I know Elizabeth is totally stressed because of Mark's tumor and her pregnancy, but what are TPTB doing with her character? I always seem to be on edge watching her, like any minute now she's going to snap. She looks frazzled, too -- her face is tired, her hair is frizzy and uncombed and looks bleached -- what a contrast from her early days when she looked just stunning -- beautiful curly reddish hair, lipstick, great clothes when she wasn't in scrubs. Even when she was in the ER her hair looked nice. Perhaps not realistic, but still ... it seems like the writers are building up to something here. Any thoughts?

-- Cindy (tailchasers51@hotmail.com), February 04, 2001

Answers

Well, the fact that Elizabeth was losing her nerve in the operating room might have something to do with it...remember? She couldn't handle surgery anymore since that paraplegic cut her down in the elevator! I think that had a lot (along w/Mark's tumor, pregnancy, etc.) to do with how she was feeling/looking...but luckily she got her confidence (in surgery back) in last week's episode...also, speaking from experience, when I was pregnant, my hair looked pretty bad for a while...LOL!

-- LeeS (binkyinc@xsite.net), February 04, 2001.

I, too, have noticed the suttle change in appearance. It is more or less a given, though. Sure, both Carol and Jing-Mei were practically glowing during their pregnancy, they also did not have a fiancee with a brain tumor, multiple other worries, plus a possible crashing job. Elizabeth is letting all of the stress get to her and it is showing, that is for sure. It is basically a given that she is not taking care of herself. We have heard nothing about OB appointments or other. Between her and Mark, the pregnancy has had little on-screen communications. Sure, he asks her if she is feeling okay, but really it has been hush-hush. I have kept this little *hypothesis* in the back of my min but it is just a consideration. The idea of Elizabeth having a miscarriage or still-birth is a possibility. It would almost work into a perfect role-play for the scenerio, depending on how Tony's character, Mark, will exit the show. *IF* he does die and Elizabeth has lost the baby months before, there will be no more...if you will...excess baggage. Possibly, if Lizzy does lose the child and the end of Season 8 roles around when Mark leaves...they will split the sheets (if you get the drift). Maybe Mark moves to St. Louis to take up residence near Rachel?? Maybe he will go down to Houston or Florida and revist that NASA idea?? If Mark leaves and there is no child involved between him and Elizabeth, it will be just that much easier for no more reason to mention him in future storylines. With the rate Elizabeth is going, though, with the entire stress factor involved, there is almost a definite possibility that she could have a difficult pregnancy. We will simply have to wait and see what TPTB have up their sleeves.

-- Abby (PrettyLittleDaisy@hotmail.com), February 04, 2001.

While they have clearly tried to portray Elizabeth as frazzled and falling apart over these last few epis, I think the surgery in the last epi where Romano did not come when she paged and watched her from afar was supposed to show us that she has recovered. I hope anyway!

I don't think Elizabeth will miscarry. We talked about this before with Ming Na,but writers don't usually do things like that when an actress is really pregnant. It kind of sends out bad vibes., I know I wouldn't want to do that if I were pregnant! If they were going to have her lose the baby I think they just never would have written it in in the first place...what's the point?

As for Mark being written off...maybe he'll just decide to be a stay- at-home dad and take care of their new baby. NASA is out of the question now...I don't think they would take a guy with a history of a brain tumor. There are so many possibilities, but if he does stay with ELizabeth that does limit them somewhat. I am very anxious to see how they will write him out.

-- amanda (amanda.rehm@home.com), February 05, 2001.

I hope that they don't do a miscarriage and I don't think they will. I, for one, actually like that Elizabeth storylines aren't focused around her pregnancy, and that it sounds like she is going to have a tougher pregancy than she probably thought. Besides it creates two interesting stories if the baby comes out healthy. One for Elizabeth struggling to balance her ambition with desire not to make the same mistakes her parents made, and one for Deb who gave up her own child but will see her co-worker and friend have child who is not much older than hers.

-- Emma (webbef@hotmail.com), February 05, 2001.

I agree that a miscarriage would cut things off pretty neatly since I'm not looking forward to yet another single mother being mopy and miserable story line. If Alex Kingston hadn't gotten pregnant in real life I doubt the baby thing would have happened in ER. However, I REALLY hope this doesn't happen because I am just sick of the tragedy in Greene's life. If she miscarries they should have him throw himself off a CLIFF for crying out loud. My personal vote goes towards the stay-at-home Dad though. I often wondered why they couldn't have Doug transfer to another Chicago hospital and marry Carol, and just stop showing their home life. Mark could decide the stress of the ER is too much after his ordeal, and go into a nice private practice and start reeling in the big bucks and finally live a charmed life (off-camera of course). BUt I'm sure that's just a pipe-dream!

-- Becky (pattonrd@muohio.edu), February 05, 2001.

She has looked frazzled, but I think that is appropriate, given all she's going through.

I would hate to see the miscarraige/breakup scenario. I miss the days when the characters on this show were happy much of the time. I'm a little tired of the endless string of tragedies, so I very much like the idea of Tony Edwards' departure being handled by Mark deciding to stay at home and take care of the baby.

