ER revelations (Wonder if I'll be the first)

In My Humble Opinion
1

A brain tumor? A goddamn BRAIN tumor? I admit, I haven’t been watching ER all that much this season, but what I have seen has been overwrought to the point of ridiculousness. At this point, all they need are three old blind women and they’d have a Greek tragedy on their hands.

I understand the urge to give twists and turns, life isn’t always linear, nor is it always pleasant. But to drop a brain tumor on Dr. Green, at the same time as his prospective bride is finding out she’s preggers?

Is it me, or is this just a little over the top?

*Note - obviously, disregard this thread if they do a deus ex machina “it was all a dream” ending before the episode is over.

2

We ended up watching the Grand Ole Opry special instead. I’ll be watching this thread to see what I missed.

But you’re right – there should be plenty of drama in the day to day stuff that happens in an emergency room without resorting to brain tumors.

Does Greene want to leave the show?

Maybe they’re building up interest for the Christmas special, when Corday will perform the surgery to remove the tumor.

Geez, I hope not. That would suck.

What happened with Abby’s mom tonight? She looked happy in the previews.

3

Yeah, I admit that at the end I thought “they have squeezed way too much in one ep.” Explosions, tumors, and pregnancies, oh my!

In the case of the pregnancy, they don’t have much choice. The actress who plays Corday had been trying to conceive with her husband and succeeded. She’s already beginning to show abit.

But to have a malpractice suit (great story line), a pregnancy (might be interesting), and a brain tumor (soap opera cliche) is way too much for one couple. I hope, hope, hope that they don’t have the baby be deathly ill when it’s born. They did it to Benton and shouldn’t go to that well again.

Not that I’m bashing the show. I still think it’s one of the best out there and I’m finding the Sally Field storyline extremely interesting. The actress who plays Abby has become a new favorite of mine.

And it’ll be interesting to see Weaver have a honest to goodness romance. The last time she’s gotten any was when they guy used her for the hospital contract.

Hey, was the actor who played the homeless man the same who was accidentally killed at a Halloween party by the LAPD?

4

Hopefully someone knows this: the actress that played the gay woman that was out with Weaver - what has she been on? I don’t know her real name (or the character’s name), or I would look it up. It’s driving me crazy. She is so familiar…

5

Yes, I agree; how can one couple handle all that stuff? It’s like the life of Job, for crying out loud! Give them a break!

I was confused about the whole Weaver thing. What’s going on between her and the blond girl?

6

Well, here’s my perspective.

I resisted the urge for a heck of a long time to even watch it, until this last spring/summer. I started watching reruns on Sunday nights and now they have the reruns running in succession Saturday at 6:00 and then Sunday night at 11:10 so now I am hooked. If I miss Saturday then I am pretty much lost on Sunday night.

Well, this season I have been hooked to the regular Thursday night show.

Tonight, I admit, was a little too soap opera like and that’s what I watch Days of Our Lives for. I expect that ER has a more sophisticated story line than my daily soap.

Well, maybe next week will be better.

As for Sally Fields, it trips me out because of the story Abby told of Sally’s character from when she was ten. So much like my mother I was almost having flashbacks. I have always enjoyed Sally Fields in virtually every character I have seen her play and seeing her on the small screen again is refreshing.

The blast was a little much but other parts of the show were very much what I expect, something that could be true to life.

7

I can’t watch the show now that there is a principal character with a brain tumor. It hits me too hard on my hypochondriacal side.
This must be a common fear because a few years ago a neurologist published a book titled along the lines of “It’s Not a Tumor”.

8

Laura Innes (Weaver) says that they decided that it’s been too long since her last relationship and they don’t want to reinforce the stereotype that handicapped people don’t have significant relationships. So apparently the Weaver will have a relationship with this woman.

Of course, I had somebody tell me about this at the beginning of the season so I knew what to look for and there have been really, really, really subtle foreshadowing scenes building up to their dinnertime conversation last night.

What was up with the shower scene and Weaver? Are they just trying to show that she’s really happy? Or that she can’t sing to the beat?

Ok, I do think the explosion was too much, but I found the reason interesting. When I saw the guy smoking, my first thought was the pure oxygen. I almost missed Abby’s comment “this smells funny”. To find that it was due to meth lab chemicals in an IV bag was a good twist (gotta love ER for their twists).

9

I totally forgot to watch ER last night. With all the Thanksgiving excitement, I forgot it was on! I’m hoping someone I know taped it.

