SKY: ALT.TV.ER Summary/Review: Leave it to Weaver
Phyl
Written By: Lydia Woodward
Directed By: Jonathan Kaplan
Summary by Lisa Albert
Plot 1 - The Coffee House
Carol is on a very crowded El train, standing. An older guy tells
her she shouldn't be standing, and tells a teenager to give her his
seat. He refuses, saying her being pregnant isn't his problem. She goes
to a coffee shop and sees a variety of characters, including the rude
teenager. There is an older woman who talks to her about being pregnant
and tells her about her niece's horrible labor for twins. She asks to
touch Carol's stomach but Carol says she would rather she not. Carol
orders warm milk and a little boy tells her that's nasty, he's getting a
vanilla latte. A little girl and her mother are arguing about a popped
balloon. Just after Carol leaves the coffee shop, a truck crashes
through the front plate-glass window.
Carol rides in an ambulance with a rollerblader who was hit. Mark
and Benton treat the rude teenager, he recognizes Carol from the coffee
shop. Carol reminds him she was on the El, too.
Kerry tells Randi to close to trauma. A man with a migraine tells
Kerry he needs medicine, he took some at home and it's not working.
Kerry says they'll get to him. Mrs. Kinney, the mother from the coffee
shop, is frantic to find her daughter Michelle. Mark and Elizabeth
treat her injuries.
The man with the migraine bugs Kerry again, and she privately asks
Randi to kill him. Randi tells Kerry there are more traumas coming in,
and Kerry is upset since she ordered them to close to trauma. Randi
says Romano ordered them to stay open, and she tells Randi to get him on
the phone.
Benton is treating the rude teenager, and is preparing to take him up
to the OR. Romano tells Benton to keep him in ER, that his case is
borderline.
The fire alarm goes off and panic ensues. Everyone not critical
evacuates to the ambulance bay. The teenager crashes and Benton tells
Carter to help him. Randi sees the migraine man by the alarm and says,
"Don't tell me you pulled that thing." He says, "Maybe now I'll get
some attention." Randi decks him, and Kerry pulls her back. Kerry
tells the guy to lie down and says "Move and I'll let her at you."
Chuny calls everyone back from the ambulance bay. Benton and Carter
take the teenager up to the OR, and Carter puts a cylinder of oxygen on
the cart. As they move him they hit something and it explodes, racing
down the hall.
Kerry orders treatment for migraine guy, and Mark says to call the
police on him for inciting a riot. The last victim, a woman, arrives
DOA. Carol takes her children in to see their mom and recognizes her as
the woman who wanted to touch her stomach.
Plot 2 - Leave it to Weaver
Charles Cameron, a cardiothoracic doctor from Rush hospital, arrives
to take Elizabeth to coffee. He arrives in the midst of the coffee
house trauma, and says he'll wait. Elizabeth tells Mark she wants to
keep her options open, that she's hesitant to work with Romano.
Elizabeth apologizes to Mark for not telling him, and he tells her that
she doesn't have to tell Him everything.
Romano comes in during the trauma, and recognizes Charles. He leaves,
and Charles continues to observe Elizabeth and Mark treat Mrs. Kinney.
She has bruised her heart and lungs, and there is nothing to repair
surgically. Elizabeth decides to bypass her in the ER, Charles says
it's risky, but Mark agrees with Elizabeth to do it.
During the coffee house trauma, rumors circulate that Anspaugh is
retiring as chief of staff, that he wants to strictly do general
surgery. Lucy asks Kerry to mentor her and Kerry agrees, telling
her that she herself had a wonderful mentor. Carter tells Lucy and
Kerry about the Anspaugh rumor and Lucy tells about a rumor that she
heard, that Romano is in line for new chief. Kerry runs and finds Mark
in the trauma and says she needs to talk to him. They agree that they
need to talk to Anspaugh.
Romano tells Benton that he's impressed he hasn't said, "I told you so"
about the teenager's surgery. Romano asks about Elizabeth and Charles,
and Benton says he wouldn't know. Romano presses, and Benton asks if
every conversation has to revolve around Elizabeth. Romano says maybe
they don't need to have any further conversations at all.
Mark tells Kerry that the rumors are true. Anspaugh will strictly do
general surgery; he wants to spend more time with daughter. They
discuss Romano becoming chief of staff, and Kerry tells Mark, "He's not
the right one for us." Mark agrees.
Elizabeth arrives back from her coffee with Charles and Mark asks her
how it went. She says she doesn't know, it's hard to tell with
interviews. Alone, Carol asks Mark about his relationship with
Elizabeth, and Mark says they are dating, but they backed off a little.
