Ming-Na puling a Madonna?

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I've missed a few episodes so now I'm confused about Ming-Na. 1) She used to be Ming-Na WEN. What's up with the name change? 2) She was Deb Chen before. I didn't catch last night if her character name was the same or different. If she still is Deb Chen, what the *&%&$(& ? Last I heard, medicine was not the occupation for her. And if it isn't her, that's just stupid to bring her back.

Basically, I guess my question is, what's the overall story with this chick?

Thanks for any and all help.

-- Casey Rader (crader@visto.com), February 18, 2000

Answers

The character is Deb Chen, the same that was in the ER as a med student. I have missed some recent episodes, so I don't know how/why she is back. I don't know anything about the actresses name. Sorry I'm not much help.

-- (angellmm@earthlink.net), February 18, 2000.

I just love this actress, and feel this part TOTALLY plays down her abilites. She is a complete riot in a comical part, like when she was in SingleGuy. I just think they don't have much of a story line for her so far.

-- Michelle Leonard (Misha7@home.com), February 18, 2000.

It's actually rather disturbing that I know all of this (I really need to get a better job, not to mention a more active Thursday night routine) but here's the deal... Deb didn't think medicine was for her, but then, as she explained to Carter, she was on a train and someone had a heart attack (or something along those lines) and she jumped in to the rescue, and realized that she was good at it, and medicine was her true calling. However, she did not do well in medical school, so she had her father buy her way in to a slot at County, because she liked it there so much (or perhaps because she wanted to redeem herself?) ... she is very honest about the nepotism, but I find the whole thing kind of weird. And as for pulling a Madonna, the name change is one thing, but if she starts speaking with a British accent, then God help us all!

-- L (lolabronx@hotmail.com), February 18, 2000.

I think the re-introduction of the Deb Chen character is totally confusing. She left medicine after messing up on adding a central line, realizing she was into medicine for ambitious, not humanitarian reasons. However, her character (as seen in her behavior with the other residents) is just as competitive and non-humanitarian.

What do you guys think?

-- molly (msque@aol.com), February 18, 2000.


Ming Na is her first name and Wen is her last name...like any other Chinese...my guess is she is trying to make her name easier for others to remember..

-- Jing Ni Soh (ginie5@yahoo.com), February 18, 2000.


My personal thoughts on the name changing thing has to do with Ming- Na herself. She mentioned in an article I had read about the need for Asians to be represented more honestly in film and tv. And how she was very proud of her Chinese name, it being unique. It would not be too far-fetched, that when ER asked her back, the actress requested a name change from Deb to something more Chinese (jing-mei). It's not unheard of for ehtnic actors to make those kind of requests.

Another reason could be the character continuing to hide from her parentage. We know that her Mother is head surgeon at Rush or something, and that her Father is loaded. Maybe she wants to get by on her own.

Another thought is she could be hiding from whatever happened to her original residency in New York. Yes, it ended, but how? another disastrous screw-up like the guide wire? I hope we find out more about what happened to her...

-- Marjorie (mudge@interlog.com), February 18, 2000.


Just wanted to thank everyone for the deluge of responses. That was amazingly fast and informative. Everything makes much more sense now.

It doesn't seem like the character was changed that deeply by the train incident. And they already have Dr. Dave. One narcissist who cares about procedures over patients is enough, isn't it? I have to say thought, I'd take Deb over that jackass any day.

I also wanted to apologize for the poor motor skills (puling). :D

Everyone take care. Crader out.

-- Crader (crader@visto.com), February 19, 2000.


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