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'Grey's Anatomy': First do no harm
One thing that Grey's Anatomy does so well when it's on its game (and it was tonight) is show with perfect clarity the relationship between what's going on inside a person to how they act toward others. And this week we got that in spades -- from the Chief, Hahn, Callie, Meredith, and the latest addition to Seattle Grace: Major Owen Hunt (Kevin McKidd), the new trauma chief.
Living spoilers -- not the mannequin kind -- ahead...
Practical learning: First of all, a disclaimer that no animals were harmed in the making of this episode proved alternately alarming and fascinating. And stayed that way, thanks to Hunt.
As the Chief introduces the Major to Derek and Sloan, one of his incentives for bringing him on board becomes clear: With Hunt heading trauma, Seattle Grace is being reclassified as a level 1 trauma unit. And while McDreamy and McSteamy greet McArmy's arrival with something less than excitement, it's nothing compared to the freakout moment Cristina has when she sees him. Which is later utterly wiped away when he doesn't remember her name.
Hunt is taking the residents and interns through a skills lab -- which turns out to be surgery on pigs. Big pigs. They're anesthetized and strapped down, and Hunt proceeds to take a knife and stab each of them before telling his shocked crowd, who have yet to scrape their jaws up off the floor, to save their lives and fix the injuries he just created. It really doesn't get more hard core than this -- and while the object of the exercise is clearly to give these docs some practical experience at being hands-on and thinking on their feet, I'm more or less with Izzie, who storms out, saying they could learn the same lessons on surgical mannequins without hurting living things.
This storyline brings with it some great moments -- the interns naming the pigs, Lexie petting her pig, and Cristina's utter astonishment and burning resentment that she's stuck taking care of the pigs while the others go and deal with six trauma patients who've come in from a car accident. It also brings with it some nice indignation from Izzie, who makes her point about using animals for practice without sounding irrational. And once again I give props to Katherine Heigl for not wandering off into shrill territory; she's been consistently restrained this season while displaying some real guts and standing up for herself when necessary. Obviously there's more on the page for her to work with, but her approach overall is much more interesting than it was last season.
Hunt's practical learning method of teaching rubs Derek and Sloan the wrong way as well, particularly when he encourages Alex to handle a scalp laceration with skin glue instead of calling them in for help, and the patient's wound ends up screwed up. But here's the thing: just as Hunt seems a little too swaggery and a little too set in his ways, he totally disarms a confrontational Derek and Sloan by telling them he wants to know what they'd have done different medically, so he can do better next time. He understands there are different ways of doing things, so if you think there's a better way to do something, tell him and he'll listen. Awesome. Suck on that, pretty boys.
Cristina (who by the way, heroically kept all the pigs alive all day and is horrified at Hunt's order to put them down now), of course, is just self-involved enough not to be able to restrain herself from asking Hunt if he really doesn't remember her. That was before, he says, telling her a story about how his 20-person unit got trapped in an RPG ambush and he was the only one who survived. McKidd is fantastic at showing the coiled-and-disciplined soldier fighting it out with the sadness and shock (and probably PTSD) accompanying his experience. There's a whole lot to this guy, and it's going to be great to watch it come out.
Attempting the impossible: The other big medical case this week is Tori, a 10-year-old girl with an abdominal tumor that's grown around five major arteries including her aorta. The Chief, telling Bailey she should be the best and telling her to step up to the plate so she can become just that, puts her in charge of the team and the plan to help this little girl. She chooses Meredith to assist, because she spies the Anatomy Jane doll that Meredith brought into work after finding it packed away in one of her mother's boxes. Obviously, Bailey played with this Barbie with removable organs as a kid too. She also asks Hahn to join their team, since the little girl's very vigilant family insisted that Hahn be part of any treatment option for Tori.
Hahn, however, is utterly unsympathetic and basically a total downer the entire time, refusing to even entertain the idea that any surgery on the girl might work, and she lets fly with so much withering sarcasm and caustic negativity that to say she's counterproductive doesn't even begin to cover it. Meredith, playing with the Anatomy Jane while they strategize, suggests basically removing all the girl's internal organs to cut out the tumor, and then put them back in. It's never been done before, but the family agrees. Kudos to Seattle Grace for letting the resident who dropped a kidney on the floor last week handle organs in surgery again. There are some complications -- though not Meredith's fault -- and despite taking fire in the OR from Hahn, Bailey comes up with a creative solution (an umbilical artery) that solves the issue at hand, and Tori comes through just fine.
The medicine is great, but so are two interpersonal moments that come out of it. First, Bailey sticks it to Hahn for accepting congratulations on the surgery from the Chief, telling her she's been a bullying, negative pain in the arse throughout the entire case, and she doesn't deserve the credit. I love feisty Bailey, and once again I say, Emmy for Chandra Wilson! Bailey's at her best when she's fighting for the patients, but it's great to see her stand up for herself too.