Carol says, "You mean she backed off."
Mark and Kerry attend Anspaugh's meeting to confirm Romano as chief
of staff. The other doctors, including Dr. Kaysen, the head of
psychiatry, and the head of radiology, all concur that Romano would be
fine. Mark says that there have been problems with Romano in the ER.
Mark says Romano's management style is abrupt, and that many staff find
him offensive. Anspaugh asks Kerry, and she says that she agrees with
didn't want anything taken out on the ER. Kerry says it was the
Mark, but she feels Romano has "succeeded in stabilizing the situation"
and is providing "genuine leadership in the ER." Kerry concludes by
saying, "I think its only fair that we give him all the support we can."
Outside the hospital, Mark angrily confronts Kerry. Kerry points out
that it was obvious that Romano was going to get the job, and she
politically smart thing to do. Romano finds them, makes a few remarks
about shaving his goatee for "a new job," and tells Kerry he wants to
speak to her privately.
Mark goes back into the ER, and the nurses applaud him. He asks how
they knew, and Yosh tells him, "Nurses know everything." Conni
assures him that, "You fought the good fight." Kerry tells Mark they
need to speak, he says they've said all they need to, but Kerry tells
him it's on a different matter.
Kerry later finds Carter, and tells him she's been named the new
chief of the ER, a permanent, not temporary position. Carter happily
congratulates her. Kerry tells him that it's no longer appropriate for
him to rent her basement apartment. She tells him he can take all the
time he needs to move out: "A week or two." Kerry then finds Lucy, and
tells her that she can't mentor her. As Kerry is preparing to go home,
she takes a call for Mark. It is Mark's father, letting him know that
his mother has died.
Elizabeth finds Mark at the batting cages "working off frustration."
Mark tells Elizabeth "I figured a Romano/Weaver double homicide was
overkill." Elizabeth tells him that what he did took courage and
she's proud of him. Elizabeth steps in and tries hitting a few balls.
Plot 3 - My Name Is Luka
Dr. Luka Kovac is a new Croatian doctor, who is moonlighting in the
ER. He arrives at work and finds Michelle (Mrs. Kinney's daughter)
sitting in an ambulance by herself, with a temporary splint on her arm.
Michelle wants her mom, and Luka says he will help her. They enter the
hospital as the fire alarm is still going off and the can is exploding
(see plot 1). Luka asks Michelle, "Have you ever been to the circus?
You have now." Luka asks Kerry where to put Michelle and Kerry says that
Dr. Cleo Finch, the pediatric resident, will treat her. Kerry tells Dr.
Kovac to do sutures. Luka wants to take Michelle to see her mom, but
Mark says it's not a good idea. Luka takes Michelle to see her mom
anyway, and explains that she has medicine that made her sleepy, and
that the tubes are helping her. He does it calmly while Carol watches.
Luka then sutures the latte kid (see plot 1). He leaves, and Carol
asks Luka to stitch her arm (a slight cut from the accident). Carol
tells him that she had just left the coffee house ten seconds earlier.
Luka tells her that he doesn't think Kerry and Mark think he's a good
doctor. He has asked them to call him Luka, but they call him Dr.
Kovac, people are more formal when they are not sure of you. Luka says
he took Michelle in to see her mom because children need to know, even
if what they see isn't good.
A full-term pregnant woman is brought in following a car accident.
Carter works on the mom, but she has been down for a while and they
can't revive her. Luka and Carol arrive, and Haleh tells them that they
can't find the fetal heartbeat. Luka says that the mom is dead, and
they have to get the baby. Carol helps him perform an emergency
caesarean and they bring the baby girl out alive. Carol and Luka treat
the baby, while Carter pronounces the mother dead.
Later Carol finds Luka in the medicine cabinet. She tells him that
after today she feels really lucky. She also tells him that she
thinks he's a good doctor.
Plot 4 - My Cousin's Wife
A woman named Elaine is brought in after a minor car accident.
Carter recognizes her as his cousin Douglas' ex-wife. Elaine tells him
"I can't believe you're old enough to be a doctor." Carter examines her
hand, and Chuny orders a hand X-ray. Later Carter finds Elaine sitting
in a chair in the exam room. He shows her the X-ray and tells her that
she doesn't have a fracture. She tells him that she will need to take
cabs until her car is fixed. She also tells him that tonight she is
going to a Carter Family Foundation fundraiser to benefit the Children's
Art League. Carter tells her he'll be thinking about her, "I mean, being
with the family." Elaine tells him, "Then I'll just have to be thinking
of you."
