All Episodes Talk: What's Up Doc?

[Cloud9Shopper]

I put on S3 on Pop this morning and I came for the background noise while I was cleaning but stayed for the entertainment of “the book” (which I’ve now dubbed “Kerry Weaver writes smutty fanfiction”) and Coburn looking like she had had it up to here with Benton while Carla was giving birth. I never caught before that she grabbed his arm when she pulled him aside to admonish him for trying to run the show instead of supporting Carla. Ha! That was brilliant. I get why she’s so fed up with the main ER characters all the time. I’d be too if I was the specialist and someone who wasn’t was trying to tell me how to do my job and arguing with me all the time. 

But in all seriousness, I still can’t watch Mark get attacked in the bathroom. I timed my Saturday morning shower to ensure I’d be out of the room and the shower would drown out noise from the TV so I didn’t have to hear it either. One of a few scenes I can’t watch in ER. 

[Olis93]

Watching the season 12 finale "21 Guns" again. As bad a season 12 was this episode was the exception and one of the few I can actually sit through and enjoy from that season.

As crazy and over the top the whole Steve plot was, it made for some great TV and drama. Using Mary as sort of a decoy was pretty smart as well. Great acting from Linda Cardellini and one of Sam's better storylines.

[Dr.OO7]

On 1/21/2024 at 3:35 PM, Bastet said:

Tag was right to leave her, but he was also an idiot to propose to her (instead of dump her after she confessed she'd cheated on him with Doug) in the first place

I always thought that Carol chased after him, begging him to forgive her, swearing to do anything and he probably gave her an ultimatum--"Marry me or we're over". And she, genuinely not wanting to lose someone who'd been nothing but good to her, agreed.

[Palimelon]

Also, Tag was pretty fit.

[Cloud9Shopper]

Was sad to hear about the passing of Bob Newhart. His storyline with Susan in S10 was one of the better stories in the second half of the series. 

[debraran]

On 7/18/2024 at 6:42 PM, Cloud9Shopper said:

Was sad to hear about the passing of Bob Newhart. His storyline with Susan in S10 was one of the better stories in the second half of the series. 

I remember wondering what happened to the dog? That was very sad.

I loved his segment and Alan Alda's. I also being a MASH watcher, his comment about "learning a skill in the army" ; )

[txhorns79]

On 7/18/2024 at 6:42 PM, Cloud9Shopper said:

His storyline with Susan in S10 was one of the better stories in the second half of the series. 

I remember that storyline.  It was very sad.  I had a close relative who gradually lost her eyesight due to macular degeneration, and it sank her into a deep depression, similar to what Bob Newhart's character experienced.  (Though she was not suicidal.)  It really is terrible, the ways your body can betray you.   

 

On 7/20/2024 at 6:48 AM, debraran said:

I loved his segment and Alan Alda's.

Alan Alda's storyline was very well done.  It really humanized Kerry, and was a real showcase for Innes and Aldas' acting abilities. 

Edited July 22 by txhorns79

[peacheslatour]

On 7/20/2024 at 3:48 AM, debraran said:

I remember wondering what happened to the dog? That was very sad.

I loved his segment and Alan Alda's. I also being a MASH watcher, his comment about "learning a skill in the army" ; )

I watched that today and the next one was the one with the helicopter. Dr. Romano never got a chance to see the Final Destination movies, I guess.

[Palimelon]

No, but he did get to experience them.

[Cloud9Shopper]

34 minutes ago, peacheslatour said:

I watched that today and the next one was the one with the helicopter. Dr. Romano never got a chance to see the Final Destination movies, I guess.

That was pretty much the moment when I knew the show was done for. Even on rewatching and hoping I’ll change my mind it becomes a lot harder to keep watching. 

[debraran]

1 hour ago, Cloud9Shopper said:

That was pretty much the moment when I knew the show was done for. Even on rewatching and hoping I’ll change my mind it becomes a lot harder to keep watching. 

I  could tell when they did a reunion show on youtube that one of the nurses was angry over his treatment even if they let him direct a show. It did "jump the shark" then and his character could have been more multidimensional and interesting. Take some back story from him over Abby any day. ; )

[Cloud9Shopper]

3 hours ago, debraran said:

I  could tell when they did a reunion show on youtube that one of the nurses was angry over his treatment even if they let him direct a show. It did "jump the shark" then and his character could have been more multidimensional and interesting. Take some back story from him over Abby any day. ; )

It got even more ridiculous a few episodes later with the patient who stole an army tank and was heading for the hospital, with Morris thinking the guy was going to kill him. 

I do like Paul McCrane’s directing work; he also directed one of my favorite episodes of The Resident (Three Words from Season 2). 

