What an amazing episode! I think I’m hooked again. I loved the widescreen, I loved the direction of the whole episode. Looks like ER is back to making 1 hour mini-movies like of old. Did anyone notice the cut between Peter’s sister in the waiting room with the “Happy Thanksgiving” sign above her, to the scene in the OR with Peter cutting away (with the body’s rib cage looking very much like a turkey)?
And regardless of all that, I’m giving the guest appearance Emmy to Sally Fields right now. Voters, schmoters. She was absolutely incredible. I’ve always been one of those people who disagree with giving awards to performances based on characters with a mental illness or handicap (Rain Man, Cybil, etc.), as people always say its much easier to portray a dynamic array of emotion, than a character with very subtle emotions. However, Sally Fields’ performance blew me away.
I stopped watching till they killed off that awful Lucy character. I really like that actress but they wasted her in that role.
I like the show a lot but I wish every week didn’t have to be a “very special episode” featuring “something you’ve never seen before in the ER.”
Now if they’d just kill off that jackass Dr. Maluchi (sp) the show would be even better.
Having re-read my post, I suggest that ER take a cue from Big Brother and allow the viewers to vote off a character every once in a while. I’d pay $.99 per call for that.
I’m not about to trash ER. It’s one of my favorite shows, right behind West Wing.
But I’d like to address something that Orshee mentioned. The “event that will change your life” tactic, that the networks have adopted in their approach to promos. Now I know the purpose of promos is to entice you to watch the program but lately I’m feeling a little gypped.
Case en pointe: last week I watched the promo for E/R a dozen times. Oh no, Dr. Greene is in a helicoptor crash. He whispers “I love you” over the phone to Elizabeth. This is going to be heart wrenching. Then we actually get to the show. Crash? No! There’s no friggin’ crash. What the hell??
And for Fraser - “the next chapter of Niles and Daphne”? They shared screen time for two minutes - “Hey let’s go fold clothes in your room”. Oooh, I’m riveted to that story line. Sheesh.
Oh and last night’s E/R was terrific. Eriq LaSalle showed a range of emotions we haven’t seen out of him in quite a while, and Sally Field broke my heart with break-down her scene on the bench at the end.
That scene at the end with Sally Field’s breakdown was very moving – I couldn’t believe it affected me so much (maybe because she looks a lot like my mom).
And I loved the wide-screen shots for a change. It was a nice surprise, and I thought it really added to the drama. It made it seem like a mini-movie.
I was sniffling when Peter was working on his nephew despite knowing that it was a lost cause. But when he came out and Jackie started crying over her little boy, I was all out bawling. I’m getting teary-eyed even now
Sally Fields was amazing; she really knocked them dead. It was a great episode, especially since Maluchi got his ass kicked by Peter. God, he’s annoying. But every show needs one or two villains. It keeps the chemistry going.
I agree. Last week’s promo was very misleading. He never even said the line, “I love you” in the show. It was just in the previews. And the helicopter crash…where was it? Just a rough landing in a junkyard.
This week’s episode was good. I liked Jackie’s off-screen response to seeing Peter, drenched in his nephew’s bood, coming to talk to her. It was just agonizing. Very well-played by Khandi Alexander.
Personally, I don’t like Cleo (Michael Michele). I don’t see where her character adds anything to the show.
I also liked the wide-screen. I felt like I was watching a movie.
I disliked the episode, only because I really dislike getting teary while watching what I know is fiction. This is the first ER I’ve watched all season and Khandi Alexander off screen wail bought tears to my eyes.
I hate Malluchi, what an idiot. He has needed a good ass-kicking for some time. Next up, please God, Romano, someone beat the hell out of him.
Last night’s episode was excellently moving. Sally Field was incredible, it reminded me of how I have never gotten through Steel Magnolias without bawling.
Kinsey - I heard, not sure if it’s rumor or what that they had to end Benton and Corday’s relationship because he didn’t feel it was true to his character to be with her as an interracial couple. I think they brought Cleo in as a love interest.
I kind of like Maluchi. He’s the element that’s thrown in to relate to “the kids”, kind of like Checkov on Star Trek. But I can see from this public outcry that his character probably won’t last long.
Now Romano, please don’t let him leave the show. He is the most smarmy, evil, backstabbing son-of-a-bitch to ever hit prime time. I love him. Of course I hate him, but, damnit, I love him. You know what I mean.
I heard the same thing. She also is a pediatrician, and Doug had left, so they needed a pedes doc. I just don’t like the character. I don’t know exactly why; I just don’t think she adds anything to the show. Maybe because she has never really had a good storyline. This season she has really been a bitch.
Jeez, Romano…his “yeah, whatever” attitude to finding out about Peter’s nephew…what a complete and total SOB. I was hoping Elizabeth would pop him right in the mouth. You gotta love to hate him!
I love to hate Romano too. You just KNOW there are going to be big consequences regarding Corday’s botched herniated disc surgery that Romano had to fix.
Talk about an episode packed with raw emotion! I agree with the other posters that Sally Field’s performance was fantastic - I also thought “instant Emmy” right there. Benton’s sister’s reaction to simply seeing Peter walk towards her was absolutely heartrenching.
Regarding Cleo: I think the reason no one has warmed up to her yet is because the writers haven’t developed the character at all. No one cares about her because we haven’t been given anything to care about.
For the last few episodes, I felt like they were building up to a major Roman blow-out, something that’ll get him fired and get his license stripped. Or, maybe they’ll do us all a favor and have him killed by a psychotic patient who doesn’t like the way Romano treats him. I’ll wager if he pushes too hard about Corday’s surgery, the hospital will be investigated and more Romano misbehavior than we’ve already seen will be uncovered, like more EMTALA violations…the little cost-cutting prick.
I think it’s funny that the guest stars to so well, in comparison to the regulars. I’ve seen Alan Alda on there now twice (My wife’s an addict, I’m a heckler) and he does so much better than everyone else. I’ll probably see Sally Fields on there one of these days at this rate.
I get tired of seeing the same old thing. Every time Romano comes on screen, he’s the same thing. They never do anything with him except have him harass Benton or something similar. Woo. An eggplant could do that just as well.
To be fair to the cast and crew of “ER,” the promos are nothign they have any control over. They’re just junk put together by the dweebs in the ad department at NBC designed to entice people who ordinarily wouldn’t watch. Basically, it’s sweeps maneuvering for advertising dollars. Really has nothing to do with the quality of “ER.”
On the other hand, the egregious pimping of the Cher doll on “Will and Grace” was killing me last night, as the show is usually above that sort of crap.
Have to disagree with you there, my friend. Go back and watch Romano’s interactions with Lucy (say, when she keeps harassing him to go ahead with a surgery). Watch one of the episodes (like last night, with the herniated disc patient leaking) where the meanness and sarcasm suddenly disappear as SNAP the doctor mode goes on and he goes into action. For my money, his best work is when he and Cordey are working on Lucy after her stabbing. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a doctor try that hard and that tragically on the show (at least, before last night). His character does have the ability, though he is an ass, to put that aside when the circumstances warrant. Personally, I think his character is developing some interesting complexities.