Grey’s Anatomy: State of Love and Trust

The latest episode of Grey’s Anatomy finds everyone far from their comfort zone.  While I love the ongoing storylines between characters, some of the most powerful scenes happen between Seattle Grace’s doctors and their patients.

Some doctors like Shepherd and Karev are generally cool under pressure.  Others are prone to panic, like Cristina.  You can add Bailey to the group who usually has everything under control, but even the grizzled vet can be rattled under the right circumstances.  While she is performing a routine surgery with Meredith’s assistance, the patient’s heart rate begins to dangerously accelerate.  The procedure was going well and the surgeons can’t figure out what’s wrong until Meredith notices that the patient regained consciousness.  Other than dying on the table, this has got to be the worst thing that could happen during surgery.  Eventually they close the patient up and hope she doesn’t remember what happened.  No such luck.  Not only does she recall every traumatic detail, she doesn’t want Bailey to touch her.  She remembers Bailey panicking and was terrified by her uncertainty.  Normally Bailey has a steady hand and a sure rapport with patients, but for once her presence is of no comfort.  She seems wounded by the realization that she can’t fix the situation, but is resigned to the patient’s wishes.  The woman requests that Meredith perform the follow-up procedure and flinches if Bailey so much as touches her.  Meredith is less experienced than Bailey but is capable of handling the surgery, which is ultimately successful.

Bailey isn’t the only one in unfamiliar territory.  Derek has been named interim Chief and is feeling his way while the Chief mulls his legacy at Seattle Grace.  He can either leave the hospital and the practice of medicine all-together by retiring or he can enter rehab and return to his job after his recovery.  While the hospital staff watches, Webber and Shepherd heatedly argue about his future and Derek’s loyalty.  Derek admits he wanted the Chief’s job but encourages him to take responsibility for the role his drinking has played in the whole situation.  While some struggle with new workplace dynamics, Alex shines in his pediatric rotation with Arizona.  He needs to work on his parental interaction, but overall he’s a rockstar.

Finally, we turn to Cristina and Little Grey, who are both madly in love with complicated characters.  I’d been slamming Mark for his hypocrisy about Lexie sleeping with Alex, but I understand now that he feels like Lexie abandoned him for doing the right thing by his child, which was a huge step for him.  Meanwhile Owen has been sexing Cristina into submission and completely avoiding Teddy.  He goes a step further by intentionally delaying her from responding to Teddy’s page while they are being intimate.  When she finally responds to the page it is too late; the complicated procedure has already been performed and she has missed a learning opportunity.  Realizing that she let Owen interfere with her professional advancement, Cristina shuts down.  Frustrated, he demands that she open up and questions her about Burke.  She tells Owen she loves him more than she loved Burke but that he took pieces of her that she couldn’t get back for a long time.  When she skipped Teddy’s surgery because of Owen it was like he was doing the same thing, and she will not surrender certain parts of herself again.

This was another great episode that advanced critical storylines in a positive direction.  I was also floored by the acting in the final scene with Owen and Cristina.  Sandra Oh was amazing in this episode.  Her performance conveyed vulnerability and sincerity.  Her character was supposed to cry, but instead of just breaking down she allowed the emotion to gain intensity slowly and naturally.  The tears gathered slowly and welled in her eyes for several moments before streaming down her face.  It was amazing, and this season is as promising as any before.

For more on this episode, check out Hail to the New Chief by Allison Toner.

Season 6, Episodes 13: State of Love and Trust (originally aired February 4, 2010)

For more Grey’s Anatomy, click here.

Thursdays 9/8c on ABC

Photographs courtesy of ABC and Adam Larkey.