Does anybody know what is happening to Noah Wyle's character? He just seems so depressed and annoying and he's turning into a jerk. Will you please tell me what you think, because I find his melo-dramatic attitude lately a bit annoying to say the least

-- Gina (ggg3dds@js-net.com), May 06, 2000

Answers

According to the SPOILER rumors that have been circulating lately... * * * * * * * This is all leading up to an emotional breakdown over his being stabbed/Lucy's death back during February sweeps.

I'm with you on this one -- this story line is exciting and the suspense is killing me, but I can't wait to get some semblance of the old Carter back.

-- Rachel (row4d@hotmail.com), May 06, 2000.

Darn it, this page doesn't seem to allow leaving spoiler space anymore! I apologize to anyone who wasn't able to avoid that!

-- Rachel (row4d@hotmail.com), May 06, 2000.

I don't find Carter annoying. I think they have shown Carter acting very realistically after such a traumatic event a few months ago. Do you expect him to act just like he was before the attack? I mean give the guy a break. He was was brutally knifed and almost died. A colleague of his died from the same attack. He had to have major surgery. He quite possibly has chronic pain from the injuries. He now has to work at the same place he was attacked at. Instead of whining , he is trying to get his life back on track. He has PTSD, chronic pain , and survivor's guilt. These conditions are causing him insomnia, pain , fear , and flashbacks as well as other stuff. He may be self medicating to try to deal with this. Of course he is heading for a breakdown. Personaly, I don't think Carter has acted as much of a jerk that Mark was after his attack. I think Carter attitude is quite realistic for someone going through all this stuff and trying to deal with it alone. He is in denial and trying to keep busy I imagine to try not to think about it. I certainly am not annoyed at Carter. However, I am ready for Carter to hit his low point so he can then get help and support and recover from this. Poor Carter. I hope he is better soon.

-- Brenda (jckwfan@aol.com), May 06, 2000.

I don't think that Carter's become a jerk, but as of late a bit disrespectful; first to Mark in Under Control and Viable Options when he outright lied to him, and then in last nite's eppy, to luka and Kerry. I've also noticed that he wanted to be in charge the entire time he was running traumas, he took over almost all the patients (Loved dave's comment then) and I think this shows how Carter wants to be in control of something, especially something he feels he does well, since I suppose he's not in control of his life at this point. I think this behaviour if it continues for the next episode will be the basis for the *combative* Carter who everyone confronts.

Another thing, Carter seemed pretty impatient with that schwann patient- he didn't want him to wait to get to the Cath lab. This seems indicative of maybe Carter feeling that if Psych had come earlier, the attack wouldn't have happened and nobody would've died?

-- samira (matb_west@chickmail.com), May 06, 2000.

Come on Brenda, you've got to be real. You can't blame him for being sad and stuff, but him acting like a jerk and pumping himself full of drugs isn't going to help himself. Sheesh. I hope we get the real Carter back.

-- Gina G. (thatsagirl@aol.com), May 06, 2000.

Gina, the thing with most people suffering from PTSD, or whatever Carter's suffering from is that they don't know that they're acting weird, or bad or whether they're being a jerk or really annoying. I suppose after Carter recovers, and if someone mentions to him how he acted, he'd be surprised to think he acted that way. I also think that what he's doing is really out of character. Carter's always fought for patient treatment, but I can rarely think of him doing something drastically illegal before.

-- samira (matb_west@chickmail.com), May 06, 2000.

Gina. I am being real. I never said that Carter using drugs if that is what he doing is goof=d for him in the long run. I said he is acting very realistic for someone who is going through all the stuff that is going through. Carter is having all sorts of problems right now and in his current frame of mind , it is pretty realistic that he may try to take pain medicine to help with his pain, sleep medicibne to help sleep , or uppers to keep him going during work. Carter is trying to overcome everything himsel and keep things bottled up. He will fail at it. Being a doctor and helping people means everything to Carter and him being overzealous in treatment of the patients is in one way he is trying to control things. Right now in his current frame of mind , he does not want to see a patient die i=or have to wait for a treatment. He does not want to see hwat happened to himself or Lucy happen to his patient. I really don't think he has been a jerk. Not like Mark was. He has tried to tale charge of evrything and be a bit disrespectful to people when he can't or he gets called for it. That is out of character for Carter. However, he has not been constantly acting this way. Do I want Carter to get overcome everything and get back to being his sweet, caring, compassionate , and respectful person . I sure do. I hope it happens soon. I think they have been very realistic in Carter and i really feel for the guy. I think Noah Wyle has done a great job portraying troubled Carter. Poor Carter . I help he gets better soon.

