Last night, we got our first “normal” “Grey’s” episode of Season 6, and I thought it was pretty good. It was one of those episodes where I felt like not a lot happened, but a lot did happen, if that makes sense. I think I felt that not a lot happened because there weren’t a lot of storylines. I’m not complaining though, I think “Grey’s” is at its best when there’s less going on. Yesterday, there really only two major storylines: the schizophrenic (I spelled right on the first try!) guy and his mom, and the concern about the merger. There were some fringe stories mixed in of course, but they all were a result of the main merger story (Cristina faking an interest in peds, Callie considering moving to Portland, Izzie not taking care of herself because she was in fear of her job, etc.).
Overall, I was OK with last night’s show. It had no chance of reaching the heights of last week’s premiere of course, but that’s OK. I feel the merger with Mercy West storyline was well-done as a set up for what’s to come. I just hope that this story arc doesn’t consume the entire show; it won’t be very fun to watch the younger docs fearing for their jobs every week. It was very gripping and interesting last night, but it could get tired quickly if it’s brought up each episode.
With that said, let’s jump into the high (and low) lights of the evening…
Here’s what I liked about last night’s show…
*The episode title, “I Always Feel Like Somebody’s Watching Me.” It was fitting since Seattle Grace had a schizophrenic patient on their hands and a lot of the doctors were looking of their shoulders because of the merger.
*Izzie’s wig. Well, not so much the wig, but everyone’s reaction to it. Despite all of the tension last night, there was some good comic stuff in there. Watching Cristina and Meredith have a mumbling conversation about Izzie’s “Stepford Wife” look was hilarious. Even the interns’ false praise of the wig was funny.
*Watching Cristina in pediatrics. If Izzie’s wig was funny, this was even better. Is there a doctor less qualified to work with kids than Cristina? She’s so robotic and to the point, but desperate times call for desperate measures. She didn’t even want to pretend Arizona’s patient wasn’t hiding under the covers. I also loved her failed attempt to get Mr. Bear to talk; she sounded like a scary version of the Cookie Monster. I think my favorite part of this storyline though was the payoff. I liked that Arizona told her straight-up that she didn’t appreciate being used. Arizona’s always so sunny and cheerful (the perfect recipe for a good pediatric doctor), so it was great to see her be a little assertive. I hope we get to see more of that side of AZ as the season goes along. She might actually start to grow on me.
*The paranoid schizophrenic case. I found everything about this very interesting. “Grey’s” doesn’t do a whole lot of stuff with mental ailments, so this was a nice change of pace for the show. I thought it was interesting to watch him process what was going on around him at all times. Although, I found the scene when he was talking to Lexie a little bizarre. It was if a switch had been flipped; he seemed to be OK; he was even cracking jokes. I thought to myself, “Where did this come from?” I also enjoyed watching Bailey (totally underused last night in my opinion) convince him that she wasn’t an alien and that his mom needed surgery.
*Caring husband-Alex. Who would have thought Alex could have such a caring, sensitive side? He was great last night making sure Izzie was staying medicated and fed. Has any character developed more on this show since it started than Alex Karev? I think what I like the most about his development is that even though he’s matured and mellowed, he hadn’t lost his edge and will still be honest and say what’s on his mind. I thought his, “I can’t be your nurse” line was something old-Alex would have said, but I didn’t mind it as much because he said out of love rather than meanness.
Here is what I didn’t like about last night’s show (there wasn’t much)….
*I know I say this every time they pop up in an episode, but the gross-out scenes. I yelped when their one patient’s cheek had been scraped so bad you could see teeth. Eww!! And don’t get me started on Lexie landing in a puddle of spilled blood. Repeat, she landed in a puddle of spilled blood. I don’t know what to say except it made the baby’s severed arm look tame.
*The way the Chief handled things. I’ve never been in charge of a staff, so I can only imagine how tough making cuts must have been. But the least he could have done is saw the fired people out of the building and wished them the best instead of Derek having to do it. I mean an HR mass email letting people know they’d been canned? That’s weak, and a little gutless. Hopefully, he’ll handle the next round with a little more class.
OK, a few more random thoughts and I’m finished…
*I forgot to mention in last week’s recap that I also liked that after the Chief got into his car accident the doctor overseeing his treatment was Callie. Irony is a funny thing sometimes.
*I am enjoying watching Derek branch out from the Mer-Der cloud and getting some storylines of his own. His showdowns with the Chief last night were really good.
*I enjoyed the baseball scene at the end. It was a great way to ease the tension, although I had to laugh at the attendings saying how the younger docs needed to relax. It’s easy to think that way, when your job is most likely safe.
*I am glad Callie and Arizona defined their relationship last night, but I thought Callie and Arizona were already girlfriends, is that just me?
*Line of the Night: “My patient really wants chocolate pudding, and this is the last one.”
*Honorable mentions for “Line of the Week”
-“Izzie’s safe because of cancer.”
-“No one wants a dead kid.”
-“I think you missed a spot.”
-“Aliens impregnated my mother.”
-“You’re becoming a crazy person I don’t recognize.”
-“That’s how I know my job is safe, Dr. Yang. Because I reattach babies’ arms.”
That’s a wrap. I hope you all enjoyed the show. Have a great Friday and a wonderful weekend.
Joe Dyton is a marketing copywriter in Washington, DC. He is a former assistant editor for The Dealmakers real estate magazine in Hamilton, NJ and a former sports writer and copy editor for The Trentonian in Trenton, NJ. He can be reached at thedytonian@yahoo.com. Follow Joe on Twitter at http://twitter.com/dyton99.
