Getting back to the crazy medicine this week, a young woman with cancer is admitted. It should be a straight forward surgery, but instead, everyone who comes into contact with her blood becomes extremely sick and passes out. She's got toxic blood! The moment when George realizes this and calls the OR to stop the surgery, only to see everyone passed out on the floor was epic. This is what we come to expect from medical dramas and it is great to see Grey's get back to this, while not sacrificing the personal stories. This case brought out the hero in just about everyone. From Addison running in when the patient woke up from her anesthesia to Derek and Burke passing out because they ran out of air in their suits to Meredith, Izzie and Cristina holding their breath in order to finish what Derek and Burke started, it was beautiful to see these doctors push their limits for a patient. George also was a hero, pulling all the people in the OR out even though he was already sick and could have easily died from the effort. The only one who didn't do anything particularly heroic was Mark Sloan and he continues his very unlikable ways. That made him being with Addison at the end even better, because she was using him to sate a desire and that was very clear. There is really nothing appealing about Sloan and it would great if they kept it that way.
Ellis Grey, Meredith's mother, coming back to reality for a short time was amazing. She was not very endearing when she's lucid, that's for certain. She was unbelievably cruel to Meredith, telling her how disappointed she was that Meredith was merely ordinary. Ouch. But she did a great thing this episode too, during her short time as a sane person. She gave Cristina the answer she was looking for. The scene between Ellis and Richard was a little odd, but fit the tone of the episode.
After last week's episode, both George and Burke proposed to their lady loves. George apparently received a rather quick answer as he and Callie returned from a trip to Vegas locked in wedded bliss. Their relationship has been a roller coaster and it was nice to see this turn of events, as she really is a perfect contrast to George. The bliss didn't last, of course, as George thought maybe he was having an anxiety attack (when in fact it was the toxic blood) and Callie was furious about his judgmental friends. As kindhearted as Izzie can be, she can also be cruel, which is something this episode highlighted in perfect fashion. We are reminded how multi-dimensional all these characters are. Watching George stand up for Callie was a little awkward, but in a very entertaining way.
Burke, on the other hand, was waiting for Cristina's answer throughout the episode. When Ellis gave Cristina the hope she was looking for, she jumped for it and decided to accept Burke's proposal, if not his ring. It was hilarious how she accepted it too, it wasn't even clear that she was saying yes. And hiring a wife for the two of them, how fantastic would that be! I certainly hope the personal issues that have come into the show's cast with Isaiah Washington don't affect the chemistry between these two, because they are certainly one of the most interesting relationships on the show.
As for the opening of the free clinic, Izzie was frustrated at the lack of patients on their first day, but Bailey had one patient and she ended up being well worth the day for her, making her feel like she had accomplished something. The patient's story was sad, her father bringing her in for help in using feminine products and discovering she's already sexually active. Watching her cry over heartbreak brought us back to our teenage years, when being liked by boys was so important.
This episode was fantastic on every level. The progression of several of the personal stories and the medical cases both entertained and excited us. It was also a very emotional episode and we had tears welling up in several scenes. There really wasn't one aspect that needed improving upon. It was practically flawless and next week's episode looks to continue this, if the previews are any indication. We can't wait!