ER: "The Healers" Summary/Review
James Meek
Hollifield) wrote:
>E.R., Season 2, Episode 16, "The Healers"
>Production number #457216
>
>PLOT ONE: HEATING RAUL
Scott, Scott, Scott. After an emotionally draining episode, I tune into
the newsgroup, find your summary here shortly after the show airs (for
once--not your fault, but the servers were generous this evening), and it
opens with a godawful but hilarious blackly humorous pun. This gets "line
of the summary" honors.
>PLOT TWO: ANOTHER MOTHER
>Susan...excuses ignoring
>her beeper by saying her appointment was important, to which Mark
>reproaches, "So's your job."
I liked that scene; people who were worried about Mark's ability to take
charge should have no qualms by this point. I really appreciated that he
didn't cut Susan much slack; she took a risk in not responding to her
page, and lost. Although I certainly understand *why* she took that
risk...
>MISCELLANEOUS THREADS:
>
>While performing an escharotomy with Benton on the severly-burned Raul,
>Carter finds that he's unable to perform the particularly unpleasant
>procedure (which apparently involves cutting through burned tissue to
>healthy tissue beneath), and excuses himself. Later, he tells Benton
>that he really wants to be a surgeon, "but that... I don't know if I
>can do that." Benton tries to reassure him that he can rise to the
>challenge, saying, "It doesn't get worse than that."
That was a powerful scene--kind of the real life equivalent of Carter
being unable to tie the knot in the magnet/string apparatus during his
interview. Benton continues to "set the bar high," not letting Carter off
the hook too easily, but not letting him hang too long, either. It's got
to be cold comfort that it doesn't get any worse, but, as always, any
praise from Benton means far more than it may sound like because of its
rarity.
>Still, as predictable as it was, it was handled pretty well -- I'm
>very glad that the writers didn't stoop to a melodramatic "will he or
>won't he live" dilemna, as Raul's mortality was prophecied relatively
>early in the show. Instead, we got lots of focus on the lives affected
>by Raul's bravery: the kids he helped rescue, the paramedics he's worked
>with, and most importantly, his partner Shep.
That's the approach that turned this from formulaic potboiler into
something more, a show good enough that I'm not sorry to say I cried at
the end. It earned the emotion by dealing with what was happening
squarely, and not attempting to milk audience suspense with unrealistic
theatrics.
As you say, Eldard's performance was excellent. The actor playing Raul
(sorry, don't know the name offhand) also did a terrific job, conveying
Raul's true heroism by being believably disingenuous and stoic.
> Chloe returns to the hospital this week, although in a pair of
>pretty brief scenes that no doubt foreshadow future events. But in
>what way? Lots of people seem sure that Chloe is going to want to fight
>to regain custody of baby Susie, but I'm not so certain.
I agree with you here, Scott--I had the same thoughts in Chloe and Susan's
last scene. I wouldn't be surprised of Chloe gave Susan outright
permission to adopt Susie. In fact, I'd appreciate it, because it'd be an
unexpected change of pace, a positive grace note tying up that storyline.
Of course, I won't be surprised if Chloe wants her kid, now, but I do hope
they don't turn it into yet another "who's the real parent" storyline.
> It doesn't look like the writers are willing quite just yet for
>things to be hunky dory between Doug and his father, but even though his
>story this week followed a pretty familiar flowchart, I liked that Ray
>Ross, justifiably, got in the last word.
That was terrific, and well done. Doug's expression when his father
leaves is fantastic: he's obviously angry, and angrier still that his
father had a valid point about who's responsible for Doug's current life.
> Also present
> this week: Randi, for the first time since Christmas.
Randi and Jerry, together again. As a fan of both desk clerks, it makes
my ol' heart go pitter-pat.
As you say, it was a terrific episode for supporting characters, and
certainly one of the most impressive episodes this season. I preferred it
to "Hell and High Water," for example, which while good seemed much more
formulaic. It certainly reinforced my conviction that lingering after
receiving severe burns is definitely in my bottom ten "ways to die"
list...
And, as always, thanks for the summary.
--
James B. Meek |"Vulgarity is not as destructive to an artist
j...@u.washington.edu | as snobbery, and in the world of movies vulgar
| strength has been a great redemptive force."
| -- Pauline Kael
Scott Hollifield
Production number #457216
Written by: John Wells
Directed by: Mimi Leder
PLOT ONE: HEATING RAUL
It's the end of their shift, but paramedics "Shep" Shepherd and Raul
Melendez answer a call about a burning building anyway. When they
arrive, people are milling out and explosions continue to rock the
upper floors. When one of the women running out says that there are
still children left inside, Shep is determined to go inside, even
though rescue units are on the way and even though he and Raul don't
have the appropriate fire gear. Raul follows him in. Their rescue
efforts are generally successful, as the burn victims begin to be
wheeled into ER, followed by Shep, who has some burns as well as some
cracked ribs, but Raul isn't found yet. Shep repeatedly insists
from his stretcher that "I thought he was right behind me", and
eventually, Raul is brought in. He's badly burned, and the burn unit
doctors don't expect him to live until morning. Shep, understandably,
takes this news poorly -- he blames himself for leading Shep into the
burning building -- and is initially reluctant to see Shep. Raul's
presence in the ER is attended by what seems to be most of the
paramedics in Chicago, all weary but anxious. The nurses and some of
the other staff take a dinner break across the street and invite the
paramedics; there, "Shep and Raoul" tales are shared which are by turns
funny and poignant. Shep, meanwhile, finally goes up to see Raul.
After assuring him that the kids they saved will be okay, Shep breaks
down weeping and says over and over, "I'm sorry."
PLOT TWO: ANOTHER MOTHER
Susan wakes up early for the big day, the day when at last her adoption
of little Susie will be officially approved. Ignoring her beeper during
the interview at social services, the social worker tells her that the
home visit went well, which relieves Susan, and that there remains only
some formal paperwork to be signed. After making it to work too late to
participate in the treatment of the burn victims, she excuses ignoring
her beeper by saying her appointment was important, to which Mark
reproaches, "So's your job." Later, none other than Susan's sister
Chloe returns, and when told that Susan is busy, visits the day care.
When Susan finds out that Chloe is back, she bolts to the day care,
certain that Chloe has made off with the baby, but finds her there in
the floor contentedly playing with little Susie.
PLOT THREE: FATHER-SON NIGHT
His tasks covered by Mark, Doug heads out to meet his newly-reacquainted
dad for a Bulls game, but true to form, Ray stands Doug up, who spends a
while waiting in front of the arena. He eventually goes to the Hotel
Dupree, which Ray owns, and finds Ray sitting at a booth in the lounge
laughing it up with a female companion. Doug merely drops the tickets
in front of Ray, mutters, "Here you go, you son of a bitch," and walks
away. Ray chases Doug outside and the two argue in the cold. When Ray
defends his behavior by saying that he was waylaid by business and that
he left a message for Doug at the hospital, Doug bitterly points out
the pattern in Ray's neglect; after all these years, the father is still
always "somewhere else". He describes his own inability to commit to
anything: "I am you." Ray responds by claiming responsibility for
Doug's neglect as a youth, but also says, "You're 34 years old. How you
live your life is your decision."
MISCELLANEOUS THREADS:
A mother of three carries her baby and runs out of the burning building,
abandoning her remaining kids inside. The kids are rescued, but for a
while, the mother and baby are missing; Mark comments that she was
"cooking methampetamines" in the same room as the children. The mother
finally comes in, but only after her baby, which initially appeared
fine, had started showing ill effects from the smoke. The baby, whose
throat airway had swollen shut due to smoke inhalation, is saved by
Doug, as the grateful woman collapses to the floor in a weeping
combination of admiration and hysteria. When Doug realizes that this
was the woman who abandoned her other kids, he comments to Mark,
"Should have been her airway; I would have let her suffocate."
While performing an escharotomy with Benton on the severly-burned Raul,
Carter finds that he's unable to perform the particularly unpleasant
procedure (which apparently involves cutting through burned tissue to
healthy tissue beneath), and excuses himself. Later, he tells Benton
that he really wants to be a surgeon, "but that... I don't know if I
can do that." Benton tries to reassure him that he can rise to the
challenge, saying, "It doesn't get worse than that."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Just as snow and ice menaced the ER in last season's "Blizzard",
and as water played a major theme in "Hell and High Water", this week's
episode features another strong elemental theme: fire. And like the
aforementioned episodes, this one was pretty much an "event" show
custom made for sweeps month. Most of the on-going character stories
remain in the background, deferring to the main plot -- but we got some
decent medical drama, some pretty compelling emotional scenes, and some
of the evolving characterization slipped through anyway. I call that a
success.
I'd caught just enough of the scuttlebut on Usenet (against my
real desires) to know that Raul was probably going to be toast (no pun
intended) in this week's episode. This was confirmed when the "scenes
from previous episodes" segment at the start of the show featured a Raul
bit. Still, as predictable as it was, it was handled pretty well -- I'm
very glad that the writers didn't stoop to a melodramatic "will he or
won't he live" dilemna, as Raul's mortality was prophecied relatively
early in the show. Instead, we got lots of focus on the lives affected
by Raul's bravery: the kids he helped rescue, the paramedics he's worked
with, and most importantly, his partner Shep. Ron Eldard turns in his
most impressive acting performance to date by far, as Shep is torn up
inside by the grief and guilt over his partner's death. We haven't seen
Shep much recently, but I hope he makes a return appearance soon, so we
can see how he's managing. My only other small complaint is that I wish
we could have been afforded a glimpse at Raul's family. I also
half-expected a reference to Raul's recently revealed homosexuality, but
the episode was completely silent on that. On the one hand, that could
be due to the writers not wanting the topic to intrude on a traditional
sentimental sweeps-month tearjerker, but there also was no real context
for Raul's sexuality to have been addressed this week, so I'm pretty
satisfied about that.