-- Chris (chrisalvarez@ivillage.com), February 05, 2001.

If Anthony Edwards does leave by dying and they are continuing the show without him ...and Eriq is still on the show....I really hope that Elizabeth and Peter will rekindle old flames, they have really good chemistry when they are together. Just hoping...

-- Rachael (guild@hotmail.com), February 05, 2001.

I think that the storyline focusing on Mark being a stay-at-home father would be too much of a hassle, really. It would be difficult to portray Lizzy's personal life, the constant rerouting of where is the father would be an issue, plus...having Mark stay on as a constant topic since he would still exist, yet not show him, would cause significant problems too. Sure, it was easy to hold onto Doug as a central focus and still exist, he lived in another state. Sure, they commented on the fact that Doug came to visit the twins every once in a while, but it was never actually focused on too mainly. If Mark was still in the picture, it would almost be as if people would constantly expect to see him. Being portrayed that way, we would almost never see Lizzy out of the hospital, unless she was out and about on personal erronds.

It is a nice thought to think that Mark will still exist, even once Tony is gone; however, I just do not see that occurring. To troublesome as far as writing and such goes, almost an invisible barrier. Anthony Edwards has been quoted on saying that he wants to go out in flames. Last time we heard that quote, it was taken from Kellie Martin when she wished for her character, Lucy, to exit the show. I do not think that a pysch patient kill would be tempting in Mark's fate, too predictable and used. However, I think that if he does die, it will be due to an accident of such. An auto accident, plane crash, etc. I do not think that it will end in violence, if TPTB do go that route. I find it hard to figure in that Mark would leave Lizzy high and dry with a baby and move to another part of the country, out of the country, etc. Mark is not one who would run away from Elizabeth, he does love her. An easy get-away is for Lizzy to miscarriage, leaving no baggage and such if Mark does die. It is not a very happy ending, though...leaving us with two traumatic endings occurring in Elizabeth's life. When the entire Mark/Tony leaving scenerio does play out, I do believe that Lizzy will turn to Peter for some comfort. Entirely, he is almost the only character on the show that she seems to feel comfortable around. Wouldn't it be just like TPTB to make the viewers do a 360 and find Romano comforting Elizabeth, though?? We will simply wait and see. I just do not find the Mark being a stay-at-home father even an option, though. Even though, it is probably the happiest one of all choices.

-- Abby (PrettyLittleDaisy@hotmail.com), February 05, 2001.

Ok, I've never been pregnant and don't know too much about it, but I didn't think women usually miscarried after their first trimester. If she found out on Thanksgiving, and say, she was 2 months along, she should be about 4 1/2 or 5 months pregnant, right? Also, do you think she will have the baby this season?? TPTB could have her deliver over the summer so we don't actually get to see it. Hmmm....

-- Kelly (kelly44@hotmail.com), February 05, 2001.

May I pick the nit of "doing a 360," please? I've seen it here enough times to feel like it needs pointing out--it's not "do a 360," but "do a 180." Doing a 360 would spin the character around all the way and have them in the same position in which they started. Doing a 180 means facing in the opposite direction. :)

-- Cecelia (evilstoat@hotmail.com), February 05, 2001.

If Elizabeth *WAS* to lose the baby, she could have a miscarriage. A miscarriage the the spontaneous expulsion of a human fetus before it is viable and it usually occurs between the 12th and 28th week-3rd and 7th month. So, according to what little we do know, Elizabeth 5 to 6 months along (give or take a few weeks). Any child who dies prior to the birth date or on the birth date, after the 7th month, is considered a stillbirth. In real life, Alex is due in March. Jing- Mei delivered her infant in November on the show and in real life, she delivered only a few days prior to the airing of that episode. So, the show was rather accurate. In Elizabeth's case, I think that they will not nearly be as accurate. She will probably deliver-we hope-in either late March or April. Due to February sweeps, we will more than likely not get a new episode after the 22nd until mid-March or early April, if we are lucky. Rest assure, they will air her birth. That is almost a given. :)

-- Abby (PrettyLittleDaisy@hotmail.com), February 05, 2001.

Actually, Jing-Mei delivered in December. "The Greatest Of Gifts" aired December 14th, while Ming-Na had her daughter on November 21st. Ming-Na worked up to a few days before her original due date, November 10th.

-- JLS (ewwhatevr@aol.com), February 05, 2001.

If Mark does die when Anthony leaves the show ( and hopefully this will not be the case), I do not see Elizabeth hooking up with either Benton or Romano, or anyone for that matter.

Elizabeth will have just lost her fiance/husband ( I do hope we get a wedding !!) who she loved very much and the father of her baby ( I don't believe she will have a miscarriage). I know a few people who have been widowed in their thirties. None of them rushed into another relationship after the death of their spouse and only started seeing somebody at least a year or more after their death. ER has only two years left ( at most ) after Anthony leaves, and I think it would be heartless of TPTB to have her rush into another relationship so soon. I also think it would turn off a lot of viewers. It would also not be in Elizabeth's character to do so.

