I absolutely LOVED the Episode "such Sweet Sorrow", but one thing really struck me as strange; Why was Mark having such a difficult time talking to Carter? We have always seen that Mark in particular has been very successful at getting through to Carter when he is upset, like in the pilot, or after gant died, and there are a million other examples. On my tape i have "A Shift In The Night" and "Such Sweet Sorrow" back to back, and i just marveled over the difference between the way Mark handled Carter then, and the way he did last night. We KNOW Mark hasn't been indifferent to Carter's feeling from what he said to Deb, so why was he in the suture room with Carter totally silent, making a hasty exit "OK", and walking out? I would think that especially after all this time, Mark would know how to tlak to Carter!

-- Jess B (smayaloo@aol.com), May 12, 2000

Answers

That is really bothering me too. But Mark and Carter were never "buds" like Mark and Doug were. Carter has no "buds". This is the problem. My money is on Kerry this time.

-- S. Trelles (trelles@ix.netcom.com), May 12, 2000.

My take on it is that Mark is uncomfortable because he thinks he *knows* how Carter feels. He thinks Carter feels the same way he did after his attack. But Carter's is much worse. But he also may think that he didn't like people asking him too many questions after his attack, either.

But I would have liked to see this mentioned. At least maybe a "I might be able to understand a little how you feel. After my attack, I felt..." and to discuss it a little bit to maybe get Carter to start talking.

-- J.J. Ruth (josh_judges_ruth@hotmail.com), May 12, 2000.

Ever since the event that Carter so tellingly called an "accident" a couple of weeks ago, everyone in the ER has conspicuously avoided discussing it, particularly with Carter. The silence has been deafening. Mark couldn't really talk with Carter without breaking through that wall of silence... and frankly he himself has enough emotions running high right now that I'm not surprised he lacked the strength to do it.

-- Elizabeth (ebs42@yahoo.com), May 12, 2000.

I think Mark did a good job of *trying* to talk to Carter and he even gave him a list of referrals for psychologists. But Carter just will not open up to anybody! Every time someone has asked him how he is doing, he says everything is fine which is a lie. I wish Carter would get over his male inability to express his emotions and talk to somebody!! (and btw, I think this is a bit of a cliche - the whole thing about men keeping everything inside. I know it happens sometimes in real life, but not all men are like that and I'm getting a little tired of seeing it in TV characters so much!)

I know poor old Carter has been through a LOT lately, but it wasn't really Mark's fault that Carter wouldn't say anything. I think that, when Mark saw that he wasn't going to get anywhere with him, he let it go. He can't force him to talk!

-- Melanie (msintn@hotmail.com), May 12, 2000.

Then, darn it, Carter should have a "bud". That is what the show has been missing, the deeper friendships (like Mark & Doug). The closest friendship "chemistry" I have seen since then is Carter and Benton, especially since the episodes after the accident. The problem is, the bonding seems to have dropped in the past few weeks. Why? who knows. But they can redeem themselves next week with some Carter/Benton scenes. I love their interactions, especially with their history. It may not be Mark & Doug, but it could come close if the writers wanted it.

-- Jane (lc19@swt.edu), May 12, 2000.

Someone mentioned this before on a thread, but I kind of like the idea of Carter and Malucci. It would be sort of like the new generation of ER... a new generation Mark and Doug.

-- amanda (amanda.rehm@home.com), May 12, 2000.

I hope that Mark has something to do with the whole Carter plot. Really. I mean, Carter needs to TALK!!! I'm almost hoping for a total breakdown, but with maybe two people present, preferably Mark and Kerry. Or Peter. Or the three of them. They're the only originals left now, and I count Kerry because she IS, she has certainly proven herself. Those previews look pretty interesting.

-- Joanne (bucklind@hotmail.com), May 12, 2000.

Mark had just been through an emotional storm of his own. His dad's ashes were still in the trunk of his car! I think he felt he needed to try to talk to Carter, but he himself was just not strong enough to deal with any more pain. He was almost pathetically relieved to think that Carter would actually get some help and couldn't wait to leave the room. A person can only take so much.

-- Nancy Wilson (nwilson@wko.com), May 12, 2000.

When I rewatched the scene, it didn't seem as bad as it did at first. IT's really hard to talk to Carter, and unless you're a trained psychologist, it's going to be really hard to break through his wall. You could see how concerned Greene was when he quietly and gently asked Carter if he wanted a referral. I didn't think that the talk was adequate, but still, given what Mark's been through, I thought it was a nice try

-- samira (matb_west@chickmail.com), May 12, 2000.

I thought Anthony Edwards was taking great pains to act as if Mark were uncomfortable or unsure about talking to Carter. Note the fidgeting of his hands and his eagerness to finish the conversation with Carter. Just a human reaction...

-- debbie (riccardoiii@aol.com), May 12, 2000.

I have been waiting and waiting for a conversation between Carter and Mark...they *are* friends (remember Power; Mark tried to convince Carter that he felt that he was flirting with him because of some psycho perfume, after Lucy tried it on Carter first...very funny), even though they weren't as close as Mark and Doug, there really is no other friendship these days where we SEE friends together outside the hospital. THAT is what we need. I want to see someone take Carter out, see how he is outside the hospital. I think that Mark is having a hard time because it reminds him of his days after his attack and how he didn't know how to deal with it or let anyone in about it either.

About Malluchi, it was my post that said they were like Mark and Doug, and it was the same tonight. Malluchi is one of the only people who can get a laugh out of Carter, and he is always chasing after him to talk or complain to him about something. I hope maybe they have a confrontation too.

Another thing...just before they cut away from Carter in the first bathroom scene, he squints in the mirror JUST like Mark used to when he was frustrated or dealing with stuff (i.e. his attack)...it reminded me so much of Mark.

-- Elaine (mrsclooney78@hotmail.com), May 12, 2000.

I agree with so many of your comments! Carter has never opened up to anyone, really, but in order for him to discuss this, he has to admitt he has a problem and for right now he believes everything is "fine". My bet will on either Kerry or Benton. Mark is too preoccupied right now with his father and besides, I don't think anyone is really going to know until next season.

-- Paula (pbranden@dwave.net), May 14, 2000.

Yes, we always go on about how there need to be more real freindships. I always enjoy the little exchangess between M and C bu they are always dropped too quickly. Of course I would like it if they became closer "buds" while working through all this; I would have liked it if Mark could have drawn Carter out. But that would have been completely unrealistic- he won't talk to his Gamma, the shrink or anyone else seriously. I wouldn't condemn C to having to depend on Peter the Insenstive Brick, and I wager on Kerry being to most involved. It's tough for MArk to be the one that we all expect to be nice and helpful when he has so much of his own garbage, at least he tried right?

-- May (archerl@cadvision.com), May 16, 2000.