Grey's Anatomy 10.09 Review: Those Feelings of Guilt

For all those that have yet to watch tonight’s episode of Grey’s Anatomy, entitled ‘Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word’, here’s where I suggest you do that before proceeding ahead. This is not a spoiler free blog. THIS REVIEW MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS! You’ve been warned.

This week’s episode of Grey’s Anatomy was a really strong episode. The change of scenery was the perfect tone, and the way it weaved the flashback scenes into it, while occasionally confusing, were mostly well done. While Meredith is still my favourite character, I really enjoyed seeing the drama that is Callie’s life at the moment; definitely makes for more interesting television.

While it did seem to fit with why Arizona chose the moment she did to cheat on Callie, the whole baby thing was a little thrown in there. I get that this is an ensemble show, and we don’t always see everything that goes on behind closed doors between these characters, but you’d think a jaw dropper like Arizona wanting another baby and wanting to carry it would have warranted screen time.  Nonetheless, it would be interesting if these two get passed their marital woes and decide to try again for another baby. I really did enjoy the way they wove this sequence of scenes into the disaster of the medical malpractice suit. A nice flare of happy to go with the distraught and disheartening.

There were a number of other good points I loved about this episode. The fact that this entire staff is behind Callie as she goes through this trial was wonderful. I loved how Hunt showed up and helped Callie through the sea of reporters getting too much in her face. I also really enjoyed the fact that Webber had to be there for her, and his remark about almost not being there because Kepner was a terrible driver. Also how well Callie and Arizona seemed to be interacting with each other throughout the episode. And I absolutely loved Meredith’s speech to Callie after she found the letter hidden behind the bookshelf. She really is one to have moments of great wisdom. And of course Callie’s dad showing up and setting her on the path to trying to work to resolve her marriage with Arizona.

Overall, I greatly enjoyed this episode. Sure this series can’t always have great periods of drama wrapped well with its writing like this episode, but I would like to see more of this on a consistent basis. Also, it was really nice not to have to be wrapped up in every single characters life in an episode, and being able to focus on Callie and her interactions with others. This is more of what I want for this show, and if it succeeds I may stick around for an eleventh season. Oh, who am I kidding? I probably will anyway.

My rating: 7.5 out of 10.

Best Lines:

“Turns out she punches pretty hard for such a little person.” – Hunt explains to Callie how he had to fight Bailey to be the first on the scene of the trial.

“Oh, I will miss you most of all.” – Arizona tells her glass of wine in a flashback, after deciding to be the one that carries the baby.

“The fact is, you did nothing wrong.” – Meredith sheds words of wisdom on Callie, explaining a difference between emotions and negligence.

“But how will you know if you never try?” – Callie’s father says to her, concerning Arizona and their marriage.

All right, now, just one more show left to go. Stay tuned for my review of The Crazy Ones.

Grey's Anatomy 10.05 Review: Back to the Beginning

Anyone that has yet to watch last night’s episode of Grey’s Anatomy, titled ‘I Bet It Stung’, then I suggest you either do so now or exit the screen. This is not a spoiler free blog. THIS REVIEW MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS! You’ve been warned.

Decent episode this week, much better than the two hundredth episode of last week, which was lackluster for such a monumental occasion. There was some good progression with a lot of the characters, most notably Meredith, and her friendship with Cristina, as well as Richard, Edwards with Jackson’s mom, and Callie. It was great to see that argument between Meredith and Derek at the end, especially since she had valid reasons. It was also really great to see Callie’s development toward being a happier person with her own life. No, it’s not possible to go backwards in time, but you can try to be the person you were at a happier time in your life.

There were some nice, easy, funny moments to this episode. The first was most the randomly peculiar moment at the beginning of the episode when Meredith kisses Callie goodbye much the same she does with Derek. The other comedic moment was the cliché meeting between Edwards and Jackson’s mom. I knew it was coming, but it was still a light moment to the episode that spiraled into drama. The third one was the whole thing where Arizona couldn’t remember what had happened the night of the gala with Murphy. The whole bit where she gave Arizona coffee but April got nothing was great.