I liked the brief little moment between him and Elizabeth in the second episode of Season 9 when he says “are you sorry you weren’t there?” and then when he has his surgery and asks her to write “Not this one, you idiot” on his good arm. 😂 

And yes, there definitely could have been more backstories infinitely more interesting than Abby’s miserable life, version 50.0. I remember in early S14 Morris saying that his father died, and I know there were some earlier hints that it wasn’t a good relationship, but it would have been interesting to hear more about why they weren’t close and what his childhood was like, even if his father never appeared onscreen. (Although Jerry helping sell the stuff from the storage unit in S15 was a riot and very in character for him.) 

 

Edited August 2 by Cloud9Shopper

[debraran]

7 hours ago, Cloud9Shopper said:

It got even more ridiculous a few episodes later with the patient who stole an army tank and was heading for the hospital, with Morris thinking the guy was going to kill him. 

I do like Paul McCrane’s directing work; he also directed one of my favorite episodes of The Resident (Three Words from Season 2). 

I liked the brief little moment between him and Elizabeth in the second episode of Season 9 when he says “are you sorry you weren’t there?” and then when he has his surgery and asks her to write “Not this one, you idiot” on his good arm. 😂 

And yes, there definitely could have been more backstories infinitely more interesting than Abby’s miserable life, version 50.0. I remember in early S14 Morris saying that his father died, and I know there were some earlier hints that it wasn’t a good relationship, but it would have been interesting to hear more about why they weren’t close and what his childhood was like, even if his father never appeared onscreen. (Although Jerry helping sell the stuff from the storage unit in S15 was a riot and very in character for him.) 

 

Yes many reviews had it seem like they lost their wonderful writers and replaced them with aliens or robots. I noticed it more watching it through few years ago on Hulu and although i left later in show earlier except for "Clooney" episodes, I missed some good ones but now I could FF through the ones I didn't like. : )

Romano's moments with Elizabeth (she knew the real guy) were touching, the talk he had after Mark's death, the ice cream episode, with Lucy dying, his dog, getting Lizzy's ring from the sink, when he allowed Benton to do surgery on a young girl, insurance issue I think, signing to Reese behind Benton's back, so many others but I think they should have balanced it more.

[Mrsmaul2021]

12 hours ago, Cloud9Shopper said:

And yes, there definitely could have been more backstories infinitely more interesting than Abby’s miserable life, version 50.0. I remember in early S14 Morris saying that his father died, and I know there were some earlier hints that it wasn’t a good relationship, but it would have been interesting to hear more about why they weren’t close and what his childhood was like, even if his father never appeared onscreen. (Although Jerry helping sell the stuff from the storage unit in S15 was a riot and very in character for him.) 

 

We'll never agree about Abby 😅 but I hear you and I agree. In season 11  when Morris became Chief resident he said something along the lines of: Yes, I can't wait to show my father"  I always guessed that Morris father never took him seriously and did not believe he could become a doctor.  Yes it would have been nice if that was expanded on. Morris is the only character in ER history that I was once disliked  but  grew to like 

Edited August 2 by Mrsmaul2021

[Notabug]

6 minutes ago, Mrsmaul2021 said:

We'll never agree about Abby 😅 but I hear you and I agree. In season 11  when Morris became Chief resident he said something along the lines of: Yes, I can't wait to show my father"  I always guessed that Morris father never took him seriously and did not believe he could become a doctor.  Yes it would have been nice if that was expanded on. Morris is the only character in ER history that I was once disliked  but  grew to like 

Morris was transformed during his time on the show from a pot-smoking screwup to a responsible leader and we never saw how it happened, for the most part.  It would've been great to have seen some of his family dynamics, especially his relationship with his Dad.  Instead, we got umpteen scenes of Abby hollering at her family or complaining about them to the point where it was repetitive and revealed nothing new about her.

[Mrsmaul2021]

32 minutes ago, Notabug said:

Morris was transformed during his time on the show from a pot-smoking screwup to a responsible leader and we never saw how it happened, for the most part.  It would've been great to have seen some of his family dynamics, especially his relationship with his Dad.  Instead, we got umpteen scenes of Abby hollering at her family or complaining about them to the point where it was repetitive and revealed nothing new about her.

in all fairness, by the time Morris was introduced in season 10, Abby's family drama was over. Seasons 10-13 they did not focus on Abby's family drama. They could have had several scenes where Morris talks about his family. Gave us more insight.  Season 11 was one of the most uneventful season I have ever watched. They could have really done it then.  

