Thursday, January 11, 2007

THE DOCTOR IS OUT: After twelve years on a show that saw everyone else leave years ago, actress Laura Innes, who plays ER's Dr. Kerry Weaver, will herself finally check out of County General in this week's episode.

Back when ER was must-see tv (a period ending when Mark Greene took ill, I believe), the Weaver character was a quiet reason why -- yes, she was often The One Who Said No, but it always seemed to come from a sincere, well-meaning place, and she was no cartoon villain. For Mark Greene, Doug Ross and the gang, she was a worthy, formidable adversary, and to Rocket Romano, she was no friend. (We can argue about whether her journey out of the closet was (a) true to her character or (b), especially in the case of the Sandy stuff, good tv.)

Innes has also directed ten episodes of ER, five episodes of The West Wing (including Shibboleth and Let Bartlet Be Bartlet), one episode of House, and has one memorable appearance on My So-Called Life to her credit. Let's hope her next career move is a rewarding one.

(In answer to your question, it's "yes, they did -- congenital hip dysplasia.")

edited to add: TVGuide has more from Innes, on her desire not to leave by helicopter as it were: "It was kind of mutual — one of those things where it just feels like you're running out of steam. It's awfully hard to leave this show, though, because it's such an incredible joy. But it seems like [it's] time, doesn't it? I just told them, 'I don't want to be sick or die.' I didn't want to send this message that this woman who had this history of disability and is gay — now we're going to kill her off. I said, 'Let her have a happy end.' So I'm happy about that."

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