Chloe returns to the hospital this week, although in a pair of
pretty brief scenes that no doubt foreshadow future events. But in
what way? Lots of people seem sure that Chloe is going to want to fight
to regain custody of baby Susie, but I'm not so certain. Susan's fears
that Chloe would steal Susie away turned out to be unfounded, and from
my perspective, Chloe looked a bit more respectable than before
(sporting also a new brunette hairdo). Of course, even if Chloe is a
good girl now, that wouldn't necessarily prevent her from wanting Susie
back -- it might even increase her desire for Susie if she's now certain
that she can handle the responsibilities of motherhood -- but I'm going
to wait before making any pronouncements. Besides, we've already got
one custody battle brewing with the Greenes.
It doesn't look like the writers are willing quite just yet for
things to be hunky dory between Doug and his father, but even though his
story this week followed a pretty familiar flowchart, I liked that Ray
Ross, justifiably, got in the last word. Doug is self-aware enough to
remark on his problem of non-commitment, but what he has yet to really
realize is that part of the root of this problem is an unwillingness to
take responsibility for his own actions, as Ray rightly points out.
Doug was neglected as a kid, but as long as he deals with it by doing
nothing but ranting at his father, he's only hurting himself, not
helping.
In a fairly discreet sidebar moment, Carter's recent
ambition-related foibles were referred to when Carter lost it while
working on Raul -- once again, the ugly (and on this show,
all-too-common) spectre of self-doubt is raised, and Carter again
wonders if he's cut out to be a surgeon. Benton, and apparently the
show's writers, believe he is, so the path we'll see is Carter
eventually attaining a happy medium between his out-of-control ambition
and wallowing such as was seen this week.
I admit I was expecting potentional disappointment from this
episode due to what I alluded to earlier: the emphasis on the "event"
of the fire and its victims, which, while carrying with it the potential
for some sensational drama, could have also easily fallen under its own
weight. Luckily, it was propped up well, with even still more character
detail than most shows would bother to showcase in a normal week.
Some assorted comments:
-The mother who abandoned her children didn't come across to me
as an interesting enough case to be any more than padding
designed to polarize the viewer and contrast with the
paramedics' bravery. Hopefully the writers will lay off of the
neglectful parent pool for a while (especially when recurring
characters like Chloe Lewis and Ray Ross are present).
-Mark's recovery from his separation with Jenn appears to be
progressing; implied in his opening dialogue with Doug is that
he's been trying, with no success, to encounter other women.
Doug, astute as always in these matters, points out to him that
his problem is that he's still wearing a wedding ring. :)
-Speaking of recurring characters, not only did Shep and Chloe
return this week, but Nurse Lily (played by Lily Mariye) did
as well, and we even found out why we haven't seen much of her
lately: like Carol, her shifts have been cut. However, she
comments that she's turned to temp work as a side job; I
wonder if we'll see Carol try the same thing. Also present
this week: Randi, for the first time since Christmas.
-Despite the fine job done with the main characters and Shep and
Raul, I think my favorite scene, in terms of sheer emotion,
was Susan walking into the x-ray room to find Lydia privately
crying, temporarily unable to carry on. It was a powerful
moment for the show to focus on the frayed emotions of one of
its often-underused supporting characters, and the
normally-wisecracking Lydia Crawford was perfect in the scene.
What with her impending wedding to Al Grabarsky, it looks like
she's been getting more script attention lately, not a bad
thing at all.
-The scene with the ER staff and paramedics talking about Shep
and Raul (presumably in Doc Magoo's) was nice. I especially
appreciated the continuity attention in mentioning Shep's fear
of heights, which was alluded to when he rode the ferris wheel
with Carol months ago.
-Line of the week --
Doug: "Randi... you meet a guy for the first time, what do you
do?"
Randi: "Run a credit check."
--
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Scott Hollifield * sco...@cris.com * http://www.cris.com/~scotth/
Margaret Sallee
: E.R., Season 2, Episode 16, "The Healers"
: Production number #457216
:
: Just as snow and ice menaced the ER in last season's "Blizzard",
: and as water played a major theme in "Hell and High Water", this week's
: episode features another strong elemental theme: fire. And like the
: aforementioned episodes, this one was pretty much an "event" show
: custom made for sweeps month. Most of the on-going character stories
: remain in the background, deferring to the main plot -- but we got some
: decent medical drama, some pretty compelling emotional scenes, and some
: of the evolving characterization slipped through anyway. I call that a
: success.
Although I didn't really think about it until you pointed it out Scott, I
guess this was one of their big sweeps episodes. However, as opposed to
"Hell and High Water", I didn't feel as manipulated by "The Healers."
Perhaps in part because I've been staying away from the newsgroups
recently, and therefore the spoilers, I wasn't aware, as I had been with
HHW of the huge hype behind this episode, if there was any at all. I
guess what I'm trying to say is that this episode moved me more than any
episode ever has. I was prepared for Love's Labor Lost, after hearing
about it for months before seeing it. But I don't think anything really
prepared me for this.
I guess though, one part of me knew that something bad was going to
happen, as I started shaking at the beginning of the episode. My
roommate and I watched the episode together, and were both utterly
depressed at its conclusion. However, I really enjoyed the scene in the
restaurant where the staff is basically celebrating the life of Raul. I
know this isn't eloquent, but I wanted to post anyway, simply because I
didn't know a program could affect me so much.
Margaret
******************************************************
Margaret Sallee mwsa...@ucdavis.edu
meg...@uclink4.berkeley.edu
marg...@kyzak.dassin.org
******************************************************
Lissand
a row I have actually been able to see it and not just the responses.
For me this episode was the second most emotionally wrenching (Love's
Labor Lost being the most wrenching) and I agree with you - they could
have made it sappy but instead they really kept is simple and basic.
There was a lot shown in peoples' faces rather than said in words.
There were a few little things I noticed that I wanted to comment on.
> PLOT ONE: HEATING RAULAs you said, the "previously on ER" scene showing Raul tipped me off that
he would be the one who would die.
I think the most haunting thing about this was Raul's eyes. Especially
when the camera cut back and forth between his eyes and to Carter when he
was unable to perform the procedure.
For a moment I was really irritated by the way Shep was handling it but
then I realized that it was consistent with how the character Shep is.
He's got a single-minded focus, bordering on obsessive (I did this, it's
my fault) and he gets pretty primitive and basic in his emotions.
>
> PLOT TWO: ANOTHER MOTHERI also agree here. I had been expecting all along the when Chole would
return that there would be a big fight over custody. Yet, after that
little scene in the day care, I'm not so sure any more. Yet, that's what
I love about ER - nothing is that simple.
Chole may have tamed down her hair color but her bangs in her eyes are
downright irritating!
I'm glad they kept this part of the story small this week - there was too
much else going on.
>
> PLOT THREE: FATHER-SON NIGHTI was already strung out over the Raul thing but this segment also ripped
me apart.
Another nonverbal thing here that really impressed me. While Ross was
waiting for his father, the camera focused on his feet - he was shuffling
his feet. At that moment I could see Ross as little boy, waiting for his
father, struggling between hope and disappointment. That whole Ross
Waiting For Dad scene was masterful and also gut wrenching. Before that
scene I thought that Clooney was a good actor but rather limited - he did
charm and charisma as well as sweetness towards children well and that
was about it. This scene really expanded his range of acting skills
because he showed so much going on inside.
I also found it interesting that when Doug was going through his litany
of how he couldn't make a commitment that he explained why he worked in
the ER. Maybe I was dense before but I didn't see it. His
explanation was that in the ER he would work with a patient for a little
while and then they were gone. It was part of the same pattern.
I was wondering who they would cast as Doug's father and I'm quite
delighted that it is Farantino. They've set up a great dynamic there.
Now my big question. How are we all going to survive with no ER episode
next week? And how long will we have to suffer until we get another
dose? Please I hope we don't have to wait until the May sweeps!!!
William Kucharski
j...@u.washington.edu (James Meek) said the following:
>I liked that scene; people who were worried about Mark's ability to take
>charge should have no qualms by this point. I really appreciated that he
>didn't cut Susan much slack; she took a risk in not responding to her
>page, and lost. Although I certainly understand *why* she took that
>risk...
Actually, I thought this had kind of a neat orthogonality, as Mark's disregard
of his page (with near disastrous consequences for his career when Wild Willy
came onboard) occurred at almost precisely this point in LAST season...
--
| William Kucharski, contractor, Lucent Bell Labs | Opinions expressed herein
| Work Internet: kuch...@drmail.dr.att.com | are MINE alone, NOT those
| Fun Internet: kuch...@netcom.com Ham: N0OKQ | of Lucent Technologies.
| President, "Just the Ten of Us" Fan Club | "Dittos from Denver, CO"
John A. Kilpatrick
>I also
>half-expected a reference to Raul's recently revealed homosexuality, but
>the episode was completely silent on that. On the one hand, that could
>be due to the writers not wanting the topic to intrude on a traditional
>sentimental sweeps-month tearjerker, but there also was no real context
>for Raul's sexuality to have been addressed this week, so I'm pretty
>satisfied about that.