-- Brenda (jckwfan@aol.com), May 06, 2000.

I think we can all agree on that Brenda; we all wish Dr. Carter could be his cute, nice self again.

-- Gina G. (thatsagirl@aol.com), May 06, 2000.

I sort of think that Carter has been acting out of character since the beginning of Season 5, after Anna left and Lucy came on. Almost from the beginning, Carter was impatient with Lucy, sometimes he didn't explain things well, they were very snippy with each other, etc. I always wondered why he acted like that, since Benton had treated HIM like that when he was a student, and you would think that Carter would want to be different.

I can understand why he is acting that way NOW, because he's been through a brutal attack and is trying to recover. However, I still don't really understand the rule-breaking and the lying. I could see how he wants to take control of the patients and make sure that nothing like what he has been through ever happens again - but the lying and stuff? I don't get that.

-- Melanie (msintn@hotmail.com), May 07, 2000.

Yes. Carter was acting out of character with Lucy because TPTB were trying to force tension between C/L so the viewers would want them to sleep together. It failed miserably because a lot morte people got annoyed with the whole thing and wanted them to stay away from one another. However, I think Carter has been written very well and true to his character this season. I think we have seen caring, competent, comp[assionate , and respectful Carter most of this season The created the tension again between then in BSMH so there would be another reason for carter to feel bad. we are now seeing Carter being realistically portrayed as somone going through all these emotional/physical problems. He is also handlind a bit different than how we saw Mark greene handle his problems because they are writing how John Carter would react in these circumstances. I don't think it is unrealistice for Carter in his current frame of mind and all that he is going through to lie and break procedures protocol. Carter is not himself right now and he is trying to gain control and does not want to see a patient to die on his watch. I think that means in his current frame of mind that he will break and bend rules because his mind can't understand that he has unrealistic expectactions and that he is being overzealous in the treatment of his patients.Am I g;lad Carter is acting this way? No. However, it is very realistic given all that he is going through ad in character to how Carter would react. Carter is the type who is strongwilled and will internalize and try things on his own. Carter is also the type that will feel guilty whether he deserves to feel guilty or not. Carter is the tpye that loves medicine and wants to do everything he can for his patients. That's why I am not surprised that in his current frame of mind that he is going overboard in doing everything for his patients and he is pushingt people away. Yes. Carter is not acting his normal , sweet way with his colleagues, but given what he is going trough right now I don't find that they are writing him badly. They are writing him realistically. Much better than the season five C/L bull. Poor Carter I hope he gets help soon. I want to see happy, easy going, caring , compassionate, and respectful Carter back. I think we will see that Carter back soon. He is still there . We have seen glimpses. It just is taking a backburner while Carter is having problems coming to terms with everything.

-- Brenda (jckwfan@aol.com), May 07, 2000.

Thinking about how disrespectful Carter has become, I was rather surprised at Carter's disrespect towards Luka in Loose Ends (while he was doing the Swan procedure). The way he just brushed off Luka's reprimand... that was just so unlike Carter, as well as his disrespect towards Kerry and Mark in previous episodes. I wonder if this is stemming from Carter's indignation that if Mark, and Luka in particular had been more attentive in doing rounds and checking with the residents, that the attack wouldn't have happened? I mean, although Luka was in charge of keeping Carter alive in the ER, he was also in charge of the ER that evening. Also when Luka wasn't there in the trauma room, and Carter couldn't wait for him to come and approve of the procedure b/c the patient would die, is quite similar to the day of the attack when Luka and/or the other attendings weren't paying attention but were in the party, and that caused Lucy to be attacked and killed? (Just my screwed theory) In this blame game that is going on, Carter could very well, indirectly, with out knowing it, blame Luka for not checking up on him, thus causing him to , perhaps, think less of Luka's authority during Loose Ends.

