“Grey’s Anatomy” recap: “Push”

By Joe Dyton

Last week, I applauded “Grey’s” for getting back to its roots and focusing a little bit more on the medical side of things. Sadly, it only took a week for the show to revert and focus more on the doctor’s personal lives. I didn’t think last night’s show was bad (it rarely is), but I realized I like this show so much more when it goes the way of a medical drama as opposed to a nighttime soap. I’ve got the new “Melrose Place” and “90210” amongst others if I need that fix.

The sad thing about last night’s show was that the key medical case (trying to remove a near-inoperable tumor) was fascinating, but the writers made it more about Richard and Owen’s competition than the medicine of it all. They were so darn competitive about it, I almost forgot what their medical reasons were for how they’d operate. I did enjoy the competition somewhat, it allowed from good comedic moments, especially watching Cristina go from spy to double-agent. And I liked Meredith reminding Owen that she and Cristina are a team and he better not hurt her. So there was some good stuff there, I just would have preferred if creatively it was handled differently.

I also felt Teddy’s surgery was marred by personal stuff as well. Any medical show that deals with a man getting implants in his chest makes for interesting TV. I thought the writers did a decent job of showing how the patient was dealing with the thought of having implants, but again the focus seemed more to be on Teddy and Mark’s mating dance. Again, that was all well-executed, I just would have preferred the emphasis had been more on their patient. I did get a kick out of the role reversal; Mark wanting a serious date while Teddy was just looking for a “candy bar” experience. And it was very interesting to see Owen was a little jealous, which Meredith correctly called him out on. These two could be an interesting pair, but I have my own thoughts on Mark’s romantic destiny (more on that later).

The third medical case of the evening actually showed why the writers so often wedge the docs’ personal lives into their surgeries. Arizona’s case with the kid with the ruptured cyst, was a very cut-and-dry, focus on the family storyline. From a medical standpoint, it was very interesting and touching that she was able to save him, but it doesn’t always make for the best TV. That’s why this show is at its best when medicine and personal are balanced; too much of one or the other can make for a rough episode.

With that said, I did like Bailey’s storyline, which was completely on the personal side. It was comical to see how frazzled she got after Callie told her that the third date was “the big one.” For five years, we’ve seen Bailey be so self-assured and confident; it was interesting to see her a little off of her game for once. And one of the top moments of the episode was her “surgical area” rant to Callie. There were too many good lines in it to write down, but she delivered it brilliantly.

My second favorite part of Bailey’s story was her actual date with Ben. He’s right, most people are afraid of her, so she can get away with lecturing him or her with out being interrupted. I loved how he politely told her he wouldn’t be lectured, but that they’d have a conversation. I was even more impressed that she was willing to be OK with that. I also thought their conversation was nice. And although it’s a little strange for me to see Bailey getting hot and heavy, I think it’s great she’s getting in on all the fun the other doctors have had for the past five seasons.

OK, on to the random thoughts and I’m finished….

*I wish we could have had one more week of the old Sloan. I thought having him go from getting together with drug reps and nurses in on-call rooms to looking for serious dates and wanting marriage and kids was a little quick. I know deep down he wanted that all along, but I feel after his break-up with Lexie, he probably would have done the single thing a little longer.

*Kudos to Chandra Wilson for a great job of directing last night’s episode and playing a marvelous Bailey as usual. Game ball definitely goes to her.

*If I were a fortune teller, my crystal ball would be a little cloudy right now. But I can see something, it’s cloudy, but I think I see a man, handsome, a doctor, specializes in plastics. I also see a woman, gorgeous, also a doctor who cracks bones for a living. She has a partner who doesn’t want kids. Now I see this man and this woman who have history and great chemistry realizing they want the same things and…darn my crystal ball has clouded up again.

*Honorable mentions for “Line of the Night.”

-“I’m with Webber.”

-“Mark is like candy, you eat and forget about it.”

-“Who treats people like that, like an object, like a piece of —“

“All the years I’ve seen you, I don’t think I’ve ever seen you eat.”

-Anything in Bailey’s “surgical area” rant qualifies as well.

