So according to Star magazine, these are some of ER's planned final epiosodes for this season:

Nurse Carol Hathaway's heartwrenching goodbye to Cook County (which we already knew)

Dr. Green's bid to quit over the death of his father

Dr. Weaver's career threatened for secretly performing an illegal procedure to save a patient

A furious row between Dr. Romano and Dr. Chen that turns into red-hot passion

Carter disappears, no one knows where he is and his colleagues are terrified that he may have committed suicide

We shall see...

-- Shawn Sanders (sanders169@earthlink.net), March 10, 2000

Answers

Carter'd never commit suicide - disapear tho, that's interesting. ;)

-- Glitter-Girl (glitter-girl_1607@yahoo.com), March 10, 2000.

do you think Carter will disappear over the summer break and we'll have to wait 4 months to see what happeneds? I hope not!!

*~Amelia~*

-- Amelia (sorry@msn.com), March 10, 2000.

I'd LOVE to see Romano and Chen together. They would be great. I don't think Weaver would risk her career for a patient (look how hard she came down on Dr. Ross over the detox of the baby and the illegal administering of drugs to Ricky). About Carter, I wouldn't be surprised if he's so wracked with guilt over Lucy that he decides he needs a break from the hospital and takes some time (the summer hiatus) to grieve, "find himself" and heal: all of which will make him a better doctor (better than he already is, which is great). Interesting tidbits of information--thanks

-- Carin (cdenisehaze@usa.net), March 10, 2000.

Romano and Chen... What a great idea! Now that somebody thought of it, they really do belong together!

-- Manon (brault@saglac.qc.ca), March 10, 2000.

Whooo Hooo.....wouldn't it be great if Kerry did the illegal procedure, and Doug "drops" by the ER to pick up Carol and the kids....and just "winks" at her!

-- Deb (KHege@AOL.com), March 11, 2000.

I agree, I don't think Carter will actually try suicide. They've already done that with Carol. Besides, he has access to anything he might need to kill himself in any way he liked, and we know he can't succeed in suicide because he's not leaving the show.

I do think they're going to make us spend all summer wondering where he went, though. Sigh . . .

-- Karen (chainlock@aol.com), March 11, 2000.

Remember on the "Rosie" show Noah Wyle said that "all hell would break loose" for his character. Could this be when he disappears?

-- Davon (crazycowgirl58@hotmail.com), March 11, 2000.

ok, deb and romano....come on people lets be realistic. ok er is starting to turn into a soap opera. what could they possibly have in common? ok lizzie and mark..i like this couple, i hope they dont fall apart cause that would be another lost loved one for mark. marks dad would have to die a sudden death if he is going to die on the season finale.. usually cancer prolonged taked at least a year to finally kill the person[so far he seems to be ok]

-- rachel (thehilfigergirl@aol.com), March 11, 2000.

I don't remember what kind of cancer David Greene was diagnosed with, but cancer can and does take lifes suddenly. My grandfather was diagnosed with lung cancer on March 11, 1993 and he died on April 23, 1993. Not everyone takes months of years to succumb to cancer, for some people, it only takes weeks.

-- Carin (cdenisehaze@usa.net), March 11, 2000.

Re: David Greene: it was lung cancer which had spread to his liver, and he's already had it awhile. When Mark tries to break the news to him, he says "that's what the doctors in Los Angeles said too." He looks pretty healthy for a dying man, though.

-- Felicity (felicity08@juno.com), March 12, 2000.

POSSIBLE SPOILER*********POSSIBLE SPOILER*********** I read the Star predictions also. It also mentioned that Carol will try a kiss with Luka and then realize that it is Doug she wants. She tells the staff he wants to help raise the twins and she leaves for Seattle. Hey Doug, PICK HER UP. A little help on the plane would be nice. And it doesn't say Carter does kill himself, it just says it leaves the viewer to wonder for the summer. This happens after a couple of run-ins with Green who tries to get him to see a therapist. It mentions that Carter may be bipolar after a series of tests. Carter refuses to ever leave the job and lies to Green's face. I can definitely see Kerry doing it her way in the right circumstances. Remember, she has a soft spot for people who are believed to be "defective", or abandoned. It is also mentioned that Benton and Cleo's father get into a heated argument. The other cliffhanger is that one of the ER nurses is raped and it is believed that the perp is one of the staff. Hmmmm. We shall see...........

