All Episodes Talk: What's Up Doc?

[desertflower]

27 minutes ago, AndySmith said:

Wasn't she also Peter's mentor for a brief time as well? Smooth, Carter, smooth.

Yes, Peter wants to be on her surgical team. She invites Carter to get involved on some cases too and then takes a liking to him. Carter is a lot better with the patients than Peter is. 

[RedbirdNelly]

59 minutes ago, AndySmith said:

Wasn't she also Peter's mentor for a brief time as well? Smooth, Carter, smooth.

yes--I remember a scene with Carter hiding under her desk while she talks to Peter who bursts in.

[BooksRule]

I noticed that on the guest credits Jorja Fox (Maggie Doyle) is listed as Jorjan Fox.  When I checked imdb, it shows her listed that way on the first few episodes she was in and then it changed to Jorja.  I also found out that her full name is Jorja-An Fox.  Interesting. 

[RedbirdNelly]

just watched the one where Peter nearly killed the baby. Wanted to yell at him, just close! don't touch the liver!

[BooksRule]

Quote

just watched the one where Peter nearly killed the baby. Wanted to yell at him, just close! don't touch the liver!

I know!  He just had to get that tiny bit of 'debris' (aka 'schmutz') off of that baby's liver.  Since it had been so many years since I had seen this episode, there was a little suspense for me as to whether or not the baby would survive, but I realized at the end that it had to survive--otherwise, Peter would have probably quit surgery.  Maybe. 

I loved the episode (I think it was the one from yesterday where Susan left.  Or maybe the one before it) where Mark had the discussion with the researcher (the one who fell out of the tree) about her research comparing the mating habits of birds and humans.  Carol gave him the oddest look when Mark was 'narrating' the unheard conversation between Susan and Dr. Morgenstern.  'She might as well just turn around and shake her tail feathers in his face!' (or something like that).  Funny!

[slasherboy]

How did I miss Richard Schiff?  What role did he play?  Thanks!

I find it a bit unnerving how characters will suddenly just disappear.  Harper, for instance, was just gone after she and Carter broke up.  And I haven't seen Jerry for a while.  Is he still around?  I know Deb said she was going to quit, but she just disappeared but at least she had an explanation.

Can't stand Dr. Keaton's voice.

I haven't seen "ER" since it originally aired so I'm enjoying the heck out of this.  I remember bits and pieces, but for the most part, it's all new again.  I watch 3 hours every day, 3 hours on Tuesday nights and as much as I can catch on Saturdays.  I'll be sad when it starts turning awful as I remember it did originally.  I don't remember when I stopped watching, but I absolutely did.  But for now, I'm lovin' it!

[BooksRule]

I was both looking forward to and dreading watching 'Night shift' again.  Those last several minutes were still hard to watch.  Oh, Gant!  

On a light note, I got the giggles when Mark was questioning the woman who was obviously out of it--  Mark:  'Do you know where you are?'  Patient:  'I'm in the hospital.  Talking to Dr. Green.  With a head like a bean.'  (and the shot of Lydia looking amused.)  And the patient later called him Dr. Greenbean!

[Bastet]

3 minutes ago, BooksRule said:

I was both looking forward to and dreading watching 'Night shift' again.  Those last several minutes were still hard to watch.  Oh, Gant!  

That was one of the few things I remembered about this show -- my reaction when I realized the mangled victim was Gant.  That was shocking.  (Little did I know they'd later double down with the Carter & Lucy get stabbed storyline.)  I love the moment where everyone just freezes, then Carter's "Oh, sweet Jesus!" and then chaos as everyone resumes their efforts, with a new intensity. 

10 minutes ago, slasherboy said:

Can't stand Dr. Keaton's voice.

It drives me nuts, too.  I love that "If that baby dies, it will be my responsibility, but it will be your fault" scene I talked about before, but otherwise I'm always hoping for her scenes to be short because I can't stand listening to her speak.

I love when Mark - who had violated law and policy by accessing her medical records - told Jeannie she should have told him about her HIV status, and she said, "No, it's better that it happened this way -- now you know about me, and I know a lot more about you."

