(S13E21) Oh, Rich, I hope Disney World was worth missing the wedding of the week, as you called it last week. Hello, folks, I am pitching in for Rich this week. I noted one of the comments from a story (this post has spoilers, do don't click the link unless you like spoilers!) Isabelle Carreau did a few weeks ago about the show: Another Jen said that the show really ended for her when Mark Greene died. I was in a hotel a couple of weeks ago and caught a TNT rerun of the episode where Greene died and cried through it all over again. I swear, I have cried more over that TV character dying than some over the deaths of some of the people I've actually met who have died. (Kidding. That was a joke.)The show didn't end for me when Greene died-- but I haven't been as enamored with it since Luka and Abby were being stalked by Curtis Ames (the fabulous Forest Whitaker).
Abby and Luka have both fought so hard to find happiness over the years. First, they dated and then broke up. Then, they got back together and got pregnant. At first , after their baby was born, I thought they were going to lose Joe. Then Curtis started stalking them, and I got so angry. I would tell my husband, "If anything happens to them, that's IT! We will never watch this show again." After Carter's son died, I just didn't think I could take another dead baby. So, it was very gratifying (okay, I got choked up; there may have been a few tears, even) to see Abby and Luka get married. 
Of course, in typical ER fashion, nothing is ever easy. Neela and Michael had to get married in a whirlwind, and apparently, so did Abby and Luka, with a twist: Luka has planned all of it with Hope and surprises Abby. I found that whole thing kind of annoying-- not just because it was pretty cliche for the show, but also because I think no-fuss, no-frills Abby actually would have been thrilled with Luka just taking over the whole show. And we all knew she was going to say yes, anyway, so wouldn't it have been more interesting just to have her be thrilled? But Abby wouldn't be Abby if she weren't morally outraged about something, or hissing at the rabbi, "It's Abby!" throughout the ceremony. I thought the rabbi was actually a great touch. That was very funny and unexpected. My husband and I are not Jewish, but we incorporated some blessings and the stomping of the wine glass into our celebration, so that seemed pretty normal to me.
There were lots of little moments to enjoy here: Abby and the flower girl bickering at each other; Chuny cheerfully affirming that she is the sexiest nurse in the ER, and Neela's confession about what her Punjabi blessing actually translated into. I absolutely second Rich's review from last week when he said he can't believe how well Morris has grown up and developed. Before I even read that in Rich's review, I turned to my husband tonight and said, "I cannot believe Morris is still on this show and actually likeable. I never thought he would last." If you didn't see Scott Grimes also on Party of Five, you should check it out on Netflix: He was a completely normal, likeable guy. That should tell you something about his acting ability.
It looks like Hope has become so infected with the love and marriage bug that she is ready to take her relationship with Morris to the next level. Ew. Just kidding. No, still ew. Just kidding. Busy Philipps did a nice job as the flustered wedding planner-- she has always been a great breath of comic relief on the show. So is Leland Orser, who plays Lucien Debenko. I wonder if that kiss is going to come back and bite him. Poor Neela.
And finally, ah, Neela. Neela and Tony, we hardly knew ya. Hindsight always makes it seem like the relationship was doomed from the start, doesn't it? But finally, Ray and Gates have it out, fight over the girl, and the girl makes the right choice: She chooses the guy who really loves her. The guy who has always been there, waiting in the wings. The guy who bent over to get his cell phone and got hit by a bus. 
You know, this show just can't stand for anybody to be happy for longer than five minutes. Good grief. That just pisses me off. I'm sure Ray is probably still alive, because this IS a TV show, but for crying out loud. Just stop. Before they pulled that crap, I was going to rate this episode higher, but they lost a point for needlessly making people's lives hell. So, on a level of 1 to 7, with 7 being the highest, I'm giving this episode a 5.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
5-04-2007 @ 2:05AM
Cat said...
Wedding of the week? No way... definitely wedding of the year, at least. This was a fantastic episode and I loved pretty much everything. Now I wish I had taped it so I could rewatch it!
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5-04-2007 @ 8:19AM
Dorv said...
I don't know... I was very disappointed. While I enjoyed the episode, and was happy to see both Luka and Abby get married, and for Neela and Tony to finally be over, there was one thing that just jumped out at me.
When Hope said that the JOP had fallen through, but they found someone with a lot of experience, I just knew in my heart that it was going to be Jerry. I didn't even remember he was ordained until that moment, and it just seemed a perfect fit (Now, as I write the post at 7:15a (and, I'm on the wrong end of 7:15, if you know what I mean) I'm wondering if I remembered that wrong... Moreover, I'm trying to figure out if me remembering Jerry living through the season opener wrong)
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5-04-2007 @ 10:12AM
MacGuffin said...
