Episode Report Card Kim: B+ | 105 USERS: C YOU GRADE IT Back In The World
By Kim | Season 11 | Episode 17 | Aired on 2005.03.24
Carter meets with some sort of architect or other woman who carries around plans for buildings. The Maybe Architect Woman explains the layout of some sort of medical center or other health clinic to Carter. I don't know why they actually had to go to the site of the planned building to discuss this; couldn't Carter use creative visualization to see it from the comfort of his home? Carter is surprised to hear that one section of the building will be commercial space, and will be filled with fast food vendors. That does seem a little antithetical to the goals of a health clinic. Anspaugh (!) huffs and puffs up and asks Carter what he thinks of the plans. Carter is impressed. Anspaugh says that Public Relations will send out a press release about the contribution of the Carter Foundation. Carter interrupts to complain that there's no comprehensive HIV care. Anspaugh says that they can't afford that kind of specialty. Carter throws a hissy about the sculpture garden and the food court, and stomps off. Remember when Carter was dorkily likable? Ever since Benton left and Carter inherited the family fortune, he's just insufferable.
A twelve-year-old gunshot victim is rolled in. Pratt asks who shot the kid, and the kid says that he shot himself; he had the gun in his pocket and it accidentally went off. Pratt asks why he had a gun in the first place, and the kid says that he needed it for protection. I feel like we've seen this storyline before.
Neela leaves a hesitant message on Gallant's voicemail, asking if he's in town. Abby walks into the lounge and says that Neela's Back Pain Guy is still waiting. Neela snaps that he can wait. Abby says breezily that she heard Gallant was there, and that Neela didn't mention it. Neela acts as if it doesn't matter. Abby figures out that Gallant didn't stop by, and asks if she should continue acting like Neela isn't freaking out about it. Neela asks if she's built up her relationship with Gallant in her mind, making it into something it's not. She says that letters allow you to be speculative and imaginative, but that they don't mean anything. Abby starts to say that it's okay if Neela's mad, and Neela interrupts, "Mad? More like furious. I'm furious that he didn't tell me he was coming. I'm furious that he could just walk away like that. I'm ridiculously desperate to see him, none of which is based on anything more substantial than the inner workings of my neurotic brain." Abby says that Neela seems to have it covered. Neela asks if she's so pathetic that she concocted a love life out of nothing. Abby tells Neela that she's not crazy to have these feelings.