I've noticed in some past posts that people dont like Abby becuase she is a "replacement" for Lucy. Why is it that no one seems to remember that Lucy was the "replacement" for Anna?

-- Joseph (JH4679@aol.com), April 01, 2000

Answers

What about Luka replacing Ross.

-- H C Tuson (cdls1840@msn.com), April 01, 2000.

And Cleo replacing Jeannie...imagine if the initial cast (plus Laura Innes and Gloria Ruben) were all still on the show! Maybe we'd all be pretty bored with them by now...or not.

-- nancy (ntc72@mailcity.com), April 01, 2000.

I'd never get bored with Dr. Ross--he could examine me anytime he likes. For the record: I prefer Dr. Ross over Dr. Kovac--Cleo over Jeannie--Anna over Lucy, Maggie over Anna--Susan over Maggie--and Jerry over Randy. And for next season, I prefer Carol over Abby..(maybe that isn't a proper comparison since Abby isn't a nurse anymore, but close enough)

-- Carin (cdenisehaze@usa.net), April 01, 2000.

Good point Joseph. I am one of the ones who feels uneasy about Abby because I feel like she's a replacement for Lucy, but I'm not sure why. Abby is not my favorite character, but she is better than some others. I guess this just goes with Lucy's last episode as a working med student (i.e. Be Still My Heart) and how Abby got 100% of the attention and Lucy should have gotten half of that attention from Carter. I also have not been too accepting of Luka souley because of his lookalike "replacement" of Doug. Otherwise, I would have been completely for him (I do like his character, I just want to keep his relationship w/ Carol STRICTLY friendly); I love any guy with a European accent.

-- Elaine (mrsclooney78@hotmail.com), April 01, 2000.

Cleo over Jeannie? Really? Guess it's me, but Cleo to me seems like a cardboard cutout. Jeannie had so much heart, until those last few episodes when she was leaving. Seems like if an actor announces they're leaving, the character has a poor story line up to the point they leave. That seems like what's happened with Carol (her story line has been boring all season and I thought the epi where she had the babies to be one of the worst of the season) and Jeannie. And somewhat with Doug up until his last couple of epis. Lucy might be the one exception, but her story line wasn't too great her entire second season then, so maybe that also supports my theory. Just some thoughts.

-- Diana (dilynne@juno.com), April 01, 2000.

The episode where Carol had the babies to be the *worst* of the season??? Uh....mind sharing why? "Great Expectations" is in my top 5 list. Julianna was simply stunning in it and it was a brilliant showcase for her.

-- random person (ewwhatevr@aol.com), April 01, 2000.

First of all, "Great Expectations" one of the *worst*?? It was a terrific showcase for JM's immense acting talent, a brilliant episode IMO.

Secondly, I get very annoyed when TPTB try to replace characters, especially with their "moving on" philosophy. I prefer Susan over Anna and Elizabeth; Anna over Lucy; Carol over Abby or WHOEVER; Doug over Luka; Jeannie over Cleo;...etc. If they want the fans to move on from past characters, quit giving us annoyingly similar characters (who are far less interesting, I might add)!!

-- Leigh (WillnGraceNYC@yahoo.com), April 02, 2000.

How can anyone prefer Cleo over Jeannie?! Jeannie, even when she had nothing to do, lit up the small screen. Gloria Rueben has a beautiful smile and eyes. Cleo doesn't even appear to have anykind of a connection with children; Jeannie was an angel with them. Remember Scottie Anspaugh? And her working with Doug in the Peds unit?

Technically Cleo is the replacement for Doug. Who did Luka replace? Probably Maggie, since she & Jerry seem to have run off to some kind of commune.

-- AmyE (roamyn@aol.com), April 02, 2000.

I don't remember why I thought Great Expectations was so bad specifically. Maybe I just expected better myself, there was such a build up. It reminded me in some ways of Love's Labour Lost, which I loved, and I didn't think it stood that comparison. I just remember it being one of the few ER episodes I never watched a second time, and in fact I think I had taped it because I couldn't be home and fast-forwarded through some of it. That's why they have so many characters and storylines...there's something there for everyone. Who knows, maybe I'll catch it on the reruns and retract my statement. I promise to give it a second chance.

-- Diana (dilynne@juno.com), April 02, 2000.

Technically, I think Luca replaced Jeannie because they are both PA's (right?). I wish they would have just NOT replaced the characters that left last season. They have way too many characters as it is. Personally, I like Luca and Abby is OK. And although people don't seem to agree, I like Malucci and Jing Mei (mostly for comic relief). IMO they need to focus on Mark, Kerry, Carter, Elizabeth and Peter and make everyone else supporting characters.

