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Grey's Anatomy Rundown: Episode Seven, "Rise Up"

BuzzSugar — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 09:30:09 -0800

On this week's Grey's Anatomy, lots of (mostly metaphorical) ghosts start floating around Seattle Grace. There's the ghost of Izzie's relationship with Denny, possibly preparing to start haunting all of Seattle Grace as well. There's the ghost of Denny himself, not letting Izzie go. There's the ghost of Meredith's mother, still present in those journals. And that's just the beginning, so to talk about it, just read more.

When this episode ended, I felt angry. Not because it hadn't been good, but because that's the way they chose to say goodbye to Brooke Smith's Erica Hahn: by giving her the kind of compelling medical story that she should have had all along. Exploring Izzie's role in Denny's death from the perspective of Hahn and the patient who should have had Denny's heart is a great story, and a necessary one. It always seemed odd that Izzie's suspension was the only punishment. Hahn wants more, and she plans to stir up trouble by reporting the deeds to UNOS. That fight with Callie - with Hahn saying this is a matter with clear right and wrong, and Callie arguing that without being in that room with Denny, there's no way to know - is the last we'll see of Hahn, right when her best story was starting. I wonder how they'll explain her departure, because the Hahn we know would never flee from a little fight like that. She'd embrace it.

Without even knowing how Hahn plans to take her down, Izzie feels haunted all episode, because the person who should have had Denny's heart is in Denny's old room and she keeps seeing Denny just . . . sitting there. It nearly means she can't talk her patient through surgery, and it definitely wreaks havoc with her mind (to Meredith: "When your dead mommy teaches you things, do you see her?"). I was actually getting a little tired of Ghost Denny - until the end, when Izzie tells him to leave, he's replaced in her view by Alex, and then Denny pops up elsewhere, just trying to make sure she's really OK.

Meanwhile, the story that really almost made me lose it was Derek and Bailey operating on the woman with the perfect marriage. Despite what they'd talked about before, the man can't let his Rosie go. And then Bailey can't, either, because that would be like killing the conception she still has of true love. Finally, Derek steps in - he who knows all too well that marriage isn't perfect - to let Rosie die the way she'd wished.

In other news:

I love Owen Hunt. I love that we have a character who can say that these interns are immature, rude, too preoccupied with their personal lives, and not prepared to be doctors. I love that Cristina manages to shake up his conceptions of her by revealing the very personal story about her father that led her into medicine. Love!
The Chief and the surgery robot is obvious comic relief, but man, did I love that it's George O'Malley who gets the worst of it.
Speaking of comic relief, Mark hitting on Cristina Yang? Is there a worse potential pairing in the history of Grey's? So many great lines, including Cristina's shocked giggles and everything related to "single-malt Scotch."
The weird underground surgical intern IV practice circle makes me uncomfortable, but so did Lexie stealing the cadavers. It's a good excuse for some speechifying from Bailey, in any case.

Are you on Hahn's side or Callie's? Are you still moved by the appearance of Denny? And can you think of a worse pairing than Mark and Cristina? Discuss!

TV Tonight: Grey's Anatomy

BuzzSugar — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 06:30:22 -0800

Tonight would probably have been just another episode of Grey's Anatomy, except for one thing: It's going to be Brooke Smith's last. The actress revealed earlier this week that she's been let go from the show after being told the writers could no longer write for her character, who'd been pursuing a relationship - the show's first lesbian relationship - with Callie Torres (Sara Ramirez).

Something tells me we still haven't heard the last of this story, which now includes a statement from series creator Shonda Rhimes that states in part:

Brooke Smith was obviously not fired for playing a lesbian. Clearly it's not an issue as we have a lesbian character on the show - Calliope Torres. Sara Ramirez is an incredible comedic and dramatic actress and we wanted to be able to play up her magic. Unfortunately, we did not find that the magic and chemistry with Brooke's character would sustain in the long run.

The ABC party line doesn't appear to be enough for Patrick Dempsey, who seemed a little skeptical of the logic on Ellen. For a show that already played with fire over the Isaiah Washington situation, this just feels like an odd move.

