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All Episodes Talk: What's Up Doc?


Meredith Quill
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8 minutes ago, Bastet said:

Pffft.  Apparently, CBS owns Pop, so the pissing contest between Dish and CBS means no more Pop for me until they hammer out a new deal.  

This actually hurts my head.  All those disputes reek of “I know you are but what am I?”

Hey, at least you’re guaranteed the Saturday rerun by...New Year’s?

23 minutes ago, Bastet said:

Pffft.  Apparently, CBS owns Pop, so the pissing contest between Dish and CBS means no more Pop for me until they hammer out a new deal.  Those bastards are going to make me miss Carter's dad showing up when Kem loses the baby, aren't they?

Wait, what? I didn't realize that. I have my local CBS affiliate, but I see now that Pop has been replaced by Bravo. I'd say I was upset, but I feel like the show jumped the shark with Romano having the helicopter fall on him, so overall I think I just feel relief in the fact that I can catch up on my 20 something episodes I haven't had time to watch and not worry about all the ones I didn't want to watch anyway.

On 11/20/2017 at 7:14 PM, doodlebug said:

I know we aren't supposed to use spoiler tags, but there seem to be a fair number of people around who haven't seen these eppies and I was mentioning pretty big plot points.

ER always seemed to have more than its share of smug smarta**es amongst the students and residents.  With Pratt, at least, he is often taken down a peg or two by other attendings or residents and he is actually shown making mistakes and learning from them.  None of that seems to happen with Abby.  Everyone thinks she's the bees' knees, no matter what.  No patient of hers ever dies due to errors she makes.  What few mistakes she makes end up working out just fine.  She's virtually the only character ever on the show who never makes a mistake that results in a patient's death.  She's the Mary Sueiest of Mary Sues.  As the seasons roll on, it gets even worse.  Then, toss in every coworker, patient, passerby commenting on how she is the most  amazing, sexy, attractive woman evah and the Abby-worship gets really old really fast.  MT's deadpan, one note acting style in the role doesn't help.  I've liked her in other stuff, but she really seemed to get very lazy playing Abby.

I am watching, yet again, and still fail to catch the "I hate Mary Sue Abby" bug.  This vitriol just does not register on my scale.

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9 minutes ago, walnutqueen said:

I am watching, yet again, and still fail to catch the "I hate Mary Sue Abby" bug.  This vitriol just does not register on my scale.

Same here, which is a big reason I'm bummed the Dish/CBS kerfuffle means I can't see the show for who knows how long; I remember liking Abby originally, and I like her now, but I don't remember when I quit watching, and was looking to see if my opinion changes via episodes I never saw the first time around.  

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22 minutes ago, walnutqueen said:

I am watching, yet again, and still fail to catch the "I hate Mary Sue Abby" bug.  This vitriol just does not register on my scale.

Well, that’s what makes for discussion. Today, we had Abby on her psych rotation.  Her supervisor tells her he has NEVER seen a group respond so well to a medical student as they did with her.  Just incredible!  What outstanding skill did she possess?  She lit a cigarette and smoked it while the members of the group were arguing and they instaneously decided to stop arguing and embrace the therapeutic process. Isn’t she amazing?  Everywhere she goes, all the attendings just adore her.  She was the best student the NICU attending had ever seen and now she demonstrates amazing prowess while running a group therapy session all on her own on the very first day!! 

Edited by doodlebug
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33 minutes ago, Bastet said:

Same here, which is a big reason I'm bummed the Dish/CBS kerfuffle means I can't see the show for who knows how long; I remember liking Abby originally, and I like her now, but I don't remember when I quit watching, and was looking to see if my opinion changes via episodes I never saw the first time around.  

PM me if the Dish/CBS kerfuffle interferes with your life - ATT Uverse has stepped on my last nerve, and apparently, my "household" can access it from anywhere.  Might as well spread the wealth I do not possess, since my addiction to TeeVee, cigarettes and cat food leaves me broke, except for my good will towards you!  ;-)

 

31 minutes ago, doodlebug said:

Well, that’s what makes for discussion. Today, we had Abby on her psych rotation.  Her supervisor tells her he has NEVER seen a group respond so well to a medical student as they did with her.  Just incredible!  What outstanding skill did she possess?  She lit a cigarette and smoked it while the members of the group were arguing and they instaneously decided to stop arguing and embrace the therapeutic process. Isn’t she amazing?  Everywhere she goes, all the attendings just adore her.  She was the best student the NICU attending had ever seen and now she demonstrates amazing prowess while running a group therapy session all on her own on the very first day!! 

