Last King of ER

A while back, I said that I thought David Morse should be a lock for best guest actor in a drama for his turn as the dogged detective in House.

The part required an understated menace that Morse pulled off perfectly. It was, in a word, riveting.

But Forest Whitaker may give him a run for his money, particularly since he has grabbed the spotlight by winning every award in sight, and probably the Oscar, too, for his portrayal of Idi Amin in The Last King of Scotland (why "Scotland?," he asks).

Whitaker just bit the dust on last night's ER. It was a part to tear a cat in, or mash a hand as it turned out, and he was great in it.

Still, I am going to have to stick with David Morse. Both should be nominated, however.

I do have one bone to pick. The hand-in-the-vice scene seemed a bit gratuitous and contrived, as though ER needed to co-opt some forensic pop. It doesn't. The medical gore is sufficient with adding anything more, particularly when it seems to stretch the plot beyond credibility. I mean, even I could have gotten awa from a drunk one-armed guy who kept giving me ample opportunity.

But maybe that's just me.

By John Eggerton