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Such Sweet Sorrow

Season 6, Episode 21, Aired May 11, 2000

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When Carol resuscitates a terminal cancer DNR so that she can say goodbye to her family, she realizes that life is too short; after saying a quick goodbye to Luka and Mark, she runs out of the hospital and hops a plane to Seattle to see Doug. Carter's mental stability has deteriorated to the point where he almost kills a woman. Chen notices and tells Mark her concern that Carter is bipolar. Weaver goes on the warpath after noticing staff members taking shortcuts in their work, including Abby, who discharges a woman prematurely without running extra tests. Corday offers Malucci a sobering assessment of his performance. Mark prepares to bury his father, and enjoys his daughter's company.moreless

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Cast & Crew

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GUEST STAR
Duane R. Shepard Sr.

Janitor
GUEST STAR
Louis Mustillo

Steve O'Brien
GUEST STAR
Kenneth Davitian

Mr. Capazian

Noah Wyle

Dr. John Carter
Anthony Edwards

Dr. Mark Greene
Julianna Margulies

Nurse Carol Hathaway
Maura Tierney

Abby Lockhart
Ming-Na

Dr. Jing-Mei "Deb" Chen
Alex Kingston

Dr. Elizabeth Corday

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Fan Episode Reviews (10)

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Doug and Carol are back together! Seeing them together makes it obvious that they were soul mates. Sorry Luka.

9.8

"Superb"

By CottonButtons, Mar 31, 2011

While the scenes between Carol and Luka were touching and sweet, Carol really did have that spark with Doug. Carol told Luka the truth. There was someone else for him...and she was right under his nose. Elizabeth Corday did the right thing...with respect to the pearl necklace. First, she accepted it from David Greene after he insisted. She gave a dying man happiness. Then, she returned it to Mark and urged him to give it to his 12-year old daughter.

Dr. Weaver's rage and tenderness was interesting to see in one episode. She certainly is an administrator as well as a doctor.

This is a wonderful episode. They did it right.moreless
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Carol's last day in the ER is hectic.

9.4

"Superb"

By lozza1525, Mar 31, 2011

Carol treats a young mother who has cancer and is dying. She is a DNR, but when the mother flatlines, her husband pleads Carol to intubate her, with Luka's help, Carol intubates the woman, and Kerry is furious. Carol's situation makes her realise how important family is, and she abandons everything at work and flys to Seattle and tells Doug she wants to be a family with their twin girls. The last scene ends with them hugging and kissing, leading viewers to think they will spend their lives together as one big happy family.

A great exit for Julianna Marguilles, with a special appearance by George Clooney.moreless
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hatherway is treating a young women with cancer whilst seeing her and her family interacting she realises she wants her family to be together and flies to seattle to be with dougmoreless

10

"Perfect"

By schlib, Mar 31, 2011

this is a fantastic episode that makes me cry each time i see it not because any of the main characters die but because of the patients in this episode and because what some of the characters learn because of them its also a great episode because George clooney guest stars!!!
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A special episode, not necessarily for the plots but more so for the characters.

9.1

"Superb"

By Shana868, Mar 31, 2011

Ok, so Carol was back on track this week with a vengance. And it's nice to see her leave happily. Goodbye!
Among the other characters, we were introduced to Frank, who seems to be doing a great job so far. He had a few good lines, especially, "Well I wasn't late!" to Weaver.
Weaver herself is on excellent form, just perfect!
Carter...well I can see the beginning of his drugs story-line already...Noah is playing it well though and it's nice to see friendly concern from Jing-Mei.
Elizabeth, for her short appearance, was also just excellent. Her scolding of Malucci was spot-on.
The episode also picked up pace, which I enjoy, though had it's peaceful moments including Mark and Rachel. It's so odd hearing his words, "Promise me you won't grow up too quickly" and thinking of teenage, ecstacy-taking Rachel. Especially as Elizabeth made Mark give his mother's pearls to her in this episode, yet further on wants nothing to do with her.
All in all a great character episode, though a subtle one at that. Even Doug's loving smile was pitched just right!moreless
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Going out with a bang.