The HIV and AIDS storylines make this something of a time capsule.  It's nice to see the discussion that arises as Mark and Kerry attempt to hammer out a policy as they consult the various state and federal laws.

It's also nice to see the tension now that Carol is management, even though she still feels like just another one of the nurses. 

[RedbirdNelly]

14 hours ago, BooksRule said:

I loved the episode (I think it was the one from yesterday where Susan left.  Or maybe the one before it) where Mark had the discussion with the researcher (the one who fell out of the tree) about her research comparing the mating habits of birds and humans.  Carol gave him the oddest look when Mark was 'narrating' the unheard conversation between Susan and Dr. Morgenstern.  'She might as well just turn around and shake her tail feathers in his face!' (or something like that).  Funny!

I just watched that last night. It was so funny. Poor Dr Green. I liked the part earlier in the episode where he told Carol "that's not my style" and she told him maybe he needed to change his style. Very true!

10 hours ago, slasherboy said:

 

I find it a bit unnerving how characters will suddenly just disappear.  Harper, for instance, was just gone after she and Carter broke up.  And I haven't seen Jerry for a while.  Is he still around?  I know Deb said she was going to quit, but she just disappeared but at least she had an explanation.

 

I kind of like it because it seems more real life--we see a snapshot of the ER, not 24/7. They did explain that Harper was going to Dallas or something for some rotation. Often there is some mention of what happened to people but it may be 3 episodes later in passing. Jerry is still there. He just works various shifts. For example, Bob disappeared for a while and then just showed up later as if she'd been there all the time but not on the shifts we were seeing. There are some people where you don't learn where they went (or at least not yet or where I've noticed) like Michael Ironside's character who disappears after season 1 and I don't think we get a "oh, he went to Metro" type mention.

I'm also dreading the Gant episode (have not gotten to it yet in my watching). It really surprised me when it happened and I liked him a lot.

[AndySmith]

Quote

That was one of the few things I remembered about this show -- my reaction when I realized the mangled victim was Gant.  That was shocking.  (Little did I know they'd later double down with the Carter & Lucy get stabbed storyline.)  I love the moment where everyone just freezes, then Carter's "Oh, sweet Jesus!" and then chaos as everyone resumes their efforts, with a new intensity. 

Oh wow...I just realized that is a bit similar to what we saw on Grey's Anatomy when they realized the mangled victim was George...

[RedbirdNelly]

yeah, Grey's totally stole that story line.

[desertflower]

It's funny, I saw a clip this morning of a recent commercial with George Clooney, and I was taken aback at how old he looked. Then I realized it's not that he looks that old for his age, it's just that I've been watching so many damn episodes of ER that his thirty-something face is burned in my brain. Lol!

Edited April 27, 2017 by desertflower

[desertflower]

Oh, just finished the Gant episode. So sad. It was hard watching his previous scenes knowing what was coming. 

On a lighter note, the scene where Benton walks in on Carter and Dr. Keaton laying on the couch is so great. Benton's expression is perfect, and Carter holding the book over his face like he could somehow hide was so funny. 

[WendyCR72]

1 hour ago, AndySmith said:

Oh wow...I just realized that is a bit similar to what we saw on Grey's Anatomy when they realized the mangled victim was George...

As @RedbirdNelly said, Grey's Anatomy totally stole that.

[Sticker Shock]

The Pop episodes these last two days are reminding me how much I loved Kerry before they turned her mostly into a hamfistedly written shrew in later seasons.

Edited April 27, 2017 by Sticker Shock

[Bastet]

Mark as the new Doug is not working for me.  But, oh my god, how I loved when Chuny beat him to the punch by delivering the same exact break-up line he'd been planning to use on her.  Not to mention him winding up on a date with Doug.

Carter and Benton remain my favorite relationship on the series.  "In that surgery, everything I did I learned from you."  And Carter's sheer delight at getting to do Peter's appendectomy.

He's also adorable at the firing range with Maggie Doyle. 

