I can't believe it has taken me a whole year to see this episode! And boy what a difference a year makes. For everyone that has complained about season 6 being terrible, I really think this episode was one of the best.

What a great episode it was for the nurses--we got to see many of our favorites interacting with each other like the old days. Now we have the Abby show. Don't get me wrong, I like Abby, but it sure is amazing how the whole ER revolves around her at the expense of the rest of the ER family.

I loved Lucy in this episode--she was so tenacious and earned Romano's respect by going to his house and forcing him to help her patient. And Romano was almost caring to let Peter go pick up Reece because it was Christmas.

Luka, bless his heart, seemed to be doing well--he was so gentle and caring with Carol's babies, interacting with the rest of the staff--and look at him now, in the bottomless pit.

Even Cleo was good in this episode. I thought it was somehow a foreshadowing of some of this season's race issues that she wished everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy Kwanzaa.

And finally, I loved Carter laughing at the Santa's invitation to Kerry about being a Mrs. Claus. And then Kerry going to Doc Magoo's with a slew of Santas!

What a contrast to this year's Christmas offering which was so sad--ER writers, please lighten up. Let us see some real ensemble episodes instead of the crisis of the week we have been getting.

-- christine (cmniekamp@aol.com), December 22, 2000

Answers

I actually thought this episode was pretty lame, with the exception of the subplot with Lucy. Standing up to Romano was probably her finest moment. And Romano was actually NICE to Peter -- Lucy really got to him! It's too bad that there is no character on the show now that can be a foil or a "soft spot" for Romano's Grinchlike heart. Without that, he's in danger of becoming a cartoon. But for all of the complaining about how we don't get to see patients any more... well, it's no great loss, if you have this episode to go by. Do we really need to see patients we don't CARE about (such as Chad the drunk and his mother, and the endless carousel of unrepentant gang bangers, and a particularly badly-acted, bratty little boy?) Oh, and it was nice to see Luka the way he used to be before they turned him into Count Vlad, the Grim Reaper.

-- Ellen (eedgert1@twcny.rr.com), December 22, 2000.

Actually I liked this episode better as repeat than the first time around. Still don't think was that great, but there were a few decent storylines (plus it's always nice to have an Abby free episode). I liked Lucy is this episode. What she showed us was that she wasn't quite ready to be a doctor, there are still things that she needed to learn about finding out all the information. I guess I liked the fact that when she realized that she had made a mistake she took it upon herself to do everything to help her patient. You are right about Romano having a soft spot for her. I hope that we can see the human elements in Romano's character again soon, because I don't know how much more of cartoon Romano I can stand. It's strange to see Carter before the attack. He seems so much more restrained now than he did in "The finch that stole Xmas."

-- Emma (webbef@hotmail.com), December 22, 2000.

i'm just tired of watching this episode because now i've seen it like 4 times. i watched it on TNT last night, then on NBC at 10, then this morning at 10, and i saw it when it was originally on. i wish they'd stop playing it, i know the whole thing by heart now.

-- Jessica (sweetbebe0686@yahoo.com), December 22, 2000.

I liked this episode. It had humor, and fun. Heck, this Christmas episode was better than this years Christmas episode. It was also sad to see it this year though because no one knew at the time that it would be Lucy's last Christmas. So it was kind of sad to see that this year.

-- Cammie (rmaelhorn@home.com), December 22, 2000.

Why is it only Lucy has the guts to stand up to Romano and no one else does? Benton should have done that earlier this season.

-- Andie (non@no.com), December 22, 2000.

I liked this one ok. But did anyone else notice that Cleo was almost likeable? I guess it was after she started dating Benton that she got all annoying. She seemed nice and normal, especially when she had that little chat with the nurses before she left to Indiana or wherever. I also liked the plot with Carter and all the guns, but poor Malik, losing his Gameboy like that. Oh well, at least it was for a good cause :)

-- Mallory (mallory_1523@yahoo.com), December 22, 2000.

I liked this episode considerably more than the 2000 Christmas episode. A little Lucy-heavy, but at least not such a downer. Actually, I enjoyed seeing those little babies the most--they were edible!

