All Episodes Talk: What's Up Doc?

[Automne]

Ron Eldard will always be the abusive stepfather in Bastard Out of Carolina getting beat up and kicked in the face by Michael Rooker to me.

Jeannie needs to love herself. Her ex-husband cheated on her with a legion of women, so many that he can't find the one who infected him with HIV, then he goes home and infects Jeannie with HIV. Of course he's all loving and attentive now because he no longer can screw women with impunity, so why not go back to the one he knows has HIV?

[WendyCR72]

8 minutes ago, Automne said:

Ron Eldard will always be the abusive stepfather in Bastard Out of Carolina getting beat up and kicked in the face by Michael Rooker to me.

Jeannie needs to love herself. Her ex-husband cheated on her with a legion of women, so many that he can't find the one who infected him with HIV, then he goes home and infects Jeannie with HIV. Of course he's all loving and attentive now because he no longer can screw women with impunity, so why not go back to the one he knows has HIV?

Yeah, that's...gross. And sadly true. But to be fair, Jeannie also cheated. Not like Al the Hound, obviously. But it seems like neither of them ever took their marriage seriously.

Just a shame that HIV was the result.

[starri]

My favorite part of "Ambush" is Kerry laying into the cameraman who questions why they're taking Morganstern to the cath lab over Jeanie's patient.

ETA:  Damn it, Carter, you KNOW you don't shock asystole.

Edited July 8, 2017 by starri

[Chit Chat]

17 hours ago, Automne said:

Jeannie needs to love herself.

It was an emotional scene when Jeannie, after having had a bad day, met with her ex-husband at the little diner and ended her rant with him saying "you killed me."  So sad. 

On a happier note, I liked that they had Carole & Doug get back together.  I think that's what the fans wanted all along.  Poor Luka though.  He was in love with her.   Did Luka ever find love again?  I can't remember what happened with him.

[Danny Franks]

7 minutes ago, ChitChat said:

On a happier note, I liked that they had Carole & Doug get back together.  I think that's what the fans wanted all along.  Poor Luka though.  He was in love with her.   Did Luka ever find love again?  I can't remember what happened with him.

He did. But it was with Abby, so I guess the question of whether we should be happy for him or not is difficult to answer. Still, Carol was often a self-righteous martyr too, so I suppose Luka may have a type.

[doodlebug]

1 hour ago, ChitChat said:

It was an emotional scene when Jeannie, after having had a bad day, met with her ex-husband at the little diner and ended her rant with him saying "you killed me."  So sad. 

On a happier note, I liked that they had Carole & Doug get back together.  I think that's what the fans wanted all along.  Poor Luka though.  He was in love with her.   Did Luka ever find love again?  I can't remember what happened with him.

Depends on whether you think Abby was lovable.  He had a child with her, they eventually married after he surprised her with an instant wedding (very stupid plot).  They ended up moving to Boston as a family as the series ended.

Luka did seem to be a glutton for punishment in his relationships; Abby was the petulant, demanding child in the relationship.  At one point, in a fit of pique because he dared to go to Croatia to see his dying father; Abby went off the wagon and slept around on him; while neglecting their infant to do so.  Hard to see this particular relationship as a happy ending for either of them.

[snarts]

I hated Luka, basically stopped watching shortly after his arrival.  I'm enjoying the reruns now, catching up on all the stuff I missed, but I still fast forward through his scenes.  

Does Pop ever go past season 6?

[doodlebug]

35 minutes ago, snarts said:

I hated Luka, basically stopped watching shortly after his arrival.  I'm enjoying the reruns now, catching up on all the stuff I missed, but I still fast forward through his scenes.  

Does Pop ever go past season 6?

Not so far, but they have the rights to the entire series, so it seems like they will sometime in the future.

[callie lee 29]

Season 1 is probably my favorite.Pretty much any season with the original crew. There are some characters I like later on: DelAmico, Doyle, Gant. but the over focis on Abby pretty much ended the show for me. Pop Saturday is back into S1, so that and MASH is on rotation in my house right now. 