-- joan (joanofarc24@hotmail.com), March 12, 2000.

I hope the last *spoiler* about the rape is incorrect. That storyline was already covered on St Elsewhere -- and it was not one of the better ones.

-- judie (jasbel95@aol.com), March 13, 2000.

Okay, a couple of comments and some questions. I also heard, from a friend, that she read an article about Julianna and George, and that possibly they might be doing a show of their own, together. My opinion, Carol and Doug should end up together, (I love Luka, but...well, you know)

Carter!! That would be a good story line. It would be a terrible thing to do to make us wait all summer to see what actually happens to him, but I am not going to fret about that one yet, I still have to make to March 23rd!!! :-)

What exactly is bipolar? Can't believe Carter would end with a psychological problem. But then again, I am not sure what bipolar is.

That's it for now. Thanks for listening, well, reading.

-- Paula (pbranden@dwave.net), March 13, 2000.

Don't you think that Mark's reaction to his father's death sounds a bit exaggerate?He can rely on Elizabeth,he sees a psychiatrist,but he's so unable to snap out of his depression that he thinks to quit his job!

-- Elianto (s.orazi@flashnet.it), March 13, 2000.

Bipolor used to be called manic-depressive. It's a mental illness caused by a chemical imbalance.

-- Catherine (codonnell@millville.org), March 13, 2000.

It is nice to speculate about this, but let's consider the source. Star magazine? So this rag of a mag somehow gets the scrip or inside source on the season finale of the network's highest rated show? Let's look at timelines. I may be reaching but final eppys are not normaly written yet. It takes about ten days to film an eppy and depending on the writing team 3 to 7 days to write one. But let's not go there let's look at the storylines.

Dr. Romano and Dr. Chen together? What field did this come from? Is this really the stuff of season finales anyways with the beginning of a new realtionship between these two? Don't get me wrong I like Rocket in a weird sort of way.

How big of a leap of logic is it about when Carol leaves?

Kerry performing an operation that breaks policy? How out of character is that? So, they know she does and they have all these juicy details concerning the other plots, but what procedure and why? Kind of nagging isn't it. (Star magazine has lots of details concerning Carter and Greene)

Lastly, Carter. Ok the pain medicine addiction I can believe even though that it is a tired storyline. But, bi polar and sucicidal? Come on sounds like Star has been reading ER fanfic out there. Is this outlandish enough to shock? Maybe this is the point.

Want I am trying to say that these storylines sound way to cracked out and made up. I think the writer of the article came up with half crazed believeable ideas or this is an ER ploy purposely leaked to cause us to get all in a tither. Since when does that much happen in a season finale?

Ok I'm done. Sorry if this was long. And if I am wrong feel free to throw eggs at me later.

Kristen

-- Kristen (kdarganin@hotmail.com), March 13, 2000.

Dr. Chen and Dr. Romano - ok, I should know better than to believe what I read but OMG. no way. have the ER writers lost all ability to write romance. Mark and Elizabeth - absolutely no sexual tension there. none. not even if you suspend disbelief. Benton and Cleo - at the risk of making myself seem like a brainwashed teenager :ew. Luka and Carol ( possibly. I don't read spoilers, this is just my take from viewing eps) look, for crying out loud. Carol you love Doug. He loves you. Go away. Leave us alone and never ever ever come back. anyway, my point - Dr. Chen and Romano have nothing in common. Nothing. Come on, this is Romano we're on about.

-- kitcat (kitcat_1013@yahoo.co.uk), April 21, 2000.

