Armchair Commentary: John Carter is the REAL "ER" Casanova

Love interests are the spice of TV. Watching the eighth season of ER on DVD over the weekend, I had forgotten all the romantic entanglements wrought by my favorite pre-Grey's Anatomy-medical-drama's staff. And while George Clooney's Doug Ross was billed as the show's womanizer, most of his action happened off-screen, they were all pretty much one-night stands, and he really spent most of the show chasing (or getting over) Julianna Margulies' Carol Hathaway, with whom he's now settled in Seattle with twin daughters in the 4th grade.

Indeed, it was actually Noah Wyle's Carter who dipped in the company ink more than any other character on the show. Indeed, Wikipedia lists no fewer than 9 co-workers he's romanced over his 11 seasons on the show (this is not counting the random patients he had flings with). They are (source: Wikipedia)

Harper Tracey (Christine Elise)
- A fellow med student, they date during Season 2. She cheats on Carter very early in the relationship with Dr. Ross. Carter forgives her, only for her to dump him a few months later because Carter tricks another med student in order to get a procedure.

Abby Keaton (Glenne Headly)

- A pediatric surgeon from Southside Hospital reassigned to County when Southside closes. She begins a pediatric surgical rotation with Dr. Peter Benton. Carter is Benton's intern, and Carter and Keaton begin working together, eventually embarking on a clandestine relationship that ends when Keaton leaves for a volunteer mission to teach Pakistani surgeons.

Anna Del Amico (Maria Bello)
- They develop a close friendship during Season 4, but Carter's crush on her is never reciprocated. She was a new resident in the ER. She eventually returns to Philadelphia and makes up with her ex-boyfriend,
a doctor and former painkiller addict.

Lucy Knight (Kellie Martin)
- A med student, and cast regular in Seasons 5-6, Lucy was a few years younger than Carter. Although Lucy and Carter never actually date, they flirt with each other and come close to having a romantic moment, but do not continue over Carter's indecision over their differences and the fact that he has a girlfriend.

Rena Trujillo (Lourdes Benedicto)
- Carter briefly dates Rena during season 7, until he finds out that she is still a student and is only 19. He dates her for a brief time until she dumps him because she knows he has feelings for Abby Lockhart

Susan Lewis (Sherry Stringfield)
- Susan Lewis left ER early in Season 3 to comfortable residency in Phoenix, only to return in 2001. As Carter had a crush on her during her first tenure on the show, this dropped plot was resumed. But, after
finally dating, during Season 8, their chemistry is very low and they never even have sex. Susan could sense Abby's subtle jealousy ever since Carter was giving her much attention since she came back to
County. They split amicably after Susan tells him to "tell Abby".

Abby Lockhart (Maura Tierney)
- They date during Season 9, after being very good friends during seasons 7 and 8. She is a nurse in the ER. After a series of personal crises and general dysfunction on the part of them both, their relationship finally dissolves when Carter goes to the Congo for seven months. He breaks up with her by letter.

Makemba "Kem" Likasu (Thandie Newton) - They begin dating in Season 10. A French/Congolese AIDS worker in the Congo, Carter meets Kem while working for Doctors Without Borders. They have a passionate, fast-paced romance culminating in Kem's pregnancy. However, she loses the baby after 8 months of pregnancy, and begins to shut down emotionally. Carter proposes, but she doesn't answer and moves back to Africa. During their separation, they date others, but when Carter visits her while she is in France, they reconcile, and give their relationship another chance. During season 11, we learn that Kem and Carter got married. Carter is wearing a wedding band and someone refers to Kem as 'his wife'.

Wendall Meade (Mädchen Amick) - A social worker in the ER, she dates Carter during Season 11. But,
despite his protests, she dumps him after he admits that he doesn't love her and can't stop calling Kem. She apologizes for not realizing that he wasn't ready for a new relationship.

Was there really a soul mate for John Carter, who returns for at least four episodes in the 15th and final season of ER? Can you name any other TV characters with the most love interests? -- Ellen