[Notabug]

1 minute ago, Mrsmaul2021 said:

in all fairness, by the time Morris was introduced in season 10, Abby's family drama was over. Seasons 10-13 they did not focus on Abby's family drama. They could have had several scenes where Morris talks about his family. Gave us more insight.  Season 11 was one of the most uneventful season I have ever watched. They could have really done it then.  

Sorry, you're right.  Seasons 10-13 featured the interminable 'Abby is the smartest, prettiest, best doctor ever' storyline.  Nearly every episode featured her prominently running the ER and telling everyone, including her attendings, what to do and being proclaimed by one and all as gorgeous and so brilliant.  So brilliant she couldn't pass her board exams. Carter dumps her and the audience is supposed to feel sorry for her as if she was the best girlfriend evuh instead of the worst. By Season 13, she fell into bed with Luka again, got inadvertently pregnant and we were treated to multiple scenes of a middle aged woman behaving like a 12 year old over an unplanned pregnancy-not the first time that she'd faced that particular issue.

These storylines for Abby were driven into the ground with scene after scene after scene.  There was plenty of fat that could've been trimmed to give other characters some time.

[Palimelon]

Quote

Carter dumps her and the audience is supposed to feel sorry for her as if she was the best girlfriend evuh instead of the worst

I was actually relieved for her that she got away from Carter.

[Mrsmaul2021]

30 minutes ago, Palimelon said:

I was actually relieved for her that she got away from Carter.

 

 

Bingo.  I have been a fan of ER since the 90's but I admit that after Mark died, I was hit or miss as a viewer. I did several rewatches.last year and I never realized how much I hated that duo and how the writers tried too hard to sell them

[Mrsmaul2021]

45 minutes ago, Notabug said:

Sorry, you're right.  Seasons 10-13 featured the interminable 'Abby is the smartest, prettiest, best doctor ever' storyline.  Nearly every episode featured her prominently running the ER and telling everyone, including her attendings, what to do and being proclaimed by one and all as gorgeous and so brilliant.  So brilliant she couldn't pass her board exams. Carter dumps her and the audience is supposed to feel sorry for her as if she was the best girlfriend evuh instead of the worst. By Season 13, she fell into bed with Luka again, got inadvertently pregnant and we were treated to multiple scenes of a middle aged woman behaving like a 12 year old over an unplanned pregnancy-not the first time that she'd faced that particular issue.

These storylines for Abby were driven into the ground with scene after scene after scene.  There was plenty of fat that could've been trimmed to give other characters some time.

 

 

 I don't think Abby was the best GF but Carter was no better as a BF.  I always liked Abby and Luka as couple in season 7 but wasn't devastated when they broke up in season 8 . It wasn't until my re watch in season 12 I became a fan. I liked them being open and honest with each other and they talked about things regarding her pregnancy and I don't think she behaved like a child.  Like  Abby in seasons 7 and 8  with her "control" issues. I think me being an Abby fan understood her POV given her family history and abandonment issues. So I was okay with it.  "shrug" How was it different than Carol who actually planned her children, complaining and whining when things didn't go her way?  

3 minutes ago, Mrsmaul2021 said:

 

 

 I don't think Abby was the best GF but Carter was no better as a BF.  I always liked Abby and Luka as couple in season 7 but wasn't devastated when they broke up in season 8 . It wasn't until my re watch in season 12 I became a fan. I liked them being open and honest with each other and they talked about things regarding her pregnancy and I don't think she behaved like a child.  Like  Abby in seasons 7 and 8  with her "control" issues. I think me being an Abby fan understood her POV given her family history and abandonment issues. So I was okay with it.  "shrug". How was it different than Carol who actually planned her children, complaining and whining when things didn't go her way?  

 

Edited August 2 by Mrsmaul2021

[Cloud9Shopper]

Abby had no business having a child. “If Not Now” proved that. Someone who is that stressed and terrified to the point of tears about a positive pregnancy test is not ready or emotionally mature enough to have a baby. Abby thinking she’s ready to be a mother should have been a comedic or satirical plotline honestly. She should have just had another abortion and been done with it. Especially since Luka told her he would have stayed with her regardless because he was just that in love with her. And I’m sorry but I don’t believe Abby loves Joe or cares about him. She is cold and uncaring to him on numerous occasions. 

Carol got worse for me after the babies were born. I didn’t find her to be that whiny in the lead up to the birth or during her pregnancy, except for when she was saying she didn’t want to be a single mother as if Doug were dead or living in the jungles of Africa. 

