I remember watching that first episode of ER. Like you, I gasped when Carol Hathaway was wheeled in. It’s the first time I recall a TV show dealing with the sharp end of suicide attempts on TV.
Hathaway was originally written as a one-episode guest star, but, so the story goes, the public liked her so much that they brought her back. She became the heart of the show, along with Carter, who started as a wet-behind-the-ears medical student.
So this week’s Marry, Shag, or Throw off a Cliff? edition focuses on characters from classic ER. The women I had a lot of trouble narrowing down; the show teems with awesome female characters. Chuny Marquez, Susan Lewis, Elizabeth Corday, Jeanie Boulet, and Haleh Adams allllmost made the cut, but here are your three finalists. Who would you marry, who would you shag, who would you cliff? (Also bear in mind we’re talking about the fictional characters here, not about the actors.)
Jing-Mei Chen, Carol Hathaway, or Kerry Weaver?
The blokes were easier to choose from. They were less diverse and overall less interesting, I believe – Romano and Benton never caught my eye. These three are all worth a look:
John Carter, Doug Ross, or Mark Greene?
For bonus points, who’s your current favourite ER character and why? Who do you love to hate? (Bear in mind that Australia is behind the USA when posting spoilers, please.)
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‘It’s my right to get hellish’…Orly? 
Happy 100th, Galactic Suburbia! 
Signal Boost: Wonder Women! 
More of this, please 
Hoyden About Town 
omg. As a teenager I crushed so hard on Clooney-as-Doug-Ross. Not my finest hour, as he was more than twice my age at the time.
Marry: Carol, Mark
Shag: Jing-Mei, Doug
Cliff: Kerry, Carter
Almost the same as Bene, but swap Mark and Carter – I heart Carter.
Hathaway and Ross in a canter, from the choices you offer, for shag. Not interested in marrying or cliffing.
I trust the only reason you don’t have Luka here is because he wasn’t in the original cast (but neither was Jing-Mei, was she)? Goran Visic, if that is his name, obliterates even George IMHO — remember the ep where Luka and Carter and two of the women (Abby and somebody else) are sitting in a classroom waiting to be counselled on sexual harassment and the counsellor doesn’t turn up so they get to swapping life stories and Carter’s bragging about playing Hamlet in school and Luka responds with ‘To be or not to be’ in Croatian in a way that makes it absolutely clear what that speech is really about?
Be still, my heart.
I’d shag the lot of them but I’d trade them all in for Luka.
another outspoken females last blog post..my day in lists
The men are TOO easy. Shag Doug but then kick him out of bed before his coy little smirk and tilt of the head get on my nerves; marry Green (If I believed in marriage) and bye bye Carter 😉
As for the women; well I’d totally shag Kerry. I ADORE her character, complicated, conflicted and difficult to get to know. But then, I don’t know about Jing-Mei or Carol – I’d rather have them as best buds than marry or toss them. They’d be formidable strong-woman friends. The one I’d marry is Elizabeth Corday – white dress, confetti and all.
Oh yay, someone else who appreciates Kerry! I think she’s kickarse. I can’t cliff any of the women, they all rock.
Doug gets cliffed, for me. Too smarmy. Shag Carter once, then be best buddies with Cartner, marry Greene and get to shag him forever. Mm. Well, until he dies of his brain tumour *sniffle*
On the upside, of course, following such a tragic loss, you’d be able to comfort yourself with Luka…
Or fall back into Carter’s arms…
[Luke doesn’t quite do it for me.]
*sigh* so many options…
Lauredhel, have you seen this?
I don’t think I’ve seen that episode PC. Was that before or after they learnt his family history?
Hmm…no one’s mentioned Abbie! I loved her!
Luka was extremely hot, but then he went all macho moody and was mean to Abbie, and then I didn’t like him so much.
But Carter…oh! And wow…Doug’s giggle, and ‘righteous indignattion’!
Oh my GOD that show made me cry a lot over the years!
Emotional manipulation honed to an art!
Marry: Kerry, Mark
Shag: Carol, Doug (d’oh!)
Cliff: Jing-Mei, Carter
But I haven’t watched it for years and years now… is it actually still going?
Deborahs last blog post..The unmentionables
Deborah: aye. This is the last season.
I’ve only watched ER for a few years, but currently my favorite character is Neela (because she’s awesome and I’ve loved Parminder Nagra since Bend It Like Beckham, and I seriously cannot stand John Stamos’ character (Tony)’s daughter. She whines too much, and I hate the way she says the name ‘Tony.’ (I realize this is a pretty strange reason for not liking someone…)
Genevieves last blog post..Further frustration with the assholes
Genevieve, I’m with you: I like Neela. She’s been through a lot, but she tends to get through things with a sort of believable, imperfect grace that appeals to me.
Abby I didn’t mention because I sorta try to pretend she isn’t there. She just grates on me. I know others like her – this is one of those idiosyncratic reactions.