Edited April 28, 2017 by Bastet

[AndySmith]

Mark as the new Doug...yeah, not the best idea the show had. Luka kind of worked as a new Doug...of sorts...but the writing had slipped by that point. At least Luka gave Doug a run for his money in the attractiveness department.

[RedbirdNelly]

I watched the episode last night where Susie leaves for Arizona. It occurred to me that I really liked how they did her character, most of the time. As a person who gets home from work and immediately puts on comfy clothes, I like how, when Mark shows up at her apartment, she's wearing this comfy oversize sweatshirt. There are plenty of attractive people on this show but I like how it doesn't look like an ER full of people who could also be making a living as fashion models.

[desertflower]

When I'm watching I kind of forget these first seasons were over 20 years ago! There are a few storylines here and there that date it but overall it holds up pretty well. Probably because they are usually wearing uniforms so the fashion doesn't date the show as much as other shows from that time, like 90210 for instance. I'm sure people who work in modern hospitals probably think it looks out of date but most viewers wouldn't notice too much. 

[BooksRule]

I just watched the episode where Carter got to take out Benton's appendix.  I had forgotten all about that part.  That scene was great!  He did a good job, but had time for Polaroids with Dr. Hicks, Doyle, the nurses and an unconscious Benton.  And Carter's choice of music for the OR was hysterical--starting with 'Ride of the Valkyries' and ending with 'Mack the Knife'! 

Edited April 28, 2017 by BooksRule

[slasherboy]

10 hours ago, desertflower said:

It's funny, I saw a clip this morning of a recent commercial with George Clooney, and I was taken aback at how old he looked. Then I realized it's not that he looks that old for his age, it's just that I've been watching so many damn episodes of ER that his thirty-something face is burned in my brain. Lol!

Not that that's a bad thing!

[Bastet]

Topping today's line-up, the one where Carol makes a chest tube out of a tampon applicator.  With Ewan McGregor as the robber.

I don't often like these change-of-pace episodes, and I'm not entirely sure how I feel about this one.  It kind of feels like Carol is being shoved down my throat, but Julianna Marguiles plays her in a way that keeps it from being annoying.  Plus, Ewan McGregor.

I like how they keep having the phone ring, as the cops try to make contact; it's a really annoying sound, so the temptation from a production standpoint would be to do it once and forget about it, but they kept it up.

Ha - I love Carol's mom.  "Fine.  Go be an astronaut."  I like that "You hold you back, not me" conversation, about nursing school being the one thing Carol ever finished.

Edited April 28, 2017 by Bastet

[slasherboy]

I had forgotten how much I absolutely love John Carter.  What ever happened to Mark's dog?

Could someone explain the pecking order to me?  I don't know who's the boss over who and get confused when people give orders and yell at each other, trying to figure out what makes a resident, an attending, an intern, etc.  Could someone smarter than me explain?

Thanks! 

[RedbirdNelly]

I watched the Gant episode tonight. It was hard leading up to it, wanting Carter not to dis-invite him from Christmas, etc. So sad.

I liked it when Jenie and Dr. Greg? (infectious disease) mentioned the hale bop comet coming. I had forgotten about him.

[WendyCR72]

There are med students, lowest on the totem pole...

An intern is a first-year resident, I believe.

Then comes the resident (year 2 and beyond, depending on specialty), whom are supervised by attending physicians

And attendings are those docs in charge.

[desertflower]

It is hard following the pecking order and who does what. I get the basic idea as WendyCR72 outlined above, but I still don't know what Morganstern's position was? I know Anspaugh was introduced as Chief of Staff, so he is the head honcho, even over Morganstern, right? We need a flow chart! :)

[Bastet]

Yeah, Anspaugh came in as the new Chief of Staff (meaning for the entire hospital, not just the ER) after the county shut down one of the other hospitals.  I don't think we saw the Chief prior to him.  He's the ultimate head honcho, other than the Chairperson of the Board (and he'd be a member of the board via his position).

Morganstern was Chief of Surgery, I think.  Or maybe Chief of Emergency?  A level down from Anspaugh, at any rate -- he was chief of a major department within the hospital. 

[Mama No Life]

I had the same issues. I had to go to wikipedia to figure it all out. Morganstern was chief of emergency medicine. 