[Asp Burger]

Strangely, of all of my problems with the later seasons, Abby was never one of them. When I was following fan reaction, she had a lot of haters, but I did think Maura Tierney was more or less what they needed when Julianna Margulies decided she had put in her time. She definitely could carry stories and play a complicated character. I thought of MT as a "fearless" actress. Linda Cardellini was very good too. It was the male additions in that period of the show (season six onward) that I found lacking.  I'd liked some of them in other things (Stamos, West, Phifer, Grimes, et cetera); they just didn't work for me on ER.  I've already copped to never being able to get Visnjic/Luka, and Atkins/Gallant was another.  

I stumbled on some information I had never known before. Michael Michele was the art-gallery owner who came to regret having an affair with the big powerful publishing tycoon (played by Ron Leibman) on CBS's ill-fated Central Park West. She had never made much of an impression on me on that either, other than being beautiful. As failed series go, that was one strongly cast. I guess if it hadn't been such a high-profile flop, she might have been tied up on it for years and never been on Homicide or ER.  

Edited July 9, 2017 by Asp Burger

[Chit Chat]

I like the scenes where we see Benton actually smiling and joking around.  There's one with him and Doug joking around while waiting on an ambulance to arrive.  Doug is trying to figure out who he bought flowers and candy for on Valentine's Day (they were for his Mom.)  There are some other random scenes of him smiling and sharing a laugh with people, but it's rare!  Benton had a lot going on in his life, so I understand the stress and angst, but it was nice to see him lighten up occasionally.  

The re-runs seem to go in order with a season, but then they skip from Season 1 over to Season 4.  I'd rather they keep them on a loop of Season 1 - Season 6 (or whichever ones they have).  I like things in order!

I was watching the one last night in which Deb accidently ate some chocolate laced with LSD.  She was hysterical in that way!  

[starri]

I thought Stamos was fine.  He was just an iteration on Doug, and a more affable one than Luka.

He had a storyline where Ernest Borgnine was an elderly man with a dying wife that was having a hard time letting go.  It was clearly an homage to Ruby, but I thought it was better, partly because Borgnine was a lot more likable on his worst day than Red Buttons is on his best, and partly because Borgnine, who made his reputation playing tough guys, was going against type as this gentle man who still couldn't let go after 72 years.

I'm sure he was one of those widowers who only survived a few months on his own, because his heart was just too broken.

[BBHN]

Quote

Strangely, of all of my problems with the later seasons, Abby was never one of them.

I liked Abby as well.

[Sticker Shock]

On 7/8/2017 at 11:02 AM, doodlebug said:

Depends on whether you think Abby was lovable.  He had a child with her, they eventually married after he surprised her with an instant wedding (very stupid plot).  They ended up moving to Boston as a family as the series ended.

Luka did seem to be a glutton for punishment in his relationships; Abby was the petulant, demanding child in the relationship.  At one point, in a fit of pique because he dared to go to Croatia to see his dying father; Abby went off the wagon and slept around on him; while neglecting their infant to do so.  Hard to see this particular relationship as a happy ending for either of them.

Didn't she actually drive drunk with the kid in the car?

 

I wasn't a committed viewer at that point, but what I remember about their "HEA" (her agreeing to move and not take a job she wanted at county to have another chance at their marriage after how long in denial he was about her addiction and how she cheated on him/endangered their son) definitely screamed inevitable divorce to me. Doug/Carol it was not.

Edited July 9, 2017 by Sticker Shock

[doodlebug]

31 minutes ago, Sticker Shock said:

Didn't she actually drive drunk with the kid in the car?

 

I wasn't a committed viewer at that point, but what I remember about their "HEA" (her agreeing to move and not take a job she wanted at county to have another chance at their marriage after how long in denial he was about her addiction and how she cheated on him/endangered their son) definitely screamed inevitable divorce to me. Doug/Carol it was not.

Yes, she was also seen to be inebriated at work on multiple occasions.  One of the main problems with Abby's character, IMO, was the show's constant assertion that she was the bestest, smartest, prettiest, most capable and desirable doctor ever while showing us repeatedly that she was really a pretty awful person who got away with a lot of heinous behavior.

[Danny Franks]

1 minute ago, doodlebug said:

Yes, she was also seen to be inebriated at work on multiple occasions.  One of the main problems with Abby's character, IMO, was the show's constant assertion that she was the bestest, smartest, prettiest, most capable and desirable doctor ever while showing us repeatedly that she was really a pretty awful person who got away with a lot of heinous behavior.