At least it appears Smith is getting a good storyline in her final episode, as she treats the patient who should have had the heart Izzie snatched for Denny at the end of the second season. Meanwhile, the residents compete for a chance at the first solo surgery of their class, and there's lots of tension (sexual and otherwise) between Cristina and Hunt. To watch some preview clips from the episode, just read more.

Say What? Dr. Hahn Takes Leave From Grey's Anatomy

BuzzSugar — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 16:32:36 -0800

Yeah, I know, we were just talking about Grey's Anatomy. But hold on tight, cause this story is crazy.

You know Erica Hahn? Hahn, Callie's confidant and lover, who came in to whip the cardiac surgery department into shape after Preston Burke's departure? Well . . . she's off the show, effective this week.

Brooke Smith told Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello that her character doesn't really get much closure - "My final scene is just me heading to my car." She said Shonda Rhimes seemed upset about the decision, almost like "some decision came down from above." She'd only gotten compliments for the work she was doing, she said.

I'll admit the Hahn/Callie storyline wasn't my favorite, but I think Smith is great and had rooted for her to join the show. This all seems rather fishy to me, somehow, though it certainly sheds new light on Grey's adding both a new bisexual character and a new heart surgeon, no?

Update: Melissa George's character, Sadie, might not be bisexual now, either.

Grey's Anatomy Rundown: Episode 7, "Physical Attraction ... Chemical Reaction"

BuzzSugar — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 09:33:54 -0800

This week, it really felt like everything was in transition on Grey's Anatomy. After weeks of keeping their affair a secret, George and Izzie finally had the chance to be together. Callie and Bailey reached a breaking point in their co-chief-resident arrangement. Mark developed a new crush. Cristina took steps to erase all traces of Burke from her life. And Derek and Meredith ... well, OK, they're pretty much the same. To talk about the episode, just read more

Oh, Grey's Anatomy, with your over-obvious metaphors. Did every single patient have to be an example of some sort of magnetism, whether emotional or (groan) actual? And did Izzie really have to say aloud, "Even they have chemistry?" However, if the whole thing was in the service of pointing out that Izzie and George have no chemistry, I can work with it. Somehow I'm relieved that their experience of sleeping together ended up paralleling many viewers' experiences of watching them sleep together: pretending it might turn out OK while secretly wanting to vomit.

So of course, I had to want to slap someone else in this episode instead. Lexie Grey, please come forward! All of these Seattle Grace interns have done inappropriate things in front of patients, but Lexie takes it to a new level. It seems that every time she's on screen, she's having some ridiculously personal conversation at a ridiculously terrible time. It is interesting, though, that she has such a strong desire for approval; that's one character flaw we rarely see from Meredith.

Bailey, meanwhile, has ascended to her rightful place as chief resident. Initially, I thought she was sabotaging things - telling Cristina to get a new specialty, purposely disobeying protocol - to get Callie in trouble; it wasn't until her conversation with the Chief that I realized she said and did all those things because she thought they were right. I was a bit taken aback at her breakdown after the Chief offered her the job, though; of all the things Miranda Bailey would do at that moment, crying was the last one I expected.

Some other thoughts:

So between the awake surgery last week and the myriad brilliant decisions Hahn made this week, she's pretty much God's gift to medicine, hmm? It's made Mark have a crush on her (how awesome was Hahn's list of rebuttals to his attraction, including how hot she looks with her hands on a heart?) and it's made Cristina even more envious of everyone who's blocking her path to cardio.
While I hated nearly everything about facelift woman and the man who couldn't poop - both together and separately - the "I was just thinking about this crap I took in the Army" line cracked me up.
It was nice to have Meredith's problems take a backseat, wasn't it? She was, for the most part, blissfully un-whiny this week. Plus, she got one of the night's best lines: "I saw my half-sister half-naked."
Bailey was making the schedule for December, so we must have made a big leap in time at some point, considering it was just recently Halloween and the new interns started over the summer.
What are we supposed to take from Thatcher being a drunk (other than the almost certain possibility that Mere will find out)? Is this his reaction to Susan's death, or has he always been an alcoholic, dating back to when he left Ellis? I'm sure we'll soon find out.

Your thoughts? Where did Lexie fall for you on the cute-to-slappable scale? How great was it to see Joe's Bar again? And have you ever seen a worse DeNiro impression than the Chief's?