Mark was chief resident when it first came on.  Then he became a chief attending, with Kerry, right?  Because he wanted Susan to take his place as chief resident but she didn't want it?

[starri]

6 hours ago, Mama No Life said:

Mark was chief resident when it first came on.  Then he became a chief attending, with Kerry, right?  Because he wanted Susan to take his place as chief resident but she didn't want it?

Kerry offered the position to Susan but she declined.

Mark had a deal that he would back her for an attending job, and she'd pick Susan to be the new chief resident.

[RedbirdNelly]

I watched Fortune Fools (episode before Benton's appy) and it is such an excellent episode. I loved Doug and the little boy who thought he was superman. At first it got me because that boy experienced one of my fears as a parent--I was in a minor accident once with my boys; that night I started to see a bruise on my forehead and realized I had hit the airbag (as a short person having an air bag take off my head is a bit of a fear) and I got really emotional thinking what if I had been badly hurt or killed and the boys would have been stuck in the back seat terrified. . . anyway, superman boy really got to me. Then I teared up for real when Doug told him how is dad would be proud.

In the same episode Carter ask HIx if she is serious about him joining her team and she perfectly responds "I'm almost always serious" in that perfect way CCH Pound does. Loved that moment.

And then I loved the 3 med students who got to really see the ER with Mark and then cracked up when they sent him and his date drinks, having gone to the same bar to see if he showed up. That just cracked me up. Though I felt a little for Kerry and her boring tour because I would like to think of myself as a Mark, but as a geeky person, I'd probably end up giving out a Kerry-style tour. . .

I agree with others above that Mark as the new Doug in the appy episode is annoying and really I kind of wish they'd stuck to just following Mark through his attempts at dating instead of having him try to date 3 people. Not realistic for him.

It annoyed me how quickly the nurses turn on Carol. She views them as friends and they drop her quicker than anything the minute they sniff management and seem to have no trust/loyalty. I dislike people who respond to things with a snotty "that's not my job." Be a team player, Haleh.

[voiceover]

I loved *this version* of Carter & Abby.  Glenne Headley's voice doesn't bother me.  In fact, I adored her & wished the character would've stayed.  Especially now that I've been the Older Woman in my last few relationships, I really admire her going for the smooch in "No Brain, No Gain".

That moment in the NICU at the end of "Fear of Flying", when Peter tries to recite the 23rd Psalm, is such an honest moment that I nearly forgive the arrogance that preceded it (& came after, with Doug's brain-dead gangbanger).  There's another moment Grey's swipes: Abby lets Peter run every kind of procedure on the kid in the OR -- though she knows he's working on an organ donor.  Like Addison having Izzie spend the night doing useless procedures on the dying quint.

AND: Peter misses his mother's bday dinner because he operates on a skinhead with a racist tattoo.  Like Bailey missing lunch with her husband because she operates on the EM tech with...the racist tattoo!

[WendyCR72]

In terms of the whole Grey's Anatomy/ER thievery, I also recall Shonda Rimes stating in an interview that, originally, Grey's wasn't going to be set in Seattle. Any guesses where she wanted to have it take place?  :-)

But she decided against Chicago because of a certain other long-running medical show...

[Danny Franks]

10 hours ago, voiceover said:

I loved *this version* of Carter & Abby.  Glenne Headley's voice doesn't bother me.  In fact, I adored her & wished the character would've stayed.  Especially now that I've been the Older Woman in my last few relationships, I really admire her going for the smooch in "No Brain, No Gain".

Her voice bothered me massively. She always sounded like she was talking to a small child, and that meant I was also rather creeped out by her relationship with Carter. She was so maternal, and he was so boyish, that it just screamed unhealthy to me. And that was before we even learned about Carter's ice queen mother and domineering grandmother.