Do not diss the power of a well lit cigarette.  I've stopped many a crazy-clock sucking on a V-Slims filter, rather than a dick.  :-o

And if I wanted to engage in an argument / "discussion" (especially one about Abby Normal), I'd pay for a session with Monty Python ...  ;-)

Let's move on, shall we?

22 minutes ago, walnutqueen said:

PM me if the Dish/CBS kerfuffle interferes with your life - ATT Uverse has stepped on my last nerve, and apparently, my "household" can access it from anywhere.  Might as well spread the wealth I do not possess, since my addiction to TeeVee, cigarettes and cat food leaves me broke, except for my good will towards you!  ;-)

Aw man, Pop doesn't stream on Uverse for me. Must be market-specific? I would totally just listen to these at work if I could stream it.

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I don't dislike Abby, but I've definitely noticed a tonal shift surrounding her in season 10 when she went back to med school. I think it may also be because of the contrast against Neela who seems to get kicked around a lot. This show was always pretty good at creating a balance between having these really bright, competent doctors who also realize that they aren't infallible from time to time, but I think that was missing from Abby's season 10 narrative. Her biggest hurdle was passing her boards, and it seemed more like an embarrassing inconvenience than something that was actually impacting her career.

That said, I think she's one of the more versatile characters on the show because she's formed some sort of relationship with everyone on the canvas. I love her friendship with Susan, and I like Pratt a lot more when he's in scenes with her because they have a fun teasing relationship, and the friendship she has with Neela is pretty sweet, as well as the support she gives to Kerry. Basically I like Abby, I just dislike the writer's unnecessary propping of her.

Back to yesterday's episode. I've never seen this run of episodes, so I hadn't seen the Carter/Kem stuff before. God, that was heartbreaking. Noah Wyle and Thandie Newton knocked it out of the park, and it was nice to see Carter finally get emotional support from his father. Just really well done.

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2 hours ago, absnow54 said:

I don't dislike Abby, but I've definitely noticed a tonal shift surrounding her in season 10 when she went back to med school. I think it may also be because of the contrast against Neela who seems to get kicked around a lot. This show was always pretty good at creating a balance between having these really bright, competent doctors who also realize that they aren't infallible from time to time, but I think that was missing from Abby's season 10 narrative. Her biggest hurdle was passing her boards, and it seemed more like an embarrassing inconvenience than something that was actually impacting her career.

That said, I think she's one of the more versatile characters on the show because she's formed some sort of relationship with everyone on the canvas. I love her friendship with Susan, and I like Pratt a lot more when he's in scenes with her because they have a fun teasing relationship, and the friendship she has with Neela is pretty sweet, as well as the support she gives to Kerry. Basically I like Abby, I just dislike the writer's unnecessary propping of her.

Back to yesterday's episode. I've never seen this run of episodes, so I hadn't seen the Carter/Kem stuff before. God, that was heartbreaking. Noah Wyle and Thandie Newton knocked it out of the park, and it was nice to see Carter finally get emotional support from his father. Just really well done.

Yep, at this point in the show, Abby can do no wrong and she is everything to everybody. Her supervisor on psych gushes over her talents and skill, she singlehandedly saves the woman having pseudoseizures. Abby is the only one who can get her to reveal a major earthshattering experience that is the key to her problems.  She's a medical student for pete's sakes! A  medical student who, while saving the world, also has time to study for her repeat board exam during duty hours.  She's just superhuman!  On the personal side, Elizabeth tells Abby she is the only one who can help Kerry in her time of need, and, in her spare time during the workday, she makes Kerry see the light in the midst of her custody battle.  It's just entirely too much.  It's unnecessary and it's unprecedented on the show.  She has become a caricature; the writing for her is over the top and completely unrealistic.

The episode with the stillbirth of Carter's son is just heartbreaking.  Having practiced OB for 30+ years, it is tough to watch and reminds me of so many other parents.

Edited by doodlebug
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Elizabeth tells Abby she is the only one who can help Kerry in her time of need.

I didn't mind this. Elizabeth has a strained history with Kerry, and Susan is off screen on bed rest. Abby helped Kerry through her miscarriage (which made total sense for a former OB nurse) and helped deliver and care for Kerry's son while he was in the NICU. Kerry doesn't have a family outside of the hospital, and her relationship with most of her staff in tenuous at best, Abby really was the best character to help Kerry at the time.

