At the beginning of "Such Sweet Sorrow", Kerry asks Lydia if she still has "that rape whistle", takes it from her to call the staff, then tosses it on the counter. Is it a possibility Lydia will be the rape victim and will not have her rape whistle with her at the time?

-- Indira Smith (indira54@yahoo.com), May 13, 2000

Answers

You know, that is a long shot, but I thought of the alleged rape storyline when Kerry asked for it too. I *really* hope that this rumor was not true. But then again, they said there were a couple surprises. In my opinion that is too much for one show. Carter's storyline will be enough.

-- Elaine (mrsclooney78@hotmail.com), May 13, 2000.

SPOILERS::

I really hope they let that projected storyline go. First because I can't forsee any member of the staff raping anyone and don't like to think that anyone would. Second, I don't want another member of the staff to have to deal with such a traumatic experience. I love Lydia, and I certainly would not want it to be her, but I wouldn't want it to be anyone else either. Time will tell though.

-- Joanne (bucklind@hotmail.com), May 14, 2000.

I agree that the last thing the ER needs is another one of their own getting hurt. It would be ironic, however, if they went along with the storyline and Lydia was the one to get raped. Her husband on the show, Al, is also her husband in real life. In the show he plays a cop. How much guilt would he go through if his "tv wife" was raped by a guy he couldn't catch? I think it's an interesting storyline, but one I would save for another time. Let's see Carter heal first. It's time for some more "warm and fuzzies" like we had last week with Doug and Carol.

-- Carin Haseltine (cdenisehaze@usa.net), May 14, 2000.

I don't see how they could possibly do justice to a rape storyline - didn't it look like next week's episode was going to be pretty intense at the scene of the school shooting and with Carter going bonkers? I don't think they'll have the time to throw something else in. Unless it's part of the cliff hanger where the rapist will leave her for dead in treatment room 3 and we'll see the agony on her face and then we'll fade to black THEN Kerry will follow bloody footsteps down a corridor and find her on the first episode of the new season.... nah - what a crazy idea that would be - what on earth could I be thinking about :)

-- Linda (l.brown@mindspring.com), May 14, 2000.

Indira, I was thinking the same thing. . . and another possibility is just that someone got confused and "Kerry uses Lydia's rape whistle" somehow became "a nurse gets raped."

-- joy (joygirl01@yahoo.com), May 15, 2000.

If the rape storyline is indeed true, and the victim does turn out to be Lydia, then Kerry's use of Lydia's rape whistle last week was a pretty sly succesful attempt at foreshadowing. Personally though, I hope the rumour holds no validity, because as someone previously said, that is WAY TOO MUCH for one poor little episode. The Carter saga has already got me on the edge of my seat biting my nails, and with the added drama from the school shooting storyline, the ER is already in massive overload. Another tragedy striking the ER this soon would be simply unbelievable and foolish on part of the writers.

-- Mandii Faris (contradiction@uswest.net), May 16, 2000.

SPoiler for those who did not see the preview

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A few people are speculating that if there is a rape ,Carter may fall under a suspision. Even in Carter's current frame of mind, there is no way I would ever believe that Carter would attempt or commit rape. We might see him get angry or punch Benton like he did the preview. There is no way Carter would sexually assault someone. No way. I hope that the rape storyline is just a rumor. They don't need it with Carter's breakdown and the school shooting. If there is a rape, I hope it is made perfectly clear that there is no way that Carter done it. Let some other staff member fall under suspision for one episide or better , yet they find the rapist(not ER staff) in the same eppy. With Carter having problems with PTSD, chronic pain, survivors guilt, and possibly drug use he does not even for one second need to be suspected of possible rape. I just would not buy it.

-- Brenda (jckwfan@aol.com), May 16, 2000.

Oh, I yelped when she mentioned the whistle. I think it would be too much, possibly, probably, but I would have thought that about the stabbings. Hopefully it was just a exaggeration, but it would be strange to so obviously include a detail like that if it wasn't going anywhere- she could have woken him countless other ways, but to use a rape whistle? I just hope it isn't true, and that Kerry isn't involved, or John, or anyone else- but remember that Noah said they would be going out with a bang this year.

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