Second, the Chief tells Meredith that she wasn't imagining it when she noticed that he hasn't been able to look at her all day. She used to bring that Anatomy Jane doll everywhere with her when she was a kid, he says. Tori has an army of people looking out for her, but Meredith didn't have anyone. And this case and the doll reminded him of how much he was responsible for that. If I thought "I'm sorry" would hold any meaning for you at all, I'd say it, he tells her -- 1,000 times a day. The best part is that there's action involving Meredith, but within it she's relatively healthy -- the discomfort and sadness aren't emanating from her, and she seems on track. It's nice to see. We'll see how long that lasts as she goes through the big box of her mother's journals that Derek finds.
Callica: Part of Hahn's attitude problem stems from her relationship with Callie. The two have reached "awesome" in the horizontal position, and Hahn describes how their relationship makes her feel in a totally disarming and really charming way. To her, Callie is like glasses, she says. When she was a kid she had headaches, and the doctor said she needed glasses, which she didn't understand -- until she saw that what she had thought were just big green blobs were actually leaves. This relationship is as revelatory to her as suddenly being able to see something that you didn't even know was there -- and as she tearfully explains this, Callie freaks out. Poor Hahn -- she keeps making herself vulnerable and trying to open up, and at least initially she keeps getting shot down, which is embarrassing and makes her put her defenses back up. Understandable, even forgivable -- even if her "No one likes a girl who gets emotional" comment to Bailey is just horrendous. You're better than that, Hahn.
Erica's emotionality sends Callie running straight to Sloan to see whether she still feels something from sleeping with him. And that confuses her even more, since she, uh, enjoys herself with him too. But it's Sloan who's the surprise here. It's one thing to be confused, but now she's a cheater, he says. Does she want to be a cheater? Of course Callie ultimately tells Erica that she was with Mark, and says she wants to be with her, even if she's not having the same kind of "glasses" experience that Erica is. Here's what gets me: Hahn accepts that Callie was with Mark that same day. That seems un-Hahn like to me, and not necessarily something the others would have to put up with.
Alizzie: On to our other couple. Alex and Izzie are together, in a matter of speaking. He wants to know if they're exclusive or if he can still sleep with other women -- a suggestion she blows off by calling him a barbarian. Later, he comes to her again -- after having watched Hunt disarm Derek and Slon by offering to listen to their criticism and suggestions -- and says he needs her to teach him how to do this relationship thing, where they talk about their stupid feelings. And a light goes on -- suddenly she understands the boy language he was speaking. He wants to be exclusive, which is why he was acting like a doink. And now they're going steady. And we can all make our bets on how long it will last.
What did you think? Do you like what the addition of Hunt does to the chemistry of the cast? Did some of the awkward coping with emotion remind you a little bit of junior high?
Practicing on mannequins is not the same as practicing on live tissue- without the sense of urgency, you cannot gain the right type of experience. Is it cruel to animals? Of course, but no more cruel than what a pig or a cow or a chicken endures at a slaughterhouse.
I really do not like Hahn, and loved when Bailey went off on her. Love the addition of Kevin McKidd, let's hope the writers give him good material to work with.
AC | Oct 31, 2008 1:01:49 AM | #I thought this episode was great! Alex and Izzie I love together and have wanted them to be together since season 1. I hope it works at least for a while!
Meredith was good this episode and competent. Maybe she will learn from her mother's journals and get insight that her mother cared about her.
Callie and Erica still annoy me. Why can't two strong single females be confident and strong. Why do they have to be bad at relationships? Erica's reactions tonight to everything was completely out of character.
Bo | Oct 31, 2008 5:05:00 AM | #When they encountered the problem with the little girl and Meredith suggested the organ transplant...I thought for sure they were going to use organs from the pigs. hahaha
Glad I'm not a writer on this show!
(Great re-cap. I'd write more, but I'll be late for work)
Ashley | Oct 31, 2008 5:58:32 AM | #Another terrific episode. So very nice to see Meredith handling her relationship with Derrik and doing it well.
Don't like Hahn and never will. She doesn't deserve to be happy with Callie. She has treated EVERYONE else crappy.
You have a good point, Kathy. Hahn has been pretty obnoxious in most of her dealings with just about everyone in the past. But, she got me with her "glasses speech." That was real vulnerability. That made it even harder to buy her easy acceptance of the news that Callie had slepts with Sloan twice that day.
As always, Bailey rules! If Chandra Wilson doesn't get her Emmy ... well, I can't come up with a good threat, but she sure deserves that award!
