Four sets of mentors/supervisors. Four sets of people desperately seeking to overcome the fears and vulnerabilities that they just cannot seem to avoid, no matter how hard they try. “Perfect Little Accident” was a solid, back-to-basics installment of Grey’s Anatomy following the trying-too-hard flashback episode a few weeks ago.
It was solid except for one thing: I can’t STAND the Mercy Westers — loathed the whole merger storyline — particularly the “Big Foot” character. Maybe they’ll soon transfer to other hospitals or Derek will have to make more budget cuts, something, anything to get them to leave the halls of Seattle Grace. There’s plenty of other stuff going on that their absence won’t be missed.
I’m really getting into the power struggle between Richard and Derek. In the recent episode, Richard, fresh from rehab, had his confidence undermined, felt insecure and humiliated by the fact that he has to submit a urine sample in order to continue working. And he has to submit said sample to Derek, the new chief, the guy who made him resign his leadership post and check into rehab.
I love how gentle Derek has been with Richard, how much leeway he’s afforded his former mentor and how in this episode he allowed Richard to do things — like surgery on a renowned surgeon while he’s awake and directing the physicians operating on him like a deranged conductor — that Derek wouldn’t normally permit others to do. But he does it because Richard is, well, Richard, the guy whom everyone still sees as the Chief, with a capital “C.”
Derek still looks and occasionally acts like a kid who’s dressing up in his dad’s clothes, like he’s playing pretend, not entirely comfortable in being the chief particularly when Richard’s in the room. Derek’s as ill at ease with his role as chief as Richard is in being Derek’s subordinate.
Speaking of awkward … I’m a big fan of the Teddy/Cristina/Owen dynamic. Teddy hates that she still loves Owen and can’t help but cast longing glances at him, but has remained at Seattle Grace because, ironically, Owen’s girlfriend Cristina loves Teddy, basks in Teddy’s attention and makes Teddy feel like a superhero which she is. (That lung surgery, which she performed at the urging of the over-eager Cristina, rocked.) Meanwhile Owen, who’s pained by the fact that he still has feelings for Teddy too, wanted to completely cut off contact with her. However Cristina has been the delightfully complicating factor, the glue that’s keeping Teddy and Owen together, in contact with one another, contact that can’t go anyplace good at least for the Owen/Cristina relationship. All three are smart, conflicted and fascinating to watch.
Know what I DON’T find fascinating? The Lexie/Mark/Alex triangle, with Mark acting like a wounded beast who will screw anything with a pulse and then childishly growl at Alex, who’s dragging his own wounded self around in the wake of Izzie’s departure and, when the mood strikes him, screw Lexie. Not. Interested.
The Meredith/Mercy West guy Jackson/famous relative’s a surgeon/nepotism thing was mildly interesting but, to be honest, as I said earlier, I just want the Mercy Westers to go away now.
What do you think of the Richard/Derek, Teddy/Owen/Cristina and Lexie/Mark/Alex storylines?
Clacked by Meredith O'Brien 
on Mar 05, 2010 @ 11:05 EST5EDT
