(S03E06) Grey's Anatomy has a bad habit of hitting you over the head with parallels and symbolism. That's been especially true this season; it seems like every patient who comes into Seattle Grace teaches one of the doctors there a lesson about what's going on in his or her own life. In one way, these heavy-handed plot devices help take the viewer's mind off silly things like looking for subtle signals and just helps him concentrate on all the fun and games going on between the staff. But, it can also telescope what's about to happen plot-wise, making for very little surprise when said plot point actually occurs. In other words, Grey's ain't Lost, and it seems to be fine with that.So, this episode was about commitment. Or, as George found out, about ham and eggs, pigs and chickens. He also found out that you don't use the word "pig" with your former girlfriend, in any context... but he should have known that already.
I'm already past the point of caring that Izzie is getting her job back, despite everything that went on during the Denny Debacle. It's just one of those things in TV where you have to shake your head, erase the logic from your mental Etch-A-Sketch, and move on. So, she's back on a probationary basis, under Bailey's supervision and shadowing Meredith. She can't say or do anything, just watch. Of course, you know Izzie's going to break that restriction before the hour is out, and she does so when she asks a burn patient who's about to retake the bar exam if she burned herself on purpose to avoid taking it. The parallel? The patient feels pathetic; so does Izzie. She tells the patient everyone needs help from time to time, just like her. She may not have liked having Mer as a boss, but by the end she realizes why it needed to happen.
Cristina's been so busy being Burke's right hand, literally, that she hasn't been there to hear Meredith's whining. That scene in the elevator where George was going to be Cristina for Mer and Mer was going to be Izzie for George was cute. And I also liked it when Cristina told Meredith that "it's not always about you," because, well, you know, Mer wishes that it was. But Mer displayed quite a bit of maturity at the end when she told Cristina she'd be there for her.
Ok, what else went on this week... oh yeah, we were teased by the promos to think that Derek was sleeping with someone else, as we see Mer discover him all toweled up with some other woman. But as soon as the scene happened, then the woman said, "You weren't there for Christmas," the word "sister" popped into my head immediately. Bad network! Bad! Bad! Anywho, Nancy's there to serve a few purposes. First, she shows us that Derek and Mark were closer than we imagined ("Mark was my brother," Derek says. Considering his real siblings were all sisters, that's understandable). She was also there to tell Derek to get some space, from both Addie and the "slutty intern." When Derek told Mer that he needed that space, I thought her smile was going to turn into the Meredith Scowl (tm), but she kept smiling, again showing more maturity than anyone would ever expect to see from her.
What's left... ah, the woman with two uteruses. That's the "odd case" this week: two utes, two babies, two different conceptions. But it helps two stories out: George, learning about the difference between being around and being committed (chickens and pigs, eggs and ham), and it helps Alex realize that plastics might not be the best place for him. Why? Well, mainly because a) Sloan's a dick, and b) he might actually be interested in OB/GYN cases, as he researches the two utes condition, then actually uses his "paying attention" skills to help George out during the C-section operation for one of the babies. So, Alex is also starting to soften a bit. I miss the old asswipe version of Alex, but I guess this version will do.
Callie's not around a lot here, but she still reels off the best line of the night. Of course, it's to George; when she finally gets what he's trying to say about the pigs and chickens, she says, "Don't chase me anymore, unless you're ready to catch me." Oh, and we find out that Webber is a brilliant surgeon but can't sew a button for shit. Come on, Richard! Even I can sew on a freakin' button! He needs to get back with his wife, because he's just becoming a big mess.
Overall, not bad, but not great. There used to be a time where not every patient who came through the doors at SGH held lots of life-changing meaning for the characters. They were just quirky and challenging. I wish we could go back to those days; the bumps on my noggin are starting to throb.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
11-03-2006 @ 2:08AM
tiffany said...
I stopped watching Grey's after last season's finale (what a load of overblown crap that was! were the writers that desperate to get them into fancy clothes?), so watching this one meant me going "whoa, when did this happen?" to my sister a few times. But, no matter how interesting I found the two uteruses case was, I still managed to realize why I definitely won't be watching again... A lot of conceited characters and also... those obvious/"parallel" plotlines you can spot from a mile ahead.
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11-03-2006 @ 7:55AM
Mimi said...
I have to say that I didn't really care for this episode. When I watch Grey's I usually feel like I am waiting for the other shoe to drop, something outrageous to happen or some big revelation to occur. With this ep. - no such luck. It kinda gave me that same let down feeling I had after watching the season premiere. You know the feeling - it's like looking for the prize at the bottom of the cereal box only to find out there isn't one there.