Agree with everyone who do NOT like Hahn - she's cold and nasty, thinks she's better than everyone else, and I resent how she treated Yang, who only wants to learn more about heart surgery. Poor Cristina... Even worse, that McArmy did not remember her name. And then she had to put down all those piggies which she had frantically - and reluctantly so - saved all day. Ahhh...life is a B.... and then some. That said, overall it was a good episode, one of the better ones. Love the personal interaction between everyone - THAT was precious. Especially when Hunt put Shepard & Sloan in their place. Oh, and when Bailey told off Ms. McNegative - THAT was delicious. And let's not forget how Meredith was The One who came up with a solution to save the little girl by playing with a doll...Kudoos to Mere..!! And lastly, love how Izzie stood up for herself and backed her opinion. Shows Character...!! Which I always knew she has - WOW, what a Combo - a beautiful, sexy girl with Brains AND Brawn - AND Character - what a Combo..!! Hope the writers will keep up this quality for future shows, and not relapse to the mediocre crap of past eps. Keep fingers crossed.
Shanae | Oct 31, 2008 11:14:22 AM | #I don't like Hahn either, but the stupid way Callie is acting, they deserve each other.
Callie SO needs to grow up - eitber she wants this or she doesn't. As I've mentioned before, it's really difficult for me to believe this extremely immature woman is an orthopedic surgeon.
Ugh.
Jan | Oct 31, 2008 11:34:20 AM | #The Alex character is a giant pile of monkey smegma. Lisa makes a good point about how unseemly it is for hahn to have to just accept calli's cheating. Just as unsettling is izzie having to tolerate smegma-boy's chronically negative selfish malevolent attitude and behavior. Those who endorse this relationship also make me ill-and violently, I might add. This is not an endorsement of Gizzie. George is a weiner. Is it too much for a gal to ask to have a non-smegma, non-weiner boyfriend who also isnt in heart failure?
Sarah | Oct 31, 2008 12:08:55 PM | #so nice to see christina find some humanity. winding up naming "her"pigs after all.she was almost motherly when reporting each procedure to mckidd so proudly. she obviously HAD bonded with each one of them and so happy about saving them. that was great. but then to have to destroy them..ugh! the whole pig thing made me want to vomit.more "shock value" writing. izzy had the best speech about the inhumanity to the animals and was brilliant. the writers are trying to manipulate the hahn charcter into something she is not and was not and it is not working. feel bad for this actress.she got hired to play the original hahn, tough, competent. and did it SO WELL...this is like throwing her a curve ball and it is not in her play book. she is not as good at this newer hahn which is a stupid, yes,junior highish hahn anyway, i want hahn to be hahn not a silly teenager who sees leaves now. the real hahn is juicier.this actress has done some wonderfu work before this show. always strong, tough characters. i find the writing for her to be demeaning. i perdict, if this horrible writing for her continues she will be the first to jump ship. and callie..sorry, but callie is like some kind of sex addict now and the writing for her character is also demeaning. is she a doctor?? does she EVER work?? what the heck does she do all day in this hospital except have sex?dont the writers have anything more useful for her to do there? i am particularly offended since the actress is i believe hispanic. what are they thinking?? is she now just this "latino lover"? and that is that, with no work ethic or any use or function there except to have sex, try new sex, compare sex? i cant imagine how this actress would not think this demeaning .if i were this tony award winning actress, i would demand much more of these writers, if not for herself for her own "community" or walk off and go back to broadway. love mc kidd. loved him on his short- lived, time traveling show. hope they do not make him TOO violent.for me they are on the edge now. anymore pigs and knives and i may have to call it quits.
for me, izzy wins my emmy nod. the monologue about animals and humanity was gorgeous.she did it beautifully. but then it was about the best piece of writing. wish there was more of THAT and less of PIGS being knifed,saved and then destroyed. that just made me sick.
emmy
I can understand Major Hottie's reasonsing about learning on animals, but I do think the way he went about was not right. And I understand Izzie's position as she did state it beautifully.
I also understand that this guy is a trauma surgeon -- but if you are in a hospital with all kinds of supplies and specialists, why you should you glue up somebody's face. That is malpractice to me.
The whole Hahn-Callie story is just awful. I never thought they had chemistry and still don't. And while I Hahn was kinda nasty to everyone, I kinda of liked that we had this chick who came in and did her job, and was NOT involved in a relationship with anyone at SG. Now she alternates between snotty and wimpy, and she is sleeping with someone she works with. Meanwhile, Callie, whom I liked when she was first introduced, is just all over the place. And the sleeping with Mark (twice!) at the hospital after she just left Hahn - Just Ick.
I know I shouldn't like Alex and Izzie together because he such an ass (if she was my friend I would be counseling her to run far, far away), but I guess there is something about the actor, and the fact that there is chemistry between him and Izzie, because I can't help it -- I like them!
Can't wait to see next week re the repercussions of the Denny incident!