I was glad about the way they handled that. To me, the point was clear:
Raul was an gay EMT - empasis on the EMT. Being gay is a fundamental part
of ones makeup, yes, but it's by far not the most important thing. In a
situation like this, it should have been the last thing on everyones mind,
and it was.
--
**************John Andrew Kilpatrick*kilp...@cs.ucdavis.edu*******************
* "Tsuki ni kawatte...oshiokiyo!" | I do not speak for CS, UC Davis, or *
* Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon | anyone else. You have been warned. *
********************http://wwwcsif.cs.ucdavis.edu/~kilpatri/*******************
Ceon Ramon
Scott Hollifield <Sco...@cris.com> wrote:
>
>PLOT ONE: HEATING RAUL
Oh, *Scott*! You wretch, how dare you make me laugh?
>It's the end of their shift, but paramedics "Shep" Shepherd and Raul
>Melendez answer a call about a burning building anyway. When they
>arrive, people are milling out and explosions continue to rock the
>upper floors. When one of the women running out says that there are
>still children left inside, Shep is determined to go inside, even
>though rescue units are on the way and even though he and Raul don't
>have the appropriate fire gear.
OK; I've said this dozens of times and I'll say it again: I *don't*
*like* Shep and now I'm completely fed up with him. I know there are
people who excuse his blunders because he's well-meaning and has a good
heart. And sure, I'm willing to cut anyone some slack when they make a
mistake in judgment, it happens to all of us, it happens to the best of
us.
But when a person makes the same kind of mistake over and over and over I
have to think it's a character flaw and not just bad luck. Shep is too
damn impulsive and seemingly incapable of thinking things through to their
potential consequences. Everything he does with that impulsiveness leads
to damage and disaster. It's one thing to take risks with your own life
(although from what I know of firefighters they are not supposed to take
*foolish* risks); it's quite another when you have a partner and are
supposed to take some responsibility for the actions you initiate that put
the partner's life at risk as well.
Yes, I feel sorry for Shep. He feels bad, poor boy. This was a traumatic
event for him, and one from which he will carry scars the rest of his
life.
I feel sorrier for Raul.
>While performing an escharotomy with Benton on the severly-burned Raul,
>Carter finds that he's unable to perform the particularly unpleasant
>procedure (which apparently involves cutting through burned tissue to
>healthy tissue beneath), and excuses himself. Later, he tells Benton
>that he really wants to be a surgeon, "but that... I don't know if I
>can do that." Benton tries to reassure him that he can rise to the
>challenge, saying, "It doesn't get worse than that."
This was terrific camera work, with Benton saying quietly, "Focus,
Carter," and Carter continuing to make eye-contact with Raul. Benton was
looking at it as a necessary procedure involving certain skills, while
Carter couldn't stop himself from seeing it as doing something awful to a
living conscious being. And someone he knew, to boot.
It was good of Benton to let Carter know "It doesn't get worse than
that."
> Chloe returns to the hospital this week, although in a pair of
>pretty brief scenes that no doubt foreshadow future events. But in
>what way? Lots of people seem sure that Chloe is going to want to fight
>to regain custody of baby Susie, but I'm not so certain. Susan's fears
>that Chloe would steal Susie away turned out to be unfounded, and from
>my perspective, Chloe looked a bit more respectable than before
>(sporting also a new brunette hairdo).
Yes, what struck me most was how subdued she was, not the noisy, manic
Chloe of old.
>Of course, even if Chloe is a
>good girl now, that wouldn't necessarily prevent her from wanting Susie
>back -- it might even increase her desire for Susie if she's now certain
>that she can handle the responsibilities of motherhood -- but I'm going
>to wait before making any pronouncements. Besides, we've already got
>one custody battle brewing with the Greenes.
I'm hopeful that somehow she's grown up sufficiently to do what's in the
baby's best interest. However, that's asking for a lot of change in five
months.
>Some assorted comments:
>
> -The mother who abandoned her children didn't come across to me
> as an interesting enough case to be any more than padding
> designed to polarize the viewer and contrast with the
> paramedics' bravery.
I found her hysteria completely unconvincing, probably the worst acting
job I've ever seen on ER.
It was a powerful, enthralling show, with great pacing and delicacy in
including continuing story lines.
And your summaries are just the best, Scott. You're a treasure.
--Barbara
lisa dawn
>E.R., Season 2, Episode 16, "The Healers"
>Production number #457216
<Random snips throughout)
>PLOT THREE: FATHER-SON NIGHT
>His tasks covered by Mark, Doug heads out to meet his newly-reacquainted
>dad for a Bulls game, but true to form, Ray stands Doug up,
I could almost see the little boy in Clooney's anxious shifting around
and searching looks for his Dad outside the sports arena. This moment was
much more loaded than a typical no-show by a friend. Clooney's
performance relayed that painful parallelism. His confrontation of his
Dad in the hotel lounge was typical child-parent -- a dramatic explosion
(flinging the tickets on the table and name-calling) because he wants to
be cared about.
>While performing an escharotomy with Benton on the severly-burned Raul,
>Carter finds that he's unable to perform the particularly unpleasant
>procedure
When the pulled up the panel of padding to begin the procedure I could
almost see/smell the burns. And when *Benton* says it doesn't get any
worse than that ... you know it doesn't
lisa dawn
>E.R., Season 2, Episode 16, "The Healers"
>Production number #457216
<Random snips throughout)
>PLOT THREE: FATHER-SON NIGHT
>His tasks covered by Mark, Doug heads out to meet his newly-reacquainted
>dad for a Bulls game, but true to form, Ray stands Doug up,
I could almost see the little boy in Clooney's anxious shifting around
and searching looks for his Dad outside the sports arena. This moment was
much more loaded than a typical no-show by a friend. Clooney's
performance relayed that painful parallelism. His confrontation of his
Dad in the hotel lounge was typical child-parent -- a dramatic explosion
(flinging the tickets on the table and name-calling) because he wants to
be cared about.
>While performing an escharotomy with Benton on the severly-burned Raul,
>Carter finds that he's unable to perform the particularly unpleasant
>procedure
When the pulled up the panel of padding to begin the procedure I could
cut...@ll.mit.edu
>PLOT ONE: HEATING RAUL
>Raul's presence in the ER is attended by what seems to be most of the
>paramedics in Chicago, all weary but anxious.
> -The scene with the ER staff and paramedics talking about Shep
> and Raul (presumably in Doc Magoo's) was nice. I especially
I thought those were the fire(wo)men from the firehouse where Shep and
Raul work out of and not paramedics. If I'm not mistaken, Shep and
Raul were described as firemen also. Anybody else think this?
--
----------------------------------------
Mark C. Cutshaw - MIT Lincoln Laboratory
cut...@ll.mit.edu
----------------------------------------
Lisa Pavlov
>
> I thought those were the fire(wo)men from the firehouse where Shep and
> Raul work out of and not paramedics. If I'm not mistaken, Shep and
> Raul were described as firemen also. Anybody else think this?
Guys--Shep and Raul seem to be firefighters *and* paramedics (i.e.,
cross-trained). The people in the ER and the restaurant are from Shep
and Raul's station...whether they primarily function as firefighters or
medics isn't really important. They are station-mates and that's why
they were there. Many of them, incidently, do seem to function as
medics...I'm remembering particularly the medic female with the
shoulder length hair that always gives such rapid concise bullets (wish
I could give report that well).
Remember the show *Emergency!*. Johnny and Roy in that show were like
Shep and Raul. Cross-trained firefighters and paramedics who
functioned as medics out of a fire station.
Hope this clears things up...
I'm still bowled over by this episode!!
Lisa
--
******************************************************************
Lisa Pavlov <lhpa...@ix.netcom.com or lis...@aol.com>
Professional Health Planner and Volunteer EMT
ILMSPR Forever and A Day!!!!
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John Travolta
between Doug and Carol, however brief. At the beginning of the
episode, Doug comments that he is going to the Bulls game with
his father and once he walks away, someone (Mark, I believe) says
something to the effect of "Since when does Doug hang out with
his father?" and Carol has the answer. It seems that they've
been spending some time together and his dad is really trying,
she says. Later, when there's word that Shep was in the fire and
might be coming in hurt, Doug volunteers to be the one to tell
Carol. And even later, he asks where Carol is and when he's
informed that she is outside waiting for Shep, he runs outside
and meets the ambulance.
I really like that the writers incorporate some small scenes like
these to illustrate the history Doug and Carol share and the
concern they have for each other. They might not work as a
couple, but they make great friends.
--
--------------------------
| Shannon King |
| sk...@cs.smith.edu |
--------------------------
Barbara Pfieffer
>In article <4gjjkq$2...@spectator.cris.com>, Sco...@cris.com (Scott
>Hollifield) wrote:
>>E.R., Season 2, Episode 16, "The Healers"
>>Production number #457216
>>
>>PLOT ONE: HEATING RAUL
>As you say, it was a terrific episode for supporting characters, and
>certainly one of the most impressive episodes this season. I preferred it
>to "Hell and High Water," for example, which while good seemed much more
>formulaic. It certainly reinforced my conviction that lingering after
>receiving severe burns is definitely in my bottom ten "ways to die"
>list...
