Grey's Anatomy Thread - 2009

[ArtisticFan]

Although it has not been a popular opinion on other boards, I actually am comending the writers for showing the nuances between Meredith's reaction to Thatcher's alcoholism and the chief's.

Meredith certainly has father figure issues, as would most women in a situation like hers. She has few if any memories of Thatcher as her father. When she does come back into contact with him she learns that he has a wife and new family, including a doctor daughter he is very proud of and adores. To her it seems like his drinking is just another excuse of why he wasn't strong enough to be there for her. There are obvious reasons that he wasn't there, but it still does boil down to the fact that Thatcher didn't fight for her.

Then you have the chief. They have always had a strange vibe between them. She knows how her mother felt about him and how that played out. At the same time this is also her boss. She grew up in a world where she idolized doctors. The voiceover talked about her getting medical gifts at Christmas and there was the episode with the Anatomy Jane doll. She's obviously going to look up him with a mixture childhood adoration, respect, and anger over his involvement with her mother. To me it makes sense that she would be a little bipolar with her feelings toward him. It's a complex situation.

I have two uncles who were or are alcoholics. Admittedly, I treated the two very differently. My older uncle abandoned his wife and two children and became homeless. He would pop up in my life from time to time wanting money or a place to stay. I was pretty mean to him, telling him just what I thought about him and his choices. He died in 2000 from complications.

My other uncle is still alive and drinking. I don't condone his drinking or like that he does that so much, but I also don't yell and scream at him. One of the biggest differences I guess is that he and his wife both drink together. He hasn't abandoned his children. He still holds a steady job and is living his life.

That is to say that I'm glad they haven't totally destroyed this story yet. I am able to relate to the complex feelings in it.

[smurfy]

Artistic Fan -interesting discussion.
I can see how Mer is treating them differently. As flawed as the Chief is, he has been there for her the last few years unlike Thatcher. Thatcher's drinking has impacted her directly (liver donation, abandonment), whereas the Chief's drinking has not directly impacted her life.

[AragornElessar]

Here's another personal take on last week's ep.

Sorry I'm late to the party, but was at Skate Canada and the last two days were spent recovering/coming back to Planet Earth/catching up on sleep. What a wonderful weekend though. Anyway...

As some of you know, I'm a Kidney Transplant Recipient (My anniversary's coming up fast too. Got the Best Early Christmas Present Ever on December 10th, 1993) and there was one scene that really hit me hard. Not only that, but it might have gotten what I've been saying to my Sister about my Anniversary Date for years now through to her in just a few minutes. If she was paying attention that is.

That would be when Christina is telling Teddy they'd found a Donor for Kaylee and it was a Brain Dead young 18 year old from a drunk driver nailing her car (? Going on memory here after all) who was just down the hall and Christina ends it all happy chipper w/...

...and that's why New Year's Eve is my favourite Holiday of the Year.

Then Teddy tells her angrily that it's not a celebration, she grabs Christina, pulls her down the hall to where that 18 year old's on Life Support w/her father sobbing that she can't be leaving him now and that it's too soon. Then Teddy repeats what she'd said a few moments before. That's it's not a Celebration.

That's how I feel about my Transplant Anniversary date, as well as my Parents, but my sister doesn't get. As we've all tried to tell her, it's not that we're not grateful I'm still here and w/a healthy kidney, but we can't celebrate the date. We mark it, but we don't celebrate it. How can we when we know there's a family out there somewhere marking their own, but much sadder, Anniversary?

Hopefully, that one scene will finally do for her, what we've been trying to make her understand since my First Anniversary in 1994.

Oh and I adored Bailey telling off her Dad at Christmas Dinner. That was just...just...Bailey at her core. She did the right thing by getting the Divorce and then letting Tucker spend Christmas w/his Dad and his family, even if her own Dad might not think so, and she stood up to him w/nothing but the truth. As awful as it was for her Dad to hear, it was still pure Bailey and she needed to say that to him.

Also loved how she ended her slapdown...

And today I saved someone's life and if that's not approriate Christmas Dinner Table conversation, then I don't know what is!!

Also, did anyone else think later that after she started talking about Kaylee's surgery to everyone else and her Dad slapped her down for saying such a thing at the Christmas Dinner Table, how absurd it was for him to do that? After all, he was the only person sitting at that table who wasn't a Surgeon!! Everyone wouldn't have a problem at all w/it as Christmas Table Conversation.

Then again...I've been told I have a very perverse sense of humour too, so...

[pixie cut]

That's how I feel about my Transplant Anniversary date, as well as my Parents, but my sister doesn't get. As we've all tried to tell her, it's not that we're not grateful I'm still here and w/a healthy kidney, but we can't celebrate the date. We mark it, but we don't celebrate it. How can we when we know there's a family out there somewhere marking their own, but much sadder, Anniversary?

First, I think Teddy only slapped Cristina down because Owen had just chosen Cristina over her. So don't think the writers were too clever in how they presented it.

There was a great episode around season two where a little boy doesn't want to receive a transplant because he feels it's wrong for him to benefit from another child's death. Especially, his mother is very religious and he points out in praying for there to be a donor, she's praying for some other child to die. It's Cristina who talks him into accepting the new organ (a heart I believe). I think it was the last Christmas episode Grey's did before this one. She and Burke had a fight about spirituality and the holidays.

