I quite liked tonight’s Grey’s Anatomy, “Everybody’s Crying Mercy”. It wasn’t flashy and filled with natural disaster like last week’s season premiere. It likely was designed to be the bridge to next week’s installment, GA’s 200th episode. Yet in the absence of any big moments, lots of important little things happened, particularly to two popular couples.
THE PATIENTS
Sometimes the Grey’s writers are a touch heavy-handed with what I like to refer to as Patient Anvils. You know what I mean. When the patient/surgeon parallels are just so in-your-face that you expect The Roadrunner and Wile E. Coyote to turn up at any moment. Thankfully, tonight’s tie-ins were a bit more subtle. So much so that I enjoyed the patients for the first time in a long while.
First up? The woman who implored Leah (the blandest of all interns) that if she died her husband deserved to know that she cheated on him with his brother. What the what? Leah fretted over this the entire episode, especially when the woman did die. But Callie, who had insisted at one point that the husband deserved to know the truth (um, projecting much?) had a last-minute change-of-heart and told him instead that his wife’s dying wish for him to know how much she loved him. Aw…
Then there was Jackson’s patient, the kindergarten teacher who was to be the recipient of pro bono surgery to repair her severely damaged face. She eventually got her procedure but not before Chief Hunt pulled a fast one to make a point about the hospital’s latest financial crisis. After suffering severe damage in the storm, Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital is in desperate need of cash. What better reason to throw a fundraising gala event? More on that next week. Anyway…
Cristina and Alex worked together on a case about a teen who was trying to avoid a second heart transplant. No go. He’ll need to be put on the transplant list. In the meantime Cristina and Alex, who have evolved over the years from rivals to friends to family (they totally have that sister-brother dynamic going on) addressed Alex’s as-yet-still-unconsummated relationship with Jo and Cristina’s lingering feelings for Owen.
Finally, there was none other than Richard Webber. He Who Somehow Survived Almost Being Electrocuted. Don’t take this the wrong way (because you know how I love my Richard) but it was rather refreshing to see that he’s not just fine after what he’s been through. He’s awful. He looks terrible. He’s weak. And he needs a feeding tube, which he refuses. Bailey won’t push him. Meredith comes in (despite being on maternity leave) to hopefully be persuasive. But it’s Shane (!) of all people who finally takes the bull by the horns and gets the job done. Shane who mans up and does what needs to be done. I admit I was rather impressed. But, ooooh. What Richard said to Meredith at the end about her going soft and botching his medical decisions by getting too sentimental? Way harsh. Way. Harsh.
THE COUPLES
Where to begin? Okay…speed round!
Japril
Shared a moment when news came that April passed her boards the second time around (thank goodness) but April’s engaged to Matthew and Jackson truly seems to be trying to make a go of things with Stephanie.
Jolex
After tip-toeing around each other in the week that’s passed since the storm/mudslide/Heather dying, they finally sealed the deal. Or so we were led to believe as we didn’t even see the scene. If I were a Jolex fan, I’d be a bit perturbed over that. But I’m not so, no worries!
MerDer
Sleep deprivation notwithstanding (man, do I remember those days…ack!) all is well for GA’s iconic super couple. Happily married. Two beautiful children. Stable, thriving careers. Dream house. Whatever. Sorry. I know they went through a lot back in the day (you know, in the first hundred episodes, give or take) but seriously. It must be nice to “ship” a couple for whom everything is so rosy. Because not everyone has it so good.
Exhibit A: Calzona
I know. I know. I used to mock that the worst that Calzona had ever endured was chickenpox. Well, those days are over. Between the fallout from the plane crash and from Arizona’s infidelity, these two are in a bad, bad place. They can’t be in the same room. Callie is refusing to go to couples’ therapy. Yikes. Just…yikes.
Exhibit B: Crowen
Oh, my babies, how you break my Cristina-and-Owen-lovin’ heart. Cristina basically said it in the scene with Alex. If only she and Owen wanted the same things. But they don’t, so after five…count them, five…seasons of passionate, heartfelt, I-want-to-be-with-you-forever-because-you’re-my-soulmate angst, the kids thing may be the deal breaker after all (especially since Sandra Oh is leaving the show at the end of the season). The duo shared three beautiful scenes in this episode. In the last Cristina told Owen they should start dating other people in an attempt to move on because that’s what they need to do. Really, Cristina? Really? Be careful what you wish for because you just might get it. Owen’s devoted to you, not to mention heartbroken that you’ve broken up with him yet again. He’s already declared that he will never love another woman. But he’s also a man. If you push him away hard enough, don’t be surprised if he goes and finds someone else. Will you be able to stomach it if he does? Ugh. I can’t look. Well, maybe if I peek through my fingers.
Next week’s all-new episode of Grey’s Anatomy, “Puttin’ On The Ritz” (complete with fancy dresses and snazzy tuxedos) will air Thursday, October 10 on ABC.
Want to add Grey’s Anatomy to your own watch list? Download our free Buddy TV app here.
(image courtesy of ABC)
Contributing Writer, BuddyTV