To be honest, I'm not sure they ever really wrote a good relationship for Carter. Harper was okay, but their relationship seemed to be based mostly on sex and drama. The prospect of Lucy was interesting, but I remember reading that Noah Wyle put the kibosh on it because (ironically, given the talk of Abby Mk.1) he didn't think Carter would date his student/intern. At the same time as Lucy, they had Julie Bowen as a guest star but used her mainly as a foil for Carter/Lucy. And then there was Abby Mk.2, who was fucking dreadful. They also briefly visisted Carter/Susan, and it was pretty tepid, to put it kindly. The only one I liked was Anna, and she only stuck around for a season before leaving with her ex-druggie ex-boyfriend.

The show never really seemed to make wise choices when pairing characters up. Mark/Corday was awful, Doug/Carol was tiresome, Susan/anyone and Benton/anyone were pretty bad as well. I seem to recall Luka (Doug Ross 2: Electric Boogaloo) having a string of melancholic, moody relationships as well. A couple of them with Abby Mk.2.

Edited April 30, 2017 by Danny Franks

[ch1]

Yeah most of Carters relationships were terrible.  Right up to the woman he married.

They missed the boat by not attempting Deb and Carter when she came back. 

[Danny Franks]

5 minutes ago, ch1 said:

Yeah most of Carters relationships were terrible.  Right up to the woman he married.

They missed the boat by not attempting Deb and Carter when she came back. 

That would have been great. They had nice chemistry, whether as friends or on the occasions where they got a little flirty. And it would probably have meant Deb/Jing Mei was actually given more in the way of decent storylines.

[Bastet]

4 hours ago, Danny Franks said:

She always sounded like she was talking to a small child, and that meant I was also rather creeped out by her relationship with Carter. She was so maternal, and he was so boyish, that it just screamed unhealthy to me. And that was before we even learned about Carter's ice queen mother and domineering grandmother.

I remember Mary McDonnell (one of my favorite actors) played his mom, so now when I'm watching and he mentions his parents, I picture her.  Anyway, that's a very good point about the Carter/Keaton dynamic; I was trying to figure out why I had an uneasiness about it, and that might be it.  The imbalance of power is obviously problematic, but she wasn't his immediate supervisor -- her dating Benton, or Benton dating Carter, would have been wholly inappropriate, but having that degree of separation is what the show used as its explanation for why it was okay and I kind of went with that, but was still a little creeped out by the relationship.  I think that maternal/boyish vibe may explain it.

[WendyCR72]

Maybe this belongs more in the UO thread, but I never saw anything but friendship between Deb and Carter. And I could take or leave her. She was just there for me. But if it came down to her and Abby Lockhart? Deb every day and twice on Sundays, thanks.

And I did like Elizabeth Corday until Mark made her into a shrew. Which is why - among other reasons - it was great seeing her in the finale with Susan, Rachel, etc. She seemed much more like pre-Mark Lizzie.

[RedbirdNelly]

I liked Elizabeth but liked her with Peter better than Mark.

I liked Doug and Carol as people having a believable deep bond that eventually worked out.

On a completely different topic--the actor playing Dr. Greg (Jenie's current boyfriend season 3) sounds like B. Obama to me. Am I the only one to hear that?

[AndySmith]

Quote

it was great seeing her in the finale with Susan,

It was even better seeing her in the finale with Peter. Screw the shame of adultery, in my mind, after their last scene they check into a hotel and crack a bed in two.

[BooksRule]

Quote

On a completely different topic--the actor playing Dr. Greg (Jenie's current boyfriend season 3) sounds like B. Obama to me. Am I the only one to hear that?

Nope.  I immediately thought that as well.  

[desertflower]

6 hours ago, RedbirdNelly said:

On a completely different topic--the actor playing Dr. Greg (Jenie's current boyfriend season 3) sounds like B. Obama to me. Am I the only one to hear that?

Yeah, I can hear that. That actor is on the Blacklist now, and his voice is even deeper. It's funny to see him thinner and with a higher voice because I've gotten so used to him on Blacklist now. 

[Mama No Life]

Wow today is a "Carol's an ass" marathon.  So far she has been hateful to Kerry, refused to carry out Doyle's orders and accused Doug of only treating rich kids well.  No wonder all the guys loved her .....

