Is it just me, or are there other people out there who do in fact think that there was a definite chemistry bt, Carter and Lucy?? Granted, they fought a lot, or should I say bickered -- but what great couples don't have their share of impassioned bickering??? Not to mention, I saw The Storm Part 1 on TNT last night, and the physical chemistry between the 2 was more than evident. He thought she was a cutie and she thought he was pretty darn adorable too.

I think that those who say they had no chemistry are just plain wrong!!! Do people agree with me?

That being said, I hope that Carter goes on to find a fulfilling relationship, and I hope those bipolar rumors are just that -- rumors, and that he falls in love with someone...and I cannot, for the life of me, think of any female characters on the show now who are good enough for him. Let's hope that someone who fits the bill comes on for season 7!

-- Lara (ljglazier@yahoo.com), March 15, 2000

Answers

Lara, I too saw the episode you mentioned. The music they played during the brief interludes was flirtatious. That's what I saw, nothing serious, just a flirtation. The music, as usual, was great...perfect for the mood.

-- Diana (Dilynne@juno.com), March 15, 2000.

I also watched the Storm last night and TNT and had forgotten how much I liked the flirtation between Lucy and Carter. I think it was right to not let the relationship go any further (because of the doctor/ student thing), but they could have left that forbidden sexual desire between them. Shows are always great when they have the sexual tension between characters that cannot be fulfilled. Instead, they made it seem as though they hated each other this season.

-- amanda (amanda.rehm@home.com), March 15, 2000.

Kudos to Amanda -- My sentiments EXACTLY. I think that the ER writers let us down. While the relationship was (and rightly so) a "forbidden" one from an ethical perspective, the writers could have done more with the flirtation...Attractions do ot simply die just because you know nothing can really happen. After all, in life, dont we all often want most that which we cannot have? I think that sexual tension makes these shows so much fun, and I know that the show is "ER" and not a romantic comedy, but it is still supposed to reflect reality, to a degree. I mean, doctors are people too!!!

Anyway, I digress. But it is poignant to think of how good the writing could have been this season with respect to Carter and Lucy. Oh well, I guess its a little late for that.

-- Lara (ljglazier@yahoo.com), March 15, 2000.

I agree with the last two. Lucy and Carter in The Storm was great comical relief from Doug's dismal departure...I thought it was handled very cutely by Carter and put Lucy in a more human light. I liked how the staff got involved too, esp Chuney. It did not make any sense how they just dropped it then and there. Sexual/romantic tension would have been perfectly fine, without them actually getting together...Doug and Carol were at their best just BEFORE they got back together. I've said this before, but they should have kept her with Dale and had him do some really shovinistic thing so as to continue the protective relationship with Carter towards Lucy.

-- Elaine (mrsclooney78@hotmail.com), March 15, 2000.

This is probably analyzing minutia, but...I thought that it was somewhat telling that, as Lucy was suturing Carter and after she kissed his cut (how adorable, and how I would love to kiss Carter's cuts any day of the week :), and was staring at him with an "I just want to kiss you all over look" Carter shook his head, while smiling, and said this cannot happen, but seemingly acknowledging that he would like to do what she wants to do, its just that formality and medical ethics would get in the way...As if he's been thinking about doing it for some time. Which I of course interpret as meaning that Carter has "had the hots" for her for at least a little while.

Is it just me or did anyone else see this last night?

-- Lara (ljglazier@yahoo.com), March 15, 2000.

I still disagree. Perhaps Lucy and Carter flirted , and they obviously gave in to lust when they had their little make-out session. But I think a deeply-rooted desire or hidden love for each other is stretching it a bit far. And I think it would be stupid for Carter to be all googly and maudlin because he secretly adored Lucy. They just didn't fit as a couple, and their "impassioned bickering" was, in my opinion, serious arguing that sprung from a lot of miscommunication and competition between them. They managed some mutual respect, yes, but Lucy and Carter had to strain to enjoy what little compromise they had.