[Palimelon]

Quote

I don't think Abby was the best GF but Carter was no better as a BF.  I always liked Abby and Luka as couple in season 7 but wasn't devastated when they broke up in season 8 . It wasn't until my re watch in season 12 I became a fan. I liked them being open and honest with each other and they talked about things regarding her pregnancy and I don't think she behaved like a child.  Like  Abby in seasons 7 and 8  with her "control" issues. I think me being an Abby fan understood her POV given her family history and abandonment issues. So I was okay with it. 

I felt the same.

[Mrsmaul2021]

42 minutes ago, Cloud9Shopper said:

Abby had no business having a child. “If Not Now” proved that. Someone who is that stressed and terrified to the point of tears about a positive pregnancy test is not ready or emotionally mature enough to have a baby. Abby thinking she’s ready to be a mother should have been a comedic or satirical plotline honestly. She should have just had another abortion and been done with it. Especially since Luka told her he would have stayed with her regardless because he was just that in love with her. And I’m sorry but I don’t believe Abby loves Joe or cares about him. She is cold and uncaring to him on numerous occasions. 

Carol got worse for me after the babies were born. I didn’t find her to be that whiny in the lead up to the birth or during her pregnancy, except for when she was saying she didn’t want to be a single mother as if Doug were dead or living in the jungles of Africa. 

 

 

Agree to disagree. I thought Abby was a very loving mother.  I didn't get "cold and uncaring" from Abby being a mother...at all.   

@Notabug off topic.  do you know why they got rid of "The Royals" forum? 

[Bastet]

4 hours ago, Mrsmaul2021 said:

Morris is the only character in ER history that I was once disliked  but  grew to like

I paid so little attention to those seasons when I watched on Pop several years ago, I really don't remember him, so for me the one character who fits that description is Pratt.  When he got over himself and helped Chen after she ended her dad's suffering, I softened on him.  So of course they killed him.

[Notabug]

5 hours ago, Mrsmaul2021 said:

 

 

Agree to disagree. I thought Abby was a very loving mother.  I didn't get "cold and uncaring" from Abby being a mother...at all.   

@Notabug off topic.  do you know why they got rid of "The Royals" forum? 

It was stirring up too much controversy.  Since the royals aren't actually TV characters, I think TPTB decided it was easier to dump the forum than to keep spending huge hunks of time policing it.

I miss the fashion thread over there and wish that could come back.

[Olis93]

Halfway through season 2 of a rewatch and I'm reminded how much I really love young Carter. He was at his best and most likeable when he was just a naive, bumbling student who gradually got better and more skilled over time. His relationship with Benton in those early years was always fun to watch. Plus it doesn't hurt that Noah Wyle was quite the stud in earlier seasons as well.

Something about Carter in the later years just rubs me the wrong way. He became almost smug and condescending. Not the sweet, kind student he was at the beginning. Obviously they couldn't keep him like that forever but nonetheless, he was a lot better earlier on.

Side note, I never cared for any of his relationship arcs and thought his best storylines were the ones that focused on his career and life in the hospital.

[Mrsmaul2021]

Watching season 10 ep 19, Just a Touch on Pop right now. Never noticed that Pratt's patient is the actress that plays Kirsty in the Hellraiser franchise. 😁

[Mrsmaul2021]

Have to be honest , when I started my re watch in 2022, I couldn't stand Sam. So much I would avoid scenes, etc. Now? Eh. not so much. She still not my favorite but my hatred has wind down considerably..  Then again, I can't think of any tv character I have a long standing hatred for.

[Dr.OO7]

On 8/2/2024 at 12:20 PM, Cloud9Shopper said:

Carol got worse for me after the babies were born. I didn’t find her to be that whiny in the lead up to the birth or during her pregnancy, except for when she was saying she didn’t want to be a single mother as if Doug were dead or living in the jungles of Africa. 

I loved Carol, always did, but her behavior in Season 6 put her in the Unintentionally Unsympathetic category for me. She refuses to let Doug come back and keeps him at arms length, then complains about how hard it is being a single mother to twins.

You can't have it both ways, dearie. Which I felt she often tried to do when it came to him.

[pottercj]

I mean, considering everything Carter went through, I too would be "unbearably smug and condescending." Expecting him to be the same person in season 8 that he was in season 2 is not realistic.

And lol to the idea that Abby was lucky to get away from Carter. I mean, she was certainly free to go off and become a full-blown drunk without someone telling her the bitter truth that alcoholics shouldn't drink for fun. She was certainly free to go off and marry a man who never respected her as anything other than a glorified incubator and who told her she wasn't that special or that pretty.

The idea that Carter was so mean to either Abby, who was the most selfish creature on thsi show, or to Lucy, who was such a bad student that she would have gotten kicked out of any medical school that actually existed, is funny as hell. 

