Grey’s Anatomy: A Lackluster Return

Usually Grey’s Anatomy focuses on patients and their procedures, however, this episode concentrated on the doctors and their relationships. More specifically, we meet Cristina’s new cardio goddess, witness Izzie’s return and the Chief struggling to balance his responsibilities.

It was Meredith’s first day back at work. Basically, all of her surgeries were stolen by Mercy Westers and she tries to mediate some sort of discussion between Alex and Izzie.

The love triangle of Cristina-Jackson-Owen has been upgraded to a love square with the addition of Dr. Teddy Altman as the new cardio attending. Jackson is still pursuing Cristina while we learn Teddy, who served with Owen in Iraq, has feelings for him. Owen helped Teddy get the job at the hospital as a present for Cristina. At first, Cristina is less than happy about her “present.” She grills Teddy about her experience, complains to the Chief and refers to her as “desert storm Barbie that hasn’t seen the inside of the O.R. in ten years.” However, Teddy wins Cristina over when she allows her to perform an unique surgery on a young boy.

Izzie does not return alone…she brings her high school science teacher, Dr. Singer, who is the reason she became a doctor, to be examined by Derek. We also learn that Izzie has been staying with her mother and still receiving her IL2 treatments.

Charlie runs tests on Dr. Singer and is a complete jerk to Izzie. (Did I mention I can’t stand Charlie!) After a spinal tap, they learn that Dr. Singer has a disease that creates a build up of cerebral fluid that affects his lucidity and mimics Alzheimer’s and Dementia. Derek explains that the solution is a simple procedure. He would do it pro bono, with the Chief’s approval, because Dr. Singer cannot afford it. Izzie argues with the Chief for the pro bono surgery and reminds him of the $8 million dollars she donated to create the clinic. He approves the surgery.

During the surgery, Alex and Izzie, who had been avoiding each other, finally have it out. She says that her job was the only thing she had left and is furious that Alex got her fired. Whereas, Alex states that he is her husband and she just ran away without talking to him. They decide they can’t forgive each other. The last time we see her, she is sitting with Dr. Singer, after the successful surgery, saying she is not sure what she is going to do.

The Chief’s wife, Adele, shows up at the hospital looking for him and says that he has not slept at home all week. Bailey tracks him down and finds him asleep. Bailey wakes up the Chief and says, “You’re in trouble. Drink your latte.” Adele accuses Bailey of having an affair with him because the last time he didn’t come home like this, he was having an affair with Meredith’s mom. This is of course untrue but it is amusing when Callie tries to help defend Bailey by calling the Chief her “work husband.”

Bailey then learns that there is a problem with the Chief’s surgery patient, who is turning yellow, because of a serious error in surgery. Bailey covers for him and repairs the problem. The Chief confides in Bailey that he is not having an affair and does the right thing by asking her to take over his surgeries. Since the merger, the Chief has been struggling in all aspects of his life: personal and professional. He seems lost. Bailey tells Callie that she “has lost her work husband and her husband husband.” Callie offers herself and then Derek to be Bailey’s new “work husband.” Bailey’s funny response is “are you kidding? With all that hair? I can’t be looking at that all day.” The episode ends with the Chief, at the bar drinking what we first think is club soda but then learn is alcohol, while having flashbacks of his life post-merger. I have not been happy with how the Chief has handled the merger but I did feel badly for him because he is so stressed out.

I had high hopes for this episode and thought there would be fireworks with the return of Izzie, but it really didn’t do much for me. The whole episode was sort of blah except for Bailey’s witty lines. I expected so much more because of the previews that I saw all week that built up Izzie’s return but it just seemed so flat. Also, don’t expect to see Izzie again anytime soon, Katherine Heigl is now on maternity leave. Hoping for a much better episode next week!

Season 6, Episodes 9: New History (Originally aired November 12, 2009)

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Thursdays 9/8c on ABC

Photographs courtesy of ABC, Randy Holmes