Carter shows up outside the fundraiser at the Art Institute. He
offers Elaine a ride in his Jeep, and Elaine tells him that at least
it's not a cab. Carter asks her if she'd like a drink, and Elaine tells
him, "I don't really want a drink."
Plot 5 - And Baby Makes Three...
A woman is brought in to the ER in critical condition, with end-stage
AIDS. Her baby boy, Carlos, is brought in too. Jeanie treats the
mom, and Dr. Cleo Finch treats the baby. Cleo comments to Jeanie, "HIV
positive, goes ahead and has a baby, no sign of support, what was she
thinking."
Cleo says they can't order an HIV test on baby without mom's permission,
but Jeanie does it anyway. Later baby is admitted to peds ICU. A DCFS
official tells Jeanie that they will go to court to get the baby tested
for HIV, if he's positive they need to find a foster family willing to
take him. Jeanie later goes to the unit and tells the nurse to start
Carlos anyway on the triple cocktail. She meets Reggie at Doc Magoo's
and tells him she would love to take the baby. She thinks the only
thing the court would object to is that she's not married, that she
wouldn't have support if she were to get sick. Reggie asks her to marry
him, but Jeanie doesn't answer.
Miscellaneous Threads
Carla and Benton meet with a court-ordered mediator. Carla is upset
that Benton got a restraining order to keep Reese in Chicago. Benton
tells the mediator that he is concerned that Reese won't develop
language skills in Germany, and Carla says she will hire an American
Sign Language tutor.
Benton also tells the mediator that he moved in with his sister
Jackie so Reese will have a more normal family life. Carla says that
Reese needs to be with his black mother and black stepfather. Benton
asks if this is about him dating a white woman, and says, "I can't do
this." The mediator tells him, "Yes you can, it's court ordered,
remember?"
Dr. Cleo Finch is also on staff, but we don't see her much, except
for Plot 5. We do see that she jogs to work, and tells Kerry and Lucy
that, "It's only 4 miles." Kerry says to Lucy, "Kind of makes you want
to dislike her, doesn't it?"
Review By Phyl Behrer
Well, it was no "Day for Knight." Thankfully.
I tried hard to temper my expectations this week while anticipating the
episode, and ended up pleasantly surprised. The first 15 or 20
minutes were almost too busy for me. I say "almost," because I really
did like the activity after a while. I enjoyed seeing the nurses
efficiently doing their jobs, I liked the pace, the witty lines, and
most of all seeing so many familiar faces in the background. Yes, they
jammed a lot into a short period of time, but it entertained me.
Onward with the first review of the sixth season, in no particular
order.
The way the episode opened up just thrilled me. The sight of Carol in
profile, pregnant, was something else. While I was watching her, I
thought about my own days commuting on the subway in New York. The only
people who'd get up and give a pregnant woman a seat were other women.
No kidding. But, I digress. She looks simply beautiful. Her facial
expressions were terrific from scene to scene. I was a sucker, too, for
her hand as it rested on her belly after the balloon popped. It was
just a natural kind of thing. Julianna Margulies plays a very
convincing pregnant Hathaway. Her reaction to the woman in the coffee
shop who wanted to touch her belly was perfectly Hathaway-ish. Polite,
yet distant. Determined, yet apologetic.
In advance of this episode, I sort of expected some explanation as to
Carol's personal situation, but in a way I wasn't surprised that we
don't know any more than we did last season. And you know what, it's
okay that they didn't address it. Carol and her story will undoubtedly
be highlighted later on in the season, and it was great that they
focused on the other characters. I anticipate we'll find out sooner or
later what's up with Carol and the father of her babies, but to me it
was fitting that we didn't hear about it during this episode. However,
upon second viewing I did notice that the *ring* is still there, folks.
This may or may not be significant, depending upon, well, its
significance. Oh, what? They never explained that to us? I remember,
it's all not coming back to me....
Our fair Nurse Hathaway not only had a harrowing morning, but a busy
afternoon as she was used to introduce Luka Kovac. In watching her
scenes with him, and seeing her reaction to him, Carol's statement to
Mark during season four came to my mind. Do you remember when they were
on the roof in "Hole in the Heart," discussing her involvement in the
Baby Josh fiasco? Carol told Mark that she wasn't some "fresh-faced
nursing student under the great doctor's spell." That being the case, I
think ER maybe needs to choose a new person's facial expressions to
illustrate Great Admiration. Carol's been a nurse for a long, long
while, and by this time, she's seen good and bad doctors. Somehow, I
feel that she'd have lost the, "Wow, you're wonderful" thing by now.