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2 hours ago, absnow54 said:

I didn't mind this. Elizabeth has a strained history with Kerry, and Susan is off screen on bed rest. Abby helped Kerry through her miscarriage (which made total sense for a former OB nurse) and helped deliver and care for Kerry's son while he was in the NICU. Kerry doesn't have a family outside of the hospital, and her relationship with most of her staff in tenuous at best, Abby really was the best character to help Kerry at the time.

And the reason Abby was the ‘best’ is because TPTB insist on dumping her into each and every storyline.  She is so interconnected with everyone because TPTB made it so.  Elizabeth knows what it is like to lose a spouse, Luka knows about losing kids; but it is Abby and only Abby who is given connection to all the other characters.  It’s like nothing on this show means anything anymore unless we see how Abby feels about it .  

Neela was in NICU and could have worked on Henry; Elizabeth and Kerry have known each other a very long time; for goodness sakes, Elizabeth is giving her baby clothes.  Susan could’ve bonded over being in love with a first responder.  Eventually, Kerry asks Abby to be Henry’s guardian if anything ever happens to her despite the fact that Sandy has a passel of supportive siblings around.  It’s too much and it’s unbelievable, especially in view of what a sour self centered loser Abby is.

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1 hour ago, voiceover said:

Missed it if someone already mentioned it, but was Sherry Stringfield pregnant IRL?

I hope so - if someone thought up impregnating Susan by that gross greasy guy out of thin air, they should be run out of town on a rail.

She looks pregnant, and the character's bed rest would be a good cover for the actor's maternity leave, so I suspect that's the case, but I don't even know if Stringfield has kids, so I don't know enough to say, "Yeah, the timing works."

Edited by Bastet
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1 hour ago, Bastet said:

I hope so - if someone thought up impregnating Susan by that gross greasy guy out of thin air, they should be run out of town on a rail.

She looks pregnant, and the character's bed rest would be a good cover for the actor's maternity leave, so I suspect that's the case, but I don't even know if Stringfield has kids, so I don't know enough to say, "Yeah, the timing works."

I recall reading when Sherry Stringfield came back that she mentioned a daughter. And, as said here, she did have a second kid during her second run on the show.

Watching these 3 a day episodes has benefits and drawbacks. On the downside, it's hard to keep up with the pace and you lose some of the dramatic arc of the show because it's so compressed. Unless they mention a holiday it's hard to know how much time has passed. I remember when they mentioned Carter and Abby had been together about a year and I was like "What? They just got together a few weeks ago!" Lol. On the upside, it is easier to spot the minor reoccurring characters and continuity details, so that's kind of fun. Also, it's kind of neat to watch Carter's progression and how Noah grew that character over the years. You notice it more when you roll through the seasons quicker. He really did a great job with both the beginning stuff (nervous med student, comic moments) to the competent leader he becomes later. 

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10 hours ago, doodlebug said:

for goodness sakes, Elizabeth is giving her baby clothes.  

I think Kerry asked for those to disguise Henry as a girl...

 

Everything with Carter and Kem is heartbreaking. I don't like how every character gets thrown into tragedies, but at least here everything felt natural. I could imagine a real couple going through all of that :(

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7 hours ago, Zoe said:

I think Kerry asked for those to disguise Henry as a girl...

 

Everything with Carter and Kem is heartbreaking. I don't like how every character gets thrown into tragedies, but at least here everything felt natural. I could imagine a real couple going through all of that :(

I thought Elizabeth told her she didn’t include anything too ‘girly’.  Also, it was pretty clear that Elizabeth didn’t know what Kerry was planning until she got to her place and saw she was packing and had her passport out.  I cannot picture Kerry asking Elizabeth for girls’ baby clothes without telling her why, nor can I imagine Elizabeth doing it, she clearly thought it was a bad idea.  

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Catching up on the week’s episodes. Wow, those were some dark, literally dark, episodes. I was struggling to make out what I was seeing. Yes, I realize it was intentional but oy.

i has forgotten or never seen the car crash episodes with Jing Mar and Pratt so I was kinda on the edge of my seat. 

 

Still don’t care about Carter and Kem and I’m looking forward to her leaving.

I kind of like Luka and Sam. Again I have no recollection of how that relationship plays out (other than it does eventually end) so I’m looking forward to seeing it.

Ha - I knew angry calls to both parties from people missing one of the Thanksgiving football games would work, and CBS (and thus Pop) would be back on Dish (now let's see how much my bill goes up).  Now I'll have to keep an eye on the Saturday line-up to see when the episode with Carter's dad showing up following the stillbirth airs, even if I don't take the time to watch the others I missed.

No matter how many times I watch it, Doug and Carol's reunion at the end of "Such Sweet Sorrow" still takes my breath away. I remember seeing it for the first time and being completely surprised when Clooney's face came into focus.

