she started dating Mark. He’s such a buzzkill. Good doctor but a schmuck otherwise.

[Claire85]

Carter had one meeting with DeRaad that we saw, I wouldn’t necessarily call it a therapy session. Carter referred to “the accident” and DeRaad commented that it was a brutal attack. And that was it. I would also have liked to see Carter dealing with his trauma in therapy.