Don't get me wrong, I think she was a good introductory device for
Kovac, but I don't think she'd be quite as dazzled, really, by his
abilities. Was there some other Great Meaning that I'm missing? If
there was greater meaning, such as she was supposed to be watching him
and thinking about Someone Else, it wasn't glaring enough. If there
wasn't supposed to be any greater meaning, see above argument about why
she shouldn't have been so dazzled.
Well, I liked Luka. I liked his sense of humor, his quiet confidence. I
especially liked the way he was starts out as a quiet, gentle guy, then
suddenly barks, "The mother is dead" to Carter. It was just so powerful.
The character will be interesting to watch. I admit to being a little
confused as to why he was taking care of pediatrics when the
pediatrician was there, and I do wonder if he'll butt heads with Cleo
Finch, but I'm getting way ahead of myself in the prognostication game.
Here's my problem, though, with his scene with the little girl: I'd
kill my kids if they walked off with a stranger. Now, it was pretty dumb
of the paramedics to leave her in the ambulance, but I'd really kill
them if they were passive enough to let some guy ("I'm a doctor,
really") escort them anywhere, let alone carry them. But, I remind
myself that this isn't real life and I move on.
One thing I'll mention, just because it cracked me up, is Fairly
Perceptive Spouse's first comments about Luka. Please keep in mind that
this was his comment, not mine, and that he'd rather eat dirt than read
anything on a.t.e. He also knows nothing about what we all discuss
on-line about ER. He saw Luka for the very first time and said, "What'd
they do, have a look-alike contest for the new doctor?"
Take that as you will. I just found it amusing in conjunction with some
of the replacement discussions that have taken place that an "outsider"
made the comment.
I tell you, Jeanie looks absolutely luminous. Regarding her
professional growth, this was the first time I can say that she truly
seemed to act with authority. I loved it. I really did. She gave
orders and they were followed. It just stood out, so I thought I'd
mention it. However, regarding her scene with Reggie in the coffee
shop, is it realistic that a man would be eager to marry a woman who is
HIV+ AND foster an HIV+ baby? I'm not judging, I'm asking. Maybe it is.
Noah Wyle's acting was just so on target tonight. His admiration of
Elaine, his professionalism during trauma, his warm congratulations to
Kerry, followed by his shock when she told him he needed to move out,
well all of it was great. Still can't stand hearing a grown man say,
"Gamma," but that's not Wyle's fault.
Here's the deal with Carter and Elaine: If I recall correctly, we on
alt.tv.er had some advance notice about the history of their
relationship and had background that the general viewer would not: He'd
always sort of had a thing for her. Am I remembering right? In
thinking about their evening scene, I wonder if it would have been more
effective for us to have seen it later on. Perhaps we could have
witnessed their meeting this week, then listened as Carter confided in
someone that he'd always liked Elaine - maybe he could have discussed
this with Chuny, who always seems to be around to notice Carter's
reaction to women. Then we'd have more of an idea why he showed up at
the gala. It just seems to me that it might have made their meeting more
meaningful. It was a little more convincing on the second viewing,
probably because I concentrated on his reaction to her a bit more. Just
a thought.
Last week, I was wondering what significance the title "Leave It To
Weaver" might have. Oh, I'd read the spoilers, but even knowing as much
as I did, I don't think I was prepared for Kerry Weaver's actions this
week.
Mark and Kerry - let me ask you this: How many of you were waiting for
Mark to waffle in the meeting? Show of hands. Mine is up in the air.
I was honestly waiting for him to sidestep the issue and for Kerry to
chime in, picking up when he wimped out and couldn't continue. Edwards
and Innes played this scene beautifully, and Lydia Woodward wrote it
perfectly. Mark, tentative, searching for words, stumbling, forging
ahead. Kerry, sitting by staunchly, quietly supporting
Mark...oops...maybe not.
I watched the scene, waiting for about ten seconds. Then, when I saw
her face, I said to myself, "Self, she's sniffing the air, she's getting
a feel for the atmosphere, and her brain is in overdrive." Her
conclusion: Improvise, adapt, and overcome. Her statement to a
departed pediatrician came roaring back to me (I'm paraphrasing because
I'm too tired to watch "The Storm, Part II"): "I don't screw
colleagues." Um hmm. Sometimes that pediatrician knew a thing or two.
Aside to Dr. Greene: Maybe you should have read some of those books on
management Kerry offered to share with you during the second season.
I really want to discuss Kerry and her actions with regard to Rocket
Romano. In a way, she remained completely in character, and in a way
her reaction surprised me. She is highly ambitious, which is not a bad
thing at all, and we know that she has a strong management style.