-- samira (matb_west@chickmail.com), May 07, 2000.

A little OT : Another thing about Carter being snippy with Lucy etc... I think the fault *kinda* lies with Lucy most of the time. The problem I saw with Lucy was that she didn't respect authority. You could see that in her very first eppy when Greene told her to go to chairs and she kept saying that she would help out in the trauma. Doctor Greene had to tell her to go to chairs thrice. Same with Carter... in The GOod Fight, she hardly listened to carter, esp when he told her to wait for the TB Check thing. Although Carter had an ass of a teacher (Benton, lol), Carter respected authority. He did whatever his teachers told him, most of the time, even if Benton was snide with him. He respected him. Which is why it was kind of surprising to see him brush off Luka and Kerry, and even Mark ,his elders/bosses in the eppys after his attack.

-- samira (matb_west@chickmail.com), May 07, 2000.

Brenda, you're very passionate about this aren't you? I totally agree with you. First of all, we do not know that Carter has been medicating himself, although I was doubtful until he mentioned how he "slept like a baby"...so maybe he is in the process of becoming addicted to sleeping pills. We probably won't find out 'til the season finale. And, I think the way he is acting is completely acurate. I am pretty in depth in my psych major right now, and they decribe how people with PTSD act. I didn't enjoy his response to Luka and Kerry either, but just like Brenda said, in his mind, he has to do whatever it takes to get things done, and if he does it himself, then he knows things will be okay, so he thinks he's doing nothing wrong. He does not know how else to deal with it...he goes back to this place everyday that almost killed him, *did* kill Lucy, and he's having flashbacks that he wants desperately to get rid of so that he can go back to the work he loves. There is no other way for him, he needs control, the control he didn't have to save himself or Lucy. So far, we have not seen him lose a patient since the attack, he's only gone to drastic measures to save them, and he has been successful each time. However, maybe soon we'll see how he reacts when he's not so successful. Maybe that will be what ultimately breaks him. However, I have to comment, since Kerry knows Carol so well after 5 years, shouldn't she know Carter well too (esp. since she also LIVED with him too) and realize that his defiance is a bit off?

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

I think Kerry knows Carter is going through a rough time and his not himself. I think she tried talking to Carter once and hew not ready to talk then. I do think she is giving him a bit of space, but is keeping a close eye on him. She gave Mark space after initially talking to him when he was going through PTSD. I think Kerry will reach her limit much sooner with Carter because she does know him better than Mark and will step in and try to help him again. I definitly expect Kerry to be one of the people who helps him snap out of it early next season after he suffers whatever breakdown is heading our way in the finale. I think Kerry is not picking up things as normally as she would have if she had not been suspended and id now worried about being suspended again. However, I think after this episode, Kerry is really beginning to realize that Carter is not fine likes he said.

-- Brenda (jckwfan@aol.com), May 07, 2000.

I've also got to say, I hope that when this confrontation happens, they do not approach him by yelling at him, but with concern, by saying something about how they know the attack must be difficult to deal with, etc. *Someone* has got to understand what's wrong with him.

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

I've actually put this response (mostly) on another thread, but it applies here as well.

It is not entirely out of character for Carter to be a jerk. Carter goes through periods where he's not so nice. He can be nakedly ambitious and has stepped on a few toes because of this. He has slid a few rules (mostly) for the benefit of patients. We've seen him YELL at Anspaugh when he got *really* ticked off. (Yes folks, he has limits!) And we've seen him lie to cover his own butt. There are several sides to this guy's character, and not all are attractive. Most of the time you see Carter, but sometimes his evil twin comes out to play. So don't make this character out to be a saint, because HE ISN'T. I'll quote what some of the reviewers said about "St. Mark": I never believed in "St. John" anyway. And it's yet another reason why I find Carter such a kick.

That said, I don't think Carter's acting totally out of character, especially considering what he's been through. Generally Carter is able to sequester his evil twin before he really screws things up. I'm going to use Dissociative Identity Disorder (also known as Multiple Personality) as a metaphor here. I'm not suggesting that Carter has this! When someone has DID, it is usually the result of prolonged childhood trauma. It's too much for a person to handle, so the personality splinters/dissociates into enough "people" to handle the trauma.