[Cloud9Shopper]

1 hour ago, pottercj said:

I mean, considering everything Carter went through, I too would be "unbearably smug and condescending." Expecting him to be the same person in season 8 that he was in season 2 is not realistic.

And lol to the idea that Abby was lucky to get away from Carter. I mean, she was certainly free to go off and become a full-blown drunk without someone telling her the bitter truth that alcoholics shouldn't drink for fun. She was certainly free to go off and marry a man who never respected her as anything other than a glorified incubator and who told her she wasn't that special or that pretty.

The idea that Carter was so mean to either Abby, who was the most selfish creature on thsi show, or to Lucy, who was such a bad student that she would have gotten kicked out of any medical school that actually existed, is funny as hell. 

I always thought it was unfair that Abby gets endless sympathy for her life difficulties, even when she brings them on herself, but Carter is seen as a problem for changing and struggling after he was nearly murdered at work. And then in S10 his child was stillborn. (I don’t like Kem as much as the next person but they should have just let it be and let him have a family.) 

If Abby’s abandonment issues are so bad even in her mid 30s and she was so codependent on Luka to hold her hand and baby her through every minute of pregnancy and parenting, she shouldn’t have brought a child into the world. At least not without truly working on herself and ensuring she was in a good place emotionally for a baby to be dependent on her. Say what you want about Carol being whiny and annoying post-birth but she never put Tess and Kate in danger or went running off for hours, panicking a teenage babysitter, because she spiraled completely out of control. But Abby gets a free pass when she is “overwhelmed” taking care of a child she chose to have. What would have happened if Luka had died or become paralyzed or terminally ill? 

Edited August 10 by Cloud9Shopper

[Palimelon]

Quote

Carter is seen as a problem for changing and struggling after he was nearly murdered at work.

He had his moments even before the stabbing.

Quote

I always thought it was unfair that Abby gets endless sympathy for her life difficulties

I wouldn't say she did.

[Notabug]

3 hours ago, pottercj said:

I mean, considering everything Carter went through, I too would be "unbearably smug and condescending." Expecting him to be the same person in season 8 that he was in season 2 is not realistic.

And lol to the idea that Abby was lucky to get away from Carter. I mean, she was certainly free to go off and become a full-blown drunk without someone telling her the bitter truth that alcoholics shouldn't drink for fun. She was certainly free to go off and marry a man who never respected her as anything other than a glorified incubator and who told her she wasn't that special or that pretty.

The idea that Carter was so mean to either Abby, who was the most selfish creature on thsi show, or to Lucy, who was such a bad student that she would have gotten kicked out of any medical school that actually existed, is funny as hell. 

You left out the parts where Carter very kindly paid the tab for Abby's ridiculous quests to control her family while Abby couldn't be bothered to offer her thanks but accepted his largesse as her due.  Recall that it was Carter who found the flights out west and then rented the gorgeous convertible that they drove back home.  He went to the owner of the motel and paid Maggie's considerable tab before they left.  At no time did Abby offer to pay him back or open her own wallet.  

When Abby finally located Eric on the night Carter's grandmother died; she actually went to Carter and told him what meds she wanted prescribed for her brother and appeared stunned when he wouldn't come with her; presumably so he could foot the bill.  She stood there with her hand out, impatiently tapping her foot while Carter talked about Gamma.  Her only concern was with what Carter could do for her and, once she got the prescriptions, she ran off without a backwards glance.

Finally, even after their relationship ended, Carter went to the med school and paid Abby's tuition through graduation when he found out that Dumb Dora hadn't really made any plans for covering med school expenses through graduation unlike every other med student on earth.

Carter repeatedly and consistently took care of Abby financially while she behaved as if it was the least he could do for her.  There's a name for women who have sex with men in exchange for money.

 

[Palimelon]

That doesn't make Abby a whore since it's not like they had some sort of agreement or contract where she would trade blowjobs or whatever for payments. And if Carter continued paying stuff for Abbey after they broke up - in which sex was no longer involved - then that's on Carter.

[Notabug]

23 minutes ago, Palimelon said:

That doesn't make Abby a whore since it's not like they had some sort of agreement or contract where she would trade blowjobs or whatever for payments. And if Carter continued paying stuff for Abbey after they broke up - in which sex was no longer involved - then that's on Carter.

I don't think she was a whore, but I do think that one of the main things she loved about Carter was that he had a lot of money and usually financed her foolishness in regards to her family with no questions asked.  And, lord knows, someone with some common sense should've been asking questions about Abby's lamebrained schemes.

[Dr.OO7]

52 minutes ago, Notabug said:

Carter repeatedly and consistently took care of Abby financially while she behaved as if it was the least he could do for her.  There's a name for women who have sex with men in exchange for money.