However, let's look at what happened, remembering her feelings last
season. She had expressed a desire to return to patient care, which she
felt she'd been neglecting due to the administrative duties she had to
handle as Chief. Of course, we saw her dedication to patients during
last season, especially in the last episode when she took care of little
Jack. You'll also recall that last season she had knowledge of Romano's
alleged sexual harassment, via complaints by Maggie Doyle and then
Elizabeth. We know that the allegations were never brought forward, but
Kerry knows about them and knows that they were most likely true.
Fast-forward to this episode and she is heard complaining that Romano
didn't close County to trauma. She leaves a patient in the middle of a
procedure and goes to see Mark, who is also with a patient, telling him
it's imperative that they talk. During their conversation, Kerry says
Romano is "not the right one for us." So, we have examples from last
year and this season that Kerry believes Romano isn't to be trusted
(duh) and perhaps he doesn't have a proper feel for how an ER should
be run.
Kerry garnering support from Mark in a joint pitch to Anspaugh is the
last piece of the puzzle, right? We're lead to believe that she's
steadfast and wants to head Romano off at the pass. Okay, take this
information and then analyze her actions: In a split second, as she
hears the words of support from the other doctors, she turns on Mark.
Has she let her ambition run roughshod over the needs of the staff? Is
she willing to allow the female doctors and female nurses to be harassed
by Romano, undermining morale, exposing the department to a lawsuit, all
for personal gain? Or is she trying to maintain some control over a
horrendous situation by not totally alienating the heir apparent? I
really wanted to believe her when she told Mark that she saw a political
situation and decided it would be better for the department if she
didn't oppose Romano's appointment. I also really wanted to believe
that she put herself in the position to protect the employees in the ER,
but you know, I couldn't believe any of it, because she didn't look at
Mark in that meeting, and she was entirely too pleased with herself.
She also worked quickly to rid herself of all the impediments in her way
(Carter, Lucy) in preparation for her new position.
What do I make of this? I'm not sure. I'll be interested to see how
the other doctors and nurses react with the dual command of Romano and
Weaver. I really want to see what Mark does in response. For some
reason, I have a suspicion that we haven't heard the last of this, and
I'm wondering what surprises Romano may have in store for us. Stay
tuned.
Seems Elizabeth isn't trusting Romano for a cardiothoracic fellowship,
but is covering her bases, interviewing with Rush-Presbyterian St.
Luke's Hospital. Good choice. She's been burned once by Romano, hasn't
she? Listen to him saying to Peter that he thought she'd have discussed
it with him since he had sponsored her - he kinda forgot to mention that
he dumped her, too, didn't he? Her demeanor changes around Romano, she
gets that "deer in the headlights" sort of look about her. Can't say I
blame her. Will Dr. Corday leave County? Will she join the team at
Rush, breaking Mark's heart? Nah, I don't think so.
Okay, onto the tug-of-war. At the end of last season, I made a remark
about Carla having a new attitude to go along with her new hairdo.
Egads. What struck me most of all was Carla's language, how she spoke
with Peter, how unbelievably nasty she was, how her vocabulary and
inflection have seemingly, drastically, changed. Need proof? If you want
to shock your ears, dig through that pile of videotapes of yours and
listen to Carla talk to Peter as she gives him a tour of her new
restaurant in "Union Station" (I think?) and then, listen to her in
this episode. Her voice, her tone, her pronunciation have all totally
changed. She just didn't sound like Carla to me. Too sassy, too
street-smart.
What's with her attitude? I cannot believe this woman wouldn't realize
how much Peter loves Reese, I cannot believe she'd honestly expect Peter
to roll over and let her take her son out of the country. I thought it
was awful, that she was awful. Is she schizophrenic or something? Now,
regarding Benton, I must confess to laughing at his irritation regarding
Carla's implied condemnation of him dating a white woman. Perhaps he
needs to speak with Eriq LaSalle for further clarification. But last
year, Carla didn't seem to mind Elizabeth, in fact she was quite
pleasant to her as I recall.
Now, I can understand that rules and decorum can be tossed out the
window during a custody battle, I really can. But I can't say that I'd
ever expected such nastiness and bitterness from this character. Not at
all. I did like, by the way, that Peter had made the move to provide a
family unit for Reese. And I did note that Carla hadn't anticipated
Peter's allegation that Reese wouldn't be given instruction in American
Sign Language. She dropped the ball there, saying, in essence, she'd
take care of it later. Whoops.
A few small things:
I am delighted that Mark and Elizabeth weren't in bed during the first
scene of this episode. They appear to be progressing slowly, and I love
it. Very adult, very real. She's her own woman, and I am happy about
that.
