Hi again. No new ER this week due to America's national pastime (the World Series, for the confused). So, I thought I'd take my usual Thursday night spot to pose a question to all fans of the show, past and present. Who do you miss from County General? There have been plenty of doctors and nurses who have come and gone through the doors of the emergency room. Some of them we were glad to see go, and we wish others would return for at least a guest appearance.
While I wait for your comments on the subject, here are the five ER cast members I miss.
John Carter (Noah Wyle) -- All right, I admit it, I had a "man crush" on Dr. Carter. In the very beginning of the series run I always felt the show was a bit empty when he wasn't around. Carter was the face of how things changed in the emergency room. Plus, he was one of those characters that we could root for, especially with events such as his stabbing and drug addiction and his rocky relationship with Abby. I wouldn't mind at all if he returned to ER for a few episodes this season.
Anna del Amico (Maria Bello) -- Doctor del Amico was only on ER for about a season, but I thought she really made an impact. Especially on Carter's life. Out of all the relationships Carter had during his time at County General, I always thought that a romance between him and Anna would have actually worked out. Unfortunately, Maria Bello left the show to pursue other goals, so the producers brought in Kellie Martin to be Carter's new partner-in-crime, which was a very bad idea.
Susan Lewis (Sherry Stringfield) -- If Dr. Carter was my "man crush", Doctor Lewis was my actual crush. I don't know why I preferred her over, say, Carol Hathaway; maybe the husky voice. I was definitely upset when she left the show midway through the third season, particularly since she and Mark Greene were about to take the next step in their relationship. I was excited when she returned around the 7th season and it looked like her and Carter were going to have a romance. It seems that her character was treated pretty poorly when she returned the second time around, so I don't think she'll be back for a third.
Michael Gallant (Sharif Atkins) -- Gallant was the new Carter when he appeared in season 8 and I immediately connected with him. However, like many other characters in ER he was under-utilized, even though there was potential for him to become a fairly strong character. The actor left for another show, but returned to ER as a guest-star. Gallant married Neela and then was killed off last season.
Mark Greene (Anthony Edwards) -- I miss the Doctor Greene from seasons 1-3, not the one from seasons 4-8. In the first three seasons you could sympathize with the crap Mark went through (divorce, Susan moving to Arizona, getting the stuffing beaten out of him by a unknown assailant). After that ,though, he became the bad luck charm of ER with one thing happening to him after another. It was getting to the point that I didn't want to see him on the program anymore because you knew something bad was going to happen.
Here's who I don't miss:
Robert Romano (Paul McCrane) -- I really started to hate this character once he became a regular. He was such an arrogant prick that it was hard to watch the show when he was in a scene.
Cleo Finch (Michael Michele) -- Finch had so little backstory (other than having a relation with Dr. Benton) that she melded into the background. It was an un-event when she left the show.
Lucy Knight (Kellie Martin) -- Lucy dying from stab wounds was the best thing that happened to her during her two season tenure on ER.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
10-26-2006 @ 10:30PM
Televinita said...
I desperately miss Carter, Lewis (though I don't miss them being together), and Corday. I also have to disagree with two of your dislikes; Lucy was one of my favorite med students ever and I thought she was just starting to grow into her own, and even though I couldn't stand Romano for the longest time, now that he's gone I rather miss his heavy handed sarcasm. It was better than Weaver's shrill bitching, anyway. Plus he had a dog.
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10-27-2006 @ 12:08AM
Jason Elias said...
I think Lucy didn't work out because Kellie Martin was reportedly going through some major stuff and wasn't there 100%. That being said, a lot of her post Life Goes On work has been flat--and Lucy Knight was an underdeveloped and odd character.
Not sure if I miss Carter. No doubt they were tilting him towards Mark Greene territory but he couldn't quite get the job done. Oddly enough, I don't miss Mark Greene but I do miss that type of character on ER.
Out of all of them, I miss Juliana Margulies and Carol Hathaway. Long story short, she reminded me of a real nurse--and she was just so good on the show...
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10-27-2006 @ 8:32AM
jessica said...
I agree with the list, and Lucy was awful. But no mention on George Cloony? I thought, at least, he'd be on your "don't miss" list.
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10-27-2006 @ 11:15AM
Rachel said...
I do miss Carter, but his episodes last season were a big tease and just awful.
Lucy getting stabbed was one of my favorite ER episodes EVER. It was very surprising and very well done. It's a tie between that one and the one where Gant (Omar Epps) jumps in front of the train.
I do miss the cockiness of Benton and the sweetness of Greene, but if they were still on the show, I would think their characters were getting old and tired.
One of the things I love about ER is how they've managed to stay on by mixing up the cast. I know a lot of people think it's lame now, but I never miss it. I've got too much time invested and I'm still interested!
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10-27-2006 @ 11:42AM
maria said...
yeah i really didn't like dr benton, i'm glad he's gone. Now Dr Ramano, I liked him. He was tough but he did have a soft side that he did let show. I think they could have done more with him. I didn't really like carter till they made him able to stand on his own. Dr Greene, I miss!!! Dr ross.....that goes without saying, but i was glad they had him on (even if it was for a brief min)when Juliana's character left. KUDOUS TO CLOONEY!!!
the show got a little crazy, but I find it still a must see. Remember when they had that Dr on for a few weeks and it turns out they weren't a doca at all, they were a pshyc patient?? Thats crazy!
also i did like kellie martin. But then again, i loved life goes on
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10-27-2006 @ 1:04PM
Lost_in_finland said...
Mark Greene suffers from Curse of Sipowicz, how much one bad luck one man have in his life, long live Andy Sipowicz!
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10-27-2006 @ 10:39PM
famw said...
I miss Robert Rocket Romano. After he got plunked by that helicopter I was devistated. Just because he was obnoxious doesn't make him a bad character. That's what made him the best character. He was the anti-Carter. He gave ER it's balance during his time on the show. When he got clocked in the bar when they were watching the Stronest Man competition and he didn't want to watch it to the time he put the LVAD in the patient in the Christmas episode for Lucy. Come on ER fans. What a plethera of emotions from one character! And alsways after the woman when Paul McCrane was an openly gay man and then when they opened the Gay and Lesbian clinic at the hospital when Romano was a homophobe. How perfect! So I miss Rocket the most. I even emailed NBC to miraculously bring Rocket back and get rid of Weaver, saying that it was a dream epidsode, i.e. St. Elsewhere. LOL
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11-04-2006 @ 1:04PM
drew said...
what ever happened to Susan Lewis? all i can remember was one day she just wasnt on anymore? can anyone fill me in here?. thanks
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