Grey’s Anatomy Review: Disarm

After a brief hiatus, Grey’s Anatomy returns with a jolt.  Up until this point, season 7 has largely dealt with the aftermath of the hospital shooting that claimed the lives of several people.  The shooting has deeply affected even the most hardened doctors, and it has taken a lot of time and support from one another for Seattle Grace to return to normalcy.  In the lastest episode, the ongoing healing process was painfully disrupted when the hospital is tasked with caring for patients who were victims of a mass shooting at a nearby university. 

There were few positives that resulted from the shooting at Seattle Grace, but one of them was the implementation of a Trauma Unit by Dr. Hunt.  He used his military acumen to train the others in handling a trauma, because they were woefully unprepared when the tragedy happened last season.  Now they must rely on that training to save lives as patients pour in, reminding them of their own recent brush with death.  Chief Webber (sporting an unflattering new bald head) prepares them for what they will face, and for the most part they do an admirable job of streamlining patient care.  Up until this point, Cristina has meandered through the healing process with mixed results. Now it appears that she has finally made a breakthrough, because she’s ready to do more than just listen to a heartbeat with a stethoscope.  She cracks a guy’s chest open in the ambulance, and it looks like we will finally get our Cristina back.  Was there ever any doubt? 

As chaos brews around them, everyone tries to prioritize the patients.  Derek has a tough surgery to perform on a police officer, and Meredith is assisting him.  She also remains in communication with the patient’s wife, who is in the waiting room.  Derek becomes annoyed when it appears that Meredith would rather be with the spouse than in the surgery.  She explains that a very short while ago, she was the wife in the waiting room after her husband was shot, and so she empathizes greatly with the patient’s wife.  Derek is oblivious to this, but Meredith probably should cut him a little slack.  Eventually Derek is able to save the patient, and when he shares the news with the patient’s wife, she gives him a huge embrace.  Now he understands Meredith’s point. A reassuring word from a doctor on one of the worst day of your life means everything.

In one of the more powerful scenes of the episode, the surgeons learn that the patient they are operating on is actually the shooter.  Avery feels conflicted, and thinks they are wasting resources on him when they can be saving other patients.  They have run out of operating rooms, and the shooter is occupying a room (for several hours) that could be used by another patient.  Teddy explains that she had to perform surgery on unsavory patients all the time in Iraq, but she did her job.  Avery morally objects and walks out, and he isn’t the only one.  After Teddy asks if anyone else wants to leave, she resumes the procedure.  I know that Avery was devastated after the shooting at Seattle Grace, but his job is to save lives. All lives. Any life.  He took an oath and doesn’t get to pick and choose who he saves.  Just my two cents.  But more importantly, guess who decides to stick around? Cristina! Yaaay, she really IS back!

Teddy’s O.R. isn’t the only one in turmoil.  The annoying little flea that is Doctor Stark is in full Power Trip Mode.  He and Alex have a 15 year old girl on their table, who is in danger of losing her leg.  They can save it with minimal interference with the other procedures she needs.  Stark doesn’t want to take the time and would rather amputate the leg.  Alex protests but Stark outranks him and insists on removing the leg.  Alex pleads with Arizona (where did she come from?) to intervene, but remember that she quit.  She doesn’t have privileges at Seattle Grace anymore, and Stark is about to take the leg.  She instructs Alex to play defense on him, and he physically blocks him from taking the leg and refuses to prep it for amputation.  Stark is livid.  Arizona asks the Chief for permission to operate, and he grants her privileges.  Because the leg is involved, it’s an orthopedic issue.  Because a child is involved, it’s a pediatric issue.  You know what that means: it’s time for Calzona!  Callie works on the leg and Arizona does her thing, but Callie lets her know that they are only communicating for the patient’s sake – she doesn’t want to talk to her beyond that.  I’m loving this new Independent Callie and I hope she keeps it up.  Arizona needs to know that she can’t just crook her finger and bring Callie running.

I loved this episode and the way it advanced the relevant storylines.  Maybe everyone’s successful handling of this mass shooting can help them overcome the lingering effects of their own tragedy.  It appears that Callie and Arizona are officially over and also that Meredith and Derek are going to resume trying to start their family.  Most importantly, Cristina has turned the proverbial corner. Great episode!

Season 7, Episode 11: Disarm (originally aired January 6, 2011)

 

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Thursdays 9/8c on ABC 

All photos courtesy of ABC