OK, so it's not a reason to feel "good"...maybe "less bad" would be more appropriate...

The spoiler I'll refer to is the one which suggested the next new episode deals with Carter's return to work.

We do need to give Carter time to heal. I think I saw enough of him groaning, struggling with the walker, and grimacing. I want to be shown the emotional struggling/grimacing now, which can only happen once the physical healing is more complete.

So as we wait these long and lonely weeks with no ER, think of Carter getting better, maybe being discharged, and how much better it will be seeing him in his real on-the-job world rather than in his recovery bed. There'll be more drama there as he gets ready to face things again. I guess what I'm trying to say is that from the stand point of Carter's character, now is a good time for a break. Having had one will make his return in the new episode seem more logical. (And think of how odd it will be to eventually watch these episodes on TNT - in one he can't walk 100 feet, in the next he's back to work)

Would I want a new episode sooner showing Carter in a different stage of recovery but not at work? Maybe not.

-- nancy (tbc@po.cwru.edu), March 06, 2000

Answers

Well, I had originally hoped they would show him recovering in the hospital more with more of the others visiting him...since although he looked very distraut, he was very cute. But I guess looking back at the theme of ER, the characters usually deal with things after a period of time, and after they're forced to return to the scene of whatever happened (most often, work).

Also, he is not going to be perfectly okay when he goes back and I am more interested to see who is going to help him out and how he will deal, like what Nancy said. They HAVE to know that he is not the same, even if he is going to attempt to convince them that he is. One thing about Carter is that he always looks people in the eye, and he could not do that with Deb in his room, esp. when talking about Lucy. He looked at her only twice when he forced smiling and laughing. It is very different for Carter, and I hope people will notice.

-- Elaine (mrsclooney78@hotmail.com), March 06, 2000.

NANCY, WHILE YOU'RE WAITING FOR NEW EPISODES, YOU MIGHT WANT TO CHECK OUT TNT EVERY NIGHT. THE EPISODES SHOWING THIS WEEK AND NEXT WEEK (MARCH 6 TO 17) ARE FROM LAST SEASON AND ARE RELEVANT TO THE FEBRUARY EPISODES. LAST NIGHT (MARCH 7) WAS THE EPISODE WHEN KERRY FIRST USED THE "SAW" IN THE ER. SHE WAS SO EXCITED AND SO WAS EVERY ONE AROUND HER. WHAT A CONTRAST BETWEEN THE NAMELESS PATIENT AND LUCY!

-- DIANA (DILYNNE@JUNO.COM), March 07, 2000.