Then to have that followed with the revelation of Carter's addiction was really good television.

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Catching up on the week’s episodes. Wow, those were some dark, literally dark, episodes. I was struggling to make out what I was seeing. Yes, I realize it was intentional but oy.

It seems like with every season they dim the set lights a little bit more. How are these people effectively practicing medicine in such poor lighting?

I kind of like Luka and Sam. Again I have no recollection of how that relationship plays out (other than it does eventually end) so I’m looking forward to seeing it.

Luka had decent chemistry with Abby, but his relationship with Sam was the first romance I really liked with his character.

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On 11/26/2017 at 7:18 AM, marceline said:

No matter how many times I watch it, Doug and Carol's reunion at the end of "Such Sweet Sorrow" still takes my breath away. I remember seeing it for the first time and being completely surprised when Clooney's face came into focus.

The internet wasn’t so much of a “thing” then [she said from her rocker on the front porch], but I remember posting in the “Prime time” thread of some General Hospital website, that the show OWED as much to all the long-suffering, tortured Doug & Carol fans.  

That night I was practically on the ceiling in anticipation.  Afterwards I called a friend and we were so loud & shrill in our joy, IIRC, we fried the DC/Atlantic Bell system.

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Over Thanksgiving I fell hopelessly behind so I can't chat about the latest eps. I think today I get to where Kem loses the baby so I will have my box of tissues handy. 

Random thoughts:

The tank episode wasn't as bad as I was thinking it was. I thought it got into the ER and messed up the front area; I forgot they stopped it out in the street. Yes, a tank was still over the top but it was more restrained than I had remembered. I think I had the NBC promo for it in mind; they really played up the HORROR OF THE TANK as I recall. I like when Weaver yelled at them to stop crowding around the tv. "It's not the moon landing!" 

Sandy really was gorgeous. Too bad she was one of the many who fell victim to the death-happy writers of these later seasons. 

I don't mind seeing Abby do well in her job. (Like in the NICU.) Lord knows her personal life is a mess; we dont need to see her flailing and miserable at work too. 

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Quote

I think today I get to where Kem loses the baby so I will have my box of tissues handy. 

Try watching that as I did when it originally aired - the night I brought my firstborn home from the hospital. I had no idea the baby was going to die and between that, hormones, exhaustion and the Friends finale I was a puddle in the middle of the couch.

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8 minutes ago, ktwo said:

Try watching that as I did when it originally aired - the night I brought my firstborn home from the hospital. I had no idea the baby was going to die and between that, hormones, exhaustion and the Friends finale I was a puddle in the middle of the couch.

Oh man! That would be rough. I had a one year old at the time and that was bad enough!

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3 hours ago, desertflower said:

 

I don't mind seeing Abby do well in her job. (Like in the NICU.) Lord knows her personal life is a mess; we dont need to see her flailing and miserable at work too. 

I think its fine that Abby does well at her job although she currently isn't having any personal life misery other than her internship, which is universal.  What bothers me is the over the top crapola.  She's an intern and, yet, she is running traumas without any other docs present and saving lives!  Medical students are in awe of her!  They think she's hot and want to date her!  Kids think she's a real-life angel!  She jumps into the midst of other interns' cases and takes over to show them the error of their ways!  The other interns turn to her for advice instead of the senior residents and attendings!  She not only gives Neela a place to live for free, she supports her through her crisis of confidence and gets her a residency position!  She's the only one who sees the other intern has OCD and can't cut it!  She abandons her paramedic ride-along to stay with the kid who thinks she's an angel with no consequences because she is just that perfect! 

The writing for Abby is just horrible and makes her a cardboard cutout.  Alas, she continues to be the best doctor (while also spending huge amounts of time with her patients like no nurse ever could), the best friend (when Neela's husband is killed, she cannot face it and Abby handles everything for her), the hottest, sexiest MILF (as she is repeatedly hit upon by patients, visitors, attendings, residents and students who completely ignore all the other gorgeous women working at County) right up until she finally, mercifully, is written out of the series.  Except for her alcoholic bender when she works while intoxicated, drives around with her baby in the car while drunk and then cheats on her husband by falling drunkenly into bed with another doc; Abby is pretty near perfect from here on out.  And, even then, a large share of the blame for Abby's fall off the wagon is placed on Luka who has the audacity to travel to Croatia to visit his dying father.  And, of course, Luka places all the blame for her cheating on the other guy and punches him out while reconciling with her almost immediately because she is just that pretty, just that special.