-- amanda (amanda.rehm@home.com), April 02, 2000.

Luka is an attending. PA = physician assistant. Jeanie wasn't even a doctor. Whereas Luka is above Carter, Deb, Malucci, and Cleo and equal to Mark.

-- - (marcysux@aol.com), April 02, 2000.

i have posted this before, with no response. why does everyone think luka is a lookalike for doug?? other than they both have brown hair, i see no resemblance!!! does anyone care to comment on this? luka is way hotter , he is so gorgeous!! woohoooo!! doug was gorgeous until that awful haircut of his.

-- Alexis (lexicat1@webtv.net), April 03, 2000.

I'm one who thinks Luka is rather hot as well, and I think that he looks kinda like Doug, just enough to make easy comparing. It's hard to compare people over others because they don't technically have the same positions. Like, Susan over Elizabeth. Right now, Elizabeth is a surgeon. It's not like Elizabeth professionally replaced Susan, right? Anyway, I always found most of the people on the show to have strong characters. You always like the cast you start watching with, or the original cast. At present, I really like Elizabeth, Mark, Carter and Kerry. Also Carol and Chuny. And Maggie and Jerry.

-- Joanne (bucklind@hotmail.com), April 03, 2000.

Alexis, I agree...Luka is a hottie. And I personally do not see any resemblance to Doug either. I like Luka much better than Doug...he is cuter and definitely of better character. Everyone seems to forget what a jerk Doug was most of the time! BTW did Luka start off as a PA?

-- amanda (amanda.rehm@home.com), April 03, 2000.

Alexis, There was an episode this season where Luka came in and for a second I thought it was Doug. I hadn't felt until that point that he was a replacement. I can't remember the specific epi but if it comes to me, or I see it in reruns, I'll let you know. TV Guide gave ER a JEERS a couple of weeks ago regarding this very topic, replacements. They compared the epi where Luka helped the child who was hit by a bike (in February) to the HELL AND HIGH WATER and said it something like it was an attempt to clone George Clooney. During the previews for that epi I'd had a sense of deja vu.

-- Diana (DILYNNE@JUNO.COM), April 03, 2000.

No, Luka was never a PA...he was a moonlighter at first, just filling in when someone was sick. He became an attending after Gabe left

-- Joseph (JH4679@aol.com), April 03, 2000.

Now that I think of it...Hell and High Water and Be Patient were very similar situations in terms of the Doug/Luka decision dilemma...both wanted to transport a child as quickly and efficiently as possible, and both doubted their quick thinking and transportation methods afterwards. Both were supposed to be turning points/defining moments for the respective character. ALthough I think that Dougs's was much more effective to the audience, and if you want reasons for this, the person who runs this (Phil) wrote a detailed explanation about this on his review for Be Patient, and I agreed with it totally, so if you're interested, you should read that.

-- Elaine (mrsclooney78@hotmail.com), April 03, 2000.

I agree with what Elaine says above about the two episodes. What I can't figure out is this: Doug's turning point was that he'd been fired from the hospital and the media event/saving the boy kept that from happening. What was supposed to be the defining/turning point for Luka? Maybe I've forgotten, but I really can't think of what the point was supposed to be.

-- Diana (dilynne@juno.com), April 03, 2000.

i understand what you guys mean, as a replacement and all, similar storylines, etc, but it has been mentioned that they look so much alike all over this mesage board, but i just dont see it!!

-- Alexis (lexicat1@webtv.net), April 03, 2000.

My comment about Cleo replacing Jeannie was less about staff position (I know she is the peds attending which is what Doug was) and more about looks (similar physical characteristics) and role on show (love interest for Peter, plus maybe more if we're lucky.)

-- nancy (ntc72@mailcity.com), April 03, 2000.

Just for clarification, I'm not the person who runs things here -- and since I am a woman, my name isn't "Phil" ;^D -- but I did address the difference between the "defining moments" in the review. However, I do realize, as I've stated somewhere before, that it was NBC, not Warner Bros., that came up with "Dr. Kovac's defining moment." So, I can cut TPTB some slack on this. I do hope Luka has a defining moment, but that sure wasn't it.

Regarding Luka as a Doug look-alike, I don't know that it's looks, but situations that the writers put Luka in that were very similar. It's not only on the message boards around the 'net, but has been in different media as well. One example of how TPTB, either purposely or accidently created the "similarity monster" was when they had Luka holding the child while Carol looked on. It was remniscent of Doug holding a child in "Going Home" while, you guessed it, Carol looked on.

