Photos
Video
'Grey's Anatomy': Kissing up to fly solo
It's Big Solo Surgery Week on Grey's Anatomy, and as usual our merry band of residents are all angling to fly solo for the first time. But even though Cristina was unanimously chosen by the attendings, last week's inanely stupid debacle with the self-operating/mutilating interns has disqualified her from the running. So the Chief, eager to Teach A Lesson, makes Cristina choose the winner from among her peers. And because said interns are also banned from the OR, the winner will pick a fellow resident to scrub in as well.
Agonizing kiss-up spoilers ahead...
Separately, Cristina gets another assignment. Doctor Dixon (Mary McDonnell) is back, and the chief wants Cristina to spend the day with her as part of the ongoing effort to woo the brilliant cardiac surgeon with Asperger Syndrome to Seattle Grace.
Trying to rise above her ostracized-intern status, Lexie goes to Mark Sloan to get him to teach her something, which this week involves an operation he's doing to rebuild a woman's larynx and restore her ability to speak. Bailey, trying to get the feeling again for surgery and the excitement of practicing medicine (we learn, by the way, that she won the first solo surgery during her year), has read up on the procedure and volunteers to work with Sloan. The woman in question, Mrs. Patterson, is practically glued to her laptop and communicates with her husband via a series of Post-It notes. And the poor guy's losing patience with it.
Two sisters, ages 15 and 16, end up in the ER because the 16-year-old was driving and texting and crashed her father's car. Emma, the younger sister, has a broken leg, but the real problem -- in between them screaming at each other at a shrill decibel achievable only by teenage girls -- is that Holly, the older sister, ends up with a skull fracture. And just as Karev is rushing her off to CT to assess the damage, Emma yells "I hope you die!" Never a good omen. Which is borne out when the girl crashes on the CT table and starts leaking gray matter and blood from her nose and ears.
Cristina finds Dr. Dixon looking at the blank space on the surgery board -- she wants to do a surgery, but Cristina finds it tough -- or maybe too tiring -- to try to explain the solo surgery contest. Dixon, however, catches on and notes Cristina's abject misery over the situation, and tries to counsel her to just keep the decision factual and conforming to a series of criteria. Dixon and Cristina scrub in on Holly's surgery, which goes south when she suffers a carotid dissection and comes out of surgery brain dead. It's a heartbreaking situation that clearly affects everyone. Derek later laments to Meredith that the thing they never tell you when you become a doctor is that you'll lose more patients than you can save. The death is wearing on him.
Dixon's reaction is particularly fascinating. Asperger's is a form of autism, which is on a spectrum itself, and I commend both the writers and Mary McDonnell for constructing a character that's far more complex than other portrayals of autism we've seen. They could have really oversimplified it and gone "Rain Man," but they don't. And while those nuances exist, the fact remains that Dixon's relationship to the world and people in it is complicated and jarring. She tells a grieving Emma and their parents (quite rightly, but jarringly) that Holly's gone and not coming back, and her organs could save other people's lives. It's clear that she's responding to the situation in the regimented way that her mind processes facts, and she repeatedly states her case, but in a way that really upsets the grief-stricken family. She's self-aware enough to realize that her manner has offended the family, and apologizes, and it's an interesting moment when Meredith gently asks her to leave the room.
That's the thing about this episode. Despite the fact that each resident, in his or her own annoying way (I'll get to Izzie in a minute), goes to lobby Cristina for the solo surgery and it seems genuinely high school, it looks as though they're beginning to grow up. They're learning more and more that they know what they're doing. Alex caught the skull fracture. Meredith works compassionately on Holly and Emma's case, and helps Emma make peace with what she said and that the sisters love each other. George steps up and deals with the clinic when Izzie disappears, and finds a way to be concerned for her that's quiet and mature rather than pestering and overwrought. Given how many mistakes we've seen them make, and how incompetent some of this season's episodes have made them look, it's nice to have a notion that these are talented young doctors who are learning and growing.
Getting back to high school for a minute, Callie's exchanging flirtatious glances with Sadie and breathlessly talking to Sloan about it. Sloan, trying to do the stand-up thing and stay away from Lexie, starts snapping at her as a way to put a little distance between them. Then Sadie tips Lexie off to the painfully obvious: Sloan's hot for her. Which is a thought that seems to greatly cheer Little Grey.