Grrr!

10

I’m with you, tevya. I had planned to tape it before heading out for the evening, but we were on the phone yakking away with family until the moment we needed to leave and I completely forgot.

So what I need is a complete re-enactment of last night’s episode. You can all pick which ever character you want to be, I don’t care, but let’s see a little emotion, huh? I mean try to sell it.

Ready? And… Action!

11

Jack, I’ll try to give you the five minute version so you can follow the major plot developments next time.

Corday: I’m being sued for malpractice because I paralyzed a patient.
Romano: I saved your surfer patient’s life and he named me in the suit anyway. Don’t talk to anybody about this case. I’ll handle it.
Green: Don’t trust Romano. He’ll screw you over to save himself. I’ll talk to somebody in Risk Management about the case.

later Corday treats patient, feels quesy and vomits
Corday: I’m just sick because I haven’t eaten today.
Chen: Not according to your pregnancy test.

later Green treats patient, feels dizzy and has difficulty speaking
Radiologist: There’s a mass…a tumor
Green: Is it bad?
Radiologist: See a neurologist right away.

later that evening
Corday: I’m pregnant.
Green: I’m so happy
thinks to himself…we are so screwed

The scenes with Abby and her mom are too complex for the five minute version. Just know that she tried to send her mom home, her mom refused, mom sat in “chairs” for almost the entire show, and then they had an unhappy Big Talk at the end.

Early in show a hospital pharmacist (sp?) is treated for a reaction to an illegal drug. It’s revealed that he had a meth lab going in the hospital basement. Later Abby grabs an IV bag that, unbeknownst to her contains meth lab chemicals. She treats a patient who is breaking hospital procedure and smoking in his bed. Big Boom. Abby cracks a rib.

Cleo and Benton have an argument about race relations.

Blonde psychologist and Weaver have dinner together (their second). Blonde psychologist tests the waters and refers to the dinner as a “date”. Flustered, Weaver says “I’m flattered, but straight.” However, she seems intrigued by the idea.

Carter seems cheerful and his old self. Not in episode much.

Chen’s mom comes to hospital and finds her daughter standing in foyer, very pregnant. Surprise! In a later conversation mom claims that she isn’t upset.
Chen: Would you still be saying that if you knew the father was black?
stunned silence
Chen: That’s what I thought.
leaves

I think that covers everything.

Naturally, I gave that massive amounts of feeling. If you had been here, I would have driven you to tears with my tragic and heartfelt performance. :wink:

12

Am I crazy, or do Cleo and Benton have exactly the same 5 minute relationship over and over?

I know they have to keep audience interest up, but a crisis a week, every week, for every character is a bit much.

At this point, I’m just waiting for aliens to abduct somebody. You know it’s coming.

13

This was the big wind-up for Nov. sweeps to be over. They have a whole bunch of crises now and then during the next sweeps month, they’ll start to clean things up. Notice how they didn’t have clips from the next ER? They’re gonna hold us hostage till at least February before they get any real resolution to any of these problems. (D’oh!)

14

beakerxf, bravo, well done, Emmy-winner I’m sure.

You are my hero. Thanks for doing me and every other ER-misser a huge favor.

15

You’re not crazy. I think the main problem is that so far Cleo doesn’t seem to have much in the personality department. They need to center a story around her and reveal softer side, just too balance her out. Right now she’s too prickily.

Yeah, I noticed :frowning: Anyone know how long before we get a new ep?

wipes tear from eye and clutches Emmy to chest

I’d like to thank the Academy, my parents, and the cable company. Without any of you, I wouldn’t be standing here today.

16

After watching E.R. lately, I can close my eyes, and see an airborne Arthur Fonzarelli passing over a dorsal fin.

17

Nah, they may be approaching the ramp, but they’re not air borne yet.

The only big shining star on an aerial Harley these days is Friends

18

Missed it all. It felt so much like a Friday. Thanks for the recap.

19

Anyone who is interested should check out the alt.tv.er web site. It has a painstakingly detailed summary and review of each episode, along with a medical commentary by an emergency physician. It usually isn’t updated until the weekend at the earliest, though.

Have you seen The X-Files lately? It’s just about to touch down on the other side.

Dr. J

20

I just can’t wait for the Christmas episode. Sally Field, off her medications, climbs to the roof of the hospital in her best Mary Magdalene costume and jumps off screaming “Look Abby, I’m a nun!”