I was thinking about the season 7 premeire, and everybody out there expects that the season premiere will be Carters return to the ER from Atlanta, and Im not disaggreeing with all of you who think that that is what will happen. It proably will happen. But I came up with this idea for Carters great return. You know how some people have had almost entire episodes deticated to one main character: -Carol Hathaway (The Long Way Around) -Mark Greene, Doug Ross (Fathers and Sons) -Mark Greene (Family Practice) -Peter Benton (Middle of Nowhere)

But a few people havent had entire episodes deticated to them, and I think they should, especially if they have been on the show for quite some time. ie Carter, Kerry and Elizabeth. So heres my idea. For the season premiere, their would be no Carter in it at all. It would be sorta a normal day in the ER, although people could mention how Carter has been doing, and that he will be coming back next week. then my main idea would start in the second episode of the season. We could have a full Carter episode ;) What could happen is that it is his last day at rehab, before he leaves. We could maybe see him with a few supervisers, thanking them, a few friends he made while he was their. He could pack, thinking about how he has now changed, and what it will be like to go back to the ER, after everyone has found out about him etc. He could get on the plane, meet someone, and tell him/her about what he had been doing for the past few months. Then, near the end of the episode, we can see Carter get off the plane, go on the El, and before he goes home, he stops by the ER, even though he isnt on. Or else Benton could pick him up at the airport, and Carter could request that they stop by the ER first, and the ER could throw his a surprise party. Carter could thatnk everyone for being there for him, and then.. I dont know Im out of ideas.

If any of you have any ideas for an ending, or a full Carter episode, Id love to hear about them.

Amy

P.S If the ER did throw a surprise party, wouldnt that be ironic. It was the party and loud music, that kept Carter and Lucy from being heard, and the fact that no one realized that Pual Sobriki was running away in a hospital gown.

-- Amy (areinders@hotmail.com), June 25, 2000

Answers

That would be great but they have the party somewhere else instead of the ER. I doubt they'll ever have a party in the ER agaon.

-- Cammir (rmaelhorn@home.com), June 25, 2000.

I am all for having a full episode focusing on Carter!

-- amanda (amanda.rehm@home.com), June 25, 2000.

i would actually like to see a scene sometime early in the season of carter visiting lucy's grave, if it is in chicago(i am not sure) i think that would be good closure for him. if he feels guilty about her death, he needs a chance to say goodbye. i think amy's idea of the first two episodes would be good, but for the carter only episode, i think it would be cool if benton went to atlanta to escort carter back to chicago. they wouldn't stop by the hospital though...i think carter may be apprehensive about returning because of what happened, and hopefully benton would talk to him about that. maybe the last scene or two would be carter returning to work and everyone welcoming im back. i really hope in this season they let benton and carter become better friends. carter is going to need support, and i think benton didn't give that too him after tthe stabbing because he was newly involved with cleo. even still, the ER needs to have male friendships...i think we all miss the kind of relationships like mark and doug once had. of course. i don't want peter to get too soft, because that will ruin his character, but i still would like to see a greater degree of friendship.

-- Erin (earthgirl24@yahoo.com), June 25, 2000.

I knew there was something I forgot to add. I think it would be a good idea for Carter to visit Lucy's grave since he wasn't able to go tothe memorial service for her.

-- Cammie (rmaelhorn@home.com), June 25, 2000.

I would love to see a visit to LUcy's grave; however, she is not from Chicago, so her body was probably taken home with her mother. I wish we could see some kind of "goodbye". Just because it's a whole summer later doesn't mean I'll forget that they still need that.

-- Elaine (mrsclooney8@hotmail.com), June 26, 2000.

I have no desire to see Carter visit Lucy grave nor do I really need for Carter to say goodbye to Lucy in any way. They were not that close and Carter has already mentioned her several times since her death. Carter is my favorite character and I really do not want to see him have a solo episode as described above. I would rather he get a featured episode later on that deals with after he has left rehab and has recovered from this ordeal. I want to see a episode that emphasizes the positive changes that has occurred to Carter and to see him treat patients. I don't want to see it concentrate on a dreary part of Carter's life. One which we saw plenty of the past eight episodes. I really would not find it interesting to watch him say goodbye to the people at rehab. People we don't know and don't care about. I also think it would be a bit unrealistic for Carter to spill his guts to some stranger on a plane. Even if it wasn't a stranger, I don't see it happening on a plane. I think Carter showing up at the end of an episode and them conveniantly giving him a party would be a tad soap operish IMHO.

I also think them having a solo episode that early in the season is a big mistake. Many fans would resent the whole thing and even as a Carter fan I can understand why. When the shows starts back up in October , there will have been no new episodes in over four months. People will want to see the show deal with all the characters as a whole the first 5 or 6 episodes at least and will not appreciate a feature presentation for one character so soon. People will complain very hard about. One good way to lose viewers or get people to not like a character as much is to have them dominate an episode so soon in a season where everyone is wanting to know what is going on with their own particular favorites.

I'd rather see the premeire start with Carter first day back to work in the ER after being gone a few months (1-3) months. They can wrap up this storylines over the next 4-7 episodes where we initially see a much improved Carter continue to improve and re gain his confidence and regain the confidence of his colleagues where they no longer worry about him. Any restriction that may have been placed on him will be lifted once this occurs. Then , they can move on to more positive and happier storylines after an initial awkward and slightly difficult start. I think the second have of the season in regards to carter should concentrate on Carter making positive changes to his weak areas that he had even before the attack. Carter will have done a lot of soul searching during his recovery. The second have should deal with him growing and maturing as a person even more and making these changes. Carter needs to really be on a roll professionally during this time so know one including the audience will doubt his abilities and will all feel he deserves that attending or fellowship slot he gets at the end of the season for the following season since he will have just completed his ER residency . During the first four or five episodes of the season, I think we could see Carter in a therapy session a few times. We could see him talk to characters such as Benton . Kerry , or Mark about stuff and his feelings. IF there is any mention at all about Lucy he could mention it to the therapist or them while discussing the Valentines day massacre and his feelings on it and how he is dealing with it now. I think that would be enough closure on it. I think by no later than the end of November , they should wrap up this storyline and move on to better and happier storylines for Carter.

-- Brenda (jckwfan@aol.com), June 26, 2000.