Yes, but at least half of the Star's predictions have come true already.

For instance, the bit about a patient returning to the hospital with complications, and Carter lying to Mark's face. That did indeed happen already ("Viable Options").

I suspect that the Star's spoilers contain a fair amount of fact and some degree of fiction/misunderstanding. For instance, I think that what the Star called "bi-polar" is actually going to be PTSD. I don't think the script will mention "bi-polar" at all. Some idiot at the Star probably substituted "bi-polar" for "PTSD."

-- debbie (riccardoiii@aol.com), April 21, 2000.

And Debbie, you forgot "Dr Weaver's career threatened..." That happened too, that is why she is suspended! So most of the stuff was true. I think Carter disssapearing could happen too. Chen and Romano? We will see!

-- Manon (brault@saglac.qc.ca), April 21, 2000.

Here's what I think: Carter may very well disappear during the last episode, but there WILL be some sort of resolution before the fade to black. And people will have to wait until the fall to find out what the repercussions were. I think the Romano-Chen story is probably bogus. As for the nurse rape story.... well, put two and two together, folks, and throw in the usual slight distortion you find in the Star: the "nurse" rape story and the Romano-Chen story may be... one and the same? At any rate - if ANY doctor is accused of rape of ANYONE - it would have to be Mr. Sexual Harassment himself, the man you love to hate, none other than Rocket Romano. Anyone else, and nobody (either the other characters, or the at-home audience) would buy it for a second. Them's my predictions.

-- debbie (riccardoiii@aol.com), April 21, 2000.

OK, to clarify, just in case nobody got it - I know that Chen is a doctor, not a nurse. But it could be that the Star is either accidentally or deliberately misidentifying who the victim is, and that the two different purported storylines might actually be just ONE. I mean, you can't say that the spoilers in the Star haven't been fairly accurate, although they have been unfolding in a different way than their "scoop" implied.

-- debbie (riccardoiii@aol.com), April 21, 2000.

OOH! Guess I'm on a roll tonight... but I was thinking on this Chen thing again. Isn't part of the May 4 spoiler something to do with her being appalled that something bad happens to a baby because a simple test is not ordered.

here's what I think: Romano forbids her from ordering a test. There's a bad result to the patient, and she gets furious and... TADA, there's your "furious argument" which supposedly "turns into passion" (although I find that latter part hard to believe!!!)

However, I could believe that Chen could wind up accusing him of trying to assault her. Sort of a Rashomon thing (where the two sides have different spins on what actually happened).

yep, I'm more convinced than ever now that these two "different" Star scoops are in fact the SAME storyline. We'll see!

-- debbie (riccardoiii@aol.com), April 21, 2000.

NO WAIT! I have an even more plausible explanation! "A nurse is raped and suspicion falls on one of the staff"... By Jove, I've got it! Chen lustfully assaults HunkyNurse! :-)

(OK, I know rape is not funny, but I couldn't resist)

-- debbie (riccardoiii@aol.com), April 21, 2000.

Okay, here is my take on the Star's predictions:

* "Carol's fragile emotions come to the surface during a rooftop barbeque. She feels drawn to Luka, but stops herself."

Well, Luka & Carol did share in a barbeque, but at her house not the hospital. And Luka seemed to be drawn to her, not the other way around.

* "Dr.Kerry Weaver has a crisis of conscience when she performs an illegal procedure to save a patient's life."

She did disobey Romano's orders not to perform a central line on a patient; therefore, resulting in her suspension.

* "Dr.Greene asks Dr.Carter about a diagnosis on a patient, who has to be readmitted due to complications. Without a second thought, Carter lies right to his friend's face."

This occured at the end of "Viable Options" when the diabetic boy was readmitted.

* "He (Dr.Carter) makes an unrealistic vow that no one is going to die on his shift. And when his shift is over, he refuses to leave."

This will probably be revealed to us when Dr.Carter assumes Dr.Greene's shift in the upcoming eppy, "Loose Ends."