Oh, and Rocket Romano? I love hating this character. I find him
delightfully annoying, irreverent and nasty. What spice. Paul McCrane
really must have fun portraying him.
What a difference a year makes, hmm? Lucy was hardly in this episode at
all. Glad to see she's learned something in the few months we've been
away from the ER. Poor dear, she's working hard, isn't she? I'll be
interested to see if ER tries to slowly integrate her this season, or if
her camera time remains drastically reduced.
Last, but not least, a very quiet entrance for Dr. Cleo Finch. These
slow introductions are very nice, reminiscent of the past. I'm sure
we'll get to know more about her in the next few weeks. Regarding her
character, the phrase "no-nonsense" comes to mind.
So, what did I think? I thought it was an enjoyable episode, and it
gives me hope that this season will be better than the last two have
been. This one isn't one that I'll watch over and over again, but I
am interested in the new characters, and intrigued as to what the old
favorites will be up to this season.
Miscellaneous Thoughts
- I didn't quite understand where that father-to-be was until near the
end of the show - he's apparently joined the army and is fighting in
the Gulf War.
- Did it just make you smile, seeing Malik give hints to Chuny about how
to most efficiently utilize an oxygen canister at a party?
- Remember this: Nurses know everything. Don't ever doubt this.
- I don't ever recall seeing Carol squeamish, but she sure looked it
during the emergency C-section, didn't she? I almost expected her to get
sick or faint.
- The coffee shop was constructed in Chicago. It had been an abandoned
building, and the ER crew created the shop, only to destroy it with a
car.
- Nice dress, Elaine. Shame you had to buy it a size too small. On
top.
- Very glad Peter's lost none of his snap in trauma. (I'm thinking of
you, P.D).
- For those of you taking notes, highlight Kerry's statement that she
had a "great" mentor while in school.
- Okay, kids, pay close attention, listen, listen. Did you hear Romano
say, "Elizabeth, Dr. Corday" when speaking to Peter? Not "Lizzy." Did
your ears perk up? C'mon, get with the program.
- What, no Jerry?
- Halle cracked me up with her line, "Residents are out of the loop."
Lucy knew, though. I guess med students talk to nurses.
- The lead aprons at my hospital are unbelievably heavy, yet Mark lifts
two as if they're light as a feather. I need to know where they buy
their supplies.
- Is Carol pregnant, thinking about pregnancy and babies all the time?
Just want to be sure, they didn't quite illustrate that enough. (Insert
sarcastic tone here).
- I bet Gamma likes Elaine. Do you remember during season 4, when
Carol went to Millicent Carter to try and persuade her to fund the
clinic? Millicent told Carol a story about sleeping with the President.
Well, it seemed to me that Elaine's aggressiveness matches Gamma's very
well.
- Did we really want to know from the migraine guy that he used a
suppository and, "Shoved it right up my ass"? Didn't think so.
- I like Carter when he's flirting - but he's not - but he is,
especially this line to Elaine regarding her wedding day: "Douglas
looked nervous as hell and you looked, you looked incredible...ly calm."
- Oh, they mentioned Douglas, but it was the wrong one.
- Can someone please explain to me why Romano's the only candidate
they're interviewing? And, while we're at it, why Kerry can be appointed
Chief by Romano without a committee? I thought they had a policy about
going nationwide? Don't tell me the writers forgot details?
- During the teaser for next week, I kept waiting for Creepy Voice-over
Dude to say, "Is Dr. Greene Leaving The Hospital?"
- No matter what sport Mark is playing, he looks so uncoordinated.
- I was bemused by Carol's choice of scrub top color.
- Have I said yet this season how I love to hate Romano? His line to
Charles Cameron, "I haven't seen you in, oh, gosh, who really cares?" is
almost as great as his, "I'll go and inspire the rest of the troops."
Don't you get the sense that Romano knows he's a jerk, and just doesn't
care at all?
- They give Kerry all the really great scenes lately, I think. Did you
see how she dumped the shoulder reduction, and Lucy, to go talk to Mark
about Romano? Terrific. "Carter, take this sheet."
- Kit! Randi! Dr. Steve Flint! Boy, wasn't it nice to see them?
- RandiWatch: Do you suppose she has a line of boxing shorts in her
Randiwear Collection?
Look of the Week: Carter, peering over the gurney at Elaine after
reading her name on the patient chart. For some reason, it just cracked
me up.
Line of the Week Runner-up:
Mark Greene to Elizabeth Corday: "I figured a Romano/Weaver double
homicide was overkill."