She also had guys fighting over her, and throwing themselves at her, left and right. To paraphrase Luka (But change the adjective to one less mean), she wasn't that special.

So they got her to replace Carol, but also had her replace Lucy (who wasn't great either, but was more likable than Abby). She was apparently all things at once. I'd have much rather seen them expand Ming Na's role.

To be honest, I don't think any of the replacement characters brought in after season 4 ever stacked up to the original cast (I'll include Kerry as an original, for the purpose of this statement). Luka was no Doug, Abby was no Carol, Romano was generally irritating, Gallant was incredibly bland, Pratt was a dick. Once Carter left, the show was over for me.

I'm glad I stopped watching before I had to sit through the Abby stuff you mention here.

[WendyCR72]

Abby seemed a hybrid of a Carol/Susan replacement. She does the nurse deal as Carol did [and even went on to be a doctor as Carol had considered] but had the dysfunctional family life with her parent and sibling as Susan did.

And I loved the Original Cast, too.

[emjohnson03]

I was watching the Saturday marathon of Season One on Pop! and I totally forgot about the end scene of episode 14, when they all get together at Doc Magoo's. Susan was upset because Greene didn't back her up on a case where she lost a patient so she doesn't go but the rest of the staff is there and they are laughing and smiling, including Benton. I miss that in the later seasons, when they all separated (fairly so) but didn't interact then. Doug makes this speech about Carol being happy (which is another piece to their story) and then they all joke and laugh.

And I also did very much enjoy Ross telling Benton he doesn't  have it easy and they share a moment. For all the accolades the other seasons got, Season One is strong in building the core and the interaction was quite strong between them all. They all had their time with each other and they built on that going forward but not overly so.

Sometimes less is more.  As much as stories need to progress and certain characters take to bigger and more time filled roles, you are bound to lose some of the magic of how it all started.

Alot of people talk about the finale of Season One, with most of the cast all together, celebrating their friendships and the love they have for each other, as they dance from Carol's failed wedding day as how ER will be remembered. I agree. And the slow piano is just icing  on the cake as they pan over all of them.

 

 

 

 

[slasherboy]

I'm watching "Something New", Season 4, Episode 2 but have missed most of it.  A psychiatrist says to Jeanne, "She's a borderline.  You can't get rid of borderlines."  What is he talking about?  I didn't see the patient so I don't know what she did.

Thanks!

[starri]

Borderline Personality Disorder.  Describing it is a little complicated, but basically people with it have VERY unstable personal lives and relationships.  It's very difficult to treat--you can't really medicate it, and while there's a very intense kind of therapy that works, I'm not sure how common it was in the mid-90s, because it was still pretty new back then.

[voiceover]

Watching Elizabeth's 1st (2nd?) ep: the scene when the tiny old surgeon comes into the scrub room, and a taken-aback Corday says in an aside to Benton: "I knew he was old, but I didn't know he was that short!"

TOS: "What?"

Corday (bends over and shouts in his ear): "I said, 'I knew you were old, but I didn't know you were that short!' "

The look on Peter's face: Priceless.

I remember thinking, Damn! Gonna love HER!!!

As far as fave seasons:  I'll co-sign a lot of what's come before (ex: should've paired Anna & Carter).  But for me, I think 1st season overall, then big pieces of the next 5; occasional happy Benton (he's the best Benton!); later, loved Anna & Maggie & Elizabeth.

[mattie0808]

Random question, probably for a hard-core Reddit/wiki-level ER fandom (if there is one)? I'm re-watching "All in the Family," which I'm waaaay too excited to have on my DVR.

-- Is there any other point in the show, especially during the Greene years, where 5 different doctors participated in an ER trauma case? Eventually, five did before Lucy was sent up to surgery...Weaver, Malucci, Kovac, Greene, and Corday were working on her, and I feel like that might be a number we hadn't seen before (and maybe since...)?

-- Up in surgery, they also show Lucy being shocked 7 times before Corday and Romano (can barely bring themselves to) call it. Is that the most/one of the most times the audience has been shown?

Random, I know, but a thought I had this time, along with happily (sort of, lol) checking for Bonnie from How to Get Away with Murder as the pregnant wife of Sobriki.

