(S03E10) Tension's running high at Seattle Grace this week, isn't it? Bailey's all pissed because Yang and Burke are seemingly getting away with their tremor-induced "teamwork," and pissed at herself because yet another intern misbehaved under her watch. Burke and Yang are of course pissed at each other. Shepherd is pissed because Burke won't let him fix that tremor. George is pissed at everyone because he feels powerless over what's going on with his dad. Addison is pissed at Meredith for freezing during surgery. The other interns are pissed at Yang because she got to do all those neato procedures. Webber is pissed at Burke for not letting him retire. And the Sklar brothers are pissed at each other because they're conjoined and like to touch the same woman while naked.
Ok, let me explain that one...
Randy and Jason Sklar, who most people know from ESPN Classic's Cheap Seats, play adult conjoined twins who want to be separated because one of them is in loooove (yes, the extra o's are on purpose). I've never been a big Sklar Brothers fan; I've always thought that being twins and cracking dumb jokes was all they thought they needed to succeed. But they work well here, as you see a chemistry that only brothers can have. And the "conjoined" part looked a hell of a lot more realistic than what the Farrelly Brothers did with a much bigger budget in Stuck on You (I mean, the only way we knew Matt Damon and Greg Kinnear were conjoined was that their clothes were sewn together... you actually saw skin here).
Anyway, the plot point where the twins were fighting over the girlfriend really didn't go anywhere. I guess it was just a way to see what happens when people joined at the lower back punch each other. And, boy oh boy, this Burke thing just crapped all over everyone didn't it? It messed up Derek so badly that he didn't feel confident enough to pull off the nerve grafts that were the essential part of the separation. But Bailey pulled him out of it, didn't she? In fact, she probably pulled herself out a little, too, though her confidence has been pretty strong lately. Webber's speech to her that "You raised them... like children" -- "them" being her interns -- was probably enough to bring her all the way back to "The Nazi" we loved.
The brothers demonstrated the old adage that "you can pick your friends, but you can't pick your family," but Meredith blew that up, didn't she? She really wants to keep herself separate from her stepmother Susan and half-sister Molly, who is having her child early. "You're very nice. But I don't know you. And you're not my family," is what she told Susan (nice to see Mare Winningham back again) when she said to Meredith, "it's your niece!" It seemed pretty cold to me. But you saw her freeze when the baby had problems right after being born, causing Addison to regret the decision to let Meredith assist. And when we finally realize why Meredith has been defending Cristina all this time -- "You're my sister. You're my family. You're all I've got." -- her coldness towards Susan is more understandable. Cristina has been there for her; Susan is just the woman that Meredith's dad left her and her mom for.
Sometimes I think George wants to pick a different family. "Georgie doesn't work in this hospital! It's Dr O'Malley!" he yells to his idiot brothers as he keeps bugging Dr. Hahn about his dad's care prior to his valve replacement. I mean, it's nice to see George exhibit a pair and all, but right now, he's just lashing out. And his dad knew it. He thinks George was angry with him, not anyone else. And I've got to say, he's probably right. But, to be honest, George should have just stayed with the twins and not bugged anyone else. No wonder why Bailey gets pissed at herself; she keeps letting her interns get inappropriately involved with patients, especially if they're family members.
Burke came through, talking George through the surgery that Hahn was performing with Cristina. Yes, Cristina. As pissed at her as Bailey was, she knew Yang knew her stuff when it came to heart surgery. It was the byproduct of being Burke's right hand for two months, and it certainly saved Mr. O'Malley's ass when things got a little hairy.
Oh, nice speech by Burke at that point: "Bodies respond differently. Every body is different." Of course, he was talking more about himself than George's dad. But that's the way it always goes at SGH, right, folks?
Other stuff:
- No Mer-Der stuff this week. All professionalism, all the time. Kinda refreshing.
- Izzie stands up to Sloan -- "I don't do coffee" -- and he rewards her by asking her to scrub in on the separation. Maybe he's only a partial dingus.
- Callie keeps trying, doesn't she? Hopefully George will appreciate her efforts after his dad is out of the woods.
- Meredith hugs her mom... when was the last time you saw that? It got to me a little bit, considering their relationship has been so tough. Earlier, she said to Mer, "I never should have had a child," as if she was someone else (Ellis has Alzheimer's, remember). That had to have hurt. So it was nice to see a little closeness between them.
- Good to see Burke and Cristina are also on the mend. She'll need some time to mend fences with George -- did she really call him 007? -- but that'll happen.