There's a hilarious little fanfic where Luka gives Carter the bill for his broken fish tank and all the related expenses. Carter asks why he's being given the bill when Abby was the one who broke it. Luka just shrugs and says that he knew Abby would get him to pay for it anyway, so he's just cutting to the chase. 😄

[Palimelon]

Quote

I do think that one of the main things she loved about Carter was that he had a lot of money and usually financed her foolishness in regards to her family with no questions asked.

If she loved it that much she would have tried to make it work with him.

[Cloud9Shopper]

On 8/6/2024 at 8:13 AM, Mrsmaul2021 said:

Watching season 10 ep 19, Just a Touch on Pop right now. Never noticed that Pratt's patient is the actress that plays Kirsty in the Hellraiser franchise. 😁

I just watched this episode too and Pratt getting turned on by the breast exam and Morris talking about how he pretends a female patient is his mother was certainly a writing choice. And the practice exam on Jerry…who came up with this? Did 13-year-olds write that plot? 

On the complete flip side, watching Sandy die and Kerry not even getting to see Henry at the end of that episode was 10 times harder to watch today than it’s been in the past. It just hits different today watching Kerry go through that, knowing how prehistoric it was that Sandy’s family didn’t believe Henry belonged to Kerry. 

[Mrsmaul2021]

1 hour ago, Cloud9Shopper said:

I just watched this episode too and Pratt getting turned on by the breast exam and Morris talking about how he pretends a female patient is his mother was certainly a writing choice. And the practice exam on Jerry…who came up with this? Did 13-year-olds write that plot? 

On the complete flip side, watching Sandy die and Kerry not even getting to see Henry at the end of that episode was 10 times harder to watch today than it’s been in the past. It just hits different today watching Kerry go through that, knowing how prehistoric it was that Sandy’s family didn’t believe Henry belonged to Kerry. 

 

 

Some of the writing choices in the later seasons do seem like they came from horny teenagers. 

[Mrsmaul2021]

8 hours ago, pottercj said:

I mean, considering everything Carter went through, I too would be "unbearably smug and condescending." Expecting him to be the same person in season 8 that he was in season 2 is not realistic.

And lol to the idea that Abby was lucky to get away from Carter. I mean, she was certainly free to go off and become a full-blown drunk without someone telling her the bitter truth that alcoholics shouldn't drink for fun. She was certainly free to go off and marry a man who never respected her as anything other than a glorified incubator and who told her she wasn't that special or that pretty.

The idea that Carter was so mean to either Abby, who was the most selfish creature on thsi show, or to Lucy, who was such a bad student that she would have gotten kicked out of any medical school that actually existed, is funny as hell. 

 

 

Abby may have been the most selfish person. (Personally I disagree, anybody that literally puts her own life on hold to tend to her family is not selfish. ) Carter is the one who was intrusive with Abby and her relationship with Kovac.  He was  kind of a pest. He insisted he wanted to be with her but in the end, he didn't like what he got.  I would feel completely different if Abby was the one aggressively pursuing Carter. From Luka and Abby's first date he was jealous and I'm sorry he was a jerk but Abby entertained it. 

Having said that, I had nothing but sympathy and compassion for Carter when he was stabbed, His addiction and intervention broke my heart. I hated when he was made the brunt of jokes.  I do not think it's fair that he and Benton get blamed for Gant's death. I hated it when he needed the kidney transplant but loved when he reunited with his friends.   I even hated that Gamma's death was used as a "conflict for Carter and Abby(much like Eric was). I even defend Carter when Abby over reacted about him going to Africa to help. 

 

Overall, when it came to  his pursuit and subsequent romance with Abby, yes, I thought he was a jerk. I stand on that. he pushed and pushed and pushed until she gave in and realized he didn't like what he got. Seasons 7-9 Carter are not my favorite just like seasons 8-9. 14 Abby is not my favorite. 

Edited August 11 by Mrsmaul2021

[Notabug]

Quote

Abby may have been the most selfish person. (Personally I disagree, anybody that literally puts her own life on hold to tend to her family is not selfish. 

Abby only put her life on hold when it suited her need to appear to be coming to their rescue while all the while wanting to coerce Maggie and Eric to submit to her control of their every action.

Maggie did not need long term psychiatric hospitalization, but, Abby even went to court to try to force the issue and got snotty with the judge when things didn't go her way.  When she brought Eric back to Chicago, she wanted to put him into a daycare program where he would be 'babysat' all day while she worked as though he was a toddler.  When they rebelled at her attempts to infantilize them and deprive them of their own autonomy, Abby wrote them off, didn't want to deal with them on any terms but her own.  