9.8

"Superb"

By casperp38, Mar 31, 2011

A terrific end to the character of Carol Hathaway. It seems that all the reasons she chose to stay for when Ross left evaporate in this episode. It was great how there wasn't some big montage throughout the episode and we got what we needed in those last 10minutes which was Hathaway coming to the conclusion we all knew; she and Doug are soulmates. The show has really felt the void since she left.moreless
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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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TRIVIA (2)
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- Goof: In a deleted scene included on the DVD, Abby talks to Malucci about her divorce being final on that day. She tells him that she is keeping her husband's name which is "Wychinsky," not "Wyzinsky" as is used in all other episodes.
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- Goof: When Chen is discussing Carter's mental state with Greene, she mentions the DMS-IV. What she should have said is the DSM-IV, the abbreviation commonly used for the 4th edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.
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QUOTES (16)
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- (Weaver is assigning patients) Weaver: Malucci, bleeding hemorrhoids in Exam 8. Malucci: Oh, come on, Chief! Weaver: Hemorrhoids in 8 and a boil that needs lancing in 5. Malucci: (under his breath) That's perfect. Weaver: I hope that tone of voice is one of unbridled enthusiasm. Malucci: Oh, I can't wait.
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- Weaver: Dr. Malucci, if I don't see you standing over a sick patient looking compassionate and engaged in the next 30 seconds, you're going to spend the next week doing nothing but disimpactions and yeast infections!
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- Mark: Promise me you won't grow up too fast, ok? Rachel: Ok.
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- Fellow passenger: (on the plane) You almost missed it. Carol: Yeah, I almost did.
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- Malucci: Butt boil and hemorrhoids. This is what I went to medical school for. Carter: It could be worse. There's an explosive diarrhea up there.
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- Kerry: It's five after seven. Is there some kind of natural disaster that I'm unaware of? An earthquake, or half of Chicago swallowed up by a giant sinkhole?
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- Abby: It's cold out here. I should have brought my jacket. Lydia: So go back in. We don't need you to help us push in a gurney. Abby: You know, I never even thought I'd get into med school. I was just looking for a change. Haleh: You really want to stop talking before one of us hits you.
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- (after Weaver yelled at everyone in the ER) Chen: Whew! Somebody woke up on the wrong side of the coffin. Carter: Today ought top be a lot of fun...
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- Haleh: You're younger than us, prettier than us, and skinnier than us. Lydia: We hate you. Abby: Thanks for the candor...
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- Corday: Where is he [David Greene's body] now? Greene: Actually in the trunk of my car. I didn't have time to go home.
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- Frank: (to Malucci) Jupiter only has eight moons. Would you like me to name them? Malucci: (to Abby) Who is this guy?
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- Yosh: (to Carter) Weaver sent you a present--a wheezer.
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- Lydia: I heard that Mark's coming back today. Haleh: Thank God! If Weaver gets any nastier, we'd have to call Animal Control.
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- Luka: I still love my wife. But it's time for me to get on with my life.
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- Abby: How long was I out? Haleh: About 20 minutes. Abby: That must be why I feel so refreshed.
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- Carol: I have to go find out. Luka: Find out what? Carol: If he's still in love with me...because...I'm still in love with him. I am. I've been in love with him since I was 23 years old. He's everything to me. He's my life. I feel complete when I'm with him and I feel empty when we're apart. He's the father of my children... and he's my soulmate.
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NOTES (9)
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- Troy Evans, who portrays recurring character Frank Martin, made a previous guest star appearance as Officer Martin in the pilot, "24 Hours."
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- Though spelled correctly when he is listed as the series creator in the opening credits, Michael Crichton's last name is incorrectly spelled "Chrichton" when he is listed with the other executive producers in the end credits of this episode. This mistake was repeated in most of the Season 4 episodes and in all of the Season 6 episodes.
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- Music: "Letting the Cables Sleep," Bush; "Taking You Home," Don Henley; "Come On Come On," Scott Nickoley and Jamie Dunlap
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- Although in the opening credits, Paul McCrane, Eriq La Salle, and Michael Michele do not appear in this episode.
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- Julianna Margulies's sister, Alexandra Margulies, appears in this episode as a flight attendant.
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- This episodes marks Julianna Margulies's final appearance as a series regular. She would go on to make one more appearance as Carol Hathaway in the Season 15 episode "Old Times."
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- This episode received an Emmy Award nomination for Directing (John Wells).
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- Mark makes a passing reference to a Dr. Nadio, a character portrayed by Mark McGrath whose scene was edited out due to episode time constraints.
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- According to a local NBC affiliate report that aired after the episode, George Clooney made his cameo as a personal favor to executive producer John Wells. Clooney required that his appearance by kept a secret so attention would not be drawn away from Julianna Margulies's well-publicized departure. Their scene together was shot during the week of April 14 at an undisclosed location on Washington state's Lake Washington, near the town of Juanita
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ALLUSIONS (1)
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- Title: "Such Sweet Sorrow" The episode title is an allusion to a memorable line from William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet (Act II, Scene II), in which Juliet says to Romeo, "Good night, good night! Parting is such sweet sorrow, That I shall say good night till it be morrow."
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