Meredith Grey’s voice-over at the beginning of this episode lightly mused about the importance of positive thinking, of looking at the world optimistically … that is if you want to live a happy life. But wait, this was the dark and twisty Grey’s Anatomy, so there can’t really be any happy people running around, right?
Not when you have scenes like Teddy walking in on the “I’m-a-serious-adult-who-wants-a-stable-serious-relationship” McSteamy after he’d bedded the pixie hair-cutted intern Reed.
“Teddy was right for you, appropriate,” Derek said to Mark in a hospital elevator the following day.
“Appropriate is boring,” the soulless haircut said.
“That sums up your entire problem,” Derek replied.
McSteamy so irritated me during this episode, as he usually does. Didn’t take him long to torpedo his “grown-up” relationship with Teddy with his juvenile behavior, after all that baloney he espoused about trying to find a woman with whom he could start a family. When he approached Lexie at the end of the episode and offered himself up as husband material, I rolled my eyes. Poor Lexie, the only person he loves is the one he sees in the mirror.
For the first time in quite a while, I truly loved the way one of the medical cases of the week was integrated into the show with the sweet star-crossed lovers who hadn’t seen one another in 50 years, who’d married people who they knew weren’t their soul mates because that was the right thing to do. Now that their spouses have passed away, serendipity brought the former lovers, Betty and Henry, back together in Seattle Grace.
Their story provided a catalyst for Cristina to take seriously Meredith’s suggestions that Owen was still carrying a torch for Teddy. Cristina wanted to know if Owen was biding his time with her and trying to make their relationship work, all the while he was in love with someone else. “Do you think I’m Thatcher?” Cristina asked Meredith. “… Owen is Ellis and Teddy’s Dr. Webber and somehow I’m Thatcher in this situation?”
When finally confronted by Cristina about his feelings for Teddy, Cristina and Owen had the most honest conversation they’ve shared to date. When Owen said that his affection for Teddy was tied up with the intensity of their common experiences in Iraq, along with his post-traumatic stress — “I don’t know what I feel for Teddy” — was refreshing. Owen is no Sloan, just a haunted, confused man.
Listening to Betty say that she thought she’d find another true love after Henry, who married her best friend, but then admit, “There was never another Henry,” haunted Callie who still pines for Arizona, with whom she’d still be dating but for their disagreement about having a child.
Lexie also listened to Betty’s lamentation and thought of McSteamy (despite her empty, “I’m over Mark Sloan, for real.”) and knows that she and Alex — who was busying playing Dr. House — aren’t long for this world as a couple.
By the end of this “Shiny Happy People” episode, I can’t say that there were a whole lot of happy people using the power of positive thinking walking around. As Betty and Henry seemed happy to have found one another, Cristina retreated to the comfort of her best friend’s embrace while dark and twisty Meredith cheerfully examined the blueprints of the house she and Derek want to build, plans which included a room for Cristina.
Clacked by Meredith O'Brien 
on May 14, 2010 @ 10:47 EST5EDT
I know it sounds harsh but I watched four Seasons of Grey’s in the last four weeks and I just want them all to die a miserable death.
They are all just horny, whiny bitchy little kids who can’t keep it in their pants. I really had to chuckle when I read your post because in the end – belong together?
This show is like “Van Wilder”. It’s just about Sex. Even if you’d stick those couples who belong together in a room with inanimate objects they’d find ways to betray their “loved one”. I mean look at this season, they literally had McSteamy go out of town and both of them didn’t manage to keep it in their pants. And every single time on this show the reason is “because”. Gawd.
And don’t get me started about “Twilight”. I mean that Vampire and the Werewolf truly belong together, don’t you think? ;-)
I couldn’t agree with you more, Sebastian. You have summed up my feelings about Grey’s perfectly. The sad thing is that I got addicted to it, while being perfectly aware that I hated all the characters for being such idiots. But this season, I finally let go of Grey’s for good, and I’m glad.
Hehe :-)
Glad I’m not alone. You know I first dropped the show right before the infamous harbour double episode with the dropping in the water and the dream sequence. I really liked the first two seasons but after that it was just enough. I watched it again now because I have three friends (female, of course) who kept talking about it and how good it was. It’s extremely funny that now that I know the whole plot I already managed to bitch about the show with one of them ;-)
I think it’s simply because the formula can’t work long-term. It’s ok for a couple of years but then even the slowest of the viewers finally smell that something is fishy.
I mean take Karev for instance: broke up with his wife this season (Izzy) broke up Lexie and McDreamy by sleeping with her (“because!”) and then finally was in a flashback (!) with Torres, because they ran out of ways to put these people together. It’s really kind of ridiculous, isn’t it?
I guess I’m as much of a sucker for romance as anybody (most likely I’m just like Ivey but I won’t admit that) and even though I’m a guy I can’t take all this meaningless sex :-)
Damn internet. wive = wife and McDreamy = McSteamy.
2 Minutes isn’t enough editing time Keith!
Hiddy Ho-
My gawd ya’ll sound like whiney little queens! Your worse than the BS on Grey’s.Who watches so many seasons and stops? Obviously your addicted to the drama or you never would have watched for so long.I hate whiners, thats the only reason I’m posting.I’m a die hard grey’s enthusist and for better or worse i’ll watch til the wheels fall off! It’s better than any soap or ” reality ” crap thats on every channel, cable etc… As for hating the characters, you must resemble one or more, to use the word (hate) is so funny, so who is it your most like? IT’S TV 4 GAWD’S SAKE, GET OVER YOURSELVES!!!!! As for the sex I’m almost positive none of you are getting any lol… >:{