-- K (userkto@aol.com), December 22, 2000.

I absolutely hated Kellie Martin being on ER. I was glad they offed her. I watched her as a kid in Life Goes On. Her acting hasn't matured since then. I felt she was completely unbeliveable, and more than that, annoying. Not to be a grinch, but comments like "It was also sad to see it this year though because no one knew at the time that it would be Lucy's last Christmas" make me want to vomit. Reality check?

-- Regina (she_ra_qott@hotmail.com), December 22, 2000.

Regina- If it had been Carter instead of Lucy you wouldn't be saying that. In fact you would be saying it was sad if it had been Carter. Am I right about this? So there's nothing wrong with saying how sad it was. I thought it was a little sad as well.

-- Andie (non@no.com), December 22, 2000.

Amazingly enough Cleo was more than tolerable, she was likeable! No sneers, no petulance, she was competent and caring. Maybe the pod people came to take her personality away sometime after this. I liked Lucy's storyline and her interaction with Kerry. I liked Carter as well, especiallly his diabolical laugh when he thought of Kerry as Mrs. Claus. The guns for toys storyline was right up his alley. I liked seeing Carol again and of course all the nurses.

-- Laura (laurelc@wincom.netl), December 22, 2000.

Correct me if I'm wrong but doesn't Valerie (cardio myopathy pt.) stroke-out in a later eppy?

-- Linda (l.brown@mindspring.com), December 22, 2000.

Yeah, Valerie dies. I was watching that epi on NBC, and started thinking how stinkin' depressing ER is now in comparison. Valerie died, Lucy died, Cleo's shred of personality died. Carol and her babies are gone. Luka has gone from the charming, smiling guy he was with Carol to the looking like Grim Reaper's little brother. (Dr. Flatline, anyone?) Carter is in this black hole of recovery. Romano teased us with a little humanity in that epi, and boy, did that ever slink out the back door. Blech!

-- Rubi (mommyof2@sigecom.net), December 22, 2000.

Yeah, it was an ok episode, not as "warm and fuzzy" as past ones, like season 2 or 4 (my personal favorites), but at least it was Christmasy. Lucy's persistence was admirable and I love how Benton seems to respect her (I guess he learned something from teaching Carter) and wanted to help with the surgery. I love that Lucy was the one Romano has a heart for. She even got him in a good enough mood to let Benton go to Reese. For those who thought she didn't belong, I think this story made up for it. Valerie was one of the patients I cared most about in years.

Carter's Christmas spirit was great...and trying to get Kerry in on it was priceless, telling her "well, now you need some scrubs!" after being thrown up on by Santa. And his Santa act, even Benton seemed amused by it. The gun thing was a sweet idea, but a bit much...I know he's loaded, but how much money did he spend that day?

I liked Cleo during that "era" of ER, but not especially in this episode. I don't know, I guess I just wrongfully felt bad for the boy and his mother. I guess there was no other hold she could have on him if she let him go right?

-- Elaine (mrsclooney78@hotmail.com), December 23, 2000.

Well, I've only seen this episode once before (I think), and I had completely forgotten the glorious spectacle of Kerry being the target of projectile vomit. My husband was very concerned when I let out a blood-curdling screech and curled into the fetal position. Yuck.

And everyone knows how I feel about Lucy/Kellie, methinks. No need for me to go there. :)

Ah, old times. I'm still glad the cast is shrinking, but it has a ways to go.

-- Cecelia (evilstoat@hotmail.com), December 23, 2000.

"How the Finch Stole Christmas" is one of my favorite sixth season episodes. Lucy was my favorite character last year, and she was wonderful in this episode!

-- Heather (heathabear@hotmail.com), December 27, 2000.

I'm bad about reruns. For example, some of the episodes that I disliked the first time around have grown on me (How the finch stole Xmas and Domino Hearts as examples), and other episodes that really liked I find myself disliking. I just watched BSMH and started to hope that Carter would die (that's never happened before). Perhaps it is because I know what happens. Who knows....I guess it is just perspective.

-- Emma (webbef@hotmail.com), December 27, 2000.