What is it about Cleo Finch that feels so hostile? The first thing she ever did on the program was punch out a man with a headache who had stupidly pulled the fire alarm to get attention for his pain. (What if the man had a seeping aneurysm instead of a migraine? It didn't occur to her to ask before she assaulted him.) She seems to have a chip on her shoulder, especially when dealing with Elizabeth last night. She doesn't seem to understand the need to follow procedures, whether it's updating a surgeon who's observing a patient or checking a prescription before administering it to a patient. Her lack of concern over that was disappointing and offensive (remember the wonderful, personal angst of Carol Hathaway and Elizabeth Corday over fatal errors?) Even her misdiagnosis of the little girl who died of iron poisoning didn't ring true -- just what kind of a pediatrician doesn't ask about vitamins with supplemental iron? In fact, she hasn't exactly convinced me that she's playing a doctor ... just a pretty, wind-up doll that goes through the motions without ever developing a personality. She feels artificial, as if she were brought on for the purpose of playing caricatures instead of a character. I miss the emotional richness of Jeanne Boulet, the personal/professional complexity of Susan Lewis, the determined struggling of Lucy Knight and the careful compassion of Anna DelAmico. .

-- Chessie King (chessieking@hotmail.com), April 14, 2000

Answers

Chessie, you're exactly right! I can't help but wonder what the writer's are thinking. I don't know if it's the actor or the material she's been given. They haven't given us a chance to warm up to her, and last night's epi. didn't help at all. I miss the original characters too. But not Lucy! Sorry, but she wasn't convincing as a doctor. Again, was it the writing, or the actor? Anyway, Cleo was wrong in getting Benton to look at that kid. She knew he would tell her what she wanted to hear and she used him. You think that would've really made Benton mad. But as long as they can fool around in the ER, he won't care!!

-- ellen (dbspunky61@hotmail.com), April 14, 2000.

Chessie,

I totally agree. Cleo's character is totally offensive and what is more offensive is Benton's constant overlooking of all of her unprofessionalism. I think they should get rid of her character all together--she still feels "outsiderish" and has not earned the place in most viewers' hearts to behave so badly and still be considered likable.

Re: the Corday squabble. Didn't Cleo totally mess up on some patient during the Lucy death episode (give him unnecessary surgery while waiting for Benton)? I thought that episode established her inability to make surgical calls. Meanwhile, Elizabeth has always rocked in terms of her surgical skills. So what gives Cleo the right to second guess her?

I don't like Cleo either.

-- sharon (mrsrorque@aol.com), April 14, 2000.

I'm so glad someone posted a thread re: Cleo or else I was going to do it. In an earlier thread I stated that I prefered Cleo to Jeannie- I admit it, I WAS WRONG!!! I don't know what I saw in Cleo that made me think she had an ounce of sympathy or intelligence. The way she went behind Elizabeth's back to operate on that boy made me disgusted. When she and Peter kiss I actually felt the bile rising up in my throat. Can we say gross....Get these two broken up, please. I don't know what could be done to make Cleo likeable--how about a full frontal lobotomy.

-- Carin (cdenisehaze@usa.net), April 14, 2000.

Was Cleo right or wrong in "demanding" the x-lab? Well the way she handled it was definetly wrong, that's for sure. But coming from someone who's mother inadvertently died due to a seat-belt shoulder strap contusion, I would've gone with her gut feeling of doing the procedure. It sure didn't hurt.

The ER doctor's didn't feel the need to do anything for my mother and she died 3 days later due to pneumonia that developed because the chest contusion she received during a minor car accident prevented her from breathing properly and the lung infection she had (that no one knew about) took fast hold.

So, while I can't stand her character, I can't fault her as a doctor in doing everything absolutely necessary to help that teen. She also seemed more compassionate with the teen than I've seen her so far. But please, NO MORE lovey dovey scenes with Benton in the hospital. I could care less, it's kinda disgusting. (Go Yosh - I could use more of that too!)

-- AmyE (roamyn@aol.com), April 14, 2000.

I agree with you Carin! The only thing I liked about the kissing scene with Benton/Cleo was Yoshi's response. Cleo said they were having a discussion. And Yoshi said that he could use a good discussion too! That cracked me up. It was nice to see Benton show emotion w/Carter. But they've gone too far! I wanna see that "kick butt" attitude he used to have!

-- ellen (dbspunky61@hotmail.com), April 14, 2000.

When the boy's white count increased (which I believe is a sign of infection) Cleo should have contacted Dr. Corday, not Dr. Benton who had no previous knowledge about the patient. She operated and found no perforation. I'm not saying the boy wasn't in danger, I just don't approve of the sneaky way Cleo went about getting her way.

-- Carin (cdenisehaze@usa.net), April 14, 2000.

Cleo wasn't the guilty party that punched the man with the migraine- that was Randi. (As one would expect!) I am not, as many others evidently are not, taking to Cleo. She's wooden, and that end-run she did around Elizabeth for who-knows-what reasons was sneaky & manipulative. (Does she think she needs to compromise professionalism to impress Peter?) She, and "they", are just not interesting.

-- Emma (redwing8420@aol.com), April 14, 2000.

I think they are trying to give Cleo a "Doug-ish" type of protectiveness over her child patients - notice she doesn't get so worked up over the adult patients she sees. Whatever they are trying to with her, it is NOT working. That scene with her lying down w/Benton in the treatment room - I almost expected them to start going at it. The old Peter would not compromise his professional image even for the sake of love (which I doubt this is - probably just heat). The old Peter would be too embarassed to reveal even a small corner of his personal life to his co-workers and especially his superiors. (Especially when one of his superiors is an ex-lover.)