I also see Peter and Elizabeth getting back together as an impossibility and I would switch off if they did. Eriq La Salle made it clear that their relationship is not what he wanted over 2 years ago and it would be extremely strange if that changed now. I liked Peter and ELizabeth to a point when they were together but not nearly as much as Mark and Elizabeth. Mark gives her the emotional support that Peter never gave her. She did all the running in that relationship and Peter was only involved when it was convenient for him.

Hopefully this is pointless speculation and TPTB can talk Anthony into occaisional guest appearances. He can have the extra time with his family he wants and show up on ER every few months as part of Elizabeth's storyline, and be mentioned by Elizabeth in episodes in which he does not appear. That way Elizabeth does not have to do the grieving widow and single mother bit.

-- rb (broomie@one.net.au), February 05, 2001.

Of course, I made a minor mistake by posting that Ming-Na's character delivered in Novemeber, when it was December. How could I forget that?? Thanks JLS for pointing that out!! Alex Kingston is due March 22 of this year-obviously. It has been reported that Alex has said that she will not be on an extended maternity leave, because she has to return back to the show rather quickly. However, she reports that she is on leave at the end of April, giving her and her husband time to adjust. By reading this, one does assume she gives birth by mid or late April on the show, which basically figures in correctly. If this is right, the time she is on leave will just be basic maternity leave given from the hospital on the show. One can only guess, that is. By the way, I got this information from the ER Daily website. Here, there is a comprehensive article on Alex and her interview in Maria Claire. :)

-- Abby (PrettyLittleDaisy@hotmail.com), February 05, 2001.

Huh? Wait a second Abby. I'm confused about something here. I thought she said on one of the Entertainment shows (ET?) last week that she's due in end of March or April. Don't they usually end filming for the season around the second week of April? So if that's the case then she would only miss one, maybe two episodes at the most and then she and the whole cast will be on hiatus by the end of April. Why would she have to go back to work quickly? Ming-Na didn't.

-- Cammie (rmaelhorn@home.com), February 05, 2001.

Never mind Abby! I get it now!

-- Cammie (rmaelhorn@home.com), February 05, 2001.

Well, depending on whether or not they decide to film Elizabeth's delivery before or after Alex's, they could have Elizabeth deliver either in the last episode before May sweeps or the first episode of May sweeps (if they film before Alex delivers) or the season finale (after). Since Alex says she needs to return to work quickly, we know she'll be in at least the season finale (perhaps even in the one before), which is filmed mid-April. Sorry if that made no sense. I'm trying to watch "Third Watch" at the same time. :-) By the way, the full article of Alex talking about her troubles in getting pregnant can be found here:

http://icshowbiz.ic24.com/bcelebrityworld/bceleba2z/11/page.cfm?objectid=7506495&method=full

-- JLS (ewwhatevr@aol.com), February 05, 2001.

If Mark is killed off, I'd vote for something Pattonesque. General George Patton survived wars, but died after a car accident...

Perhaps he is coming out of the doctors office with the good news, and is crossing the street Elizabeth when WHAM! He's hit by a car, and dies on the street.

I dunno.

:) Jenna

-- Jenna (JennaLunt@aol.com), February 06, 2001.

I wondered about what would happen to Lizzie after the baby is born, since Tony is leaving..and his own wish is obviously to be unavailable for guest slots ( going out by being hit by an "L" train is pretty irreversable IMO ;-> But now that he has been seen in his return to the ER still losing it a little bit...mixing pronouns and a character change...I wonder if the idea isn't to let his brain tumor take a natural course in killing him...and I think since Lizzie's fear and uncertainty after the paralysis incident, followed by that, might make for a real reason ( touting believability) for any woman to take maternity leave, that is nudging me as a possibility. And she would then be able to really recover IRL, and perhaps a new focus for her when she returns...Since Doug's leaving the whole treatment of pediatrics in the ER has been rather meaningless, and i find myself wondering if as a mom herself she might not take an increased interest in that, and try all she can to minimize her nee to do surgery...just speculating...

-- Maureen Duffy-Boose (aisling@xmission.com), February 06, 2001.

In answering the original question, I think Liz should be looking frazzled. Hello! Think about all the things she's been going through lately: pregnancy, a malpractice suit(which by the way was her fault by like Mark clearly stated, "We're not saints Elizabeth, we just try to do the best we can"), fiance's tumor, etc. But, I would like to have a little more detail regarding the actual pregnancy. Is Elizabeth seeing a doctor? How far along is she? Does the staff at County even know about it? Of course, a spoiler for the 150th episode "Golden Hour" says that Liz starts getting contractions most likely brought on by stress at the scene of a train wreck, so I guess the staff must know already. From the little info we've gotten so far it's seems like Elizabeth is going to have a difficult pregnancy but I highly doubt she'll miscarry. But still, the writers should stop leaving the detail up to our imaginations!

-- Katie (checkergrl13@aol.com), February 07, 2001.

I've got an idea! After they k/o Mark, Luka can marry Liz and adopt her baby. Right up his alley. (ha, ha, just kidding)

-- why? (tkjjd@yahoo.com), February 11, 2001.