The line that really got to me was when Carol was going to take Raoul
to the burn unit and someone asked her if she was going to tell him
(that he would die). She replied, "He's a fire fighter. He already
knows."
>And, as always, thanks for the summary.
>--
>James B. Meek |"Vulgarity is not as destructive to an artist
>j...@u.washington.edu | as snobbery, and in the world of movies vulgar
> | strength has been a great redemptive force."
> | -- Pauline Kael
Barbara
*******************
bjpb...@mcs.net
*******************
Terrina Dickinson Laing
Margaret Sallee <ez04...@rocky.ucdavis.edu> wrote:
Scott Hollifield:
>: this one was pretty much an "event" show
>: custom made for sweeps month.
>Although I didn't really think about it until you pointed it out Scott, I
>guess this was one of their big sweeps episodes. However, as opposed to
>"Hell and High Water", I didn't feel as manipulated by "The Healers."
I agree too, Margaret. Yes it was a "sweeps" event, but like
you, I found "The Healers" to be far more honest than "Hell and
High Water". Even though we knew what was going to happen, I
still didn't feel manipulated. On the contrary.
>I guess what I'm trying to say is that this episode moved me more than any
>episode ever has. I was prepared for Love's Labor Lost, after hearing
>about it for months before seeing it. But I don't think anything really
>prepared me for this.
Ditto. I *don't* cry at television shows or movies, but I almost
had tears in my eyes at the end of this episode. I liked that
the writers did not pull punches.
>I really enjoyed the scene in the
>restaurant where the staff is basically celebrating the life of Raul.
Oh yes! That was beautifully done. And I'd like to add my
sincere congratulations to Julianna Margulies who was simply
outstanding this ep.
Terrina <--- who would rank this ep along with "Love's Labor
Lost" for sheer drama
--
==================================|=======================================
Terrina Dickinson Laing | Experiment-
ltdi...@acs.ucalgary.ca | And it will lead you to the light.
@)---8--- | -- Cole Porter
Monica J. Turk
> E.R., Season 2, Episode 16, "The Healers"
> have the appropriate fire gear. Raul follows him in. Their rescue
> efforts are generally successful, as the burn victims begin to be
> wheeled into ER, followed by Shep, who has some burns as well as some
> cracked ribs, but Raul isn't found yet. Shep repeatedly insists
> from his stretcher that "I thought he was right behind me", and
> eventually, Raul is brought in. He's badly burned, and the burn unit
> doctors don't expect him to live until morning. Shep, understandably,
Just a small addendum: Lydia is the first to realize that one of them
(Shep or Raul) was caught in the fire. Carol gets word, and proceeds to
ask every paramedic/firefighter "Did they find him?" and "Which one?" I
liked this bit, where the workplace becomes personal, but not in the
cliched way that often happens. In fact, the "one of us" treatment,
especially at Doc Magoos, was very nicely done I thought.
> bit. Still, as predictable as it was, it was handled pretty well -- I'm
> very glad that the writers didn't stoop to a melodramatic "will he or
> won't he live" dilemna, as Raul's mortality was prophecied relatively
> early in the show. Instead, we got lots of focus on the lives affected
I also like that the show ended before the inevitable death scene. I love
a show that knows what it does NOT need to do as well as what it does.
> Chloe returns to the hospital this week, although in a pair of
> pretty brief scenes that no doubt foreshadow future events. But in
> what way? Lots of people seem sure that Chloe is going to want to fight
> to regain custody of baby Susie, but I'm not so certain. Susan's fears
> that Chloe would steal Susie away turned out to be unfounded, and from
> my perspective, Chloe looked a bit more respectable than before
> (sporting also a new brunette hairdo). Of course, even if Chloe is a
> good girl now, that wouldn't necessarily prevent her from wanting Susie
> back -- it might even increase her desire for Susie if she's now certain
> that she can handle the responsibilities of motherhood -- but I'm going
> to wait before making any pronouncements. Besides, we've already got
> one custody battle brewing with the Greenes.
Here's my prediction: Chloe blocks the adoption, but doesn't want to take
little Susie herself, thereby completely screwing Susan over.
> -Despite the fine job done with the main characters and Shep and
> Raul, I think my favorite scene, in terms of sheer emotion,
> was Susan walking into the x-ray room to find Lydia privately
> crying, temporarily unable to carry on. It was a powerful
> moment for the show to focus on the frayed emotions of one of
> -Line of the week --
> Doug: "Randi... you meet a guy for the first time, what do you
> do?"
> Randi: "Run a credit check."
I loved that scene too, but my person line of the week for sheer emotion
was when they were wheeling Shep away, and Carol is on the way to see
Raul. Shep yells after her "I thought he was right behind me," for the
10th time and then this: "Tell him I didn't leave him." I thought that
showed a lot of loyalty, that Shep wanted to make sure Raul didn't feel
abandoned.
Monica J. Turk
(Lisa Pavlov ) wrote:
> Remember the show *Emergency!*. Johnny and Roy in that show were like
> Shep and Raul. Cross-trained firefighters and paramedics who
> functioned as medics out of a fire station.
Lisa, I'm so glad you brought this show up. I loved that show, and I was
starting to think it was a figment of my imagination. How come no one's
picked it up as a "classic," like Nick at Night? I'd love to see it
again, and given the resurgence of this kind of show, you'd think
rerunning it would be worthwhile.
MJT
Tom Bellucco
>
> In article <4gjjkq$2...@spectator.cris.com>, Sco...@cris.com (Scott
> Hollifield) wrote:
>
> >PLOT TWO: ANOTHER MOTHER
> >Susan...excuses ignoring
> >her beeper by saying her appointment was important, to which Mark
> >reproaches, "So's your job."
>
> I liked that scene; people who were worried about Mark's ability to take
> charge should have no qualms by this point. I really appreciated that he
> didn't cut Susan much slack; she took a risk in not responding to her
> page, and lost. Although I certainly understand *why* she took that
> risk...
>
I think they're tying a couple things together here -- Susan has been concerned
all along, and so is the social services dept (or whatever it is) that her
job/hours are too much for her to care for a baby herself. And Susan wants to
become Chief Resident, but is worried that having to take care of little Susie
might prohibit that. So, Mark's yelling at her and telling her that her job is
very important could make her start to think AGAIN that she can't handle little
Susie by herself. Then, viola! Chloe returns, not to be a pain in Susan's
ass, but maybe to RESCUE her!!!! Think about it! Maybe Susan and Chloe will
make-up and again share a home to take care of little Susie. Susan then can
get back to her job and become Chief Resident.
Just adding another twist....
Scott Hollifield
: Sco...@cris.com (Scott Hollifield) wrote:
: : PLOT ONE: HEATING RAUL
: Scott, Scott, Scott. After an emotionally draining episode, I tune into
: the newsgroup, find your summary here shortly after the show airs (for
: once--not your fault, but the servers were generous this evening), and it
: opens with a godawful but hilarious blackly humorous pun. This gets "line
: of the summary" honors.
Heh. To be frank, I debated whether to use it or not, but in the end, I
couldn't pass it up. Sorry if I offended anyone.
: I liked that scene; people who were worried about Mark's ability to take
: charge should have no qualms by this point. I really appreciated that he
: didn't cut Susan much slack; she took a risk in not responding to her
: page, and lost. Although I certainly understand *why* she took that
: risk...
Yup. I also liked this bit because it's a reminder that Susan's
teetering career is still a concern.
: As you say, Eldard's performance was excellent. The actor playing Raul
: (sorry, don't know the name offhand) also did a terrific job, conveying
: Raul's true heroism by being believably disingenuous and stoic.
I was sorry he didn't get more time (and also that circumstance prevented
him from being able to deliver a fully-fledged performance).
: I agree with you here, Scott--I had the same thoughts in Chloe and Susan's
: last scene. I wouldn't be surprised of Chloe gave Susan outright
: permission to adopt Susie. In fact, I'd appreciate it, because it'd be an
: unexpected change of pace, a positive grace note tying up that storyline.
That's exactly what I was getting at; although I guess I didn't word it
so specifcally subconsciously so as not to jinx it. :)
: As you say, it was a terrific episode for supporting characters, and
: certainly one of the most impressive episodes this season. I preferred it
: to "Hell and High Water," for example, which while good seemed much more
: formulaic.
I too liked this episode better -- and I really should have complained
more about H&HW when I reviewed that episode. Compared to a show like
this, H&HW's linear disaster-movie plot was fairly pedestrian. But of
course, while you're watching it, it's still ER -- so it's hard for me to
really bash any episode.
Scott Hollifield
: OK; I've said this dozens of times and I'll say it again: I *don't*
: *like* Shep and now I'm completely fed up with him. I know there are
: people who excuse his blunders because he's well-meaning and has a good
: heart. And sure, I'm willing to cut anyone some slack when they make a
: mistake in judgment, it happens to all of us, it happens to the best of
: us.
: But when a person makes the same kind of mistake over and over and over I
: have to think it's a character flaw and not just bad luck. Shep is too
: damn impulsive and seemingly incapable of thinking things through to their
: potential consequences. Everything he does with that impulsiveness leads
: to damage and disaster. It's one thing to take risks with your own life
: (although from what I know of firefighters they are not supposed to take
: *foolish* risks); it's quite another when you have a partner and are
: supposed to take some responsibility for the actions you initiate that put
: the partner's life at risk as well.
