I just finished watching When the Bough Breaks on TNT and was struck by the Carter/Benton conversation towards the end. It seemed almost a reversal to the conversation they have at the end of May Day. Carter wants to talk to Benton, pushes at him, and it's Benton, who doesn't want to talk, who pushes Carter toward the ground. It even seems like Carter just wanted an explanation for why Benton was treating him the way he was, and an explanation was something Peter wanted from Carter after the intervention. I just thought that even the physical similarities were striking. An example of their relationship at that time, and how it ending up growing, I think.

-- Joanne (bucklind@hotmail.com), June 29, 2000

Answers

I was just thinking the same thing! Remember in season 5 in "Hazed and Confused" when Benton told Carter that it's his job to be a teacher not a friend? I was thinking "Benton just wait a year and a half from now."

-- Cammie (rmaelhorn@home.com), June 29, 2000.

Yes that was an interesting scene and parallel. The way Carter pursued Benton at the end of "When the Bough Breaks" was ironic though, because he had never before dared to get Benton's attention in that way... This proving that Benton was right in a way, Carter was still acting like he expected Benton's approval, but he really didn't need it any more because he was becoming more authoritative himself. (does that make sense?)

-- Tracy (bankybooda@aol.com), June 29, 2000.

The contrast in the Carter /Benton relationship is striking. All the way through his tutelage Benton tells Carter he is not a friend, only a teacher and tells him straight out that Carter should stop seeking his approval. I noticed that when Carter and Benton have their fight at the end of 'May Day' Carter is really upset that Peter believed him to be a drug addict. So he never really stopped seeking Benton's approval.

-- mags (hotboxgirl@mailctiy.com), June 30, 2000.

I was very surprised at the Benton/Carter scene in "When the Bough Breaks." It is almost the exact reversal of the Benton/Carter scene in "May Day." Jack Orman is simply a genius.

-- anne (sapphire_172@hotmail.com), June 30, 2000.

I noticed this too. It was great -- awww, it gave another perspective on their friendship: it's been rocky, but in the end they're there for each other. It's just so sentimental!

-- Katie (writegrl@aol.com), June 30, 2000.

Did Jack Orman write "When the Bough Breaks" too?

Did anyone notice the scene at the end of tonight's TNT episode "Good Touch Bad Touch." Carter and Benton were talking at the end of the day. It looked like Carter went out of his way to chat with Benton, and then when Benton left, Carter had to go back across the street and go on his way. I thought that was interesting. Even after that big argument scene in the last episode, Carter was still sort of clinging to Benton a bit.

Yeah, watching all this stuff in hindsight, those last couple scenes in "May Day" were so different, seeing Benton reach out to Carter first.

-- Tracy (bankybooda@aol.com), June 30, 2000.

Tracy, yes Jack Orman did write "When the Bough Breaks" & "May Day." WTBB was one of the first if not *the* first eppy he wrote for ER. I'm looking forward to seeing what Jack has in store for us in Season 7!!

-- anne (sapphire_172@hotmail.com), July 01, 2000.