It was nice to see the growth of Meredith’s character come to a head. The constant battle for women to decide what do they give themselves more to: work or kids. I definitely think she made the right decisions, that her kids come first, much better than a lot of the mother’s on this series. Which is why it was such a valid argument between her and Derek at the end. He’d chosen his surgery, something that wasn’t a once in a lifetime experience like Meredith’s, and had the nerve to say it wasn’t his fault that she’d had to give up her’s. I most assuredly look forward to seeing how that comes across next week.

So, there are still a lot of interesting things going on in Grey’s Anatomy, but a lot of it is becoming tired. No, the writing is no where near as bad as The Vampire Diaries, or even this year’s American Horror Story: Coven, but it’s not at all close to how ripe with intrigue and drama from years past. I did think it was a very My Sister’s Keeper moment when we learned the other sister was a donor baby, but I suppose we haven’t seen that on this series yet. I do wish this series had ended a few years ago, though. Still, I think as long as Meredith’s in it a lot and McDreamy’s still there, I’ll stick around.

My rating: 7 out of 10.

Best Lines:

“I named my son after you, you can’t be mad at me.” – Meredith tells Bailey.

“Besides, she’s not going to be alone. She’s going to be with me, who she loves more than her own parents.” – Karev says to Meredith, referring to Zola.

Okay, I’m off to watch The Crazy Ones now. Stay tuned.

Grey's Anatomy 10.04 Review: Ain't No Party Like a Hospital's Party

For any of you that have yet to watch Thursday’s episode of Grey’s Anatomy, titled ‘Puttin’ On the Ritz’, than now would be a good time to exit this screen. This is not a spoiler free blog. THIS REVIEW MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS! You’ve been warned.

So, this week the Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital threw a party in order to get donations for the hospital in light of the massive storm they’d just gone through. There were definitely a nice amount of throwbacks to the last party the hospital threw, but I do have to say that episode was much better.

I know the series ER went on for a very long time, but I desperately don’t want this series to go that way. When that’s done, there are always actors and actresses circling in and out, and so the characters can’t realistically stay in this one place, thus the writing benefits the actors and not the characters. I mean there’s a reason Karev called it Seattle Grace Mercy Death (when it still had the better hospital name), and incredible amount of characters have died throughout the years, too many characters. It’s disappointing to think it will keep doing that.

There were definitely some nice moments, but there wasn’t an incredible amount of progression in this episode. It was nice to see how Callie has been brought into the friendship group with Meredith and Christina. The last time there was a party thrown at the hospital, Callie was snide and didn’t much care for Meredith, though she did claim the black panties on the bulletin board as her’s.

Christina was a bit of a shining beacon in this episode. She was all so very happy and upbeat in trying to get people to give up their money to the hospital. It’s so unusual from the Christina of years ago, but it’s nice to see her happy. Although, I really do think they’re just dragging their tale around with this whole Christina and Owen story; when they said they were done, they really should have stayed done, this is just dishonest storytelling. When your audience is trusting you with a story, they need to be able to depend that you’ll give everything you can into the writing, and not to do all the back and forth development for characters.

My last note is about Bailey being smart about putting the dying man in with Richard, one man that’s going to die but doesn’t want to and the other man that wants to die but shouldn’t have to. Sure, I saw this bit coming as soon as we learn how much the man wanted to fight the cancer, despite his late age, but it was still a decently done thing.

Overall, this episode is more of the same that I’ve come to expect of the later years of Grey’s Anatomy, but it still has its quaint moments. It’ll be interesting to see how it’ll go with Alex’s dad, but I don’t know if I’ll be able to see the actor as anyone other than Dexter and Deb’s dad over on Dexter. This really does need to be the last year though; this series doesn’t have much in the way of great stories left for it.

My rating: 6.5 out of 10.

Best Lines:

“Bailey’s going to lose her mind, she hates clowns. It’s going to be hilarious.” – Callie remarking on the theme of the party.

“I know you know how to do that.” – Christina says to Meredith, referring to how she met Derek.