Izzie ups the high school quotient considerably when she goes to Cristina and instead of lobbying for the solo surgery, starts bragging about the amazing sex she's having. Oh brother. Seriously -- who cares? As she goes on and on about it to a bored Cristina, I'm overwhelmed with the urge to punch her in the face -- which is a feeling I really haven't had this season. Katherine Heigl not only has had better material to work with this season, but she's also underplayed a little bit, which has made all the difference. Luckily, it's really the only horrendous moment for Izzie during this episode -- aside from the fact that George and others are noticing that she's talking to herself (well, really talking to Denny). And it worries them.
Now, Denny: I like the fact that he's basically attached to Izzie at the hip. Jeffrey Dean Morgan's a charming actor, they have good chemistry and it's like she has her own personal Topper following her around. But I'm really hoping that this plotline gets wrapped up soon. For the record, Truly, Madly, Deeply is one of my favorite movies. But even while she loves having the love of her life back, Nina eventually realizes that she has to move on. Sooner or later, this conceit has to end, because it only has so long a shelf life. And This one's dangerously close to the sell-by date. Uncle already.
Ultimately, Cristina chooses Alex for the solo surgery. He made the best case -- he talked through the necessary procedures (the surgery is a below-the-knee leg amputation for a patient with bone cancer), and he's performed it on a cadaver and the surgery mannequin. Alex runs to tell Izzie, who's holed up in the on-call room with Denny, asks her to scrub in with him, and tells her he loves her. Has Alex ever had so many lines all at once? The 180 he's done recently seems a little too easy, but I'll give it the benefit of the doubt. Alex panics at the last minute and pages Meredith to scrub in because he knows Izzie will flake on him, particularly now that he's made himself vulnerable and freaked himself out even more. Meredith tells him to suck it up (in a very encouraging way), and Izzie shows up.
Meredith assumes she's been overlooked because she and Cristina are fighting, and Cristina has to set her straight and note that unlike Meredith she has the ability to separate her personal and professional lives. A furious Cristina confronts her fellow residents in the gallery, saying that everyone was responsible for the intern madness, and she deserves the surgery. She barely keeps it together until she gets into the hallway when a sympathetic Hunt makes sure no one sees her cry. He takes her to the boiler room and they stand on some grate where the gust from the vent distracts her from everything else that's going on. It's a sympathetic, generous gesture from Hunt -- and of course it gives them a dark room where they can kiss. Let me just reiterate my love for Hunt.
But things seem to be looking up. Running into Dr. Dixon, the Chief hopefully asks her whether or not she thinks she's found a home at Seattle Grace. She turns on him. Dr. Yang, she says -- you tortured her today, making her choose among her peers, some kind of emotional torture. Was that your intention? Yes, the Chief replies. She half smiles and asks whether the board can make her a better offer.
There's another happy ending. After sending Mrs. Patterson's distraught husband out for a walk or a drive after he nearly dissolves in frustration over his wife's refusal to try out her new voice. Lexie goes in to see her, just one-on-one, and the woman ends up croaking out a miraculous "hi" -- much to her astonishment and her husband's joy.
And in the end, we get an "ew" moment too. Lexie turns up at Sloan's apartment. He's desperately trying to do the right thing and stay away from her, but ultimately he yields to her repeating "Teach me" as she removes articles of clothing, and they end up spending the night together. So much for promises about Little Grey.
What did you think? Did Cristina make the right call in picking Alex? Have you had just about enough of the Izzie/Denny storyline, even though you love getting to see Jeffrey Dean Morgan every week? Do you look forward to seeing more of Dr. Dixon?
i had a feeling cristina was gonna pick karev. and i'm glad she did. i'm VERY happy with the way his character's turning out to be. i'm glad that shonda is doing something right with his character. he's been one-dimemsional for far too long.
Dizzy (seriously) is getting exhausting. i'm a sucker for spoilers so i know the reason for her visions, and i'm just waiting for this storyline to be over with. katherine was underwhelming in this episode. i never really cared about denny's character. while alex was in bed with izzie, denny was probably thinking to myself, "dude, you're sitting on my head."
dr. dixon puzzles me. it's stellar acting nonetheless, but the whole time she's on screen i feel the awkwardness, and i don't like that feeling, especially towards those with disabilities. there's already too many characters on the show already. heroes got themselves a rival.
we hardly ever see derek this season. not complaining. i was one of the few who wanted meredith to choose the vet anyway.
callie and sadie? NOPE. lexie and sloan? McVomit. honesly, the only hookups i'm happy with right now are hunt and cristina and alex and izzie.
john t. | Dec 4, 2008 10:32:49 PM | #christina seperates her personal and professional life? since when????