* "After his father's death, Dr.Greene considers quitting."

My guess is that he will not quit but take a leave of absence in order to grieve his father's death and handle his father's affairs - his house in California, finances, burial & will, etc.

* "He (Dr.Carter) goes through a series of tests, which reveal he may be bipolar."

I don't think so. Try Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. The poor guy doesn't have to take a test to prove the obvious.

* "Carter walks out of the hospital without a word to anyone. Everyone will have to wait until fall to find out whether he's alive or dead."

Of course he's not going to die! He may leave during his shift, but I think the audience will get a glimpse of his whereabouts before next season.

-- anne (sapphire_172@hotmail.com), April 22, 2000.

Kerry was suspended so Laura Innes could have the week behind the camera directing. She'll be back next week, so I'm suspecting that any "threat" to her career is over.

-- Diana (dilynne@juno.com), April 22, 2000.

Of course Carter's not gonna die. Think how much fuss there'd be if he was leaving the series - there's enough fuss about JM already!

I reckon Luka will convince Carol to go the Seattle - knowing what it's like to be a father separated from his family.

There's no way Dr Rocket would assault anyone - except maybe his beloved dog - but Chen's a nasty suspicious little woman. Anyway maybe it's Supernurse Frank who assaults her - then again he's not ER staff, is he? He's from some other hospital, I thought. If any ER man would assault anyone it's got to be Dr Dave but then, who says it's Chen who's assaulted. Maybe its that woman whose name I can't remember - the one who refused to disobey the rules when Carol and Kerry tried to get her to do something Rocket had forbidden. I'm sure her name begins with H and she's a nurse.

Maybe people suspect Carter of assaulting someone because he's so messed up and that's why he goes missing. Or maybe he goes missing then someone's assaulted and Carter's suspected. But I'm sure Carter doesn't go completely off the rails - it would be too unpopular and his friends would never let it go that far - ok, they've been insensitive, but they'd never let him go mad.

-- jul (Vizzn@AOL.com), April 24, 2000.

What if Carter gets wind of an assault, or perceives himself threatened yet again, and goes AWOL as a result, the triggered memories being too much for him.

-- Tanya (ptkrogfo@silk.net), April 24, 2000.

I cannot believe how accurate the tabloid was, really, I thought it was completely ridiculous. I agree that they messed up Carter's problems (he should have PTSD), however, I DO NOT believe he will attempt suicide. He may just take off out of nowhere for a short while and the others will be worried sick (SPOILER...since he is supposed to become compative on the season finale and there will be a confrontation with all the ER doctors...cannot wait!). Since ER usually runs on real time and there are often no HUGE cliffhanger endings, as someone else has said somewhere, I doubt they would leave us wondering. I agree with Anne about her ideas on Kerry, Mark, and the others. But I don't know about Romano/Deb, or a nurse being raped...and I would NEVER want it to be Dr. Dave. He's a good guy.

-- Elaine (mrsclooney78@hotmail.com), April 25, 2000.

Just wanted to add...

Deb & Romano - I would love to see these two as professional adversaries, not lovers! Deb is one of my favorite new characters on the show; I was probably one of the few who was thrilled at the news she was returning to ER. She could definitely hold her own against Rocket Romano, another favorite of mine. I really enjoyed the scene at the beginning of "Viable Options" when Kerry & Deb acted amused at Romano's statement about working in the trenches with the little people. Now those two joining forces against Romano would be pure gold!!

Benton & Cleo - I could care less! In my opinion, Cleo needs to go into private practice and Benton needs to pay more attention to his son & Carter. I think those two need him ten times more than Cleo. I don't mind them so much as a couple, but surely the writers can do more with this character than portraying her as someone's girlfriend.

The supposed rape of a nurse by a possible staff member - That is straight out of St.Elsewhere!!! No way is that going to happen. And if it does, I will be gravely disappointed.

-- anne (sapphire_172@hotmail.com), April 25, 2000.