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ER -- Where Now!?
If any of you have read the multiple articles TV Guide has posted through 2007 and 2008, you would see it is not a critically applauded show like it used to be. Sadly, I agree, and I find it attrocious that NBC is contemplating bringing ER back for a 15th season. Had the show been strong and slightly resembled the show we have loved for years, I would be cheering. However, this show is practically on life support and needs to be put out of its misery in a humane and respectable way. I know the writer's strike nipped the season short, but enough already!
When season 12 was winding down, my interest in the show waned. All I had to look forward to was Luka and Abby's pregnancy, and that was it. Then, the infamous ER shootout left us with the best cliffhanger in 12 seasons (even better than seasons 1-6), and I like other viewers was hooked again! Season 13 (aside from the awful opening credit truncation) was pretty stellar. Luka and Abby had their conflicts, but were happy together. John Stamos was a good casting fit and was put into the Ray/Neela/Tony story, which I applauded. Sam dealt with being a single mother, Pratt with his family life, and even Archie became mildly watchable as he became involved with Hope. Dr. Weaver was being groomed for an exit, but even she became likable and reminded us that someone still existed from early ER. As the season ended though, it was evident the show was going downhill.
Abby and Luka's wedding was a nice distraction, but it was melancholy as Luka ran across the globe in a mediocre cliffhanger. This plot twist was just as aggravating as season 9's "Carter whines his way over to Africa" tale. Weaver was gone, leaving Luka as the longest-running castmate, who was MIA for much of season 14. I knew that was a disaster in the making, just as ER never recovered after season 10 when Noah Wyle shortened his stay. Ray received a sorrowful exit, losing his legs and destroying himself. Why not have Ray disheartened and leaving just as Neela wanted to go back to him? And Neela? She was lined up for a poor story by breaking away from Tony and Ray. And what about Sam? Her son is MIA and she didn't have much to do. Surprisingly, I found myself liking Archie more through his odyssey with Hope, but leave it to season 14 to ruin everyone's happiness.
What is so wrong about season 14 is there is no happiness or lighthearted moments. Even though Luka dealt with Ames in season 13, he still had Abby and was happy. So far, this season is a mess for the following reasons:
1. The Destruction of Abby -- What do you do when you have a strong leading lady who has been with the series for 8 years and is rich in history? Why not destroy her in an unbelievable manor! Her battle with alcoholism was too quick and too dumb for even a reformed alcoholic like Abby to fall so heavily off the wagon as she did. She slipped in season 8, but it was believable. Following her assault from her neighbor, Abby's home life was shaken, and viewers saw her having a beer with Luka here and there. Then, at the end of the season, she got sauced with the group and Carter straightened her out. What made it believable is she slipped gradually as she had in the past. This season, she plunged right into the water with cement shoes. I would have found it more believable if she would have started having a beer out of loneliness and gradually slipped. Heck, how poignant would it have been for Abby and everyone to attend one of crazy Archie's parties and Abby gets tanked, alarming her coworkers and friends, right before Luka returns? The writers botched this tale and many golden opportunities. This would have been the perfect opportunity for Neela to contact Dr. Weaver or Dr. Carter, two characters Abby was friends with and knew about her dependency issues. Even more appalling was her romp with Moretti. Is this how a woman who was cheated on by her ex and hurt would behave!? Oh well... My forseeable prediction is once Luka and Abby break up at the end of the season, she's going to hit the sauce again and we'll see our once strong character disintegrate right in front of us, which is what recent writers do best.
2. Luka's botched exit -- Okay, it was slightly believable he would return to Croatia at some point. But what an appalling treatment of one of the show's strongest couples! Just like the Carter in Africa story, ER is venturing too far outside of the box and should leave its characters in the ER. How much more dramatic would it have been to have Luka sent to a conference across the country, leaving Abby lonely? Then when he returns, the board decides two married doctors cannot work together, so Luka transfers elsewhere? If Luka is going to leave, fine. But don't ruin Abby to give him a story!
3. Overlooked Talent -- For four years, Leland Orser has proved he is a leading character. We actually like Lucien, and had he been made a mainstay this season, it might have been more bareable. Also, Crenshaw and Jane have fit well, so why not add them to the cast? If they can add Archie to the fold, why not these three? ER is losing blood fast, so why not develop characters we know rather than recruit external talent we have to get to know all over again?
4. Annoying Archie -- Archie was always crafted as a nuisance, but during season 13, he actually developed very well. We saw that with Hope and Alea, and he actually grew on me. Flash forward season 14, and writers have reverted back to irritating Archie, which is like nails on a chalkboard. The problem is not Scott Grimes' acting; if anything, he makes Archie more tolerable. The problem is the dunderhead writers' approach to "Let's see how many obstacles we can throw at Archie and see how annoying we can make him." He is a far cry from Dr. Malucci or Carter's naive path through medicine.
5. Neela Adrift -- Is it me or is Neela back into the wind? She was getting like that in season 12, but was treated to a rich story in season 13. Her trampling in the season finale was not even written or shown that dramatic, which is one area I would have taken a little darkness. How terrifying would it have been following the trampling if Neela discovered she was injured and collapses, similar to Abby in season finale 12 or when Carter was stabbed in season 6? Now, Neela has lost much of her purpose except to be a part of some stupid hockey league.
6. Sam's Lost Qualities -- Does anyone remember Sam's entrance into season 10? She was the charge nurse who dealt with an unruly patient, sticking him in the rump after jumpkicking him. Over the last five years, Sam has lost her spark. She was all about her son Alex (has she even mentioned him the whole season?) and she was a plucky spitfire from the wrong side of the tracks who became a nurse. Now, she is drone and dull, and is almost dead weight to the show. She can be fixed, but I don't trust the writers.
To summarize my post, ER is losing blood and needs to end as soon as possible. Why keep something going that is going to ruin our memories of a once mighty show?
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Mar 30, 2008 4:02 PM
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I am an English lady who as watched ER since the beginning.I agree to alot of what the person who wrote the message "where now". I think its really bad that they have split Luka and Abby. They did this before and put Abby with Carter, which I thought was a disaster and put me off for a while. Luka is the only other person that can fill Doug Ross shoes. I will be sad to see it go, but without Luka I am not bothered. Could he not be tempted to return for the last leg and but back with Abby. I believe in series 15 they are bringing back a lot of the old characters. Bring back Doug and Carol great, but please keep Luka. Take or leave Carter. He never did alot for me. I think its been one of the best programmes to come out of America and as a nurse myself, I have learned so much.
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Apr 24, 2008 5:47 PM
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