Line of the Week:
Kerry Weaver, to the migraine guy: "You move and I'll let her atcha."
--
Phyl
~ Embrace your obsession ~
http://www.digiserve.com/er/erdex.html
Michelle H.
er...@flash.net "Phyl" wrote:
Thanks for sharing.
> I watched the scene, waiting for about ten seconds. Then, when I saw
> her face, I said to myself, "Self, she's sniffing the air, she's getting
> a feel for the atmosphere, and her brain is in overdrive." Her
> conclusion: Improvise, adapt, and overcome. Her statement to a
> departed pediatrician came roaring back to me (I'm paraphrasing because
> I'm too tired to watch "The Storm, Part II"): "I don't screw
> colleagues." Um hmm. Sometimes that pediatrician knew a thing or two.
Uh...no. Nope. That pediatrician might have known a thing or two about
children, but he was wrong about Kerry then, and what he was accusing
her of still isn't true now.
What she said in "The Storm Part II" was "I don't *NAIL* colleagues."
Entirely different, not the same thing *at all*. Especially as she then
went on to say to Doug that if he wanted to ruin his own career he
could, but to stay the hell away from hers.
Kerry was truthful, in that she doesn't nail colleagues to the extent of
deliberately causing trouble for them, just for the sake of trouble.*
Which was what Doug was accusing her of. This situation was different.
Yeah, she changed tack on Mark, and you can certainly accuse her as
regards that. But she didn't deliberately set out to nail him, just as
she didn't deliberately set out to nail Doug.
* You can make a case for her trying to nail Doug when she tried to
prevent him becoming an attending. But even then, she felt she had a
reason (she was acting ER chief, and she didn't want him there). But she
didn't nail Doug over Ricky, nor Mark over this.
> Aside to Dr. Greene: Maybe you should have read some of those books on
> management Kerry offered to share with you during the second season.
I agree.<g>. She's going to make a much better ER boss than he would!
> I really want to discuss Kerry and her actions with regard to Rocket
> Romano. In a way, she remained completely in character, and in a way
> her reaction surprised me. She is highly ambitious, which is not a bad
> thing at all, and we know that she has a strong management style.
> However, let's look at what happened, remembering her feelings last
> season. She had expressed a desire to return to patient care, which she
> felt she'd been neglecting due to the administrative duties she had to
> handle as Chief. Of course, we saw her dedication to patients during
> last season, especially in the last episode when she took care of little
> Jack. You'll also recall that last season she had knowledge of Romano's
> alleged sexual harassment, via complaints by Maggie Doyle and then
> Elizabeth. We know that the allegations were never brought forward, but
> Kerry knows about them and knows that they were most likely true.
I agree, I have a problem with this as well.
> Fast-forward to this episode and she is heard complaining that Romano
> didn't close County to trauma. She leaves a patient in the middle of a
> procedure and goes to see Mark, who is also with a patient, telling him
Which is my biggest problem. Her screwing Mark over, yes, I can see why.
Her treatment of that patient was not consistent with Weaver.
> it's imperative that they talk. During their conversation, Kerry says
> Romano is "not the right one for us." So, we have examples from last
> year and this season that Kerry believes Romano isn't to be trusted
> (duh) and perhaps he doesn't have a proper feel for how an ER should
> be run.
>
> Kerry garnering support from Mark in a joint pitch to Anspaugh is the
> last piece of the puzzle, right? We're lead to believe that she's
> steadfast and wants to head Romano off at the pass. Okay, take this
> information and then analyze her actions: In a split second, as she
> hears the words of support from the other doctors, she turns on Mark.
>
> Has she let her ambition run roughshod over the needs of the staff? Is
> she willing to allow the female doctors and female nurses to be harassed
> by Romano, undermining morale, exposing the department to a lawsuit, all
> for personal gain? Or is she trying to maintain some control over a
> horrendous situation by not totally alienating the heir apparent? I
> really wanted to believe her when she told Mark that she saw a political
> situation and decided it would be better for the department if she
> didn't oppose Romano's appointment. I also really wanted to believe
> that she put herself in the position to protect the employees in the ER,
> but you know, I couldn't believe any of it, because she didn't look at
> Mark in that meeting, and she was entirely too pleased with herself.
> She also worked quickly to rid herself of all the impediments in her way
> (Carter, Lucy) in preparation for her new position.
I believe her, and I don't have a problem with her actions as a result.
Her behaviour towards Carter and Lucy, bit out of character, but
believable. Her joy at the chief's job, heck yes. She wants it. As
regards her not looking at Mark - well she felt guilty at hanging him
out to dry, that's why. That's entirely consistent with Kerry thinking
quickly, realising what she has to do to protect everyone, and doing it.