As crazy about you as I am, Barbara, I may have to disagree with you just a
little here. :)
True, Shep is impulsive. Yes, he often fails to think things through.
Certainly, these character traits influenced him to go into that building.
However -- I feel that in this instance, Shep did The Right Thing.
Had he not gone into that building when he did, the kids he and Shep
rescued might have died. Furthermore, their job is about risking their
lives. True, they are meant to have certain gear for such situations,
and exercise a certain protocol, but here, Shep -- and this goes for Raul
too -- had the chance to save potential lives. He took it. The fact
that it was his partner, who followd him in, that died, was an act of
capricious fate.
: I'm hopeful that somehow she's grown up sufficiently to do what's in the
: baby's best interest. However, that's asking for a lot of change in five
: months.
It sure is. But it's an interesting equation: (Our Dislike For
Chloe + Desire To See Susan Succeed) <> (Desire for Character Realism +
Desire To See Chloe Reform)?
: It was a powerful, enthralling show, with great pacing and delicacy in
: including continuing story lines.
: And your summaries are just the best, Scott. You're a treasure.
Aw... thanks very much, Barbara.
Scott Hollifield
Scott Hollifield (Sco...@cris.com) wrote: :
: Shep, understandably, takes this news poorly -- he blames himself for
: leading Shep into the burning building -- and is initially reluctant to
: see Shep.
Needless to say, I meant to type "Raul" here instead of "Shep".
: its often-underused supporting characters, and the
: normally-wisecracking Lydia Crawford was perfect in the scene.
: of heights, which was alluded to when he rode the ferris wheel
: with Carol months ago.
It's Ellen Crawford, who plays Nurse Lydia Wright.
D L Garnel
writes:
>>PLOT THREE: FATHER-SON NIGHT
>>His tasks covered by Mark, Doug heads out to meet his
newly-reacquainted
>>dad for a Bulls game, but true to form, Ray stands Doug up,
>
>I could almost see the little boy in Clooney's anxious shifting around
>and searching looks for his Dad outside the sports arena
Weird! I was watching it with a couple of people, and one of them
said, at that scene, "I feel bad for the little boy in him." When you
said something about that "little boy" I was like, "Zap Zowie!"
>>While performing an escharotomy with Benton on the severly-burned
>>Raul,
>>Carter finds that he's unable to perform the particularly unpleasant
>>procedure
>
>When the pulled up the panel of padding to begin the procedure I could
>almost see/smell the burns.
Also, did you hear the slurping sound it made when they pulled the
sheet away? That made me sort of dizzy.
Mary Emily Cummins
Thanks,
Emily
--
M. Emily Cummins, delegate to the D.C. Miscing Convention
George Washington University | BA '95, Wake Forest University
Political Science Department | "Dear Old Wake Forest,
email: cum...@gwis2.circ.gwu.edu | Thine is a Noble Name!"
Kate Snedeker
cross trained as firefighters-this is a commom occurence in big cities. NYC
is considering doing this when and if they merge NYCEMS and NYCFD. Some
of the people were definately medics because we've seen them in previous
episodes come in with patients. They were turnout (fireman's) coats for
protection and possibly warmth in winter. All ambulances have the coats
and helmets for use in sketchy situations or car crash scenes.
Ceon Ramon
Mary Emily Cummins <cum...@gwis2.circ.gwu.edu> wrote:
>What was the explanation of what Chloe had been doing for five months?
No explanation has yet been offered.
JCL...@nervm.nerdc.ufl.edu
mt...@reed.edu (Monica J. Turk) writes:
>In article <4gjjkq$2...@spectator.cris.com>, Sco...@cris.com (Scott
>Hollifield) wrote:
>
>
>was when they were wheeling Shep away, and Carol is on the way to see
>Raul. Shep yells after her "I thought he was right behind me," for the
>10th time and then this: "Tell him I didn't leave him." I thought that
>showed a lot of loyalty, that Shep wanted to make sure Raul didn't feel
>abandoned.
and fear in his voice was enough to make one lose a grip. I have seen
Ron Eldard in a few other tv programs before, but this is wher he belongs.
Definitely an emmy winning episode!
Jessica C.
Gainesville FL
Douglas Adams
> I loved that scene too, but my person line of the week for sheer emotion
> was when they were wheeling Shep away, and Carol is on the way to see
> Raul. Shep yells after her "I thought he was right behind me," for the
> 10th time and then this: "Tell him I didn't leave him." I thought that
> showed a lot of loyalty, that Shep wanted to make sure Raul didn't feel
> abandoned.
Interesting. I haven't seen anyone mention my take on that scene. I got the
immediate idea that maybe Shep *did* leave him. He doesn't seem like the
kind of person to flee due to cowardice, so I discarded that thought, but his
protests kept making me think "Why does he feel so guilty?"
Could it be that he forgot about his partner in his haste to get the kids
out?
Doug Adams
Douglas Adams
>
> While reading article <jbm-220296...@cs115-2.u.washington.edu>, I noticed that
> j...@u.washington.edu (James Meek) said the following:
> >charge should have no qualms by this point. I really appreciated that he
> >didn't cut Susan much slack; she took a risk in not responding to her
> >page, and lost. Although I certainly understand *why* she took that
> >risk...
>
> of his page (with near disastrous consequences for his career when Wild Willy
> came onboard) occurred at almost precisely this point in LAST season...
Again, I seem to be interpreting things differently. I didn't get that Mark
deliberately disregarded his page. He was playing video games and the beeping got lost
in the noise (at least that's how *I* saw it).
On the Other hand, Susan recognized the page and went on with the interview. She even
disregarded a "911" page, which I assume is a code for a dire emergency with a
numerical pager (we use text/e-mail pagers, so can send more detailed info).
Doug Adams
Ami J Claxton
> Monica J. Turk wrote:
> > Shep yells after her "I thought he was right behind me," for the
> > 10th time and then this: "Tell him I didn't leave him." I thought that
> > showed a lot of loyalty, that Shep wanted to make sure Raul didn't feel
> > abandoned.
>
> Interesting. I haven't seen anyone mention my take on that scene. I got the
> immediate idea that maybe Shep *did* leave him. He doesn't seem like the
> kind of person to flee due to cowardice, so I discarded that thought, but his
> protests kept making me think "Why does he feel so guilty?"
>
> Could it be that he forgot about his partner in his haste to get the kids
> out?
No, I don't think that he did. My immediate (and continuing) impression
is that Shep felt incredibly guilty because he got out relatively
unscathed, while Raul was severly hurt - and it was Shep's idea to go
in. That's why it was so important to Shep that Raul knew that he (Shep)
did not leave him there to die; that he was looking out for him. I can't
imagine that Shep forgot about his partner in his haste to get the kids
out, despite being impulsive, he doesn't seem like the kind of guy to
forget something so incredibly important.
I imagine that fire-fighters work in pairs and that they stick together
and help each out other out, much like police partners. In light of
Raul's massive injuries, Shep wanted to at least let Raul know that he
tried to help him, that he had not abandoned him.
This was one of the very best episodes of ER yet....incredibly moving.
Ami Claxton
cla...@epivax.epi.umn.edu
Dean C. Harris
>: I agree with you here, Scott--I had the same thoughts in Chloe and Susan's
>: last scene. I wouldn't be surprised of Chloe gave Susan outright
>: permission to adopt Susie. In fact, I'd appreciate it, because it'd be an
>: unexpected change of pace, a positive grace note tying up that storyline.
>
>That's exactly what I was getting at; although I guess I didn't word it
>so specifcally subconsciously so as not to jinx it. :)
I think they'll drop it quickly. What potential is there if Susan
adopts the baby? All to familiar juggling the baby and work deal. I
think Chloe will take her and that will give Susan's character more
latitude.
>I too liked this episode better -- and I really should have complained
>more about H&HW when I reviewed that episode. Compared to a show like
>this, H&HW's linear disaster-movie plot was fairly pedestrian. But of
>course, while you're watching it, it's still ER -- so it's hard for me to
>really bash any episode.
Hmm...odd that many really liked this episode. I found it uneven and
pretty predictable. Sheps partner dying was still a tear jerker.
Do you know if the director of this episode has directed many other ER
episodes...the direction seemed over artsy and stylistic at
times...like the two slow pull back shots ending two acts with Doug
and Carol center screen. Seemed very cheesy to me.
Which episode is "LLL"? I FF after the lead-in intro and often miss
the titles.
It's very hard to have a favorite episode of ER since it depends on
which charcters they are focusing on at the time. And each are good
characters worth liking...though Doug is becoming way to
pathetic/redundant.
Do you have a synopsis of all the episodes??? I would _love_ to get
them as I didn't really start watching until half way through 1st
season.
TIA
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
You must work out your mind *and* your body-for without both each is lacking.
Former member of the Cancer Impaired.
Current member of Monoball Association of America. :-)
Clean TWO YEARS and going like the Energizer Bunny.
Dean C. Harris
dch...@li.net
75662...@compuserve.com
/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
Scott Hollifield
On Sun, 25 Feb 1996, Dean C. Harris wrote:
> I think they'll drop it quickly. What potential is there if Susan
> adopts the baby? All to familiar juggling the baby and work deal. I
> think Chloe will take her and that will give Susan's character more
> latitude.