“And snacks!” – a drunk April shouts after Leah.

All right, stick around and wait for my weekly update of Best Performances of the Week shortly. Then it’s reviews of Haven followed by Once Upon A Time and Revenge. Sorry for the lateness of this!

Grey's Anatomy 10.03 Review: Picking Up the Pieces and Moving Forward

This is a warning, if you haven’t watched tonight’s episode of Grey’s Anatomy, titled ‘Everybody’s Crying Mercy’, and hope to watch it without being spoiled of its contents, then now would be a good time to walk away from this blog. THIS REVIEW MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS! You’ve been warned.

Everybody’s Crying Mercy was not the strongest episode this series has seen. For a lot of the parts, it felt more or less the same as an average Grey’s episode. Not the same as all episodes, but there was quintessential patient that somehow represents the life of one of the doctors, and helps them determine what they should do about their problems (read Callie). The jingle that’s all too common with this series used as filler music. And then there’s the character (see Webber) that’s sorely disappointed in another one of the characters (read Meredith) and reams them out in a heart-wrenching speech. Basically it’s just an average, all too stereotypical, episode of Grey’s Anatomy.

However, there were a few things that I did like, that stood out to me in this episode. I really liked Yang and Karev’s interactions. The beginning of the episode where she jumps into his bed and makes fun of him for not having sealed the deal with his girlfriend (is she his girlfriend?) of a week. And then her nice little Christina pick-me-up speech in the OR about the girl being special, not the moment, was on key. I’m really going to miss this character next year, if they don’t end the series like I’ve wanted for a good year or so now.

I also really liked being able to see the reality of parental leave, and having to raise a newborn just after birth. It was nice to see these two beautiful characters/people (Meredith and Derek) looking all haggard and zoned out from lack of sleep. Although, they still looked quite attractive for people with baby vomit in their hair (see Meredith).

Although I’m still not on board with Murphy and Edwards as the showrunners try and push those interns on us, I was pleasantly surprised this week by Shane. He’s a much more interesting character when he’s not all happy-go-lucky and people pleasing, and is instead a guilt-ridden, almost passionate, go-getter. If they sprinkle him in this way, I might be able to get on board with him. Though that still only makes two of the four interns worth watching at all, and the other is possibly only because I like her scenes with Alex.

The few songs that were added into the episode this week, I also liked. While this show does seem to be trying to go “hipper” music wise, rather than being truly original in its soundtrack like the good old days, at least the musical choices actually seemed to fit the scenes. I particularly liked the opening song, and another from one of the scenes I can’t quite recall at the moment.

The way they ended the episode this week was disappointing. I’d thought that in the way they’d written it last week, that Webber had seen Meredith as almost a surrogate daughter, because she kind of had become that to him. But this week they just turned it around to make it look like he thought she’d make the calculated, logical choice, devoid of emotions. After the hormones of being pregnant? When she cared about him? If he wanted it done logically, he should’ve just chosen Yang. It almost feels like back and forth writing, because I swear earlier on in the series he did kind of see her as a daughter type. But maybe I’m remembering that wrong.

Overall, this series is really feeling like it’s on its last legs. The drama’s becoming far too soap opera-y, and the characters are just running around in circles. Rhimes just seems to be trying to come up with tragedies for them all to go through, because otherwise people would stop watching. And the damn circles are so easy to see, they’ve got a gala event next episode that they all dress up for, and it just reminds me of when Denny died. Don’t get me wrong, I’m happy to see them out of their hospital garb for once, but it’s all too much the same.

My rating: 6.5 out of 10.

Best Lines:

“When we’re done here, will you braid my hair?” – Yang making fun of the fact Karev wants his and Jo’s first time to be special.

“Yes!” – Jo, the way she screams it as Karev carries her up the stairs is just perfect.

“I chose the wrong person.” – Webber tells Meredith. She just looks so taken aback by it, and the disappointed angry way he says it…

Okay, I’m going to go watch The Vampire Diaries soon, then The Originals. Stay tuned for reviews of both of those.