I’ve got to give credit where it’s due. Though the passing of time is a fluid and maddeningly inconsistent thing on Grey’s Anatomy, this week’s episode, “Catastrophe and the Cure”, picked up in a logical place and moved at a sensible pace following last week’s crackerjack season premiere. Tonight, Alex began to pay the piper for his actions but Jo and Andrew also felt repercussions. Meanwhile, Owen and Amelia held the world’s most awkward housewarming party, the Meredith-Nathan-Maggie triangle was in full swing and April was dealt a yet another devastating blow.
Keeping Our Heads Up
Alex and Meredith began their day focused on medicine, despite Alex being due in court that day to face charges for his beating of Andrew. The day went from bad to worse as Alex, expecting a misdemeanor with probation, was instead charged with felony assault in the second degree. Yikes! Despite Meredith’s assurances that he would not go to prison, that seemed far from certain and the gravity of his situation messed with Alex’s head in a big way. When treating a long-time patient, Karev missed a red flag and made a major error which, but for Meredith and Miranda’s surgical prowess, could have cost the kid his transplanted kidney.
What was the Chief to do? Did Karev know what would happen if he were to be convicted of a felony? Yes, he knew quite well, thank you. Miranda could only shake her head, exasperation and annoyance mingling with concern and a mama bear’s fierce sense of protection for her former intern cub. Alex was the “big surprise”- the “most improved” of her babies. The man who’d beaten DeLuca was a guy Bailey thought had left the building long ago. In the end, compassion and a sense of the bigger picture won out. Though she could not “in good conscience” justify Alex operating on patients for the time being, Bailey wasn’t willing to fire him, either. Instead, for now, he would work in the Denny Duquette Clinic, which was sorely understaffed. Oh the bitter irony! But, oh the sense of history and karma!
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Housewarming From Hell
So, can I just say how much I love that Meredith and Owen are actual friends now? I found it adorable that when his new wife Amelia invited Riggs over for dinner (since he and Owen got along so well at Omelia’s recent wedding, Amelia figured fences could be mended between the former besties), Owen felt compelled to turn the whole affair into a dinner party, complete with friends to serve as “buffers” so he wouldn’t have to talk to Nathan. Thus, he invited Meredith and Maggie and, viola!, buffers! Of course, Owen was completely unaware that Maggie wanted to ask Nathan out and Meredith was trying to keep Maggie from asking Nathan out or, barring that, keep Nathan from accepting Maggie’s invitation out while simultaneously keeping Nathan at bay [despite the inferno blazing between them (*fans self*)] while also flirting up a storm with him (she’d deny it, but come ON! – adorable!). Whew! And thank goodness they were bringing the funny, because Jo also attended this party and that wasn’t humorous in the least.
I’m holding off judgment at this point on the domestic way storyline (important issue, not sure I like how it’s being told) because – in fairness – it’s still developing. Jo is, certainly, way more interesting now that we’re finally being given some back story and it’s sadly realistic, I suppose, to watch her pull away so completely from Alex, given the circumstances. Still, their scene outside Omelia’s house was crushing (and I say this as someone who really can’t stand the Jolex pairing) because these two people are so wounded. Jo is absolutely right that Alex can’t “walk back” his hot-headed (and violent) mistakes just by saying sorry. That said, my heart breaks for Alex because he knows how badly he screwed up and he knows he could lose everything and he is truly sorry. Argh!
In Other News
* Richard Webber, how much do I love thee? When Ben firmly rejected the opportunity to be Miranda’s “mole” at the hospital, Webber happily stepped in to be her “eyes and ears”. His stealthy comings and goings had me laughing heartily as he reported the latest intel to the Chief. Role reversal at its finest. There was a tender moment as well whether he stepped, again, into the role of father figure to Jackson, who was trying to deal with the April and Harriet situation. More on that in a moment.
* The elevator scene between DeLuca and Meredith was really well done and one I’m going to need to go back and watch again. Gustav Flaubert said, “There is no truth. There is only perception.” And that was so true in that scene. I thought I was on Meredith’s side, but then I realized (as did she) that her words could have been construed as a threat by DeLuca. She (and I would have to say in general as an audience – we) tends to have Alex’s back no matter what, but Bailey has a point. Maybe Meredith’s blinded by that devotion and loyalty. Still, as Francois de La Rochefoucauld said, “We pardon to the extent that we love.” Maybe Meredith is, to quote Alex, “backing the wrong horse”. But they’re ‘family’, so what else can she do?
*Ah, Japril. It was time for baby Harriet to go home from the hospital. But April’s incision came open, which meant she needed wound care and had to stay in the hospital. April was, understandably, a wreck over this, as Jackson took the baby home with him. Despite a beautiful face time lullaby which helped Harriet go to sleep and Jackson making good on his promise to bring the baby everyday to see April, the new mom was beside herself. Taking Richard’s advice, Jackson extended help in the face of resistance and offered to have both April and Harriet stay with him until April is back on her feet. Hmmm…..
*Finally, Maggie did, indeed, ask Nathan out. He kindly but immediately declined, saying that she was lovely but he wasn’t ready to date yet. Eeeesh. That evening, just as Meredith was confessing to Alex (who apparently is living back at Meredith’s house and Jo is at the Jolex loft, which was confusing because I thought Jo said to Amelia that she had no place to live, but whatever) that she had slept with Riggs, Maggie arrived home, defeated by the rejection but still hoping for Riggs to have a change of heart when he was open to dating again down the road. Cue ominous look between Alex and Mer. This is going to get messy.
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Memorable Moments and Quotes
Alex (to Meredith): “Every guy I grew up with is either right where I left him, dead, or in prison.”
Meredith (to Andrew): “Have you ever made a horrible mistake because you overacted or you just had the wrong information?”
Owen: “You’re here! Good. He’s (Riggs) been with Maggie for awhile but you’re up next.”
Meredith: “I have not put my bag down yet.”
Alex (to Jo): “I don’t want to go in there. I want to be home with you.”
Jo (later, to Alex): “You were trying to hurt me. It worked.”
Meredith (about Alex): “I’m his family. Who else is going to help him?”
Meredith: “We all mess up! Why is everyone around here acting like they’ve never made a mistake before?”
Jackson (to April): “I know that we need boundaries. I know that I’m not your husband. I also know that I’m Harriet’s father. She needs her mother and her mother needs help.”
Amelia (to Owen about Nathan): “You guys were like best friends. You’re brothers. You don’t get a lot of those in your life. So you have to try. You’re required to try.”
Meredith to Alex: “I slept with Riggs. In the parking lot.”
Grey’s Anatomy airs Thursdays at 8/7c on ABC. Want more news? Like the BuddyTV Grey’s Anatomy Facebook page.
(Photo courtesy of ABC)
Contributing Writer, BuddyTV