I think maybe you're underestimating the show's writing. What do you
mean by "what potential"? Susan will likely find a way to reconcile her
career and ostensible motherhood, if she keeps the baby. And then she'll
move on to other storylines. There's nothing that says she has to
grapple with Chloe and little Susie forever.
> Hmm...odd that many really liked this episode. I found it uneven and
> pretty predictable. Sheps partner dying was still a tear jerker.
I myself called it predictable. But I'd rather have it the way it was --
where you knew how it would end, and the power of the episode is in the
emotions of the characters and how they'll get to that end -- than some
silly chain-jerking plot-twisting story where the thrust of it is "who'll
die" or "will he make it".
> Do you know if the director of this episode has directed many other ER
> episodes...the direction seemed over artsy and stylistic at
> times...like the two slow pull back shots ending two acts with Doug
> and Carol center screen. Seemed very cheesy to me.
The director was Mimi Leder, a quite highly acclaimed TV director. She
made a name for herself on China Beach and has directed some of ER's most
well-received episodes. Personally, I like artsy and stylistic when it's
appropriate; and I didn't really see anything "cheesy" about the show's
camera work.
> Which episode is "LLL"? I FF after the lead-in intro and often miss
> the titles.
"LLL" is "Love's Labor Lost" -- last season's episode which focused
almost entirely on Mark Greene's ultimately failed efforts to save the
life of new mother Jodi O'Brien.
> It's very hard to have a favorite episode of ER since it depends on
> which charcters they are focusing on at the time.
I very much agree with this, and it's one reason I don't feel inclined to
participate in favorite episode polls. The "event" shows like "The
Healers" and LLL tend to unfairly stick out in people's minds because
they're so sensationalistic and singular. Equally important elements of
drama such as the death of Peter Benton's mother sometimes tend to fall
by the wayside.
> And each are good characters worth liking...though Doug is becoming way to
> pathetic/redundant.
I don't agree with this quite yet -- although I might if his situation is
still unchanged in a few months. Indeed, despite his hopeful but doomed
relationship with Diane Leeds last season, what we're seeing now is
really Doug's first attempt to truly confront the actual demons in his
life, and take on that inability to commit head-on.
> Do you have a synopsis of all the episodes??? I would _love_ to get
> them as I didn't really start watching until half way through 1st
> season.
Unfortunately, that's about when I started doing my summary/reviews. The
first one is from 1/22/95; they're all available on my home page at
http://www.cris.com/~scotth.
--
Ceon Ramon
Scott Hollifield <Sco...@cris.com> wrote:
>Barbara Hlavin (ce...@u.washington.edu) wrote:
>: OK; I've said this dozens of times and I'll say it again: I *don't*
>: *like* Shep
[blah blah blah]
>As crazy about you as I am, Barbara, I may have to disagree with you just a
>little here. :)
And as much as I adore you, Ace, (maybe the rest of you better turn your
heads) I think we're always going to disagree on this one. To be
perfectly Frank (although I'm really a Celt), my distaste for Shep puzzles
even me a little. I mean, he's Honest and Sincere and Generous and
Honorable and Good-hearted and He Always Means Well. I hardly ever take
an instantaneous and apparently irrational dislike to a person, yet there
is something about Shep that I feel in my bones is a disaster waiting to
happen. ( Although it's difficult to think of anything that could be worse
than this.) Maybe this is a tribute to the actor -- he gives the
character of Shep some quality that I find a little squirrely.
>True, Shep is impulsive. Yes, he often fails to think things through.
>Certainly, these character traits influenced him to go into that building.
>
>However -- I feel that in this instance, Shep did The Right Thing.
I will say this, Scott: I don't feel comfortable second-guessing about
that decision. Raul himself could have been more decisive and forceful;
he could have physically restrained Shep and told him, "The firetrucks
will be here in 90 seconds and I will not allow you to rush into that
exploding building without the appropriate gear."
>Had he not gone into that building when he did, the kids he and Shep
>rescued might have died. Furthermore, their job is about risking their
>lives. True, they are meant to have certain gear for such situations,
>and exercise a certain protocol, but here, Shep -- and this goes for Raul
>too -- had the chance to save potential lives. He took it. The fact
>that it was his partner, who followd him in, that died, was an act of
>capricious fate.
Mmmm. Well, that's certainly a legitimate way to look at it. I'm just
not so sure as you that it was the right thing to do.
On a lighter note, I watched the Screen Actors Guild award show last
night, and was delighted to see Anthony Edwards get the best actor award
for a tv drama series, and the entire ER cast get the award for best
ensemble. (The only thing that ticked me off about this category was that
Homicide: Life on the Streets wasn't even nominated. Doesn't _anybody_
watch that great show?)
When the cast went up to accept their awards I got a real kick out of
watching Edwards rounding them up like a sheep dog. (beckoning finger)
"C'mon, c'mon, c'mon; this way!"
--Barbara
Monica J. Turk
> Monica J. Turk wrote:
> > I loved that scene too, but my person line of the week for sheer emotion
> > was when they were wheeling Shep away, and Carol is on the way to see
> > Raul. Shep yells after her "I thought he was right behind me," for the
> > 10th time and then this: "Tell him I didn't leave him." I thought that
> > showed a lot of loyalty, that Shep wanted to make sure Raul didn't feel
> > abandoned.
>
> Interesting. I haven't seen anyone mention my take on that scene. I got the
> immediate idea that maybe Shep *did* leave him. He doesn't seem like the
> kind of person to flee due to cowardice, so I discarded that thought, but his
> protests kept making me think "Why does he feel so guilty?"
>
> Could it be that he forgot about his partner in his haste to get the kids
> out?
>
> Doug Adams
As I understood it, Shep fell through the floor that collapsed, so that
even if Raul was "right behind him", he couldn't follow Shep.
Pam.Shumpert
weekly updates to rec.arts.tv. I know that the group
alt.tv.er exists, but a lot of us can't access it, so
it means a lot when you post the updates here. This
week's episode was very touching without beating you
over the head with it (of course, I'm one of those
people who tear up over sentimental commercials, so
I'm not a very accurate barometer of sentimentality!)
Thanks again, Scott, for your diligence.
Pam Shumpert
--
Pam Shumpert
AT&T Global Information Solutions
3325 Platt Springs Road
West Columbia, SC 29169
Phone: (803) 939-6502
E-mail: pam.sh...@columbiasc.attgis.com
Scott Hollifield
: Scott Hollifield <Sco...@cris.com> wrote:
: >As crazy about you as I am, Barbara, I may have to disagree with you just a
: >little here. :)
: And as much as I adore you, Ace, (maybe the rest of you better turn your
: heads)...
...and cough?
: I think we're always going to disagree on this one. To be
: perfectly Frank (although I'm really a Celt), my distaste for Shep puzzles
: even me a little. I mean, he's Honest and Sincere and Generous and
: Honorable and Good-hearted and He Always Means Well. I hardly ever take
: an instantaneous and apparently irrational dislike to a person, yet there
: is something about Shep that I feel in my bones is a disaster waiting to
: happen. ( Although it's difficult to think of anything that could be worse
: than this.) Maybe this is a tribute to the actor -- he gives the
: character of Shep some quality that I find a little squirrely.
Sounds like that means that Shep is your Kerry Weaver or Harper Tracey.
: I will say this, Scott: I don't feel comfortable second-guessing about
: that decision. Raul himself could have been more decisive and forceful;
: he could have physically restrained Shep and told him, "The firetrucks
: will be here in 90 seconds and I will not allow you to rush into that
: exploding building without the appropriate gear."
True. See, that's an example of why I think Shep's decision to charge in
there wasn't typical Shep-goofiness, it was borne of something which Shep
must have been instilled with by the work he does -- because even the
more level-headed Raul had a little of that stuff, in not stopping Shep
and in going in himself.
: Mmmm. Well, that's certainly a legitimate way to look at it. I'm just
: not so sure as you that it was the right thing to do.
To be honest, I'm not 100% confident with my position either. As someone
else pointed out, it was also luck that Shep's action didn't doom both
him and Raul -- and all those kids.
: On a lighter note, I watched the Screen Actors Guild award show last
: night, and was delighted to see Anthony Edwards get the best actor award
: for a tv drama series, and the entire ER cast get the award for best
: ensemble. (The only thing that ticked me off about this category was that
: Homicide: Life on the Streets wasn't even nominated. Doesn't _anybody_
: watch that great show?)
Me!
BCFD36
can also say that were I Shep or Raul I probably would have gone in too.
One of our Captains said that when responding to a call, it is not OUR
emergency that we are responding to. It is someone else's. Our number one
priority is SAFETY, ours first then everyone else's.
Shep broke every rule there was to break, except going in without a
partner. He had no water, no air, no hood, no mask, no one knew where they
were going, no radio, no back up, and he didn't know where his partner was
after the collapse. Had he at least known that Raul was missing before he
exited the building with the kid, he wouldn't have broken that rule.
I would not want to partner with Shep. He is brave, heroic, and caring
and would get me hurt or killed. But with kids involved, the rules often
go out the window... and people die.