-- Linda (l.brown@mindspring.com), April 14, 2000.

Overall, I do not feel the way most everyone else does...I think she DOES have potential, they just need to give her the right storyline. Peter and Cleo do not disgust me, but they need a twist or something to make it more interesting than making out every chance they get (Carter did this better with Harper in the second season, if anyone remembers!)

I wanted make that clear before I said that she DID come across as harsh with Carter in Viable Options...yes, Carter lied and she was right to warn him back then. Although I'm sure he realized quickly who she was talking about, she began berating him before he could even think. He was standing there totally confused at what Cleo was saying and she was just shooting warnings at him. When a nurse came up to tell him about another patient, he just looked overwhelmed and shocked and was torn between both of these patients. She could have been *a little* less hostile about that.

I also agree that they are acting too much like Dr. Benton and Dr. Finch as one, instead of as separate doctors. Corday was right, Cleo should have told her about the increased white blood count, but I did not enjoy her snubby "a yes, Elizabeth will do". I guess it was funny though.

-- Elaine (mrsclooney78@hotmail.com), April 15, 2000.

I liked her in the first scene of "A Match Made in Heaven" but not much else. Her handling of the boy in that scene was great, but the hot passion scenes are way over the top and I'm tired of them. The cuddle would have been sweet and his or her home, but not in the hospital where he would possibly be awakened any time. Haleh: "Peter! Peter! Oh, um, hi, Cleo. Peter, a trauma's coming in. See ya later, Cleo." Cleo did have one of the funniest lines in the epi though. When Peter started kissing her neck and said guess who, her response of "Dr. Romano" cracked me up...and cooled Peter down! :)

-- Diana (dilynne@juno.com), April 15, 2000.

I for one, do have to admit that it is hard to warm up to "Cleo's" character, but with what is going on between Benton and her is

1. Unprofessional, I would hate (as a patient) or as a co-worker, to see them two snuggling and making out when on duty.

2. It is actually nice to see Benton "human" for once and not an angry, self righteous, hating everyone type of man. Going through life with out a significant other can only last for soooo long. But do it away from the job.

3. I do wish they would show more of Carter and Benton scenes and a little less Cleo and Benton scenes.

4. It was very unprofessional what Cleo did too Elizabeth.

That is it for now. So don't take me wrong I don't hate Cleo, I just hate what they are doing too her character.

-- Paula (pbranden@dwave.net), April 15, 2000.

I have one thing to say Cleo was NOT the one who punched the guy with the headache that was Randi who did it

-- Lucy-Irene (renie2769@yahoo.com), April 15, 2000.

I miss all the old characters, too. I had a hard time seeing Lucy as a doctor, but I miss her as well. I'm so glad someone finally said what I've been thinking of Cleo. I think she is an unprofessional snob. She was great with the teen in the accident, and I was glad to see that. She is so rude when she disagrees with her co-workers, though. I'm not sure if it is the actress or the writing, but I would say maybe a little of both.

-- kristal (teetle1@juno.com), April 15, 2000.

Cleo doesn't seem to be very comfortable around children, at least for a pediatrician. She, to me, doesn't seem to like them all that much. She's better with older children and teenagers, but one entering pediatrics should really have a knack for dealing with children of ALL ages. No offense to Michael Michele, but TPTB should've checked the actor's chemistry with children before hiring. Doug Ross is a pediatrician for obvious reasons: he loves children, is great with them, and wants to help them. I suppose not all doctors can't be the ideal, which maybe they're trying to show. JMHO.

-- Arianne (CarolRossSusanGreene@yahoo.com), April 15, 2000.

Doug Ross relates to children so well because he is still a child himself...

-- foo (foo@bar.com), April 16, 2000.

Is Cleo rude, or is she just unemotional? I thought the interaction between she and Elizabeth was VERY interesting. Does Elizabeth still have feelings for Benton? Is she jealous of Cleo? She made several references to Peter & Cleo's "special relationship", one to Peter and one to Cleo, and she definitely seemed to have her hackles up when dealing with Cleo over that little boy (justifiably so, I thought what Cleo did was unprofessional.) Although I thought the writers were trying to present Cleo as a warmer person in this last episode, her character strikes me as very cool and aloof. I do, however, like how she teases Benton.

-- Cindy (tailchasers51@hotmail.com), April 17, 2000.

I don't like Cleo. She is still playing the character from the Homicide show. The aloofness was fine for a city cop, but it strikes me as fake acting on the show. Give me a break -- snuggling up to sleep with Benton in the hospital??? And he let her?? What - does she own him or something? Since when does Benton get so blatant with his sex life? As for Elizabeth and Cleo -- I think Cleo is rubbing it in Elizabeth's face that she now has Peter. That's where I think the tension is coming in.

-- Barb (barbelaine@hotmail.com), April 19, 2000.

This actress just has no talent. She shows no emotion and is just a pretty face and nothing more. She played the same role on Homicide, just a cold aloof woman. There are so many talented actresses out there, how they came up with her i have no idea.

-- Lev Talus (lee1957@hotmail.com), April 28, 2000.

Is it actually certain that Cleo even knows about Peter and Elizabeth going out? I didn't get the impression that she did, just that Lizzy had called her on a dirty trick and was making her squerm! Lizzy obvoiously knows Peter and Cleo are dating - with the 2 of them making out 24 7 in every possible location of the ER you would heve to be blind not to, but that doesn't mean Cleo knows of Elizabeths past with Benton. Why would Peter bother to tell her? And cos it's over it's not hot gossip anymore, the rest of the ER staff wouldn't be talking about it!

A

-- Annabel Timan (anna527@hotmail.com), May 10, 2000.