Little stuff like this, plus the fact that Luka had the majority of his early scenes with Carol, had the effect of raising the eyebrows of people like me who, despite what others say, don't forget that Doug *was* a louse, but that he cleaned up his act -- we loved him for that. One of the reasons people loved him was that he was so flawed, yet his heart was golden. And, he straightened himself out. As for Luka being a "hottie," while that word doesn't exist in my vocabulary, I don't see that, either. Having said this, I realize that it is sort of pointless to debate "who is better looking" because attraction is such a subjective thing.

-- Phyl (erfan@flash.net), April 03, 2000.

I have to make some clarifications. I prefer Cleo over Jeannie. I don't really know why. I think I prefer Michael Michelle over Gloria Rueben so that plays into my liking one's character over the other. I watched Michael M. on Homicide and thought she was great. As for Luka being better looking than Dr. Ross--not in my opinion. Dr. Kovac is gorgeous, don't get me wrong, but nothing compares to the look of Dr. Ross cocking his head to the side and giving the sly smile as he's sweet talking a lady. Dr. Ross gives me heart palpitations--where's my nitro...lol

-- Carin (cdenisehaze@usa.net), April 03, 2000.

I've said it before and I'll say it again...what is it about Doug Ross that makes him so popular? Is it just because of his looks? That is awfully shallow. His character was annoying at the best of times. I'm really glad he is gone and I'm looking forward to Carol joining him.

My faves? Carter...easy. Mark, Romano, Kerry, Peter (some times), Elizabeth, Randy... and I miss Lucy. Malucci is okay and I am withholding judgement on Cleo since she is used so little. Jeannie was in a huge rut and wasn't overly interesting.

-- Rusty Priske (rusty.priske@hrdc-drhc.gc.ca), April 04, 2000.

Rusty, do you *really* want to know what it was about Doug? And, no, it wasn't just his good looks. If you do, I'll gladly spend the time typing it out. If you're just making a statement and don't care, I won't.

-- Phyl (erfan@flash.net), April 04, 2000.

Rusty, have you seen the first season epis? I'd forgotten how "cute" Doug was, but watching the reruns on TNT remind me of his early roots, when he was such a lovable cad. He wanted Carol, he wanted someone else, he wanted Carol, he couldn't help himself but again he wanted someone else. In one of the early ones, when she was first coming back to work from the suicide attempt, he asked Mark if she was there. Mark told him, for the third time, he hadn't seen her. Then when he did, she was busy on a trauma but he started saying really silly stuff to her anyway. The other night on an epi she started talking shop to him and he said "well good morning to you too, Nurse Hathaway" and laughed that charming laugh. If you see these and then watch the character change and progress you might see what everyone saw in Doug. Then there's also that he's cute.

-- Diana (dilynne@juno.com), April 04, 2000.

Dr. Ross is more than just good looks. Behind the flirty exterior is a man who choose to go into a profession where he works with sick children. In my opinion, it takes a heart of gold to work with children who are ill. Dr. Ross's character developed over time and he matured over time. When he left for Seattle he asked Carol to come along--she choose to stay--that gesture in and of itself shows a man who cares about someone other than himself.

-- Carin (cdenisehaze@usa.net), April 04, 2000.

Doug Ross I think was the most interesting and well developed character on the show. I watched all the time in season 3 to see how much more he will "reform". Following in the best character development were Mark, Carter, Carol, Benton, even Jeanne...in other words, the original cast. The rest we have not seen as much growing and development through the show, and I think that is why people are getting tired of it. We even knew Susan better than we know any of the new people. ER was much more personal before, and now it's just like patients are in, patients are out...the doctors/nurses give their all the help them and then their gone and that's that. I keep saying this but...it needs more commeraderie.

-- Elaine (mrsclooney78@hotmail.com), April 04, 2000.

Cleo is the most boring character they've had in a long time. She does not match Jeannie in anyway.

-- taylor (taylor2111@excite.com), April 05, 2000.

I did actually want to know...and some people gave responses. I have watched all the episodes and I found Doug Ross to be very wooden. He seemed to be a big cliche..."the rebel". I did, however, really like Susan and I felt her departure was the only one of the series that hurt the show...until Lucy.

Actually, let me rephrase that. It wasn't the Lucy was such a big loss (I really like the character, but they weren't really using her much anyway), it's that the fact that no one seems to care a week later is really unbelievable. Oh well.

I don't dislike George Clooney (Three Kings was great) I just found Doug Ross to be very one dimensional. That's something his "replacement" Luka shares. Cleo as well. And Jeanie. And...and...and.

There are great characters on the show but there are always some who don't seem to develop the same range as others.

It is still the most enjoyable show on tv these days (though West Wing is catching up) :)

Rusty

-- Rusty Priske (rusty.priske@hrdc-drhc.gc.ca), April 06, 2000.