Grey's Anatomy Rundown: Episode 6, "Kung Fu Fighting"

BuzzSugar — Fri, 02 Nov 2007 09:31:12 -0700

It seems like this is quickly becoming the redemption season for Grey's Anatomy - not just for the show, but for its characters, too. Last week, Meredith acted like a normal person for the first time in forever; in this episode, Izzie was actually allowed to be a competent surgeon. What's next, George getting a backbone? To read my thoughts on this episode, just read more

First, let me take a moment to praise Brooke Smith as Dr. Hahn. Her "Are you two a couple?" to Mark and Derek was one of the funniest things I've heard in a while. And while I thought her glass ceiling speech to the Chief about his "Gentleman's Evening" was a little over the top, it did reveal one very important thing about her character: She doesn't want to be "one of the guys;" she wants to be taken seriously for the powerful woman she is. Team Hahn, all the way.

It didn't hurt that she got a great case in her first episode. Awake open-heart surgery - aside from being amazingly freaky - is a perfect story for Grey's, because we learn so much from the way the doctors interact with patients. Hahn's still holding her grudge against Cristina, but that was fine by me, because it let us see Izzie do something well. Izzie isn't hardcore, but she can relate to people, and she proved it by setting up her patient's operating room and talking him through the surgery. The "describe the people in the gallery" scene went on too long - is that why they extended the episode? - but it was sweet. I like competent Izzie, and I hope she sticks around.

After months of not dealing with anything, Meredith has done a complete 180 into constant introspection. Everything out of her mouth these days seems to be about dying, and I'm almost regretting all those times I called for Meredith to just talk about it already. But not quite. Because just as I like competent Izzie, I also like the version of Meredith who tries to deal with what's going on around her. Treating the patient (hi, Roy from The Office!) who survived a 12,000-foot free fall was good for her; even though she didn't use her own fearless time well, she could at least urge someone else to take advantage of the feeling.

Some other thoughts:

The wedding dress plot was ridiculous, but even it had some good things going for it, like Mark humiliating George on Callie's behalf and Lexie proving herself by talking the one bride-to-be into having surgery. But is Callie really letting go?
Gizzie-sex is delayed, but still seems inevitable. Also, Izzie's tearful breakdown made me uncomfortable, but that might have been because of the strange top she was wearing.
Speaking of sex: Man, do I wish I had taken bets on how long it would take Lexie to sleep with a Seattle Grace doctor. Six episodes ain't bad, but considering that her sister slept with one before she even started working, she's got some catching up to do.
I am so annoyed with Derek. He's upset that it's not his job "anymore" to take care of Meredith? Has he not been dating the same woman we've been watching for three years?
I love the idea of the Chief living in a trailer; remember when he took his suitcase camping?

What did you think? Wishing the other woman had won the dress contest? Disappointed there was no actual kung fu fighting in an episode titled "Kung Fu Fighting"? Sound off below.

Buzz News Roundup, 10/26

BuzzSugar — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 13:43:49 -0700

E! Online reports that Ron Howard is directing an adaptation of Angels & Demons, which will be written for the screen as a sequel to The DaVinci Code.
ABC has asked for more Dirty Sexy Money scripts, writes the Hollywood Reporter.
ComingSoon reports that John Travolta will join Denzel Washington in the remake of The Taking of Pelham 123.
The Los Angeles Times talks to Brooke Smith about joining Grey's Anatomy.
Variety has news that director Michael Mann will team up with Robert DeNiro for the movie Frankie Machine.
Billboard has details on a gigantic Pink Floyd box set coming out in December.
More young people are watching The Price is Right now that Drew Carey is hosting, Variety reports.

Grey's Anatomy Rundown: Episode 5, "Haunt You Everyday"

BuzzSugar — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 09:35:16 -0700

I normally hate holiday episodes of shows, and the promos for this week's Halloween-themed Grey's Anatomy had me fearing the worst. But this episode wasn't nearly as cheesy or faux-spooky as I was expecting. In fact, it was pretty great, and not just because one of my pleas was answered. To my thoughts on the episode, just read more

They hired Dr. Hahn! And I swear I didn't know it when I wrote this! She's the new head of heart surgery at Seattle Grace, which makes perfect sense - and which should also set up some crackling dialogue between her and Cristina, given that within 10 seconds of seeing each other, Hahn managed to accuse Cristina of sleeping her way to the top. Hooray!