David Scruggs BCFD #36
GTE Govt Systems Boulder Creek Fire Dept
Mtn View CA Boulder Creek Ca
Ceon Ramon
Scott Hollifield <Sco...@cris.com> wrote:
[Barbara]
>: I think we're always going to disagree on this one. To be
>: perfectly Frank (although I'm really a Celt), my distaste for Shep puzzles
>: even me a little. I mean, he's Honest and Sincere and Generous and
>: Honorable and Good-hearted and He Always Means Well. I hardly ever take
>: an instantaneous and apparently irrational dislike to a person, yet there
>: is something about Shep that I feel in my bones is a disaster waiting to
>: happen. ( Although it's difficult to think of anything that could be worse
>: than this.) Maybe this is a tribute to the actor -- he gives the
>: character of Shep some quality that I find a little squirrely.
>
>Sounds like that means that Shep is your Kerry Weaver or Harper Tracey.
Hey! :-)
Here are reasons I _don't_ give for disliking Shep:
-I confuse a part he had in another show with the one he plays in ER
-I find him ugly and/or ridicule his appearance
-I'm jealous of the relationship his character has with another character
on the show;
-or, I feel he's not good enough for the character
-I disapprove of his sex life
I didn't say I had _no_ evidence for finding Shep flaky and disturbing,
and I am prepared to vigorously dispute any argument that the reasons I do
have are trivial or irrelevant.
Shep is I think a much darker character than anyone is prepared to
acknowledge at this point.
[SAG awards]
>: (The only thing that ticked me off about this category was that
>: Homicide: Life on the Streets wasn't even nominated. Doesn't _anybody_
>: watch that great show?)
>
>Me!
But of course!
--Barbara
Gordon Edwards
Emergency! is on WGN a couple of times a day. I think 11am and 7pm EST.
--
Gordon Edwards, N4VPH
NCR Retail Products and Systems Atlanta
gordon....@atlantaga.ncr.com
M. M. McCormick
>On a lighter note, I watched the Screen Actors Guild award show last
>night, and was delighted to see Anthony Edwards get the best actor
award
>for a tv drama series, and the entire ER cast get the award for best
>Homicide: Life on the Streets wasn't even nominated. Doesn't _anybody_
>watch that great show?)
I agree with you, as will several others. See alt.tv.homicide.
--
m3
Mary Margaret McCormick
M-Cubed Consulting
m...@qnet.com
Kim Helliwell
: Barbara Hlavin (ce...@u.washington.edu) wrote:
: : OK; I've said this dozens of times and I'll say it again: I *don't*
: : people who excuse his blunders because he's well-meaning and has a good
: : heart. And sure, I'm willing to cut anyone some slack when they make a
: : mistake in judgment, it happens to all of us, it happens to the best of
: : us.
: : But when a person makes the same kind of mistake over and over and over I
: : have to think it's a character flaw and not just bad luck. Shep is too
: : damn impulsive and seemingly incapable of thinking things through to their
: : potential consequences. Everything he does with that impulsiveness leads
: : to damage and disaster. It's one thing to take risks with your own life
: : (although from what I know of firefighters they are not supposed to take
: : *foolish* risks); it's quite another when you have a partner and are
: : supposed to take some responsibility for the actions you initiate that put
: : the partner's life at risk as well.
: As crazy about you as I am, Barbara, I may have to disagree with you just a
: little here. :)
: True, Shep is impulsive. Yes, he often fails to think things through.
: Certainly, these character traits influenced him to go into that building.
: However -- I feel that in this instance, Shep did The Right Thing.
Let me second this. And I also want to ask, what is wrong with being
impulsive, anyway? As a father of a son with ADD, I can attest that
impulsivity (one of the defining characteristics of ADD) can be both
maddening and endearing.
Impulsivity is a characteristic of Shep; that probably will not change.
Yeah, it's maddening when it leads to painful scenes like the one with
Maliq. But it's awesome when it leads to saving those children.
As for Shep's saying over and over again that he was sorry: look, he's
losing his best friend, and he's an emotional guy, and he's up against
a very stressful set of circumstances. Do you expect him to "keep a
stiff upper lip? Not me!
Barbara, you must not know anyone with ADD; if you did, you might be
more charitable about this.
: --
: ------------------------------------------------------------------------
: Scott Hollifield * sco...@cris.com * http://www.cris.com/~scotth/
--
"Never let work interfere with your reasons for working."
Kim Helliwell
docstud
Rauol does not have a choice to go in after Shep. In my more sacastic
moments, I call Raoul a fool. In my more sad moments, I simply cry for
him and his sense of heroism and commitment to a partner. However,
Shep is crying about it and Raoul is either being cremated or planted.
In some ways, I am annoyed that Raoul went in after him - in other
ways, he had no choice - I guess. I am sad that it is a gay latino who
is no longer on the show.
On 23 Feb 1996, Ceon Ramon wrote:
> In article <4gjjkq$2...@spectator.cris.com>,
> Scott Hollifield <Sco...@cris.com> wrote:
> >
> >PLOT ONE: HEATING RAUL
>
> Oh, *Scott*! You wretch, how dare you make me laugh?
>
> >It's the end of their shift, but paramedics "Shep" Shepherd and Raul
> >Melendez answer a call about a burning building anyway. When they
> >arrive, people are milling out and explosions continue to rock the
> >upper floors. When one of the women running out says that there are
> >still children left inside, Shep is determined to go inside, even
> >though rescue units are on the way and even though he and Raul don't
> >have the appropriate fire gear.
>
> OK; I've said this dozens of times and I'll say it again: I *don't*
> *like* Shep and now I'm completely fed up with him. I know there are
> people who excuse his blunders because he's well-meaning and has a good
> heart. And sure, I'm willing to cut anyone some slack when they make a
> mistake in judgment, it happens to all of us, it happens to the best of
> us.
>
> But when a person makes the same kind of mistake over and over and over I
> have to think it's a character flaw and not just bad luck. Shep is too
> damn impulsive and seemingly incapable of thinking things through to their
> potential consequences. Everything he does with that impulsiveness leads
> to damage and disaster. It's one thing to take risks with your own life
> (although from what I know of firefighters they are not supposed to take
> *foolish* risks); it's quite another when you have a partner and are
> supposed to take some responsibility for the actions you initiate that put
> the partner's life at risk as well.
>
> Yes, I feel sorry for Shep. He feels bad, poor boy. This was a traumatic
> event for him, and one from which he will carry scars the rest of his
> life.
>
> I feel sorrier for Raul.
>
> >While performing an escharotomy with Benton on the severly-burned Raul,
> >Carter finds that he's unable to perform the particularly unpleasant
> >procedure (which apparently involves cutting through burned tissue to
> >healthy tissue beneath), and excuses himself. Later, he tells Benton
> >that he really wants to be a surgeon, "but that... I don't know if I
> >can do that." Benton tries to reassure him that he can rise to the
> >challenge, saying, "It doesn't get worse than that."
>
> This was terrific camera work, with Benton saying quietly, "Focus,
> Carter," and Carter continuing to make eye-contact with Raul. Benton was
> looking at it as a necessary procedure involving certain skills, while
> Carter couldn't stop himself from seeing it as doing something awful to a
> living conscious being. And someone he knew, to boot.
>
> It was good of Benton to let Carter know "It doesn't get worse than
> that."
>
> > Chloe returns to the hospital this week, although in a pair of
> >pretty brief scenes that no doubt foreshadow future events. But in
> >what way? Lots of people seem sure that Chloe is going to want to fight
> >to regain custody of baby Susie, but I'm not so certain. Susan's fears
> >that Chloe would steal Susie away turned out to be unfounded, and from
> >my perspective, Chloe looked a bit more respectable than before
> >(sporting also a new brunette hairdo).
>
> Yes, what struck me most was how subdued she was, not the noisy, manic
> Chloe of old.
>
> >Of course, even if Chloe is a
> >good girl now, that wouldn't necessarily prevent her from wanting Susie
> >back -- it might even increase her desire for Susie if she's now certain
> >that she can handle the responsibilities of motherhood -- but I'm going
> >to wait before making any pronouncements. Besides, we've already got
> >one custody battle brewing with the Greenes.
>
> I'm hopeful that somehow she's grown up sufficiently to do what's in the
> baby's best interest. However, that's asking for a lot of change in five
> months.
>
> >Some assorted comments:
> >
> > -The mother who abandoned her children didn't come across to me
> > as an interesting enough case to be any more than padding
> > designed to polarize the viewer and contrast with the
> > paramedics' bravery.
>
> I found her hysteria completely unconvincing, probably the worst acting
> job I've ever seen on ER.
>
> It was a powerful, enthralling show, with great pacing and delicacy in
> including continuing story lines.
>
> And your summaries are just the best, Scott. You're a treasure.
>
> --Barbara
>
>
>
Jael McHenry
: I loved that scene too, but my person line of the week for sheer emotion
: was when they were wheeling Shep away, and Carol is on the way to see
: Raul. Shep yells after her "I thought he was right behind me," for the
: 10th time and then this: "Tell him I didn't leave him." I thought that
: showed a lot of loyalty, that Shep wanted to make sure Raul didn't feel
: abandoned.
But did anyone notice that Carol, in fact, did NOT tell Raul that Shep
said this, even though he told her to about a million times?
jael
--
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
"I was raised to be charming, not sincere."
-- Cinderella's Prince, "Into the Woods"
Don Weinman
>
> somebody, my system forgot who, said...