As someone who has a bipolar relative, I found her lack of respect and compassion for them as human beings to be reprehensible.

[Mrsmaul2021]

1 hour ago, Notabug said:

Abby only put her life on hold when it suited her need to appear to be coming to their rescue while all the while wanting to coerce Maggie and Eric to submit to her control of their every action.

Maggie did not need long term psychiatric hospitalization, but, Abby even went to court to try to force the issue and got snotty with the judge when things didn't go her way.  When she brought Eric back to Chicago, she wanted to put him into a daycare program where he would be 'babysat' all day while she worked as though he was a toddler.  When they rebelled at her attempts to infantilize them and deprive them of their own autonomy, Abby wrote them off, didn't want to deal with them on any terms but her own.  

As someone who has a bipolar relative, I found her lack of respect and compassion for them as human beings to be reprehensible.

 

 

I don't know. TBH, This is a topic I have no experience, so I can't really say. I can't imagine growing up with a mother who has a mental illness with an father who ran out.   There is a board on reddit call children with bi polar parents and it's a real eye opener. 

I will just add she never wrote them off. Never.  Especially Eric. , I think that was the dynamic of her relationship with her mother. She comes back into Abby's life, they clash and she leaves.  Also,  it's another aspect of Abby I think fans tend to exaggerate(no disrespect). When I did my re watch in 2022-2023 I didn't realize Maggie was fine in seasons 9 and 13. She was on her meds and she had to help Abby.  

 

2 hours ago, pottercj said:

Lord, the only thing more annoying than Abby is her fans. It's hilarious how it's the same three people on reddit or here or Tumblr, constantly doing battle with anyone who dares to say that she was  a toxic girlfriend, an evil mother, and a selfish daughter. 

Luka was a pile of dog poop himself, but nobody on this show was as vile as Abby. Everytime she suffers on the show, I enjoy it. Every time something terrible happens to her, I relish it. She enjoys every minute of it. 

Had the show given characters the endings they deserved, she would have been hit with a helicopter. And god knows, Joe would have been better off for it. 

Luka and Carter, too. Both of them deserved better than that wench.

Ick, I know who you are. I feel I wasted my time talking to you.  I'll stick to the rationale Abby haters LOL! It's funny on Reddit under your new sock account you claimed Abby was your favorite character

 

Nope, don't respond. Don't waste your time. . 

Edited August 11 by Mrsmaul2021

[Cloud9Shopper]

15 hours ago, Notabug said:

Maggie did not need long term psychiatric hospitalization, but, Abby even went to court to try to force the issue and got snotty with the judge when things didn't go her way. 

Abby is damn lucky that judge didn’t kick her out of the courtroom the second she talked back.

Source: Used to work for an attorney who got a sanction/slap on the wrist for arguing with a judge. I’m surprised any judge would let a civilian yell and put on such a scene, even though it was TV and not real life court. Even when watching SVU, I remember an instance when a judge said she would clear the courtroom (and was actually about to follow through on it) when people in the galley were arguing during a testimony.

Also, sadly real court is usually much less dramatic but that’s another discussion. 🤣

I’ll never understand what made Luka look at Abby’s behavior and overall personality/life issues and say “yep this is the woman who I want to be the mother of my child and to marry.” 

Edited August 11 by Cloud9Shopper

[Heathen]

17 minutes ago, Cloud9Shopper said:

I’ll never understand what made Luka look at Abby’s behavior and overall personality/life issues and say “yep this is the woman who I want to be the mother of my child and to marry.” 

Desperation? His biological clock was ticking? 

[Notabug]

1 hour ago, Cloud9Shopper said:

I’ll never understand what made Luka look at Abby’s behavior and overall personality/life issues and say “yep this is the woman who I want to be the mother of my child and to marry.” 

PTSD?  He still felt guilty about the deaths of his wife and kids and decided he needed to punish himself further by hooking up with the worst possible babymama/wife he could find?

[Cloud9Shopper]

21 minutes ago, Notabug said:

PTSD?  He still felt guilty about the deaths of his wife and kids and decided he needed to punish himself further by hooking up with the worst possible babymama/wife he could find?

I mean, there was also Sam…although she just had a pregnancy scare. It would have been interesting to see if she had been really pregnant and kept it what would have happened with her and Luka in the long term. Would they have broken up anyway and just shared custody or would they have gotten married and Abby would have either remained single or ended up paired with someone else? We’ll never know, I know,  but it’s interesting to think about. (And as a fanfic writer this is what fic is for if I were ever so inclined.) 