Allie | Oct 31, 2008 1:17:11 PM | #Why can't they let Hahn just be a brilliant, strong surgeon who also happens to be female? If this show was written by men I could understand the stupid stereotype - a strong, smart woman must be gay. Oh yeah & she didn't fall for McSteamy - so obviously she's gay. Perhaps they are just trying to get more guys to watch with the promise of girl on girl sex.
I liked Hahn when she first showed up & stood up to Burke the same way a man would have.
Loved Izzy standing up for herself & the animals.
You all DO realize that the reason Callie had sex with Mark twice was to "perfect her technique" right? Well, the first one was. The second time was because she figured she should feel "different" as though she doesn't already.
Jan | Nov 1, 2008 11:05:32 AM | #Loved Izzie in this episode as I am an animal lover and would not be able to hurt those pigs either.
Callie and Hahn annoy me, their storyline is so boring. They try something new, Callie freaks and goes to Mark. Same thing every week.
Can't wait for next week!
T | Nov 1, 2008 11:35:31 AM | #callie/hahn is a bad storyline and both of them look foolish. yeah, is callie now the hospital sexpot?
wish they hadn't hurt/killed the pigs.
this show is losing me.
the show is losing me too. i felt like i needed to shower after the last one, some of it was so disgusting and just made me feel icky..not exactly what i want as my evenng primetime t.v. entertainment. will be checking out other networks rather than waste time with this nonsense or just read a good book. no more pigs or knives or afternoon "going down there"frolicky sex in a hospital where epeople are supposedly trying to save lives.i think the grey's anatomy writers are underestimating the intelligence of their audience.
emmy | Nov 2, 2008 3:16:32 PM | #Not sure if anyone will read/see this, but I just saw an article on Yahoo.
I'm just going to copy and paste the entire thing.
Grey's Degayed: Brooke Smith Axed; Melissa George No Longer a Lesbian
By Kristin Dos Santos
Mon Nov 3, 5:28 PM PST
It's true. Sources confirm that Brooke Smith, who plays Dr. Erica Hahn (a doctor who recently realized she is gay), has been axed from Grey's Anatomy.
Even more, I'm told by those who work on the ABC series that the gay-themed storylines and gay characters are being downplayed and even erased from upcoming scripts.
And that goes for the series' latest newcomer, Melissa George of Alias, who joins the show this month...
"Melissa came on as a lesbian character," a reliable insider tells me, "but they changed the script and now she isn't. She starts off flirting with Callie but it never goes anywhere."
Grey's has included a prominent bisexual/lesbian storyline this season in the blossoming relationship between Hahn (Smith) and Callie (Sara Ramirez). I'm told that that storyline will end abruptly in this Thursday's episode, which will be Smith's last appearance on the series.
"They don't really give her a goodbye," an ABC source tells me. "It ends rather abruptly."
E.W.'s Michael Ausiello first broke the news of Brooke's dismissal today. "I was very excited when they told me that Erica and Callie were going to have this relationship," Brooke told E.W. "And I really hoped we were going to show what happens when two women fall in love and that they were going to treat it like any heterosexual couple on TV. And so I was surprised and disappointed when they just suddenly told me that they couldn't write for my character any more."
ABC also dismissed Rebecca Romijn—who plays transgender Alexis Meade—as a series regular from Ugly Betty at the end of last season. Could this be a new trend with the network, or just another unfortunate scandal Grey's will withstand?
Ashley | Nov 4, 2008 1:44:46 PM | #Ashley, thanks for posting the the article!
wow..that is sad about her being fired.i do believe the lesbian plotline backfired on the writers. but Hahn was such a great character before they started getting silly with her.. and really, why fire her?? i read somewhere that she was very surprised about it. maybe there is something going on we dont know about? but i feel like firing her is like losing what was the toughest,, smartest,least neurotic female doc on board there and i missed that about her. with this other plotline the writers so minimalized her only now to kill that plotline, and letting her go to boot..the writers were at fault here -NOT brooke smith..very sad.
thanks for posting the info.
emma
Patrick Dempsy was on the Ellen show today, and when she asked him about Brooke Smith getting fired he had a statement in his pocket from ABC, which was basically all he could say about the situation.
I'm guessing ABC just caught a lot of flack about the same sex relationship and caved under the pressure. Instead of trying to change the plotline, they took the easy way out and wrote her off the show.
Ashley | Nov 5, 2008 1:42:56 PM | #holy moley they just fired her??!
I also agree with the last few comments above... Yes, I heard that Tomorrow is Hahn's last show. I know that people weren't liking the Hahn/Callie lesbian storyline, but Hahn was such a great character before that, and I thought that Brooke Smith played her very very well. Especially her interaction with Sandra Oh. What a waste.
Lis | Nov 5, 2008 7:42:24 PM | #
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