Well I just watched the epi "Last Call" from season 3 and when they asked Clooney what the girls named was and he responded that he didn't know, it totallly cracked me up. It finally hit me that Doug Ross has hit rock bottomed. I thought that it was interesting how he handled his co-workers throughtout the day. He looked so pitifull sitting there on the bench waiting for Carol. I am so glad that she didn't give him the time of day and made him realized what all he's given up. That look of her on the El sitting there knowing that what she did was the right thing to do , but knowing that she still cares for him reallly touched me. i thought that it was a very powerfull epi.

-- Jill Huckabee (Huckabe5@bellsouth.net), June 06, 2000

Answers

I love this episode, too. Those last two scenes are so powerful. I'm glad Carol wouldn't go on being Doug's "enabler," in a way, telling him what he wanted to hear. Instead, she told him what he needed to hear. I love the look on Doug's face as she leaves, and the look on Carol's face as she sits on the El -- wanting to be there for him yet knowing that isn't the right thing to do. Then, the final scene, of Doug finding Nadine's epilepsy bracelet in his bathroom and erasing all of those messages -- he finally got it. I love Season 3 so much!!

-- Arianne (CarolRossSusanGreene@yahoo.com), June 06, 2000.

Me too!! I have a friend who never watched er until we met, during season 3. His first epi was "Last Call", and he came back to work saying "your man Clooney(Doug) is a dog" Can't belive a man said that. Anyway I love season 3. Dr. Keaton , Susan. Ah well.

-- Cara Noblitt (cnoblitt@usa.net), June 07, 2000.

That final scene really got me too, Arianne, for the reasons you said and for another. Nadine had mentioned just before her seizure that morning in the car that she'd left her watch and things at his place and wanted to go back for them. When he was desperately trying to find her identity and medical background, by searching her car, he didn't think of that. When he found the bracelet...and remembered she'd said that...he had to realize that the reason it didn't register was because he was, at the time she said it, trying to think of how to get as far away from her as possible. Just, IMO, another point that was a wake-up call to him...like he needed any more.

-- Diana (dilynne@juno.com), June 07, 2000.

I didn't see that episode until way after I saw the last half dozen or so episodes of season 3, and all of season 4. People would tell me about Doug adn Carol's history through 1 and 2 and I couldn't see him doing what he did in this show. It was a pretty big turning point; that is the thing with Doug, he had a lot of turning points, but they all made sense, they were all powerful, and they all followed in continuity: we progressively see him stop his one night stand habits, all the way through to him kissing Carol on the porch, and her realizing that she can be with him because she's seen him "reform" as he referred to it, over the past like 8 or 9 months. Honestly, I think they did the best character development with Doug, (well, and Carter, but that seems to be everyone's opinion, so I didn't feel I need to go there here)

-- Elaine (mrsclooney78@hotmail.com), June 07, 2000.

Elaine, I have to agree with you. I feel one of the reasons Doug was so popular is because the writers had such freedom with him, bringing him from the depths of horrendous personal behavior to a point where he struggled inwardly for some self-respect and honorability. The fact that he couldn't get it "just right" all the time must have been fun for the writers to play with. John Wells was quoted as saying that the great thing about Ross was that the audience would cringe, waiting to see what he'd do. I think that is true.

-- Phyl (erfan@flash.net), June 08, 2000.

I thought Clooney and the writers did an excellent job with making the character multi-dimensional, someone who had lots of faults as well as good points. His growth as a person was usually two steps forward and one step (sometimes more!) back. I loved Doug's vulnerability and how he was always trying to hide his true emotions. The scene that comes to mind is when his Dad died and he took the phone call at the desk so matter-of-fact like it was no big deal. After he and Carol go back together, you could see a real inner freedom in Doug where he was no longer hiding who he really was. Just my sentimental thoughts.

-- Christy (christy.steele@mindspring.com), June 08, 2000.