This week’s Grey’s Anatomy episode, “Hope for the Hopeless,” is full of jubilation and heartache. Richard is celebrating his 10,000th surgery (that seems like a lot) while Meredith and Derek throw a birthday bash for Zola. (Zola’s kiddie party consists of no other children, the hospital staff is pounding liquor and it’s clearly past Zola’s bedtime.)
In the show’s opening Meredith’s voice over explains that the worst thing a doctor can say to a patient is, “There is nothing else we can do for you.” Well, that’s kind of obvious but that doesn’t stop Lexie and Derek from trying to save an 11-year-old boy with a brain tumor. Yep, jubilation and heartache. Here we go!
AfterEllen Bait
Callie and Arizona are adorable together as always. Arizona flips her new haircut from shoulder to shoulder while Callie waves her finger around like she’s on The Jenny Jones Show. This week, Calzona’s agenda is to make Mark to say, “I love you” back to his new girlfriend Julia. Mark is taking it slow for once and tells his baby’s mamas to step off! (That’s not at all how Mark worded it, but you get my drift.)
Meanwhile, my other favorite lady duo, Cristina and Teddy, are inseparable and have been operating nonstop. When Owen insists that they both go home and rest, they finagle their way into a surgery without his knowledge or consent.
Feelings, Feelings, Feelings!
Since Henry’s passing the Seattle Grace staff has been giving their condolences and “widow casseroles” to Teddy left and right. Teddy shoves the casseroles off on Cristina who passes them over to Owen who piles them onto a nurse and they eventually make their way to Zola’s birthday party. (Nothing says “Happy first birthday” like bereavement food.)
The staff gathers around to document Richard’s great surgical achievement. (Smile for the camera and hold that scalpel up higher!)
Bailey has even planned a big celebration in the conference room complete with red velvet cake (my favorite!) and confetti. But once the surgery is in motion, Richard’s wife, Adele, shows up and her Alzheimer’s symptoms seem to be worse then ever. April tries to control the confused Adele by bringing her to the observation gallery to see Richard below. Adele hysterically cries and yells at Richard and Meredith, who she believes to be Meredith’s late mother, over the intercom as they operate. (Someone needs to get Adele out of there!) Richard quiets Adele by singing “My Funny Valentine” and telling her he loves her.
Meredith still hasn’t decided on a specialty even though everyone says choosing general surgery is a “no-brainer.” In the end Meredith does chose general surgery, which was also her mother’s specialty.
Meredith: I don’t want to be like my mother.
Richard: You don’t have to ever worry about being anything like your mother. I knew her, and you’re nothing like your mother. You have a gift. Don’t waste it.
And back at the McDreamy household, April, Avery, and Alex decide they’re moving out of the house and into a three-bedroom apartment. If I were April, I’d get a studio apartment and a goldfish.
Whores & Gore
Peri Gilpin and Nia Vardalos guest star as bickering sisters awaiting liver surgery. Vardalos needs her sister to give her part of her liver but the organ does not seem to be worth the annoyance of her sister’s griping. Vardalos spits up blood, but in the end she survives.
Medical Mishaps
Even though Owen instructed Teddy and Cristina to take the day off, Cristina and Teddy are in cahoots to take over Dr. McQueen’s surgery. Cristina speaks to the patient’s wife and works the ol’ Leonardo-DiCaprio–Inception shtick to make the patient’s wife think that she wants Teddy to operate on her husband instead of McQueen. The Inception takes, and Cristina and Teddy head into surgery. When Owen finds out that they blatantly disobeyed him, he storms into the OR and scolds Teddy and Cristina. Cristina asks Owen to leave and on his way out he hears them laughing at him.
Derek and Lexie’s 11-year-old patient only has a 5% chance of surviving the surgery. The kid’s mother knows about the risk but begs for them to operate rather than just send her son home to eventually die. Once Derek and Lexie see the tumor, Derek knows the surgery will be fatal. Lexie pleads with Derek to try and finish the surgery (which will ultimately kill the boy) and Derek asks Lexie to leave the OR.
The boy’s mother thinks her son doesn’t know he’s dying, but the boy tells his mother, “You don’t have to worry about me. I’m going to be with dad in heaven.” (At this point I have to pause the show to get a new box of tissues. Thanks a lot, Shonda!)
After a hard days work, the Seattle Grace staff (sans Teddy) heads over to Zola’s birthday party. Once Owen shows up, he and Cristina start fighting (again.) Owen is pissed that Cristina lied to him about Teddy’s surgery and threatens to separate them.
Owen: I’m taking you off her service. Permanently. I’m not sure what she’s going to do without you as her security blanket.
Cristina: Absolutely not.
Owen: There’s a downside …
Cristina: Did you hear what I said? Absolutely not.
Owen: I think thank you is what you’re looking for because frankly I could have fired you both.
Cristina: You have no idea what’s going on here do you?
Owen: I have a very good idea.
Cristina: You let me operate on her husband and now he’s dead. She gets whatever she wants. Do you understand? Anything she wants from me. Ever.
Cristina and Owen continue with their explosive fight, which literally stops the party in the other room. As the fight continues we find out that the fight isn’t about Teddy at all. They’re really fighting because Owen has never forgiven Cristina for having an abortion.
Cristina: It was a horrible situation, but it’s over. Is it too much to ask that we just try and forget it?
Owen: You killed our baby. You don’t ever forget that!
And this is why you discuss having children before you get married.
What did you think of this week’s episode? Do you think Cristina and Owen will stay together? Should April get a goldfish?
