Clearing the air, kinda, on 'Grey's Anatomy'

November 30, 11:09 PM

So, wait. Are we back to normal now? Is that what just happened here? Izzie's allowed in an OR, Cristina is doing surgeries like nothing happened with Burke, and Burke himself is getting his hand fixed, or at least looked at.

I think I'm with Bailey on this one: It doesn't feel like justice really has been done. Such is the way of things on Grey's Anatomy, though.

Let's take stock here. It's true that while Cristina and Burke deceived a whole helluva lot of people with their surgery tag-teaming, their transgression wasn't on the same level as Izzie's; they did, after all, keep their patients alive. But still -- doesn't a really bad circumvention of hospital regulations, not to mention covering up a potentially dangerous condition, warrant at least, I don't know, a couple days' suspension or something? Although I guess forcing Cristina to work alongside Burke's nemesis (and by the way, Brooke Smith has been really good the past two weeks; if the cast didn't already include half of SAG's membership, I'd suggest keeping her around for a while) might be some form of punishment.

That's kind of a big hurdle to get past, but much of the rest of the episode was pretty strong. Bailey and Derek talking through their respective crises of confidence was a nice moment (especially since it was counterbalanced by some vintage Bailey-Nazi rants early on). I was worried at first that Derek's reluctance to do the conjoined-twin surgery had an undercurrent of spite for Sloan, but I'm glad I was proved wrong on that front.

It also felt like it was time for George to let go of some of his anger, and in the scrub-in area with Burke, who narrated Mr. O'Malley's surgery to him, was as good a place as any. And the scenes with Meredith and her mom felt more part of the show to me than they ever have.

Kate Burton has done fine work throughout the course of the show, but Ellis Grey has often seemed more like a plot device than a character. With Meredith dealing with her "other" family at the hospital during the episode -- not to mention trying to keep her friends from flying apart -- the final scene with her mom became particularly effective.

All that said, I'm still a little uneasy with where things ended up. Maybe I'm not reading things right, but it felt just a little too neat. Something with as many ripples as Burke and Cristina's deception shouldn't be so easy to calm.

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Comments (9)

Comments

It just gets better every week. I love this show. Baily was working for an Emmy last night. I loved her.

Ray | Dec 1, 2006 8:11:38 AM | #

I agree Burke and Cristina should have been punished. It seemed unrealistic that doctors could do such a thing without any consequences. I was hoping in Baily's final scene with the Chief that he was going to tell her he's going to recommend her as his replacement!

Jerry | Dec 1, 2006 10:55:08 AM | #

I totally agree,I'm so tired of George being angry all the time, and why is he angry with everybody? Cristina and Burke should be punished. I like the show a lot, but the story gets a little annoying sometimes.

GEE | Dec 1, 2006 11:02:00 AM | #

I didn't like the way that Meredith treated her step-mother. It was awfully cold and smug. She's always saying that she has no family, but when one presents itself, she totally shuts them out. I'm not saying she should be over for dinner every night, but she could at least have been polite.

meme | Dec 1, 2006 5:48:02 PM | #

Good show to learn about medicine like ER; but remember that it is a glorified soup (relationship show) opera that has more technical info than Desperate Housewifes.

Hiam Lian | Dec 3, 2006 7:17:12 AM | #

GREYS ANATOMY SUCKS!!!!!!!!!!

giovan | Dec 3, 2006 10:55:23 PM | #

First: Izzie's patient did not die because of what she did, he died AFTER receiving the new Heart. Second: It's a TV show - just enjoy it

John Duff | Dec 4, 2006 6:08:31 PM | #

Oh, man how I love this show, but I agree whole-heartedly with Bailey that there should be some type of punishment for Burke and Yang. I really can't stand Yang and her attitude that she is above everyone else and it really gets old and annoying. Alex has the greater than thou syndrome, but he is nowhere near where Yang is and she is so unfeeling. Get a life, Yang and quit riding on Burke's coat-tail and follow the rules with everyone else. Izzy made a mistake and put her patient in the position because she loved him and thought that helping him to get a new heart would be the best thing, but Yang's coverup of Burke's problem was completely pathetic. She helped to cover it up because it would help to benefit her and since when did an Intern have so much power and control? That was Bailey's issue, I think; after all, Yang reports to her and if I was Bailey, she would be scrubbing bed pans, moping ER floors and whatever she can to make her think about her actions if the Chief is not going to punish her and Burke. And yes, I know that this is just a show, but it still would give me such satisfaction to see her knocked down a notch or two.

Babs | Dec 8, 2006 3:12:44 PM | #

GREY'S ANATOMY SUCKS. I can't watch that soap opera shit, too over-dramatic and over-emotional.

CSP | Feb 9, 2008 10:29:02 AM | #