real life inspiration? [bbc ^[1]]

[for other recaps, see seattle.metblogs.com/archives/media/greys_anatomy ^[2]]

Perhaps it’s time to break down and get a Tivo. Several technical difficulties stood in the
way of this grey’s anatomy recap report, but after much perseverance, it was possible to secure a copy of the episode just
to make sure that everyone knows what happened in the fictional halls of
Seattle Grace Hospital this week.

Dedication to recapping was appropriate given this week’s theme: responsibility (and how
much it sucks). The episode kicked off with a monologue sure to inspire confidence in
anyone considering surgery. Basically, Seattle Grey whines through her morning routine
about how being an adult, despite the great shoes and hot sex, is much less fun than being
a kid and thinking about cookies and bikes. Meredith’s life is especially sucky because
she has to deal with taking over her Alzheimer Mom’s estate and has to hold on to people’s
hearts during surgery. Also, adulthood sucks because you have to pay rent (unless you live
in Dr. Mom’s fancy house and collect rent from your friends).

After the jump, the rundown on the all of the swirling responsibility-filled subplots!

Grey, the heartbreaker: Anyway, sometimes it’s awfully hard for the the
up-and-coming shoe and sex obsessed young surgeon to live up to the pressure. Sometimes a
“responsibility break” is needed; so Seattle Grey catches up on her sleep during an open
heart surgery. While holding the patient’s heart. And almost drops it. But catches herself,
puncturing her glove and the heart in the process. Still overwhelmed by responsibility, she
decides not to say anything about it to anyone but fanboy George. (tick tock) Later, when a
nervous Grey checks up on her latest victim and tells the husband that his wife will be
fine we know we’re in for more than a little trouble. (tick tock) Later, distracted by
Patrick Dempsey’s advances and hurt feelings, she continues to demonstrate her
professionalism by confessing to leaving a hole in her patient’s heart in front of the
litigious husband. The surgery goes fine and Meredith does her best to make nice / launch
a fact-finding mission with the spouse. (tick tock)

DoctorpaloozaThe dramatic business of the episode involves a big party that Dr.
Model is hosting to
distract her hockey playing boyfriend. Early on, we learn that the party is getting out of
control when it’s revealed that in addition to the “jocks” (surgery, trauma, plastics),
Isabel has invited the “geeks” (pediatrics and psych). Hilarity ensues throughout the day
as more and more hospital staff invite themselves to the event and the housemates try to
keep Dr. Brash Young Guy from finding out about it. George is consistently nervous about
how Meredith will react to the big party and if it will have any effect on his
non-existent romantic chances with her.

My Iron Lung / throwing in the towel Pay special attention — this storyline brings
the only pseudo Washington
shout out of the episode. Mrs. Landingham shows up with a shadowy lung; so it’s Dopey George’s turn to turn on his fresh-faced charm
and explain the necessary surgery to her. He PSAs her about not smoking only to learn
that she quit five years ago. (tick tock). Soon enough, routine lung deflation surgery turns
out to be our chance for the gross surgical moment of the episode. While poking around in
Mrs. Landingham’s chest, Dr. “Hardass” Bailey discovers a nasty rotting towel! This is not exactly
the retractor left inside a UWMC cancer patient in 2001 [uwnews ^[3]], but we’ll count it in this week’s real Seattle
references column. The towel had been hanging out for five years; so it was hella
disgusting to prove that this is a serious medical drama. Bailey sends the kids off to do
damage control and scores an invite to the party (Note to hosts: stock up on bourbon!).
While George chats up the patient, Dr. Sandra Oh digs through records and finds that Dr.
Burke Chief Wannabe #1 [Ed: this is where it would really help to learn the character names]
was the young fellow responsible for not picking up his laundry, but Bailey tells her to
keep it like a secret. Is this why he was bringing her coffee with a side of weird
romantic tension earlier in the episode?? (tick tock)

Demerol Daddy Dr. B.Y.G.’s chance to deal with past demons: a patient comes in with
lots of pain and wanting meds. Like anyone who’s seen their share of medical dramas, BYG
realizes he’s probably a demerol addict and doesn’t like it one bit. We assume it’s just
because he’s an asshole. (tick tock) Later we learn that he doesn’t like addicts because
his dad was a smack addict musician. We’re scrambling to figure out who it could be —
maybe he’s Layne Stanley’s kid? Anyway, when it’s finally time to throw out Mr. Pain
Management Complex, he fights his eviction by getting a concussion. An excellent excuse
for Dr. Model to miss her party and boyfriend by hanging out for a little late night brain
surgery. After the surgery, she runs into her hockey hottie outside the hospital. It turns
out that he liked her parties better when the other guests were models (go figure) and
can’t really take the long distance non-model relationship anymore. Obviously he walks off
into the mystery forest never to return.

Doctor’s Impaction Once again, Izzie is still on bowel-related rotation.
This week’s patient mostly exists to exposition about how he’s glad that he dropped out of med school because
doctors have no lives. Also, to allow for witty banter about pooping and passing gas.
Throughout the episode he keeps reminding Dr. Model about how much it sucks to be a
doctor, just in case we missed the “responsibility” theme of the episode.

Take My Life Please Although Grey’s doing her best to make adulthood stop by
landing herself in legal trouble, she has another party to plan. Namely accepting
control of her mother’s estate. But by the time she gets there, Mom’s sundowning; so
Grey throws a tantrum and heads home to Doctorpalooza. Amazingly, the guests found ample
street parking and there’s plenty of food. Seattle Grey starts yelling again, tries to save
the tiffany-style lamp, but elects to hook up with a bottle of tequila and join Sandra Oh to make a George
sandwich. It’s a sort of good night for Dr. Lovesick, who ends up nearly naked (alone)
after a rollicking game of drunk strip poker.

Pleased with her victory, Grey dances alone in the pale moonlight with her friendly bottle
of tequila. However, Dr. Patrick Dempsey creepily watches her and entices her to go
make out in the car. From the pretty stock skyscape #2 it seemed like they were in
Kerry park, but when Dr. Crabby Bailey comes out to tell them to move their “tail
wagon” it’s revealed that they’ve apparently been having sex in the driveway. Klassy.

the aftermath: During the morning after warm beer drinkathon to prep for another
day at Seattle Grace Hospital, the interns get Meredith ready for her meeting with the
legal department. Dr. Model knows her weight loss effects, which turn out to be the
explanation for the case of the punctured heart. Everything wraps up nicely when Dr. Chief
Wannabe #1 sticks up for Grey, owning up to his role in the case of the rotting
towel and apologizing to Mrs. Landingham along the way. Meredith gets
probation and legal guardianship of Dr. Mom’s assets, Dr. B.Y.G. talks to the addict about
rehab, Oh learns that “information is power” and spontaneously locks herself in a room for some hot
sexual healing with Dr. Chief Wannabe #1 (what?!? mystery of the sexy coffee solved!), and we learn
that Mr. Life Lesson pooped.

Happy endings all around. The city tourism board got its required three scenic flyovers (whether they’re meant to confuse the geography is questionable ) and everyone learned their lessons about being responsible adult shoe lovers.

Here’s hoping that next week’s recap arrives in a more timely fashion.