*I was a little surprised by Lexie’s reaction after she found out Mark asked Teddy to lunch. She obviously was doing her best to move on given her exploits with Alex. Did she really think Mark wouldn’t try to do the same at some point? I would have had a little more sympathy for her if he left her and she saw him moving on. But since she left him and she moved on first, I really couldn’t feel too sorry for her.

*How long before Richard takes over as Chief of Surgery again? I’m happy that Derek is getting some storylines outside of her and Derek, but I like the old chain of command better. I always thought Derek would get the post at the end of the series when Richard retired.

So overall, I thought last night’s episode was alright. I felt it was more of a table-setting episode for more exciting things to come. It would have been a perfect episode to have on in the background while you were doing other things due to the lack of eventful happenings. In two weeks though, it looks like we’re going to get some interesting insight into Owen’s past. Stay tuned.

I hope you all enjoyed the episode. 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.

“Lost” thoughts: “Dr. Linus”

By Joe Dyton

Overall, I really enjoyed Tuesday night’s episode. I was excited when I saw it was going to be Ben-centric. I love the Ben character and Michael Emerson is such a talented actor. What I liked most about the show was much like last week’s Sayid-focused episode, we see in Ben’s flash-sideways that his destiny is more or less the same. He’s always going to be looking for a way to gain control whether it’s of a mysterious island or a high school. I thought his lecture on Napoleon in the beginning of the episode about how he still had his title but no power was a brilliant parallel to Ben’s recent turn of events on the island.

A few other highlights/questions…

*I found it interesting that Alex was still a part of Ben’s life in his flash-sideways. Does that mean Danielle is still alive and kicking? Alex mentioned her mom worked two jobs to pay the rent, I’m assuming that’s Danielle. I also liked that Ben choose to help Alex rather than gain power, unlike the decision he made on the island that led to her death.

*To me, one of the most interesting developments from last night came from the flash-sideways scene with Ben and his Dad. Up until now, none of the characters have had any knowledge and/or experience of the island in their flash-sideways. Or at least they hadn’t mentioned it (even Ethan in Kate’s episode). So, I was shocked when Ben’s dad mentioned the Dharma Initiative and wondered what their life would have been like if they’d never left. I wonder how/when/why they left the island.

*We’re getting very few answers each week, but at least we know what some of the 815 are candidates for. I can’t imagine any of them wanting to replace Jacob though; I’m sure they’d sooner just all get off of the island. It would make the most sense for Ben to do be Jacob’s successor, but I can’t imagine he’s in the running since he killed Jacob and all.

*I loved that Locke gave Ben guidance about leadership in the island timeline, but even more so in his flash-sideways. I also found it comical that the teacher, Arzt, returned in the same episode as Ben’s partner-in-crime in the flash-sideways scenes that Hurley mentioned he blew himself up with dynamite. I also enjoyed when Arzt told Ben he was a “real killer.”

*Speaking of the dynamite, I knew it wouldn’t explode (there’s no way the writers are killing of Jack yet), but it was still pretty intense.

*I also enjoy anytime the two-most unpopular characters in the show’s history, Nikki and Paulo, are mentioned. I can’t believe Miles dug up their graves for the diamonds. Or, maybe I can.

*I was a little surprised the Ilana let Ben live, even if his explanation for killing Jacob was pretty heartfelt. It kind of made the whole Ben digging his own grave thing a waste of time, despite how ironic it was.

*I thought the ending was great; Charles Widmore returning to the island via submarine. I was concerned that the writers had forgotten about him.

Overall, I thought this was the best episode since the season premiere, “LA X”. I decided rather than get frustrated by the lack of answers we get each week, I’m just going to sit back and enjoy the ride. The answers will come when they come. My only criticism with last night has less to do with the episode and more to do with this season’s set-up. With the different camps and everyone scattered; it’s very easy to forget what’s going on with certain characters. I feel like I haven’t seen Sawyer in about three weeks. I had to rack my brain to remember he was last seen in the woods with “Locke”. Hopefully last night’s reunion scene is the start of the cast coming together.

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.