Boo for George and Izzie - and not for the usual reasons. What bugged me this time was how little we saw of the aftermath to George's confession. Yes, Callie told the whole resident crew that Izzie slept with George; yes, we got the (awesome!) scene where Izzie yelled at Cristina for having one standard for her and Meredith and another for the rest of the world. But after all that turmoil, I'm surprised they just leaped headlong into a relationship.

Speaking of turmoil and relationships: Ava's back. Now, look, doctors at Seattle Grace have done plenty of stupid things before - but Alex making out with Ava in front of his intern? That was a little bold. Once again, Alex didn't make it back to Ava in time, but she did leave her shirt; she might well be back. (Also, what did she leave the hospital wearing?)

Two characters almost brought me to tears tonight: Bailey and Meredith. Bailey worked so late helping everyone else that she missed her own son's first Halloween; Meredith realized she needed to let go of the damage her own mother caused by being unavailable. Bailey has so much more heart than we ever saw from Ellis, but will she lose that compassion if she keeps choosing work over family? Meanwhile, it was a big moment for Meredith to accept that her mom was happiest at the hospital; washing her ashes down the scrub sink was a way of leaving her to rest where she truly belonged.

A few other thoughts:

Poor Norman; I'd been getting used to him, but I suppose the Old Intern stuff couldn't have worked for a whole season. He did offer one of the most accurate assessments I've ever heard of Grey's: "You surgeons, you're all just a bunch of little children running around with your scalpels and severed feet and inappropriate sex in inappropriate places."
The scene with Cristina and Callie giggling over the ridiculousness of their lives was one of my favorites.
The guy who tried to cut off his own foot freaked me out, but it was a pretty stark representation of what happens when your life no longer feels like your own - especially juxtaposed with the story of the father who could get his life back if he accepted his own daughter's heart.
I loved Derek and Mark pranking each other. "Daddy?" Hee. Also, how cute was the boy with the ears? I won't even get into how unrealistic that story was, because it was just too adorable.
"Lookin'. It sounds way dirtier without the 'g.'"
Why does Derek have to start dating? Last I checked, waiting does not equal dating.

Anyone else cheering over Dr. Hahn? Loving Callie moving into Cristina's apartment? Wondering how long Gizzie can last? Tell me below.

Memo to Grey's Anatomy: Hire Brooke Smith!

BuzzSugar — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 07:30:00 -0700

After watching her guest-star on three different series in the past year, I'm thoroughly convinced that adding actress Brooke Smith to any show is a recipe for instant sass. She's given this season of Weeds a much-needed dose of snark, and her too-brief appearances on Dirty Sexy Money were full of the cold stares and harsh barbs I've come to expect from Smith's characters. Remember when her Dr. Hahn spiced up Grey's Anatomy during the second-season finale, fighting with her med-school rival Burke over who should get the donor heart? And when she raised hell at Seattle Grace again last fall, when George chose her over Burke for his father's surgery?

Without two of its strongest characters - Addison and Burke - Grey's has been struggling to find its footing this season. I think there's one sure way to right the ship: Bring back Dr. Hahn. It would give the show another powerful surgeon to play off Derek and Mark, not to mention a woman who talks tough, focuses on her career, and hasn't already slept with the entire hospital staff.

Her characters often seem cold - "Last time I saw you, you stole my patient's heart. Then you got shot. Karma rocks." - but they're not without compassion. Her uneasy friendship with Nancy on Weeds included a fantastic scene where the two got sloshed on white wine and talked about how messed up their children were, and it's one of my favorite moments of this season so far. She could be the new straight-talker on Grey's, jolting the Seattle Grace crew out of their little self-absorbed bubbles - but she could also come to the rescue when one or another of them really gets in a jam.

I'm taking it as a positive sign that Dr. Hahn apparently returns on tonight's Grey's - here's a clip of Izzie and Cristina fighting over some decision Hahn made. Maybe this is her audition? If so, I hope she nails it; Brooke Smith could be just the spark Grey's needs.

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