That doesn't mean she liked it. I don't think she did enjoy letting Mark
down, that's why she didn't look at him. But that doesn't mean her
actions were all for personal gain. Sometimes you do things you feel bad
or mean about, for a greater good. But you still feel mean about them.
> I am delighted that Mark and Elizabeth weren't in bed during the first
> scene of this episode. They appear to be progressing slowly, and I love
> it. Very adult, very real. She's her own woman, and I am happy about
> that.
Very boring.<g>. Can't even begin to get excited by them. Mr and Mrs
Dull-As-Ditchwater. No matter, I can tolerate them for a few minutes
each week.:)
> Oh, and Rocket Romano? I love hating this character. I find him
> delightfully annoying, irreverent and nasty. What spice. Paul McCrane
> really must have fun portraying him.
Great hats.
> What a difference a year makes, hmm? Lucy was hardly in this episode at
> all. Glad to see she's learned something in the few months we've been
> away from the ER. Poor dear, she's working hard, isn't she? I'll be
> interested to see if ER tries to slowly integrate her this season, or if
> her camera time remains drastically reduced.
Agreed. She didn't annoy me all episode. And as someone majorly annoyed
by her in season five, that's great. She had very few big scenes with
Carter. Gotta be a link.
> Last, but not least, a very quiet entrance for Dr. Cleo Finch. These
> slow introductions are very nice, reminiscent of the past. I'm sure
> we'll get to know more about her in the next few weeks. Regarding her
> character, the phrase "no-nonsense" comes to mind.
She made very little impression on me either way. Guess like you say,
we'll see.
> - Can someone please explain to me why Romano's the only candidate
> they're interviewing? And, while we're at it, why Kerry can be appointed
> Chief by Romano without a committee? I thought they had a policy about
> going nationwide? Don't tell me the writers forgot details?
Yep, occurred to me after I'd posted as well.
> - They give Kerry all the really great scenes lately, I think. Did you
> see how she dumped the shoulder reduction, and Lucy, to go talk to Mark
> about Romano? Terrific. "Carter, take this sheet."
Out of character, since she hurt or nearly hurt the patient by doing so.
In character to order Carter to take over, but she's normally
considerate of her patients.
> - Kit! Randi! Dr. Steve Flint! Boy, wasn't it nice to see them?
Yes!
> - RandiWatch: Do you suppose she has a line of boxing shorts in her
> Randiwear Collection?
OK, I get the feeling I missed something here.
> Line of the Week:
> Kerry Weaver, to the migraine guy: "You move and I'll let her atcha."
Oh yes. Most definitely.<g>.
--
Michelle H.
Michelle H.
<20000114.02...@hiley.demon.co.uk>
e...@hiley.demon.co.uk "Michelle H." wrote:
> I believe her, and I don't have a problem with her actions as a result.
Sorry to follow up, but I want to alter this line, because it sounds
like I'm saying something I'm not. What I meant was
"I believe her, and I feel her actions were consistent with her trying
to protect the department"
and not;
"I believe her, and I think everything she did was right."
Because I don't feel everything she did was right. Though I do think she
might well genuinely think so.
--
Michelle H.
Catherine Hildebrand
>ER: Leave It To Weaver - Season 6, Episode 1
>
>
>Well, it was no "Day for Knight." Thankfully.
>alt.tv.er had some advance notice about the history of their
>relationship and had background that the general viewer would not: He'd
>always sort of had a thing for her. Am I remembering right? In
>thinking about their evening scene, I wonder if it would have been more
>effective for us to have seen it later on. Perhaps we could have
>witnessed their meeting this week, then listened as Carter confided in
>someone that he'd always liked Elaine - maybe he could have discussed
>this with Chuny, who always seems to be around to notice Carter's
>reaction to women. Then we'd have more of an idea why he showed up at
>the gala. It just seems to me that it might have made their meeting more
>meaningful. It was a little more convincing on the second viewing,
>probably because I concentrated on his reaction to her a bit more. Just
>a thought.
I thought that it was obvious that he had had feelings for her based on
his tounge-tied nervous attitude and then the way he couldn't take his
eyes of her. If I hadn't got it then this clinched it for me.
>- I like Carter when he's flirting - but he's not - but he is,
>especially this line to Elaine regarding her wedding day: "Douglas
>looked nervous as hell and you looked, you looked incredible...ly calm."
>
I interpreted this as a clear "I used to fancy you" -oops that's too
forward, change of sentence.
--
Catherine Hildebrand