I'm so over Izzie...I wish they had either written her off the show for good or came up with a better way to reinstate her. Her constant yammering about how she's "doing good, I can do this, it's gonna be ok", blah, blah, blah gets really annoying. I mean, where is her character headed? Can they ever really trust her judgement again (I think she is going to be scrutinized much more closely than Bailey) and can she really be a good surgeon? I mean, if you look close, you could see the tears forming in her eyes as she observes the girl who doesn't want to test for the bar. They portray her as far too emotional. I want a doctor to care about me, but not shed tears like a cook cutting onions!
Maybe it's just me, but I'm not really feeling the relationship between George and Callie. I didn't get it from the start and I still do don't get it...it just doesn't seem convincing (this opinion has nothing to do with the recent scandal & rumours either). I kind of liked George much better with the nurse - they seemed more realistic. Callie's character needs someone better than George. I'm surprised too at how much I have grown to like Callie..she'd better stick around for more episodes.
I can't wait to see Bailey get back to her old self - and you can feel it building up now - Christina and Burke are in for some serious trouble. I mean, how much longer could Christina keep running the board for Burke and not get caught??
I think this episode was just a lot of filler - no real substance, just a lot of emotional fluff. I am a die-hard Grey's fan - but this episode let me down. I can only hope for something better next week.
Favorite scene: Where Callie tells McSteamy that he was nothing more than just dirty sex. You go girl!
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11-03-2006 @ 11:13AM
Liza Apper said...
I like the direction the writer's are going with Izzie. What this episode revealed is that Izzie has turned her woundedness over Denny into compassion. Instead of wallowing in her grief, Izzie's personal suffering has opened her heart in compassion for the suffering of others. Dr. Izzie Stevens is becoming "the wounded healer." She is stringer now because of the suffering she has gone through and that suffering has made it posible for her to "see" the pain her patients are experiencing...even when they try to hide it (the law student).
Izzie could have taken the 8 million, thrown away her medical career and numbed herself with the goodies all that money could buy. But the audience saw in this episode that Izzie will utilize her pain for the good of others, become the best doctor she can be and use both her pain and profession to serve those who suffer and are in need of healing.
Right on, Izzie!!!!
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11-03-2006 @ 12:32PM
Genevieve Albert said...
Was anyone but me driven nuts by the constant references to "two uteruses" ?? Come on, writers! The plural of uterus is uteri and all medical professionals know it....did they think maybe the viewers weren't smart enough for the grown up words?
Otherwise, it was a good episode but I really disliked Nancy, the sister, and hope that is the end of her
Gen
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11-03-2006 @ 10:32PM
Call said...
Actually, according to the dictionary, both 'uteri' and 'uteruses' are used to pluralize uterus. And Michael Smith, MD, over on WebMD seems to prefer uteruses.
http://blogs.webmd.com/tv-checkup/2006/11/greys-tale-of-two-uteruses.html
I liked this episode, and am now waiting for the inevitable breakdown/blow up that will come from the Christina and Burke situation.
I do wish they'd take it easy on the weekly lesson from the patient stories, though. Once in a while is ok, but it's gotten a little heavy-handed.
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11-04-2006 @ 10:28AM
Nicki said...
It bugged me too, but someone did at least try to say "uteri," they were just overruled.
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11-12-2006 @ 6:25PM
Mary Bird said...
Get real folks - it's a TV show! I think it's good, a whole lot of other people think it's good; so, if you don't like "weekly lessons" or the lack of prizes in the cereal box, just turn the channel!
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12-09-2006 @ 4:41AM
Samms Kinnison said...
Meredith wasn't whining to Cristina. They are best girlfriends who talk to each other about their lives, as hard as that might be for a man to grasp. Having the love of your life not call is important to women. Meredith also wanted to connect with Cristina because she knew Cristina was acting weird and she wanted to help.
Meredith has handled the situations with her mom, Cristina, Izzie, George, Derek, Chief and Addison with aplomb. Why would her maturity surprise you? Dealing with personal sadness and depression for a year while taking care of the public would tend to mature a character.
It was cool to see that Alex really did learn from Addison while on her service. At first I never thought he'd make it as a doctor. Now I can see it.
Derek gets what his heart has longed for for a year and now he is confused? He listens to his rude, overbearing, know-it-all sister instead of his heart? The sister didn't ring true for me. I could never offhandedly tell one of my brothers that he should just shrug off his wife sleeping with his best friend. And I couldn't see myself acting all lovey-dovey to the two of them while my brother walks away hurt and angry. (Notice that Meredith once more acted with grace when the sister was ugly).
I still haven't figured the whole Izzie thing out. I truly don't know what that story line meant.
As far as Grey's using patients as metaphors -- so what? They are interesting, cool surgeries and patients. Since work is all the interns have time for, they are bound to see all life through patient colored glasses. It is a fiction, not a reality show. Everyone who wants reality programming should turn the channel over to it right now and stop whining about Grey's.
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