>
> : I loved that scene too, but my person line of the week for sheer emotion
> : was when they were wheeling Shep away, and Carol is on the way to see
> : Raul. Shep yells after her "I thought he was right behind me," for the
> : 10th time and then this: "Tell him I didn't leave him." I thought that
> : showed a lot of loyalty, that Shep wanted to make sure Raul didn't feel
> : abandoned.
>
> But did anyone notice that Carol, in fact, did NOT tell Raul that Shep
> said this, even though he told her to about a million times?
>
> jael
<Raising hand...>
I noticed it! And thought at the time that it was not right of her to ignore it.
DPW
Nancy Dooley
>From: jmch...@emerald.tufts.edu (Jael McHenry)
>Subject: Re: ER: "The Healers" Summary/Review
>Date: 27 Feb 1996 12:17:14 -0500
>But did anyone notice that Carol, in fact, did NOT tell Raul that Shep
>said this, even though he told her to about a million times?
>jael
>--
Maybe she did tell him, but the viewers didn't see it.
Nancy Dooley
"Feast, and your halls are crowded; Fast, and the world goes by."
Ella Wheeler Wilcox, Solitude.
Ceon Ramon
Kim Helliwell <k...@nntp.cadence.com> wrote:
>: : But when a person makes the same kind of mistake over and over and over I
>: : have to think it's a character flaw and not just bad luck. Shep is too
>: : damn impulsive and seemingly incapable of thinking things through to their
>: : potential consequences. Everything he does with that impulsiveness leads
>: : to damage and disaster. It's one thing to take risks with your own life
>: : (although from what I know of firefighters they are not supposed to take
>: : *foolish* risks); it's quite another when you have a partner and are
>: : supposed to take some responsibility for the actions you initiate that put
>: : the partner's life at risk as well.
>
[Scott]
>: As crazy about you as I am, Barbara, I may have to disagree with you just a
>: little here. :)
>
>: True, Shep is impulsive. Yes, he often fails to think things through.
>: Certainly, these character traits influenced him to go into that building.
>
>: However -- I feel that in this instance, Shep did The Right Thing.
>Let me second this. And I also want to ask, what is wrong with being
>impulsive, anyway? As a father of a son with ADD, I can attest that
>impulsivity (one of the defining characteristics of ADD) can be both
>maddening and endearing.
It's not Shep's impulsiveness per se that bothers me. It's the damage he
causes when he acts without thinking things through. I find nothing
endearing about knocking a big hole in someone's roof in the middle of
winter.
>Barbara, you must not know anyone with ADD; if you did, you might be
>more charitable about this.
Charity is indeed a good quality. It's nice to use when when interpreting
other people's posts, too. I never raised the subject of ADD nor was I
addressing the subject of ADD.
I certainly neither intended nor made derogatory comments about people
with ADD in general or your son in particular, and I'm sorry if you took
it that way.
--Barbara
Dave Gavin
|> In article <mturk-23029...@10.0.2.15>,
|> >In article <4gl4jv$p...@ixnews3.ix.netcom.com>, lhpa...@ix.netcom.com
|> >(Lisa Pavlov ) wrote:
|> >
|> >> Remember the show *Emergency!*. Johnny and Roy in that show were like
|> >> Shep and Raul. Cross-trained firefighters and paramedics who
|> >> functioned as medics out of a fire station.
|> >
|> >Lisa, I'm so glad you brought this show up. I loved that show, and I was
|> >starting to think it was a figment of my imagination. How come no one's
|> >picked it up as a "classic," like Nick at Night? I'd love to see it
|> >again, and given the resurgence of this kind of show, you'd think
|> >rerunning it would be worthwhile.
|> >
It is being re-run on WWOR out of Seacaucus NJ. Which many cable stations
carry....
Dave
Matt Ciarelli
>What was the explanation of what Chloe had been doing for five months?
>
>Emily
>
>
>--
>
>M. Emily Cummins, delegate to the D.C. Miscing Convention
>
>George Washington University | BA '95, Wake Forest University
>Political Science Department | "Dear Old Wake Forest,
>email: cum...@gwis2.circ.gwu.edu | Thine is a Noble Name!"
>
We don't have that information yet. (and I didn't want to know, anyway, since I
really couldn't have cared less.... :) ) All we know is that she is back, pro-
bably to cause more trouble for Susan, as if she needs it. We'll see, I guess.
Matt Ciarelli
TW...@grove.iup.edu
docstud
board. IT occured to me before reading this post that Shep could or
should be brought to task on this issue. Granted, I want to blame
someone for Raul's death and since he is dead, I can't blame him -
smile. I really hope Shep has some recriminations around this. A good
EMT is one who is alive.
Andrea Desin
>
> What was the explanation of what Chloe had been doing for five months?
Didn't she supposedly take off with some woman she barely knew to travel
around and sell stuff at flea markets?? AD
Jonathan Adair
Greg Zywicki <gzyw...@cmsa.gmr.com> wrote:
>In article <mturk-23029...@10.0.2.15>,
> mt...@reed.edu (Monica J. Turk) wrote:
>>In article <4gl4jv$p...@ixnews3.ix.netcom.com>, lhpa...@ix.netcom.com
>>(Lisa Pavlov ) wrote:
>>
>>> Remember the show *Emergency!*. Johnny and Roy in that show were like
>>> Shep and Raul. Cross-trained firefighters and paramedics who
>>> functioned as medics out of a fire station.
>>
>>Lisa, I'm so glad you brought this show up. I loved that show, and I was
>>starting to think it was a figment of my imagination. How come no one's
>>picked it up as a "classic," like Nick at Night? I'd love to see it
>>again, and given the resurgence of this kind of show, you'd think
>>rerunning it would be worthwhile.
It is currently running on WOR (New York semi-superstation) 6-7pm Eastern.
--
Jonathan E. Adair ad...@csee.usf.edu http://marathon.csee.usf.edu/adair/
PGP Key 617E4D49 Fingerprint 12 54 48 F3 EA B4 E7 9C F9 85 CD F5 17 60 B3 76
Don't settle for the lesser of two evils. Get info on the Libertarian Party.
Call: 1-800-682-1776 - E-mail: LP...@digex.net - Browse: http://www.lp.org/lp/
Allen J. Friedman
: Another point of clarification. Do EMTs/FF paramedics ahve review
: should be brought to task on this issue. Granted, I want to blame
: someone for Raul's death and since he is dead, I can't blame him -
: smile. I really hope Shep has some recriminations around this. A good
: EMT is one who is alive.
That's a really strange attitude for someone who rides to work in a truck
that says "rescue" on the side.
What about the victim? Shouldn't that line be "a good EMT is one keeps the
victim alive?"
Shep didn't kill anybody. Raul died because a floor collapsed while he
and his partner were RESCUING three children from a burning building.
Sometimes people die doing what they are supposed to do, and that is a
tragedy.
This talk about recriminations and blame is demeaning to what I have
always considered a noble calling.
Allen
BCFD36
That doesn't really matter.
Also, I thought that someone said that Shep crawled out of the building
with the kid. Maybe I didn't hear right.
Christopher A. Seale
>ad...@marathon.csee.usf.edu (Jonathan Adair) wrote:
>>
>>>>Lisa, I'm so glad you brought this show up. I loved that show, and I was
>>>>starting to think it was a figment of my imagination. How come no one's
>>>>picked it up as a "classic," like Nick at Night? I'd love to see it
>>>>again, and given the resurgence of this kind of show, you'd think
>>>>rerunning it would be worthwhile.
>>
>> It is currently running on WOR (New York semi-superstation) 6-7pm Eastern.
>
>Good grief. I live in New York City, the home of WWOR TV and
>Emergency is not playing at the above time. I wonder if the
>programming for the Cable station is entirely different than the
>broadcast station.
most likely. this is the case with Chicago's WGN and other local
broadcast/cable superstations.
--
ch...@laserfantasy.com Christopher A. "eh?" Seale, signing off.
Performing live for Laser Fantasy at The Children's Museum of
Indianapolis..."Say, that's nice... what is that, velvet?"
visit the Laser Fantasy site at http://www.laserfantasy.com/~mlutz/
Robin C. Greene
>
>>>Lisa, I'm so glad you brought this show up. I loved that show, and I was
>>>starting to think it was a figment of my imagination. How come no one's
>>>picked it up as a "classic," like Nick at Night? I'd love to see it
>>>again, and given the resurgence of this kind of show, you'd think
>>>rerunning it would be worthwhile.
>
> It is currently running on WOR (New York semi-superstation) 6-7pm Eastern.
Good grief. I live in New York City, the home of WWOR TV and
Emergency is not playing at the above time. I wonder if the
programming for the Cable station is entirely different than the
broadcast station.
Robin Greene - rgr...@escape.com, robi...@dorsai.org
docstud
> docstud (rl...@columbia.edu) wrote:
> > smile. I really hope Shep has some recriminations around this. A good
> > EMT is one who is alive.
>
>
> You're right. He broke rules in going in there in the first place. But
> Raul could, as someone else pointed out, have tackled him and not let him
> go in the first place. The two of them decided to go in.
>
I really don't think Raul could have talked him out of it. I simply
think Raul went in after him, because he was supposed to. Shep's impulse
was too strong. If you remember, Raul wanted to go back to the station
and let the other truck take it. Shep thought they were too close not to
attempt it.>