Edited July 11, 2017 by mattie0808

[RedbirdNelly]

4 hours ago, mattie0808 said:

 

Random, I know, but a thought I had this time, along with happily (sort of, lol) checking for Bonnie from How to Get Away with Murder as the pregnant wife of Sobriki.

is that really Bonnie? I only watched part of season 1 of that show but definitely you get BINGO for spotting her

[voiceover]

4 hours ago, RedbirdNelly said:

is that really Bonnie? I only watched part of season 1 of that show but definitely you get BINGO for spotting her

It's really Paris from Gilmore Girls ?

[voiceover]

Ohhhhh mannnnnnn...

Just watched the scene outside the ER where Benton tells Carter he's "twice the surgeon" Dale would ever be.  

If this was a cartoon, there would be little birds tweeting, and Carter would be floating away with little wings on his feet, a goofball grin on his face.

(No wait -- he had that!)

[Chit Chat]

I was saddened to learn of the death of Glenne Headly (Dr. Keaton) last week.  It is reported that she died of a pulmonary embolism (how many times did we hear those words on this show?)  I liked her and Carter together. 

[jjj]

4 hours ago, voiceover said:

Just watched the scene outside the ER where Benton tells Carter he's "twice the surgeon" Dale would ever be.  

If this was a cartoon, there would be little birds tweeting, and Carter would be floating away with little wings on his feet, a goofball grin on his face.

Just saw that, also, and had forgotten that Carter ever had such praise from Benton!  I saw the first 5-6 seasons in its original run, and had forgotten how well-produced this series is.  I read up on the seasons post-season-six, and remembered why I stopped watching.  I a definitely an "original crew" watcher, although I do enjoy the various characters who pop in and out for a season, like Del Amico and Knight and Gant.  But although I did not watch just for Clooney, once he moved on, I moved on from the series.  Loved the addition of Corday, and had forgotten how forthright she was in her comments. 

I have to check the years of ER against other series with the same actors -- like "Paris Geller", who was a wife of a law student on ER years before "Gilmore Girls"! 

[Automne]

My fond memories of Alex Kingston on ER is actually what prompted me to finally start watching Doctor Who after my Whovian friends kept talking about it. Even when I got to meet her in 2015 at a con, I was way more excited about meeting Dr. Corday than River Song. She's super-sweet and beautiful in person, BTW.

[emjohnson03]

I'm always interested in timeline and length of time during seasons.

Does anyone know how long Season Three lasts time wise? I'm always curious to know how much time passed between when Doug hit rock bottom and when he reunited with Carol.

I guess you go through a full year in some of them but I always find it interesting to figure out how long some of them are supposed to be.

Oh and I'm watching the Keaton episodes and had no idea she passed away. I always enjoyed her taking Benton down a peg, but doing it with such grace. Wasn't a huge fan of her and Carter but that's because she was so obviously pregnant during the episodes. But she had a strong role in the season.

[jjj]

41 minutes ago, Automne said:

My fond memories of Alex Kingston on ER is actually what prompted me to finally start watching Doctor Who after my Whovian friends kept talking about it. Even when I got to meet her in 2015 at a con, I was way more excited about meeting Dr. Corday than River Song. She's super-sweet and beautiful in person, BTW.

That's good to know!  I was in London the summer of 1997, when she was about to begin her ER role, and remember seeing a lot of coverage and interviews with her about it, over there.  I think it was partly intriguing that a British actress would have a recurring role in a U.S. hit series, and partly because she was still married to Ralph Fiennes (they divorced later that year).  I did not know anything about her, but it was fun to hear "ER" discussed on the BBC.  (The show itself was not airing in the UK back then.) 

Edited July 12, 2017 by jjj

[voiceover]

2 hours ago, emjohnson03 said:

but that's because [Glenne Headley] was so obviously pregnant  during those episodes. 

*smacks forehead*

Of course she was!!  How did I not ever notice that?  All those lab coats.  And gurneys.  And sheets!

See kids?  This is what life was like before Twitter.

[voiceover]

As I age, I find I tend to...self-edit reruns of TV shows and rewatches of movies, in order to avoid endings I hate.