I just remembered how Abby wouldn’t even take drugs to help her preterm baby mature until she pulled away her IV and had a screaming and yelling tantrum I’d expect from my four-year-old niece. Followed by her refusing to go to sleep for her C-section so the general could get the baby out quicker because she just HAD to be awake. You’d think a medical professional could be scared and stressed but still agree she needed to do what was best to help the baby instead of arguing every step of the way, even continuing to yell her head off in the OR. 

Edited August 11 by Cloud9Shopper

[Notabug]

6 minutes ago, Cloud9Shopper said:

I mean, there was also Sam…although she just had a pregnancy scare. It would have been interesting to see if she had been really pregnant and kept it what would have happened with her and Luka in the long term. Would they have broken up anyway and just shared custody or would they have gotten married and Abby would have either remained single or ended up paired with someone else? We’ll never know, I know,  but it’s interesting to think about. (And as a fanfic writer this is what fic is for if I were ever so inclined.) 

I just remembered how Abby wouldn’t even take drugs to help her preterm baby mature until she pulled away her IV and had a screaming and yelling tantrum I’d expect from my four-year-old niece. Followed by her refusing to go to sleep for her C-section so the general could get the baby out quicker because she just HAD to be awake. You’d think a medical professional could be scared andstressed but still agree she needed to do what was best to help the baby instead of arguing every step of the way, even continuing to yell her head off in the OR. 

As I've said before, Abby almost invariably chooses the option that works best for HER, no one else' needs or desires seem to figure into it.  Just as with her mother and her brother, what was best for Joe never entered her mind.  And that continued right up until Abby was written out.    Abby's first and only priority was herself.

[Mrsmaul2021]

36 minutes ago, Cloud9Shopper said:

I mean, there was also Sam…although she just had a pregnancy scare. It would have been interesting to see if she had been really pregnant and kept it what would have happened with her and Luka in the long term. Would they have broken up anyway and just shared custody or would they have gotten married and Abby would have either remained single or ended up paired with someone else? We’ll never know, I know,  but it’s interesting to think about. (And as a fanfic writer this is what fic is for if I were ever so inclined.) 

I just remembered how Abby wouldn’t even take drugs to help her preterm baby mature until she pulled away her IV and had a screaming and yelling tantrum I’d expect from my four-year-old niece. Followed by her refusing to go to sleep for her C-section so the general could get the baby out quicker because she just HAD to be awake. You’d think a medical professional could be scared and stressed but still agree she needed to do what was best to help the baby instead of arguing every step of the way, even continuing to yell her head off in the OR. 

If we are going to tell this stuff, at least be fair add all of the context. The drug was experimental. So who can blame her? Also, baby Joe did perf (spontaneous intestinal perforation) they never said if the drug caused it, so her reluctance was valid. 

 

Abby's hysterics were no different than Elizabeth and Mark when Ella ingested that ecstasy. Jing Mei was trying to save their child and they were stopping her at everything they deemed too risky. Jing Mei had to sneak and get Weaver, Also, Elizabeth physically pushed a man when she didn't want him near Ella.

 

Edited August 11 by Mrsmaul2021

[Cloud9Shopper]

I’m talking about Abby versus other characters in labor, not the NICU, or Elizabeth’s actions during Ella’s OD. I’m sure @Notabug knows more about that than I do but I don’t think magnesium and betamethasone are experimental. Carla got betamethasone way back in S3 when she was about to deliver prematurely, so the drug had been around at least 10 years by the time S13 rolled around. (I forget what magnesium is used for but it seems like stopping pre-term contractions.)  Also, if I remember correctly, Luka seemed to be onboard with the experimental drug in the NICU. Does that make his reasoning invalid then and Abby is always right?

Edited August 11 by Cloud9Shopper

[Mrsmaul2021]

18 minutes ago, Cloud9Shopper said:

I’m talking about Abby versus other characters in labor, not the NICU, or Elizabeth’s actions during Ella’s OD. I’m sure @Notabug knows more about that than I do but I don’t think magnesium and betamethasone are experimental. Carla got betamethasone way back in S3 when she was about to deliver prematurely, so the drug had been around at least 10 years by the time S13 rolled around. (I forget what magnesium is used for but it seems like stopping pre-term contractions.)  Also, if I remember correctly, Luka seemed to be onboard with the experimental drug in the NICU. Does that make his reasoning invalid then and Abby is always right?

Oh you're referring to what they tried to put in her IV before Joe was born. Okay. Still, I will compare it to Elizabeth because both were very concerned with the safety of their child.  Heck even Luka snapped at Abby and she conceded. Weaver calmly spoke with Elizabeth and Mark and they both conceded. Personally I don't see the issue with either one. Just all three were parents, scared.