Season 13 of Grey’s Anatomy is beginning to remind me of walking on a treadmill. The constant movement is a deception because you’re not really going anywhere. There were many things to like about this episode, including the sparking of one new friendship and the mending of another. Still, “What’s Inside” was a disappointment. I find myself growing more and more frustrated that the stories are going in circles. I’m tired of Meredith and Nathan going one step forward and two steps back. I’m tired of seeing Owen Hunt brokenhearted. And I’m tired of the utter lack of Alex Karev in the back half of the season. Still, an episode without Jo Wilson can’t be all bad and I am cautiously optimistic that the groundwork is being laid for the final five episodes of the season.
Maggie in Mourning
As the episode opens Maggie, Meredith, and Amelia are visiting Diane’s grave. Amelia’s curious as to why Diane, who wasn’t from Seattle, would want to be buried in Seattle. Meredith wisely reasons that Diane wanted Maggie to be able to visit her grave whenever she wished. Both Meredith and Amelia marvel at how well Maggie is coping and how healthily she is grieving, something they know precious little about. It’s also Maggie’s first day back to work at the hospital and she’s eager to begin operating again.
Blame it on the Teratoma
Cut to Owen Hunt whose friends, Jenna and Leo, are arriving at the hospital. Jenna’s pregnant and their unborn daughter has a tumor (teratoma) around her heart. Arizona already put a stent in but the tumor has grown enormous and must be removed. Riggs is prepped and ready to work with Robbins but when Maggie sees the scans she goes all Gollum on them and poaches the surgery (“I’m taking it. I need it.”)
Owen’s concerned. Maggie’s a top-notch surgeon but her emotional state is fragile and Hunt wonders if she’s overreaching for her first procedure back. How about a simple valve replacement instead? Jackson, Arizona, Nathan, Amelia, and even Meredith are also unsure if this is a wise idea, but Maggie insists. She removes the tumor easily and without incident. Then complications arise and (as the gallery full of surgeons fret about whether or not Maggie is freezing) Arizona pushes Maggie to “DO SOMETHING!” Maggie, eerily calm but apparently with her hearing still functional, says there is nothing to be done. The baby just needs a moment to adjust. Moments later, everything normalizes and there is a collective sigh of relief.
The Crash Finally Comes
After surgery, Maggie finally comes apart. She tells Jackson that she’s not doing well at all, but she’s still doing her job, because that’s what you do. She also rails at Jackson for not saving her mother. Later that evening, Maggie returns home to her sisters who comfort her and Dance It Out. (Full Confession: I have never been all that enamored with the whole “dancing it out” thing. But whatever.) My real irritation is that Meredith called off her not-a-date-just-conversation date with Nathan when Maggie fell apart. Of course, I’m glad that Meredith is there for her sister, but Nathan also has a point. Maggie will be experiencing waves of grief for the foreseeable future. Meredith couldn’t step out for a few hours. REALLY? Plus Amelia and Jackson (who came by with Diane’s medical records) had things covered on the Maggie support front. I need some forward progress with MerThan. Just sayin’. They are adorable. So I hope the next episode’s MerThan-centric bottle episode finally gives me what I want!
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Old Friendships
After first steps last episode, Miranda and Richard seem to finally be mending their relationship. They’re both stubborn as all get out with neither wanting to admit wrongdoing (and, honestly, I’m not sure Richard has much to apologize for here). When Miranda says that Richard just likes to push her buttons, Ben asks if she’s ever considered that maybe the man is lonely (and – by extension – I would also add, just wants to be needed)? Miranda ends up needing Richard’s expertise when a patient is diagnosed with TB and quarantine protocols need to be implemented. Miranda also proposes that she and Richard bury the hatchet. Over dinner. At which they both apologize. He says he has nothing for which to apologize (preach!), so Miranda – after telling him to makeup with Catherine – says, fine. But he’s buying dinner. Related (another old friendship) But Random: Alex and Meredith. Love them. Their scene was golden. Why is Alex being so underused? Waldo is easier to find than Alex Karev!
New Friendships
Nathan runs into Arizona and Eliza(!) arriving together in the morning. Later, Arizona confides to Nathan about the new Ariliza relationship (which he’d already figured out – his “lame” comment about them “carpooling” was just to give AZ an out if she needed one) and he confesses that he might have something going on with an unnamed person. Still later, Arizona grills Nathan about his date that night and starts rattling off names (“Kepner? Hunt? Is it HUNT?” ROFL!) until his face “twitches” when she mentions Meredith Grey. Arizona is delighted. After all, Meredith is “hot!” But then she “spooks” Riggs when she goes on and on about Meredith and Derek and their epic love story. Poor Nathan. He finally gets Meredith to agree to go out (sort of) and then Arizona bursts his bubble AND Meredith cancels at the last possible second. Surely this guy gets points just for sticking around this long, right?
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Odds and Ends
* Owen and Amelia are still miserable…and at an impasse. Enough.
* As mentioned earlier, Jo was nowhere to be found in this episode. Hoorah!
* Isaac Cross (Remember him? The recurring resident?) was the patient with abdominal TB.
* DeLuca and Edwards were exposed. I have a bad feeling about that. And Edwards felt bad because she thought Cross was just being a hypochondriac (apparently interns are the worst) and totally blew him off. Again, why do I fear that either Andrew or Stephanie is going to test positive for TB in a few weeks?
So there you have it. Are you as frustrated as I at the glacial pacing this season? Are you ready for MerThan to get to it already and for Omelia to throw in the towel? Are you glad Richard and Miranda have finally made peace? And what are your hopes for the final five episodes this season?
Memorable Moments and Quotes
Meredith: “I go a little ‘dark and twisty, but then I come back.”
Amelia (to Meredith): “We’re more alike than we realize…”
Arizona (to Riggs): “This is happening. We’re now friends.”
Classic Alex and Meredith: He tells her to “pick up the pace” when they’re stapling papers for his class. She warns him that he’s “this close” to telling the kids to get off his lawn.
Owen: “Riggs is the better choice here.” (Speaking of mended friendships…)
Meredith: “We work through stuff. I have operated through a miscarriage.”
Jackson: “That’s not normal.”
Maggie (to Meredith and Amelia): “Now’s the part where you’re supposed to tell me how awesome I am. Like I do for you all the time.”
Miranda (to Richard): “I can’t keep running every decision past Gnarled Old Man Wisdom.”
DeLuca (fretting): “Are you sure we’re not exposing ourselves?” (to TB)
April: “I’ve already been exposed. I have the antibodies. Also, I’m not a gutless wuss.”
Maggie: “I want my mom.”
Miranda (to Richard): “You have your “work wife” back. Now get your “real wife” back.”
Meredith: Get up. We’re dancing it out.
Amelia: “Oh God. Really?”
Meredith: Yes. Really. It’s this or cry. Get up.
Grey’s Anatomy season 13 airs Thursdays at 8/7c on ABC. Want more news? Like our Facebook page.
(Image courtesy of ABC)
Contributing Writer, BuddyTV
