Hi,

I'm in Australia, we are a few eps behind, so I omly saw MMIH last night. I LOVED the scene with Carter & Carol. It was so well done. I Liked how he sat down after she gave him what he was looking for....as if he wanted to talk, to be comforted. I thought it was great. I just wanted to say that....it's probably a bit old now....just humour me.

-- Maria (maria.elias@bdw.com.au), June 08, 2000

Answers

I'll humour ya:)

At first, as soon as I finished watching the eppy, I wasn't all that impressed with Carol's chat with Carter. With retrospect, I love that Carol tried to reach out to him, and I loved that she wanted to help him, gave him some perspective, told him that he'll be okay. BUT her advice was completely the opposite of what he really needed. When Carter asked her "well, what are you gonna do " (something like that), she answered, "well, go back to work." Well, that's what Carter did... and look what happened. A lot of people wondered why Carter didn't really seek help or take some time off and I thought Carol's advice (which may have worked for her) just forced him to push everything under the rug and immerse himself in work. And I also thought that Carter looked like he wanted so much more than the little talk Carol gave him-- not that he expected it, but the minute she said to go back to work, I really thought he was going to cry. On the other hand, I liked that they had Carol talk to Carter. They've known each other for so long, and it was nice to sort of build on that relationship. But again, looking with retrospect, it's not wonder Carter had to resort to drugs- he surely didn't have the most adequate support system.

-- samira (matb_west@chickmail.com), June 08, 2000.

I just realized, looking back on this season, how the storylines really did fit nicely -- even though they isolated three of the main characters. Mark & Carol have kept up their friendship, it just became more off-screen this year.

Mark: Can't be there as much for Carol due to his father's illness and his desire to spend more time with his daughter.

Carol: Only shares her feelings with Mark, doesn't get to speak with him as often as they'd like so therefore her thoughts remain inside. Raising two daughters alone and preoccupied with their well-being and with her confused feelings toward their father.

Carter: Dealing with PTSD, needs support but the two most likely candidates themselves need support, and aren't getting, and Carter gets little, as well.

I hated how everybody was seemingly so isolated this season, but it really did lead the characters to clarity (Mark & Carol) and trouble (Carter) in their personal lives. Of course I bet Mark could've told Carol a LONG time ago that Doug is in love with her and she him, and Carol could've advised Mark a LONG time ago to spend as much time as you can with a dying parent. But anyhow, it all came together in the end, hmm?

-- Arianne (CarolRossSusanGreene@yahoo.com), June 08, 2000.

Arianne said everything that I would have said. I wish that these people could have been there for each other more...that Carol and Mark could have made Carter talk to them alittle more (although I think that Mark will do this next season); that Mark could have been more reassuring to Carol that Doug still loved her and look through her and realize that moving on to Luka wouldn't make her fall out of love with Doug (his "I want you to be happy" comment about Luka was not among my favorites, in context). As for Mark's father, I think it was best kept personal with him and Elizabeth, and I'm glad that they at least had Carol telling him she called to help him out if he needed it. And with Carter, in the past we have seen Carter very considerate of Mark's feelings, always asking if he's okay, asking about his father (i.e. beginning of Family Matters), etc...and we know that had he not had these problems, Carter would probably be the one checking up on how Mark's doing too. Even if they don't have the close relationship that Doug and Mark had, they are always looking out for each other. As most know, I hope we see a lot of support. Someone just posted a thread about Post Mortem, and remember that Mark left a trauma to go check up on Carter's state of mind. I want to see that kind of thing again.

-- Elaine (mrsclooney78@hotmail.com), June 09, 2000.

Elaine, I just saw Post Mortem too and I really did enjoy the fact that Mark went to check on Carter after his "at least you were there!" outburst. But remember, Carter was an intern then, almost still a student, with a lot to learn, and a lot to learn to cope with. I think that now, that Carter is nearly at the point where Mark was when the show began, people tend to think that he can deal to a certain extent. And yes, they were all caught up with their own problems to a certain extent.

I do agree that there does seem to be a lack of cameraderie among the regulars now. Carter, Mark and Kerry I think will always be friends, but there will always be a distance, because of age and experience differences. I think there should be a reshuffling of alliances and I would like to see a new "friend/peer-core" form in the ER. i.e.: Carter, Deb and Dave. (Though if Palladino leaves...) Carter and Deb especially. They are a lot alike. I don't necessarily want them to be a couple, though. After seeing them in "Family Matters" and "Be Patient" and even "May Day" I decided I really like them together...in a Mark and Susan, season 1 kind of way!

-- S. Trelles (trelles@ix.netcom.com), June 09, 2000.