April 26, 2007: Desire
This episode effectively set the tone for next week's two-hour spin-off that will establish
Kate Walsh's potential new series wherein Addison skips town for L.A. after getting
Sleepless in Seattle. Poor gal couldn't get a break. First, McSteamy tells her he broke their no-sex agreement because he figured out that he wasn't the one for her (it didn't help when he saw Addison and Alex come out of the closet in more ways than one). Then, just when she figured she had a new boy toy after their totally hot closet sex, Alex gave her the "You're not my girlfriend" speech. Cue
Debbie Downer. I felt that final narration line from Meredith summed up the hour quite eloquently: "People who suffer the most are the ones who don't know what they want." Terrific script by
Mark Wilding.
I was glad they didn't drag out the Izzie-George-Callie awkwardness anymore and had Callie finally speak up. I liked how Callie couldn't really be specific with her request to Izzie, saying: "Do whatever you have to do, but give me my husband back." I also liked how everyone seemed to be opening up with their coworkers: Callie telling Addison she caught George in a lie; Izzie squealing to Burke that she had an affair with George; and Derek sharing his feelings about Meredith to Burke. One thing we can assume
won't happen is George getting that transfer to Mercy West. Mercy
me, I want
T.R. Knight to stay put, thanks! I would think Callie would leave Seattle Grace before George would (although I love me some
Sara Ramirez).
You know how sometimes it is difficult to see certain TV actors known for past roles play new roles? I kept thinking that Skinner from
The X-Files was having an affair behind
Dawson's mama's back. But because
Mitch Pileggi and
Mary-Margaret Humes are such good actors, I got over it.
Rowena King was also excellent as Celeste, "the other woman." OK, I've got to say it: That opening scene when Larry, the SGH chairman of the board, dropped his pants to reveal his
unfortunate medical condition really took balls. There. I feel better. Just when you think you've seen it all on this show, they give us a patient who had a not-so-tiny fish swim up his penis and cause his testicles to enlarge. Ouch. Luckily, they got that sucker out! I loved that the term "penis fish" became a metaphor for Izzie to describe George: "You're my penis fish." George's comeback line was classic: "You don't even have a penis - how am
I the fish?" I enjoyed seeing the two of them behave more like they used to be with each other: two best friends. But Izzie can't seem to get over their
moment.
Speaking of patients' lives acting as metaphors for the doctors' lives, how great was it for Larry's wife to admit she knew about his affair with his assistant? Hearing her say "the wife always knows" really hit home for George.
Other highlights:
- Bailey literally taking the cake.
- Having
Kali Rocha back as Sydney. But I'm an easy sell when it comes to Kali. She can read the phone book and I'd laugh.
- Alex being so caring and supportive to Ava (
Elizabeth Reaser), especially during her C-section. No, Addison, this is not another Denny Duquette situation. Alex knows Ava currently has no family to be there for her.
- Ava giving Alex all the dirt on the hospital's sexual shenanigans: "It's like watching a soap." It sure is, Jane. I mean Ava.
- Cristina using the term "V.I.-Penis" when describing the Chairman to Bailey (maybe the Chairman's "you've lost your spunk"-like talk with the Chief will convince Webber not to step down).
- Mark unsuccessfully coming on to Meredith.
- Burke and Cristina agreeing that the red velvet cake was the best wedding cake choice.
One non-highlight for me:
- The patient with the perpetual runny nose (
Ramon De Ocampo) that ended up being
leaking spinal fluid freaked me out since my nose has been running all day nonstop and my back hurts. Perhaps I should get this checked out? Hmm....
I felt really bad for Meredith at the end.
Ellen Pompeo did an awesome job conveying Meredith's feelings of hurt when Derek admitted to not being sure if he (essentially) wanted to continue their relationship. After Derek mentioned that after she came out of the water he kept trying to save her by breathing for her, how horrible for Meredith to hear him say: "I don't know if I want to keep trying to breathe for you." This, after she thought she did all of Derek's favorite things in bed. Yet another issue that next week's two-hour episode will deal with. Can't wait.