Carter is unable to cope with the trauma he has recently undergone. His evil twin is taking over sometimes (more often than not) and eventually will draw the attention of his co-workers. (Note: he already has drawn some attention!)

Or I could be talking out of my butt here. It is very late! Have I made any sense at all?

Thank you all for your patience.

-- S. Trelles (trelles@ix.netcom.com), May 08, 2000.

I think Carter is playing out well. As for disrespecting authority, it seems that's a common offence in the ER, at least at County. My friend and I really think that the beard in season 5 made him more jerkish and evil than he is meant to be. Once he shaved, he almost seemed better. He does have the tendency to act like hot stuff.

-- Joanne (bucklind@hotmail.com), May 08, 2000.

Joanne, it *was* all about the beard!

He was a much better person after it was gone...treated Lucy better, and Roxanne started hanging around less.

-- Elaine (mrsclooney78@hotmail.com), May 08, 2000.

I think Carter is reacting normally, and I think that the last episode proved he is really improving. I think the real Carter is finally breaking through. I fully agree with you, Brenda!

-- Sonya (carterschick@aol.com), May 08, 2000.

Carter has been a superhero, always there, always right doc-all that coming from someone on the mend-not very realisitic to me...

-- nuts (icon51@aol.com), May 09, 2000.

sorry,it's getting late...

-- not nuts or not completely (icon51@aol.com), May 09, 2000.

I'm in Australia so we are behind so I have not seen all the epesoids you are talking about. But when I watched be still my Heart I new what was going to happen. Lucy clearly couldn't cope with the guy who stabed her and Carter was dismisive. Mark says to Carter on several occasions "well supervise" because he is ignoring Lucy. And this is the real clincher, not just how Carter brushed of the guy about the lumbur punture but he's up on the roof have a drink and chatting to Abby like Abby is the only person he has to worry about. Meanwhile Lucy is bleeding on the floor. I think it is guilt, after watching the show I felt angry, why wasn't the guy in restrants, why didn't Carter be more insicent about the Psych consult he left it up to Lucy. This not a critisem because the actors can only work with what they a written. But Carter was really slack in that show and he knows it. It is the look on his face when he sees Lucy on the floor, he know she has been there the whole time he's been swaning around.

-- Kerri (kmckenzie@one.net.au), May 13, 2000.

I really think the reason Carter is acting like this is because there was another person involved. I know that being stabbed and almost dying is traumatic, but does anyone really think Carter would be like this if Lucy hadn't died because of it? Last night he looked worse than ever, and I don't think that it is just because of what happened to him, Carter is more compassionate than that (and I REALLY hope it's not because he's had this hidden bipolar disorder, newly reveled!). I hope we hear about her in the season finale...am I being too hopeful? (* remember his 3rd word in the ER..."Lucy...is that Lucy!?")

-- Elaine (mrsclooney78@hotmail.com), May 13, 2000.

In my opinion, Carter is suffering from post traumatic stress disorder. A symptom of PTSD is survivor guilt. Carter is reliving each moment in his head wondering "what if". I don't believe the whole bi-polar thing. I hope the writers don't go that route. It would diminish what a horrible disorder PTSD is for people. With constant therapy Carter can get through this, but he needs support. Hopefully someone will step up to plate and offer to be that support. And hopefully, when someone does, Carter will allow that person to help him, instead of holding everything in, which appears to be his coping method of choice at the moment.

-- Carin Haseltine (cdenisehaze@usa.net), May 13, 2000.

Ya know, I don't know how I'm going to stand it for the next few days listening to everyone speculating about Carter being bipolar or not, since the Canadian previews for next week show the apparent answer to whether he is or not.

-- debbie (riccardoiii@aol.com), May 13, 2000.

Debbie! So post a thread, marked spoiler, and tell us Yanks already! And I want every detail.

-- Diana (dilynne@juno.com), May 13, 2000.

I'm back. I think there's a thread by Delphine below that tells us what you mean, Debbie. If there's more though, please let us know! Thanks!

-- Diana (dilynne@juno.com), May 13, 2000.