"You know, this show just can't stand for anybody to be happy for longer than five minutes."
That pretty much sums up why I won't waste my time with this show any more. It is such a downer show.
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5-04-2007 @ 10:23AM
JB said...
Chances are that Ray will not survive the bus crash from last nights episode. I read that he has signed on to do a pilot for next season.
I like Neela, but who else finds it hard to believe that she has so many men who want to be with her? Michael, Lucien, Ray, Tony, etc....
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5-04-2007 @ 10:23AM
Cat said...
No, Jerry did live thru the season opener-- you remember correctly! But then he decided to 'take some time off' or however NBC chose to spin it (I honestly don't remember now) and left for ABC's Men in Trees. And I think you're right, he is ordained; I'd completely forgotten!
I'm not saying the episode was perfect; there are definitely things I would have changed had I been writing it. But since I wasn't, I enjoyed it for what it was and am happy they're finally married!
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5-04-2007 @ 12:09PM
LujackLvr said...
I love Goran Visnjic and I love Luka. I hope they don't kill Luka, Abby and Joe when Goran Visnjic leaves at the end of this season.
I loved Sharif Adkins' Michael....totally devastated when he was killed in Iraq. He and Neela were seldom shown together...but when we did see them, they were great.
I also loved Anthony Edwards as Mark Greene...totally sad and drawn out ending for Mark...but surperbly acted by Anthony Edwards [I remember thinking, Who knew this guy could act? I sat through a lot of crappy movies because of him] and Alex Kingston.
Last night's show was bittersweet...sweet because Luka & Abby finally got hitched; bitter because I know Goran Visnjic is leaving ER at the end of the season and I can't bear to see Luka, Abby & Joe get killed on screen [however will the ER writers do it? A plane crash? I can't bear it] ...and bitter because Ray was killed [if not killed, he can't be a doctor or a rock star because he was drunk and HE STEPPED IN FRONT OF A SPEEDING BUS, thus rendering his brain jello if he manages to live]...now as much as I have tried to like Ray, [and I have tried] he is third on my on-air killings list:
1. John Stamos [Tony Gates] I just can't get past his sad-eyed Emmett Kelly clown-man schtick....I never watched Full House [the very idea of three "straight" men raising three [or the phantom four, when Mary-Kate was feeling up to it] young girls is perversely preposterous.]
2. Linda Cardellini [Sam] I am willing to cut her some slack because I loved her on FREAKS & GEEKS....but I just can't stand her on this show. Sixteen-year-old girls with grating nasal voices get pregnant every day, I'll grant Sam that, but Alex is a wonderfully snotty teenage boy, who will most likely stay adolescent until ER [or Sam] ends.
3. Shane West [Ray] Well, last night took care of him.
Although I was hoping that the second try of Ray & Neela could work out, since Michael Gallant was killed when Sharif took a chance on the doomed HAWAII, now I doubt anything will come of Ray & Neela's reunion. Drunkenly falling in front of a bus [or was it speeding train?] is eerily similar to Gant being run over by a train [or was it a bus?] because he was "overwhelmed" several years back. THAT was a surprise...
Lastly, it seems to be confirmed that Lucien Dubenko is an unabashed lush. I have never found alcoholism appealing, but Leland Orser is compelling in his portrayal of a needy nerdy doctor...and I think he is quite handsome [has he been in anything besides ER? I shall have to Google him to find out] and sexy...
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5-04-2007 @ 6:14PM
tvvwr said...
I thought it was a great episode and that it truly reflected the years of character development. Just two points that have to do with how the business of television interferes with tv shows.
1. I have been wondering all spring they were going to deal with Abby getting married without Maggie, her Mom played by Sally Field being there after how much time has gone into showing that relationship. With Sally Field ensconsed on a hit show on ABC I had a feeling ER wasn't going to be able to get her. The same can be said for Carter not being there and others who you could make an argument for being at the wedding not being present if it is done as a quickly set up surprise.
2. Shane West is in a pilot Supreme Courtships which has been mentioned in this blog. As much as that scene pained me (not another ER tragedy! Not another one of Neela's love's biting the dust!) I get why they had to do something to put a question mark on his character.
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5-04-2007 @ 6:32PM
Dorv said...
My other suprise was about Maggie... They couldn't even manage a throw away line, "Your mother is stuck at the airport, and can't get in.." Anything!
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