A "for example": I stop watching Becoming Jane after 

Spoiler

they kiss in the woods

 

i just watched as Doug showed Mark the wedding rings and asked him to be the best man.  I'm turning it off in 20 minutes so I don't have to watch Carol blow up the relationship that she spent years blowing up every other relationship over. *cue sobbing, face-palming emoji*

[jjj]

3 hours ago, voiceover said:

i just watched as Doug showed Mark the wedding rings and asked him to be the best man.  I'm turning it off in 20 minutes so I don't have to watch Carol blow up the relationship that she spent years blowing up every other relationship over. *cue sobbing, face-palming emoji*

I did the same thing!  Carol's character was just so stupid in this episode -- I did not need to see it!  I have to say that I love all the episodes with Scotty Ansbaugh -- love the way he, Jeannie, and Dr. Ansbaugh interact.  (Used to see Dr. Ansbaugh in a grocery store in Seattle, where he is from/lived for a while after ER -- he looks just like he does in this series.  Seemed pleasant in the produce section -- never talked to him.) 

[Automne]

Ugh, Carol pisses me off. After years of mooning over Doug and even attempting suicide over him, she finally got him where she's been begging him to be and she blows it up by doing the exact same thing he has done over the years. But what's worse is that instead of taking full responsibility for her actions and accepting the consequences, she turns it all around and brings up Doug's indiscretions and runs off crying. This is a couple I can't buy the happily ever after. They seem rather toxic.

[RedbirdNelly]

I agree Carol was really awful in that episode. She gets mad at him for not giving her the "one thing" she asked for but (at least on screen) had never really clearly asked for anything. That's not exactly fair.

Despite this, I liked them together. I agree what we see is toxic. But for whatever reason (chemistry between actors?) there are certain screen couples I buy into and I just believe are meant to be together so I overlook parts of the relationship that in real life would signal "not the right person." Carol and Doug are that for me.

[Bastet]

I'm glad they got together because they both suck as romantic partners, so if they paired off for good, they permanently spared anyone else getting involved with either one of them.

[Automne]

I love Mariska Hargitay, but Cynthia is really annoying. She's what my favorite sommelier would call a "needy little bitch."

[shksabelle]

I've only recently discovered this on POP and am enjoying rewatching this after oh so many years. But I had forgotten the incredibly annoying, clingy, needy Cynthia Hooper and her high-pitched giggling. Why on earth do men fall for twits like that?  Is it just because he's on the rebound, just in it for the "booty time", what?

in any case, it's amazing she got the role of Olivia Benson after that role.  A total 180.

[Chit Chat]

On ‎7‎/‎15‎/‎2017 at 0:15 PM, shksabelle said:

 Is it just because he's on the rebound, just in it for the "booty time", what?

Probably!  I think he needed somebody at the time, and while it started out okay, he soon realized that he didn't love her.  I didn't like her character either. 

One positive thing I liked about ER was the number of strong, capable females on the show.   We saw them in almost every role: EMTs, nurses, physician assistants, administration, surgeons, etc.  I especially liked CCH Pounder.  She was excellent as Dr. Hicks.  I was just re-watching the scene in which Carter handed in his scathing review of Dr. Benton, then when he realized he would be getting the surgical intern spot, he said "I'm a dead man!"  He went to Dr. Hicks to retrieve his review, which she already read.  Carter's reaction at Benton's glowing review of him was priceless.  She graciously gave him his review back and told him not to come back with a "40" (max score), to which Carter replied, "How about a 38?"  She said, "yeah, something like that."   I always hated that Carter ended up not consulting with Benton when he changed to ER medicine.  Benton was really hurt by that.  

[RedbirdNelly]

I loved Dr. Hicks and wish she had kept showing up later in the show's run. I liked how they had minor characters that were very cool and who showed up multiple times.

[WendyCR72]

3 hours ago, RedbirdNelly said:

I loved Dr. Hicks and wish she had kept showing up later in the show's run. I liked how they had minor characters that were very cool and who showed up multiple times.

I loved the doc that caught Carter and...damn, I forgot...making out in a room: "S1, S2, S3, S4! Keep your pelvis off the floor!" That radiologist [I think that's what he was] had a very dry wit.