Deanne | Dec 4, 2008 11:06:21 PM | #Do the writers even care to write scenes for Meredith and Derek anymore?
Pamela | Dec 4, 2008 11:13:36 PM | #this eppy had better flow than most this season.
meredith should be a shrink.
my vote: enough with denny already!
and they can keep dr. dixon, yuck.
Derek? Meredith? Who cares! Give me Hunt and Christina! I wasn't sure I was going to like Dr Hunt, but this man makes me melt. I love how he took Christina into the boiler room and they stood there on the grate. What a fun moment and so romantic at the same time.
=)
what the frak did the writers make with Mary character? O_O
the scene in girl dead scene was lame...
Love Denny...Hate Alex. Alex turning into steller boyfriend all of a sudden is TOTALLY lame and unbelievable. Mark and Lexie.....YUCKY, gross nasty...NO, worse than Izzie sleeping with a ghost.
Izzie is a mess...why would she go into that surgery FOR Alex when she is clearly still in love with Denny! PLEASE. I think Izzie needs to be the one who is in some kind of coma and imagining all this. Denny never died...that's my vote!
oh and Dr. Dixon....NO,NO, NOOO......not right for this show. I cannot stand her.
cathryn | Dec 5, 2008 5:19:26 AM | #I don't understand why they don't pair Sloan with Callie. I have always enjoyed them together.
Buffy | Dec 5, 2008 5:24:28 AM | #I guess I'm in the minority. I like Sloan and Lexi.
Like the poster above, I read spoilers too. Please let this nonsense with Izzy and Denny end soon.
And I really do not like Christina. Why would a guy like Hunt be interested in her. He could do so much better.
Hunt is Hot! On the fence about Lexie and Sloan. Could possibly buy Sadie-Callie. HATE Dr. Dixon and totally disagree that it is a complex portrayal of Asberger's -- maybe if they toned it down a little. (And I have dealt with autistic folks in a prevous career and through a friend who still works with autistic therapy). I love Denny, but this storyline has nowhere to go, so I wish they would just wrap it up already. Love that Alex declared his love!
Allie | Dec 5, 2008 7:43:59 AM | #NO!! Not Sloan and Lexie. I was yelling at the screen when she showed up at his apt. No. No, No! As much as I love Denny, yeah, I think it's time to wrap it up.
Kate2 | Dec 5, 2008 8:06:34 AM | #Grey's used to be must see tv for me and I defended it nonstop but Dizzy is ridiculous. Jeffrey Dean Morgans appearance in the first episode of the season was a very touching moment but now with Izzy talking to him and sleeping with him it's just jump the shark to me...I used to watch Grey's live but now I just DVR it and watch it later...Can't believe we have to wait for February to have this storyline resolved.....Katherine Heigl complains about not getting the right material and they give her this stupid stupid storyline...
Paul | Dec 5, 2008 8:09:31 AM | #2 things that are making me want to stop watching this show: 1, Izzie/Denny storyline (end it already... is she sick? at this point I hope so, because apparently they can't find anything better for Izzie to do than keep bringing Denny back; get over it already)... and 2, Dixon... I agree with the poster above who indicated that she makes me feel awkward and I don't like that awkwardness. Now she's going to be a permanent addition. Blech.
WitchKing | Dec 5, 2008 9:00:55 AM | #I know that Christina has her fans, but she's become such a whiny little B!t(H, I can't stand her. Does anyone really think she past over Meredith had nothing to do with feelings. The biggest laugh of the night was her calming to separate her feelings and job, only to start whining hysterically that she deserved the surgery.
| Dec 5, 2008 9:33:49 AM | #Bring back JDM, FULL TIME. He is the best thing on TV today. What is wrong with you ABC people??
Love Denny and Izzie, they should have been together. Best couple on grey's by far.
karie | Dec 5, 2008 10:36:56 AM | #Who was performing that great song? The one that started acoustic and then started jamming out. Love it. Need to get it for my radio show!
Dr. Rock | Dec 5, 2008 11:03:57 AM | #Even though I hate the storyline - even a dead Denny/imaginary Denny is better than no Denny. Love the actor - love the character. Too bad they didn't write him in as Denny's long lost identical twin. I'll keep him as long as possible.