- Is coma guy's room the new lunch spot?
- So the conjoined Sklars and the girlfriend they're "sharing" have this really personal conversation about their bed habits in front of Alex and Izzie. It's amazing how this constantly seems to happen on TV, huh?
This wasn't as tension-filled as last week's episode, but it had a nice mix of humor and seriousness, just like Grey's ought to be. It'll be good to take a few weeks, recover from this first almost-half-season, and gear up for what's to come in 2007. It looks like the show's starting to get really good at just the right time.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
12-01-2006 @ 12:04AM
katie said...
I'm annoyed because this show is SO good -- I was just being a casual viewer this year because there was all this buzz and now I'm officially hooked. Also, I checked out Men in Trees -- great, great show!!!! Now my Thursday nights belong to ABC.
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12-01-2006 @ 11:58AM
fifi said...
Why did they have to switch this show to Thursday nights???? I can't watch it I'm workinggggg!! Please come back to Sunday....or at least repeat the episode on Sunday!!!
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12-01-2006 @ 5:59PM
Jeannie said...
I have been hooked on this great show since day one! I was a little disappointed when it moved to Thursday nights because my husband can't watch it now (he works second shift). I also have a question, so did Derek move in with Meredith? He said at the end of the show for her not to wait up for him.
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12-01-2006 @ 8:37AM
Alicia said...
I'm just glad that no one died. It seems as if someone always dies on GA and I am so glad it wasn't George's dad!
This wasn't he best episode.... but it was a good one.
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12-01-2006 @ 9:29AM
Beezus said...
Coma guy's room is totally the new hot lunch spot. You study, you chat, he sleeps on. Anyway, though my intense girl-crush on Callie faded somewhat when she sank to the likes of Sloan, she's redeeming herself, and I may have a flicker for her after all. I just hope that George wisens up and sees that they were both at fault. Same with Burke and Cristina - share the blame, for goodness sakes. You furthered both of your careers, and no one got seriously hurt in the long run. But a side question here: why does the Chief still want Burke to succeed him as chief? He was immoral and irresponsible - not that I'm saying that there are a lot of better choices running around SG, but that does seem to be quite the reward for a rule breaker, no?
I was also glad to see pure professionalism between Mer and Der this week - it's kind of the reassuring relationship that's in the background for awhile. Nice.
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12-01-2006 @ 9:29AM
Mitch said...
Meredith and Mom hugging, which brings to me "the way I see it". Kate Burton is about 47 or 48 tops. Ellen Pompeo is 37. They cannot be, nor do they look like to me, whatsover, that they are mother and daughter. Now what is it? Are we supposed to buy that Meredith is really late 20's and therefore 48 year old Kate/Momma Grey works then, or are we supposed to buy that Kate is older than she really is (no, because she looks late 40's, 50 ish at very worst to me). So what is it? Or are we supposed to ignore these things, and pretend that this is not reality, which they work so hard for us to buy it as? While we're on the subject, most of the interns are mid to late 30s here. Were they just all coincidentally or not so coincidentally late out of the starting gate, or are they all playing late 20's and we're supposed to buy that too? There's an awful lot I have to swallow here before I can even begin to think about the characters are real people. I'm not getting it. Can anyone help?
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12-01-2006 @ 1:11PM
Tim UF said...
I'm gona step out on a limb and say coma guy is going to wake up, because of the stimulation of having people talk in his room a lot.
then... Bailey will get on her horse about their lack of professionalism for being in the room, while at the same time seeing that it was the interns being in the room that helped in bringing the guy out of it.
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12-01-2006 @ 12:06PM
Jimmy said...
OK, I really liked this episode. Most of the doctors were feeling inadequate for the job -- it's nice to see that these perfect characters can be flawed. As for George, damn he is such a psychotic, whiny bitch! He always seems to think everything revolves around him. You just want to yell at the screen, "Get over yourself!" Really enjoyed the scenes between Ellen Pompeo and Kate Burton; and you're right, the hug was quite emotional. Overall, another great episode; however, if that was sexual tension I saw between McSteamy and Izzie I will puke!
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12-01-2006 @ 1:38PM
Patty said...
You can watch each week's episodes online, free, at abc.com starting the next day, until the following week.
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12-01-2006 @ 5:36PM
dara said...
Mitch---
I work as a RN in a teaching hopital and can tell you the average age for our interns/residents is 32. Some are 27 and some are 39...I totally buy Ellen P. playing a late 20 something, as well as the rest of the cast.