Not that they were horrible together, but they certainly never clicked, not smoothly, not yet.

-- Cat (supercatcl@hotmail.com), March 15, 2000.

Cat, I have to respectfully disagree. You see, I am not of the belief that theirs was a "hidden love." Rather I think that it was an attraction, physically and mentally that was just there, in spite of bickering, competitiveness, whatever you want to call it. Hey, my husband and I love each other deeply, but that does not mean that we are not competitive at times with each other or that we don't bicker. Obviously, L & C's relatinship had not fully evolved to that point. I just think that there was potential there that was never given the chance to develop, since once they hooked up, the writers laid off.

I think that writers have the power to create chemistry between characters. There is nothing inherent there, since these are characters, not people. But on a purely superficial level, I think that Kellie Martin and Noah Wyle complement each other physically and I think that if given the chance, their characters could have worked well together.

Look at some of tv's best couples. Maddie and David from Moonlighting, Sam and Diane from Cheers, Carol and Doug. Now, I am not comparing Lucy and Carter to these other couples. I just think that if it were not for the writers, these couples would not have become so fun to watch and the sexual tension that makes tv couples so pallatable is really a product of solid writing.

I know I am going on and on, but basically I think that people jump to the conclusion that L&C were not good together largely (not totally) due to the fact that the writers never gave them their fair shake.

That's all...for now.

-- Lara (ljglazier@yahoo.com), March 15, 2000.

I think I agree with those who say there was really nothing between the two besides a little momentary heat. We've seen how Carter gets with coworkers who he's attracted to...a bit competitive, but none of the outright hostility some might misinterpret as sexual tension. I'm thinking of the episode where he hit on Maggie Doyle before finding out she's a lesbian. He's sort of...too eager to prove how great he is (the competitive streak) paired with a cautious confidence (think of him at the shooting gallery with Maggie, saying, "So there's absolutely no chance of you...."then trailing off).

Personally I chalk up Lucy and Carter making out on the floor to the writers' desperate attempt to make "The Storm" at least marginally interesting...now the episode where Carter has the opportunity to gaze upon Anna Del Amico's bare butt...that was inspired writing, a moment with true tension and heat, and it allowed the characters to remain true to themselves.

-- nancy (tbc@po.cwru.edu), March 15, 2000.

While I disagree with what you are saying, in what episode did Carter see Anna's bare butt, and what was the context? Just curious...

-- Lara (ljglazier@yahoo.com), March 16, 2000.

Lara--In the episode with the ER banquet (Gut Reaction maybe???), Anna asks Carter to perform the bone marrow removal (I can't think of the procedure, but she finds out she matches for a patient and donates her bone marrow, asking him to do it because she trusts him, very sweet) and the slip sheet over her falls and Carter notices and they both get kind of tense/nervous. It's very cute.

-- Elaine (mrsclooney78@hotmail.com), March 16, 2000.

Lucy and Carter had definite chemistry going on. There were great together and their constant bickering was funny and touching. The writers were going in the right direction for a while with the unresolved sexual tension ( Mulder and Scully, Sam and Jack-StargateSG-1) UST adds excitement and anticipation to a show. It is an element that makes people watch a show again and again. But the writers screwed up and allowed it to fizzle out and in doing so ruined a potentially great relationship.

-- sarah (sorcha_ire@yahoo.ie), March 18, 2000.

I remembered another thing, and I love to remind everyone of great memories. With Roxanne, Carter was constantly talking about Lucy, about how she drove him crazy, how he thought she was a good student, how he needed to help prepare her for things...he usually spoke of her in a professional light with Roxanne, but it still always annoyed her and you could tell that Carter was trying to be conscientious of Lucy, even if he didn't know how to show it to her. He thought about her a lot and wanted to be a big part in helping her be a great doctor. I guess the writers didn't care about that this season.

-- Elaine (mrsclooney78@hotmail.com), March 18, 2000.