[slasherboy]

On 4/30/2017 at 8:30 AM, Danny Franks said:

reading that Noah Wyle put the kibosh on it because (ironically, given the talk of Abby Mk.1) he didn't think Carter would date his student/intern. At the same time as Lucy, they had Julie Bowen as a guest star but used her mainly as a foil for Carter/Lucy. And then there was Abby Mk.2, 

Who or what, please does Mk1 and Mk2 stand for?  Thank you.

This bugs me.  Someone is having serious treatment and there are no family members present.  Most of the time there is, but like today, adult siblings were having surgery as one was donating a kidney to the other. Where were their parents?  Aunt or uncle?  Another sibling?  This wasn't an emergency so it's not like their family was on vacation or something.  Then the 18-year-old girl on her way to the prom stopped in because of gallstones and needed surgery.  So after Doug sent her and her date to the prom and picked them up in the back of an ambulance (toting her IV), she goes right in to have surgery.  I know she's a legal adult, but where are her parents?  It's the little stuff that bugs me.

On 4/30/2017 at 8:30 AM, Danny Franks said:

 

Ignore the above box.

Edited May 2, 2017 by slasherboy
Boxes, Boxes, Damn Boxes!!

[Bastet]

1 hour ago, slasherboy said:

Most of the time there is, but like today, adult siblings were having surgery as one was donating a kidney to the other. Where were their parents?  Aunt or uncle?  Another sibling?  This wasn't an emergency so it's not like their family was on vacation or something.  Then the 18-year-old girl on her way to the prom stopped in because of gallstones and needed surgery.  So after Doug sent her and her date to the prom and picked them up in the back of an ambulance (toting her IV), she goes right in to have surgery.  I know she's a legal adult, but where are her parents?  It's the little stuff that bugs me.

Both of those specific examples made sense to me, although I often share your general complaint.  With the brother donating a kidney to his sister, he said she practically raised him, so I assume they are estranged from their parents or maybe their parents died.  With the prom couple, her attack started on the way to prom, so her parents wouldn't have been with her, just the boyfriend.  She refused to stay for treatment or let her boyfriend interfere, so he was probably too scared to call her parents.  And I can easily fanwank that they let her parents know once they were through with prom, and the parents were waiting for her upstairs (since we just saw them arrive back at the ER, without following up with her in surgery, I believe).

1 hour ago, Mama No Life said:

Wow today is a "Carol's an ass" marathon.  So far she has been hateful to Kerry, refused to carry out Doyle's orders and accused Doug of only treating rich kids well.  No wonder all the guys loved her .....

I loved Maggie setting her straight, not to ever contradict her orders like that again -- "I may be younger than you, but I am the doctor, and you are the nurse."  I also like that Carol admitted to Doug she is jealous that Maggie is younger than her and gets to give her orders.  Carol has definitely been snippy lately, and I think it's because she's at a crossroads, wondering if she should have done something different with her life and if it's too late to change course now if she did.  And Maggie is such a representation of that road not taken, since they grew up in the same neighborhood and Carol was in the same grade as her sister.

Does Doyle have a crush on Maria Bello's new character (that episode was one I just had on as background noise)?  I wouldn't blame her -- I think Bello is attractive on multiple levels (she's pretty, and there's also just something about her that strikes me as interesting).  I laughed at Carter extolling Maggie's many virtues and then fishing for whether she'd ever date men, or at least him, and she just says, "Not a chance" and carries on.  I like their friendship. 

[AndySmith]

Quote

I loved Maggie setting her straight, not to ever contradict her orders like that again -- "I may be younger than you, but I am the doctor, and you are the nurse."  I also like that Carol admitted to Doug she is jealous that Maggie is younger than her and gets to give her orders.  Carol has definitely been snippy lately, and I think it's because she's at a crossroads, wondering if she should have done something different with her life and if it's too late to change course now if she did.  And Maggie is such a representation of that road not taken, since they grew up in the same neighborhood and Carol was in the same grade as her sister.

It may not have been a good lewk for Carol initially, but overall, it did lead to some nice character work for her. And it was a realistic story and reaction for her.