Doctors become involved in the patients they treat. If these are surgical patients and they need transplants, someone has to die for them to live (except for kidneys, which can come from live donors). It's a complex dynamic and each person has to process it accordingly.

The scene in episode one of this season where Bailey had each person tell her who'd receive O'Malley's organs was very poignant.

[pixie cut]

We're back after a two-month hiatus. I frankly didn't see much improvement in the story telling. This show seems to be grasping at straws. Maybe next week will be better now that things have been set in motion in terms of Lexie and Mark splitting up and her sleeping with Alex and him with Addison.

[Satellitegirl]

I liked last nights show ok, but I didn't like that Meredith was being such a dimwit about telling Derrick. Also, was kind of glad to see Cristina so willing to give up Owen. Owen annoys me.

[*Jen*]

I almost didn't watch. Having a two month hiatus was a bad idea...I'm willing to bed that a lot of viewers won't come back.

I'm at the point now where I watch it when I'm bored, but I don't look forward to it like I used to. I really don't care so much anymore. And I really didn't find much enjoyable about this episode, except the end of Lexie and Mark, a couple I never really bought into.

[mkats]

Same here Jen - if it wasn't for this thread, I wouldn't have even known there was a new episode...

[pixie cut]

Tonight's episode was actually okay. Although I do wish they'd make a decision on Izzy -- in or out.

[Jimena]

Meh. I like Owen with Teddy better than with Christina. There, I said it.

I didn't get Mark. And Derek is an ass.

[Andora]

I figure Mark didn't think Lexie had it in her, so it feels like more of an affront. But otherwise, eff him. (Not that they were "cancelling each other out." That's no even page there)

I like Izzie. That was awful with her and Alex, but what could he do? That actor is the bomb. He's all tough, tough, tough, then Iz shows up and he's soft. Like a switch. Love him. xoxo

Love new doctor hot eyes, too. I hope he gets more screen time.

[ArtisticFan]

Tonight's episode was actually okay. Although I do wish they'd make a decision on Izzy -- in or out.

Izzy is going to need some new luggage soon. She's wearing the set she's got out.

[Meredith]

Why is Derek an ass? Really wondering.

I agree with Andora about Alex. They wrote that character skillfully, and the actor brings the goods.every.time.

[pixie cut]

Why is Derek an ass? Really wondering.

I agree with Andora about Alex. They wrote that character skillfully, and the actor brings the goods.every.time.

I don't think Derek was an ass at all. A doctor with a drinking problem shouldn't be in charge of a hospital's surgical program -- even if he did excuse himself from surgery. I actually think Meredith was the ass for trying to stop him from going to the board or confronting Richard.

I think Justin Chambers (Alex) is the only actor who's been hitting it out of the ballpark this season and the only character written with a sense of consistency. This really has been his season.

[Andora]

I don't think Derek was an ass at all. A doctor with a drinking problem shouldn't be in charge of a hospital's surgical program -- even if he did excuse himself from surgery. I actually think Meredith was the ass for trying to stop him from going to the board or confronting Richard.

I don't really think he was an ass either until he played the "I hire Izzy" card. Then it just felt selfish. Still, the Chief had to go. HAD. TO. And Meh was just as selfish in wanting him to be in charge because she'd get more preferential treatment.

That said, she did have a point when she claimed post it. If she's telling her husband something, she should be able to trust that he doesn't run off with it. The writers could have handled that better, maybe had Derek get Meredith to go to the board, show Meh that she was in the wrong instead.

Anyways, Ellen Pompeo looked hella old and awful in this episode. I hope it was just post-pregnancy puffiness, because she's not much older than Heigl, and Heigl looked radiant. All the women did in comparison.

[Veronika]

Anyways, Ellen Pompeo looked hella old and awful in this episode. I hope it was just post-pregnancy puffiness, because she's not much older than Heigl, and Heigl looked radiant. All the women did in comparison.

Hmmm--Ellen Pompeo is 40 and Katherine Heigl is 31. That's a pretty big span. Plus, Heigl (normally) has more meat on her bones, and that helps your face look fuller and more youthful.

[Satellitegirl]

I liked tonight's episode. Despite not liking Owen that much, I'm glad he didn't get pissy and give up on Cristina. I can't STAND Teddy. Derick and Meh are both dorks. I wish Alex would have taken Izzy back. Sloan had a point somewhat with how things went down with him sleeping with Addison and Lil Grey sleeping with Alex. She...broke up with HIM.

I'm sorta getting tired of Bailey, and she used to be one of my favorite characters. She's a little too one dimensional lately.

[Jimena]

Why is Derek an ass? Really wondering.

I hate it when he gets all self righteous.

[Andora]

Hmmm--Ellen Pompeo is 40 and Katherine Heigl is 31. That's a pretty big span. Plus, Heigl (normally) has more meat on her bones, and that helps your face look fuller and more youthful.

D'oh, I thought Heigl was 34 and Ellen was still under 40.

[Veronika]

D'oh, I thought Heigl was 34 and Ellen was still under 40.

Well, they both have babies now, so both of them should look tired.