Part of enjoying this show is the verisimilitude...just sit back, don't think too much, and enjoy the ride!
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12-03-2006 @ 7:42PM
MissLew said...
This was a great episode. Unfortunately I missed the "tension" episode last week, but at least I caught the aftermath.
2 things
(1) THANK YOU for finally showing some interaction between Derek and Mark (McDreamy and McSteamy). Since Derek has (I guess) somewhat forgiven Addison, I was wondering when there were going to be some type of interaction between the men. Yes I know it wasn't much, but to see them working together and having McSteamy make a joke that got Derek to laugh was a start. I hope there is an episode that coming up where Derek and Mark will have it out and possibly make up.
(2) Can someone tell me, what ever happen to Izzie's 8 million dollar check from Denny? I think I missed that episode.
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12-02-2006 @ 1:20PM
Trace said...
I love, love, love this show. From the beginning, it has been the best show on television, and every week, they suprise me, humble me, make me laugh, and pull on my heartstrings. Loved seeing Mer/Der just going about their daily lives, with just the occasional meaningful eye contact. I loved the Izzie/Sloan interaction, though I hope Izzie doesn't become another notch on that bedpost. She's smarter than that. Callie/George I'm still pulling for, but I think it'll take a little more time. I'm suprised at myself, but I like George a little more when he's a bit bumbling, a bit of a pushover, but mostly sweet. This angry George is slightly more annoying. Cristina/Burke is always interesting, and I liked her getting on the elevator without a word. The actors on this show are *awesome* at portraying emotions without even saying a word. Bailey rocks, and always has. She was a bit of the Nazi this week! I'm glad that they found a place for Addison to stay, even after she was no longer fighting for Derek. She is a great character (and Kate Walsh is such a terrific actress!).
I'm really looking forward to their new eps in 2007!
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12-02-2006 @ 3:06PM
Patti said...
Just saw a commercial on Lifetime, they are playing the first season beginning Sunday nite! I have the dvd sets, but I cannot get enough of this show!
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12-02-2006 @ 9:31PM
La-di-dah said...
No fair! The Farrelly brothers showed the flap of skin (aka fistula?) conjoining Matt Damon and Greg Kinnear. It was showed at the motel, at the beach, at the point where Bob is telling May to look at it, etc. It wasn't as conjoined as the Skylar bros, but there are different degrees of conjoined, and it was way funnier on Stuck on You because they shared a liver and so Walt looked older than Bob.
Anywaaays - this was my first time watching a full Grey's episode, almost guiltily - because I do not enjoy hospital soaps/sex trysts as much as I enjoy hospital mysteries. But I did enjoy this one episode. Probably not enough to tug me in every week because they will resume their soapiness/trysting, but once in a while....
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12-03-2006 @ 3:15PM
AC said...
Katherine Heigl (Izzie) is only in her late 20s.
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12-05-2006 @ 2:09AM
Liza Apper said...
Iliked this week's episode but am VERY disappointed over the news that there will be no "Grey's" in December. If they had a Grey's episode on Thanksgiving then why not a Christmas "Grey's.
It will be a long and cold December I suspect.
Liza
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12-05-2006 @ 1:56PM
Donnapie said...
I just starting watching Greys Anatomy and must say I really enjoy this show. I used to watch ER but that just got too depressing for me. I always love a good drama with a great touch of comedy relief. I like all the characters on this show they all have some good depth to them. And of course it's always nice to see good looking doctors. I work with the People's Choice Community and already voted for Greys Anatomy for Favorite TV Drama. Anyone can vote at http://www.pcavote.com . Voting ends this Saturday, December 10th. Also the People's Choice Awards airs on January 9th on CBS. I really hope Greys Anatomy wins.
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12-08-2006 @ 9:47PM
Samms Kinnison said...
I am an avid Grey's fan and always will be, but something has been bothering me. It was a little thing in your article. But, I guess your comment about the "cold" Meredith has broken the camel's back after two and a half years of reading reviews like this without commenting. In the past there has been tons of comment from critics everywhere about how "flawed" or "dark and twisty" or "cold" the character of Meredith is. I look at everyone else on the show now and wonder why Meredith was singled out.
Take George, his tongue turns to a knife and his breath to pure vitriol in this episode. He is Izzie's best friend -- how does he justify hurting her the way he did? He says he is afraid for his dad. Izzie's fiance died and Meredith's mother has been through
health hell. Neither woman has lashed out like a spoiled brat.