[RedbirdNelly]

I agree Carol was realistic. What bugged me in the Doctor Hathaway episode is how quickly her nurse "friends" drop her the minute she is considering med school. She hadn't even applied yet but they immediately exclude her from nurse after work activities. Just seemed rude to me.

On the prom couple, she mentioned she was 18 so it's not like they had to call her parents (though sending them to a prom and back in an ambulance was not realistic; those things are expensive)

[Danny Franks]

12 hours ago, slasherboy said:

Who or what, please does Mk1 and Mk2 stand for?  Thank you.

There were two different women called Abby that Carter dated on the show. Abby Keaton, the one with the annoying voice and Abby Lockhart, the one with the annoying everything.

11 hours ago, Bastet said:

I loved Maggie setting her straight, not to ever contradict her orders like that again -- "I may be younger than you, but I am the doctor, and you are the nurse."  I also like that Carol admitted to Doug she is jealous that Maggie is younger than her and gets to give her orders.  Carol has definitely been snippy lately, and I think it's because she's at a crossroads, wondering if she should have done something different with her life and if it's too late to change course now if she did.  And Maggie is such a representation of that road not taken, since they grew up in the same neighborhood and Carol was in the same grade as her sister.

Does Doyle have a crush on Maria Bello's new character (that episode was one I just had on as background noise)?  I wouldn't blame her -- I think Bello is attractive on multiple levels (she's pretty, and there's also just something about her that strikes me as interesting).  I laughed at Carter extolling Maggie's many virtues and then fishing for whether she'd ever date men, or at least him, and she just says, "Not a chance" and carries on.  I like their friendship. 

I've said it before, but Maggie Doyle was criminally underused on E.R. I don't know if she got another gig, so couldn't be written into scripts that much or what. I've always liked Jorja Fox, and think she has a strong presence. Just a shame I've never been remotely interested in watching that CSI show she was on.

As to whether she has a crush on Anna Del Amico? I remember the episode, and I remember Carter insinuating it, but I don't think it was brought up again. But I agree that her friendship with Carter was fun, and it's one of the elements I wish had been incorporated more, and actually developed.

35 minutes ago, RedbirdNelly said:

I agree Carol was realistic. What bugged me in the Doctor Hathaway episode is how quickly her nurse "friends" drop her the minute she is considering med school. She hadn't even applied yet but they immediately exclude her from nurse after work activities. Just seemed rude to me.

E.R. certainly wasn't averse to heavy handed writing at times, and the way the nurses were so tribal, to the extent that they turned on Carol over med school, and over her being management, and probably over more issues than that, annoyed me. They just felt like very artificial ways of giving Carol some things to overcome.

Speaking of which, I think the episode where Shep is accused of being racist will be coming up soon, if it's not already been on. That bugged me to, because while 'these people' is a loaded term, to me it always felt like he was talking about drug addicts, not African-Americans. I thought Maleek and Benton both accusing him was a little harsh. Again, the writing could be heavy handed.

[Driad]

M*A*S*H was before ER, correct?  M*A*S*H had an episode called "Nurse Doctor" in which a nurse was studying to apply to med school, and all the other nurses gave her the cold shoulder. IIRC, I saw that first, and groaned when ER did the same story. I never liked Carol much, so that didn't help.

[Danny Franks]

2 minutes ago, Driad said:

M*A*S*H was before ER, correct?  M*A*S*H had an episode called "Nurse Doctor" in which a nurse was studying to apply to med school, and all the other nurses gave her the cold shoulder. IIRC, I saw that first, and groaned when ER did the same story. I never liked Carol much, so that didn't help.

M*A*S*H ran from 1972-83, E.R. from 1994-2009. I remember that episode, but wasn't the nurse a temporary character, brought in just for that story? I could believe it a little more there, because M*A*S*H was set in the 1950s, when a woman doctor would have been unusual, and many would have seen it as evidence of 'undue ambition'.

[Driad]

Thank you, Danny Franks. The MASH story annoyed me because apparently all the women resented "Nurse Doctor" but the men (at least Hawkeye and Father Mulcahey) were supportive. By the time of the ER episode, I thought the nurses should have been more open minded.