10 hours ago, voiceover said:

The internet wasn’t so much of a “thing” then [she said from her rocker on the front porch], but I remember posting in the “Prime time” thread of some General Hospital website, that the show OWED as much to all the long-suffering, tortured Doug & Carol fans.  

That night I was practically on the ceiling in anticipation.  Afterwards I called a friend and we were so loud & shrill in our joy, IIRC, we fried the DC/Atlantic Bell system.

I was active in the newsgroup alt.tv.er (a very old fashioned internet thing) back in the day and I remember that morning when the Today Show announced Clooney was returning; the buzz was palpable, all of us longtime fans were over the moon in anticipation.  It was well worth it.

Edited by doodlebug
correct punctuation is important
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The cop investigating the rape of the woman in the ER is played by Tony Denison, Lt. Andy Flynn on The Closer/Major Crimes.  I was just half-listening to the episode as it played it the background, and I'm so used to hearing him ask detective questions it took my brain a moment to register that this was ER, not Major Crimes, and make me turn to the TV.

I remembered the Ray Liotta episode as soon as it started, so I was still watching at this point, sporadically at least -- I don't know if I'll ever be able to pinpoint when I quit.

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Time of Death (the Ray Liotta episode) made a huge impression on me the first time I watched.  This time around, it absolutely gutted me, and I could not stop crying.  It may have something to do with the recent 1 year anniversary of my Mum's death, and my distress about what she may have experienced while dying.

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40 minutes ago, Bastet said:

The cop investigating the rape of the woman in the ER is played by Tony Denison, Lt. Andy Flynn on The Closer/Major Crimes.  

*smacks forehead*. That’s why he looked familiar!  I only caught a few eps of The Closer, but I agreed with a friend of mine who was a huge fan of the series: his character should’ve been paired with Kyra Sedgewick’s.  Rrrrrowwrrrr.

On that subject: Randall Park— the dad in Fresh Off the Boat — plays the mentally challenged brother of the girl who denied her pregnancy.

Not for the first time, I notice that cops & detectives aren’t often painted in the best light in this series.  Always trying to question victims while the doctors are working.

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35 minutes ago, walnutqueen said:

Time of Death (the Ray Liotta episode) made a huge impression on me the first time I watched.  This time around, it absolutely gutted me, and I could not stop crying.  It may have something to do with the recent 1 year anniversary of my Mum's death, and my distress about what she may have experienced while dying.

Ray Liotta, if he didn't, should have won an Emmy for guest actor for that episode. He was amazing and the writing and direction were Emmy worthy too.

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4 hours ago, absnow54 said:

Based on the declining activity of this thread, you can tell why Pop was clinging to the season 1-6 rotation. Season 11 has been a real dud, and it'a pretty obvious that half the cast didn't want to be there anymore. I just want to get to season 15 already!

The new characters are just not interesting and some are just annoying. I do like Neela though. 

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I like Ray but I don't enjoy his facial hair. I like Sam and Luka together but Alex is a brat.

I'm still trying to catch up. It helps that my dvr randomly misses episodes. 

Kem and Carter having the baby was every bit as sad as I had remembered. 

I think the Ray Liotta ep is next up for me. I always like him and I remember him being outstanding in this one. 

I seem to remember the last season is pretty good. Just need to get through the next few!

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37 minutes ago, rcc said:

The new characters are just not interesting and some are just annoying. I do like Neela though. 

It really was a bummer when new character after new character was introduced and turned out to be awful.  For that matter, while I generally liked Neela, her constant insecurity and doubts got tiresome.

I assume the potassium we saw Chen with in one of yesterday's episodes means she's going to OD her dad on it (which will stop his heart), but I missed how she wound up taking care of him in the first place.  Her parents were in an accident in China, she went over there and then brought them back with her, and now what happened to her mom?  Did she say peace out and go back to China?  And is her dad's condition now a result of the accident, or did something medical happen to him?

Edited to also ask: Holy hell, how many times is Chen going to quit?

Edited by Bastet
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31 minutes ago, Bastet said:

I assume the potassium we saw Chen with in one of yesterday's episodes means she's going to OD her dad on it (which will stop his heart), but I missed how she wound up taking care of him in the first place.  Her parents were in an accident in China, she went over there and then brought them back with her, and now what happened to her mom?  Did she say peace out and go back to China?  And is her dad's condition now a result of the accident, or did something medical happen to him?

Edited to also ask: Holy hell, how many times is Chen going to quit?

In one episode Chen mentioned her mom died. I did miss a couple of episodes so I assumed it was the accident, which is also the reason for dad's condition. I think. 

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