He never even thought of standing by Burke and Cristina rather than condeming them. They stood by him in his time of need. Who stands by Cristina? Meredith. Who stands by Burke? Derek and the Chief.
George is upset that Callie was with another man after their breakup. (Dude, you snooze, you lose. Derek warned you. Callie is so hot she is dirty hot like Meredith said.) You didn't see Meredith throwing
hateful tantrums on her friends, her patients, her sick family, when Derek left her for Addison. (For that matter you didn't see it from Addison either when Derek left her for Meredith.) Why is Meredith
condemned?! She turned her anger and sadness and pain onto no one but herself when she tried to anesthetize herself with tequila and sex. But even that phase didn't last long. (By the way, Addison did the
same thing, only with gin and McSteamy. She never lashed Meredith. (Okay the panties, but that was mild.)
And then there was the time Meredith thought she would go for the gold. She chose to be with George; a man she knew was a friend, a good person, someone who
professed to love her always, who would keep her safe and treat her right. And then what did he do?! When she had to admit that she was mistaken, when it became clear she wasn't over Derek and couldn't think of George as anything more than a friend, when she couldn't enjoy sex with him; George threw a months long, extremely unpleasant childish tantrum. He trash talked Meredith to her best friend. He screamed and embarrassed them both at work. He set her other
roommate, Izzie, against Meredith. He blamed Izzie for what happened. He set all the interns against Meredith so that she felt alone. He pouted and whined. He gave the silent treatment, he refused to listen, he went where he wasn't wanted. Then he
apologizes once to Meredith, gets a new girlfriend, and the whole world said what a great guy he was again. Bad Meredith, cold Meredith, poor George.
Now here he is again --- slashing and bashing. It is painful to watch and to listen to. Talk about ugly!
Every character on the show has their big gaping dramatic flaws (come on, it is primetime TV). I could focus solely on them and nothing else the way so many critics do with Meredith. Why? If everyone still sees all the fantastic, brilliant, funny, great, good
stuff about George (see aforementioned), or
Derek(mistress/wife/mistress), or Izzie (Lvad wire), or Burke (lying about tremor, endangering Cristina), or Addison (lying, cheating, torturing/teaching Izzie), or Cristina (lying, manipulating,competitive), or Alex (@ss), or Chief (manipulating, lying, cheating),or Bailey (shrill, mean)then WHY OH WHY can't critics everywhere give Meredith some credit too?!
She is reserved, not cold. She is sensitive
and afraid of being hurt. Why should she accept strangers as family when by her father's choice, not hers, they're strangers? She doesn't trust easily. Derek has walked away and abandoned her three times. No one seems to love Meredith unconditionally, yet she is required to love others unconditionally all the time. If she can't then she's put down. Her father has never extended an invitation to Meredith to be part of the family the way Susan did. Her mother treats her terribly. And I think the Alzheimer's just takes the lid off what has always been there. In my mind whenever Ellis rages I can easily imagine her slapping Meredith as a child. Meredith has stood by every other intern in their time of need. It can't be said of them in return. Who is really "cold"??!!
My favorite character on Grey's is Meredith Grey. Ellen Pompeo deserves great credit for bringing such a complex woman to life.
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12-15-2006 @ 3:12PM
Burke Backer said...
I am a Burke fan through and through. Isaiah Washington has added so much dimension to the character of Burke and Burke and his relationship with Cristina have added so much edginess to the entire show. As long as Burke is on the show, I am a fan. If anything happens to this character or if the actor who plays him so brilliantly is no longer on the show, I will be so disappointed that it will be impossible to continue to watch. Scrubs and CSI aren't that bad. I am counting on the writers and powers that be at abc to recognize a really good thing when they see it and to keep all of the original castmembers on the show.
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12-20-2006 @ 11:05AM
TINK said...
I LOVE THIS SHOW, BUT I GOTTA TELL YA,, I WANT DENNNNNNNNYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY BACK! CANT THEY DO LIKE THE SHOW DALLAS,, WHERE IT WAS A BAD DREAM? NO MAN ON GREYS ANATOMY COMPARES TO DENNY! THAT GUY IS/WAS HOT.
MCDREAMY IS WORMY,, AND MCSTEAMY COULDNT MAKE A TEAPOT WHISTLE....SORRY FOLKS.......
DENNYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY COME BACK! LOL~*
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