Mimi | Dec 5, 2008 11:15:02 AM | #OMG, Dizzy is going to go on until February?? Ugh, enough already.
I actually liked Christina for most of last night's episode. Don't like her & Hunt though.
Callie/Sadie--um, no thank you.
Lexie/Sloan--maybe. I'll wait & see what happens.
I like Dr. Dixon. I think she would be neat to have around.
DG | Dec 5, 2008 11:52:30 AM | #hunt IS hot! he puts derek and sloan to shame.
and what's amazing is how much McKidd transformed from his Journeyman role. his look and feel is just so completely different. same for Sadie from her sojourn on Alias. (but yeah i know they're actors, that's their job, that's the point, i know i know)....
oh i also hated when lexie said "teach me, teach me" over and over...cringeworthy dialogue.
Jeffrey Dean Morgan is wonderful - I love him, but I began to hate him last night; nearly as much as I'm hating Izzie. I'm going in search of the spoilers, just so I'll know if what I'm thinking is true, but this is really getting gross and bizarre.
I found Meredith's talk of sisters loving sisters just the SLIGHTEST bit hypocritical.
I'm sick of Callie in most every circumstance - did they film this BEFORE ABC decided they didn't like the lesbian storylines or did they just not like that particular one? I hated the sideways glances and smiles; yuk. I'd never want her operating on MY bones!
As far as Christina - you don't WANT to like her, but she's so smart and so talented you can't really help it. And she's right - they WERE everyone's interns and everyone should have been punished.
WHERE are the spoilers?????
Jan | Dec 5, 2008 12:42:52 PM | #All of you JDM fans, I understand...but once again...THE GUY HAS BEEN DEAD FOR 3 FRAKING SEASONS! Get over it!
This Izzie/Denny Storyline is the MOST ridiculous thing going on TV today, and trust me, some storylines are really OUT there.
I've been DVR-ing Grey's now for the last 2 seasons ever since the disaster that was S3 this hasn't been MUST SEE TV.
Mary M. is an excellent addition to the cast, but I do believe she is a guest star at the moment. Whatever happens she won't be staying on permanently.
Mark and "Little Grey" have a whole lot more chemistry than she did with George. So that's an improvement. I don't think Mark/Callie will work as a couple bf/gf, but friends with benefits...proven winner!
Cristina has been amazing so far in S5. Her relationship with Dr. Hunt is the most intriguing aspect of the show right now.
I don't think that Alex "turned around" all of a sudden. It's been building all season long. Alex wants to have "the normal relationship" with Izzie and is now finally admitted to himself and to her. It's going to be heartbreaking to see what happens next with Alex/Izzie (yes I know!)
Shonda likes to torture all viewers as she's got a massive crush on JDM and will do whatever it takes (including a ridiculous storyline) to keep him on.
Way to alieante the majority of "grey's fanbase" or what's left of it after the last 2 seasons.
SHONDA RHIMES DID NOT RE-INVENT PRIME TIME DRAMA | Dec 5, 2008 1:16:37 PM | #Whoa - I for one had thought that Sloan would be a nice fit to Little Grey - so, I'm VERY Happy about their hook-up. They have great chemistry, and I hope the writers will make this last. Don't care for Callie - always found her 2-dimensional - she has no presence whatsoever. So, they've sacked the lesbian doc, but have replaced her with another lesbian -Sadie..?? Doesn't make sense - why then did they get rid of Hahn - not that I particularly liked her - good riddance. But to show that it's not the lesbian thing that got her kicked off the show, ABC is now re-activating that storyline with someone else..?? Hmmm. And Cristina -UGH- she's such a self centered Bitch - ueber-ambitious at best. Don't understand why they had to bring in Dixon - now she is weird. All in all, though, still like this show, despite its quirks. It's still a prime-time soap opera with lost of romance...er...sex, drama, and most importantly, humor.
Shanae | Dec 5, 2008 1:52:16 PM | #"teach me" "teach me" - I loved it. Sloan and Lexie intriges me. I haven't made a final decision on them. I like Callie witht he new gorl better than with Hahn.
Count me as one who is tired of Izzy and Denny. Never been an Izzy fan
chenbot | Dec 5, 2008 2:17:13 PM | #
Zap2it Twitter Talk