[Chit Chat]

6 hours ago, WendyCR72 said:

I loved the doc that caught Carter and...damn, I forgot...making out in a room

It could've been with actress Liz Vassey.  She was the one who came in with "burns" on her inner thighs.  She and Carter ended up having a fling.  She tried coming on to Dr. Greene, but that failed, so she zeroed in on Carter.  The only other two women I remember who were with Carter was Lucy and Dr. Keaton, but I don't think either of them were in the radiology room.  Lucy & Carter were in a treatment room, and Dr. Keaton and Carter were in her office. 

[WendyCR72]

7 hours ago, ChitChat said:

It could've been with actress Liz Vassey.  She was the one who came in with "burns" on her inner thighs.  She and Carter ended up having a fling.  She tried coming on to Dr. Greene, but that failed, so she zeroed in on Carter.  The only other two women I remember who were with Carter was Lucy and Dr. Keaton, but I don't think either of them were in the radiology room.  Lucy & Carter were in a treatment room, and Dr. Keaton and Carter were in her office. 

Thank you!!! I believe it was indeed Liz Vassey. I recall she was a sex addict or whatever. Funny scene, though.  :-)

[jjj]

19 hours ago, ChitChat said:

It could've been with actress Liz Vassey.  She was the one who came in with "burns" on her inner thighs.  She and Carter ended up having a fling.  She tried coming on to Dr. Greene, but that failed, so she zeroed in on Carter.  The only other two women I remember who were with Carter was Lucy and Dr. Keaton, but I don't think either of them were in the radiology room.  Lucy & Carter were in a treatment room, and Dr. Keaton and Carter were in her office. 

Yes it was Liz Vassey.  And don't forget Carter and Harper!  (The bathtub scene!) And later, Carter and Susan.  Carter did all right. 

Today, again as always, when Scotty Ansbaugh finally breaks and cries what he has been wanting to say, "I don't want any more chemo..." -- as a wave of grief crosses Jeannie's face -- it gets me every time. 

[Automne]

Ugh, I had forgotten how much I hated Romano. The way he treats Dr. Corday after she rejects his overtures and he figures out that she's with Peter (so to speak) is just beyond. And in the end, she ends up being the only person 

Spoiler

who goes to his funeral.

 

[cpcathy]

My, everyone did get around! Doing a rewatch on Pop like everyone else, I'm wondering if any of you with fantastic memories can remember who got with who. Doug and Carol, obviously, Greene and Corday, Benton and Corday, Susan and Greene? Can't remember exactly.

[doodlebug]

1 hour ago, cpcathy said:

My, everyone did get around! Doing a rewatch on Pop like everyone else, I'm wondering if any of you with fantastic memories can remember who got with who. Doug and Carol, obviously, Greene and Corday, Benton and Corday, Susan and Greene? Can't remember exactly.

Susan and Greene never got past the kissing stage right as she was leaving.  Susan and Carter dated briefly after she returned in later seasons, they never slept together.  He had an unrequited crush on her in Season 1 when she was with Div, the psychiatrist. Mark slept with Chuny for a while after his divorce.  Carol was engaged to John Taglieri, an orthopedist, in Season 1 and involved with a paramedic, Shep, in season 2. 

[slasherboy]

On 7/18/2017 at 2:14 AM, jjj said:

Yes it was Liz Vassey.  And don't forget Carter and Harper!  (The bathtub scene!) And later, Carter and Susan.  Carter did all right. 

In the episodes airing during the week right now, Carter is in a relationship (or are at least fuck buddies) with Julie Bowman of "Modern Family".

Alex looks like somebody famous or sorta famous.  Any idea who it might be?

[jjj]

13 minutes ago, slasherboy said:

In the episodes airing during the week right now, Carter is in a relationship (or are at least fuck buddies) with Julie Bowman of "Modern Family".

Alex looks like somebody famous or sorta famous.  Any idea who it might be?

Yes, I just saw those episodes today, and thought I should update the list!  I actually thought she had hooked up with Mark Greene.

Who is the "Alex" you mentioned?  A character?

[slasherboy]

14 minutes ago, jjj said:

Who is the "Alex" you mentioned?  A Character?

How weird!  This post relates to "Big Brother" and I typed it in that forum but it showed up here, in "ER".  Very strange.  Anyway, Alex is on "Big Brother".