Is anyone else just dying to see how Benton reacts to Carter's stabbing? I think he thinks of him almost like a little brother now.

-- joy (jac301@is9.nyu.edu), February 14, 2000

Answers

I think so, too. I think Benton will probably not get as much "face time" as others on the show during Thursday's episode, but I think we will see him upset in some way or another. He and Carter have a past.

-- Lily (lucyszkj@ucrwcu.rwc.uc.edu), February 14, 2000.

I definately think Benton will have some sort of emotional reaction - we may see some real compassion here. I think that, in spite of the fighting that has gone on between he and Carter, he respects his former student and likes him. My guess is that some of that compassion will come through in his working on Carter in the operating room.

-- joann (joannshmiller@yahoo.com), February 14, 2000.

Hmm, I too hope we see how much Benton cares about Carter, but my guess is the way he will show it is to do everything under the sun to save Carter's life. This seems to be the way Benton's feelings come out ... in his work. The only time I have *ever* seen him display any kind of emotion (and this was very, very well done) was when he showed up at Carla's door to beg her not to take Reese away from him. He didn't even shed a tear when his student, Dennis, jumped in front of the El train.

-- Cindy (tailchasers51@hotmail.com), February 14, 2000.

From what I could see from the preview for the next episode, Benton isn't even working on Carter!! At the beginning of the preview he is definatly working Lucy, but I certainly hope that when he is calming someone down he is talking to Carter.

-- Amelia (sorry@msn.com), February 14, 2000.

Someone brought up the fact that Benton's emotions come out in his work. I agree, you really see Benton's passion for medicine come out in the ER/OR. In a lot of ways I'm thankful they do this with his character, otherwise Benton would seem inhuman sometimes. The "emotions" thing reminded me of the episode that aired on CBS this past Sunday night (I believe) when Benton's mother fell down the stairs. I had forgotten about that episode, it was really strange to see Benton "speechless" and frozen still in the ER as Carter and Susan kept asking him what had happened. He's usually in such TOTAL control, I guess when it comes to your mother it's a whole different story! :)

Can't wait til' Thursday's show... Monika :)

-- Monika (monika@medmail.com), February 14, 2000.

Quoting an earlier suggestion that someone mentioned in the comments section: what if Benton (whom I'd love to have a quality scene with Carter) called him 'John?'

-- Chris A. (movibuf@juno.com), February 15, 2000.

It would be nice to see more than the same old expression on Benton's face. Even though he wanted to do that surgery on the little girl for free, he still does not have any means of showing any kind of care or compassion. He is becoming rather one dimensional.

-- KJ (KristijohnsonSD@aol.com), February 15, 2000.

I have a feeling Benton will be really upset, since he's known Carter for so long. Also, though nobody's really brought this up, Carol and Carter seem to have a big sister/little brother dynamic (one instant springs to mind, Carol washing Carter's eyes out after spraying Maggie's Mace into his eyes), so it will be interesting to see how she will react to this.

-- Leigh (WillnGraceNYC@yahoo.com), February 15, 2000.

Do you remember Benton telling Carter that he just didn't think like a surgeon, when he spent the night reading to an elderly man who was dying, and had no family. He was also disappointed when John chose the ER over surgical residency. Just recently Peter has chosen the ER over Surgery......think John taught Peter something?

-- Deb (KHege@AOL.com), February 15, 2000.

I also believe that we will see some pure, convincing emotion from Benton this week, in fact I think the main tear-jerking will be on the part of Benton's reaction to Carter's injuries. Also, I think Carter and Lucy's professional relationship really parallels that of Carter and Benton. Carter will have some major emotional reprocussions after this ordeal. (if the writers know what they are doing)

-- Jenny (lazycomet4@yahoo.com), February 16, 2000.

Dr. Benton has always loved Carter! He was always so gruff with him but down deep you can tell he always wanted Carter to succeed. No other intern had touched Benton they way Carter had and a side from tonight I think Benton has always proved that. It was only more obvious this evening then any other. Remember in grammer school? The more your mean to someone the more you like them? Just a thought.

-- annie (lilannie@uswest.net), February 18, 2000.