ABC/RON TOMJealousy, drinking, surgeries and softball bring out the best and worst in our favorite surgeons. So which super-competitive docs fouled and which hit home runs? And which medico has a mean curveball?
Find out what happened on the latest (and baseball-metaphor themed) episode of Grey's Anatomy:
WHAT WE LEARNED
Pitch Perfect: We don't pretend to know a great deal about America's pastime, beyond choosing the cutest of the L.A. Dodgers, but we can appreciate healthy competition. The Seattle softball league competition really brought out the best and worst in everyone. While Meredith and Cristina got drunk in the outfield, Lexie's (Chyler Leigh) green-eyed monster came out in a major way. She didn't appreciate Mark's (Eric Dane) new opposing-team girlfriend and sent her a message in the form of a softball to the chest. Ouch. We did learn some fun facts about Little Grey this episode: She was a softball pitcher. Which helps with both the crosstown competition and strategy coaching for Derek's surgery. It also gives her fantastic aim when throwing a ball at a chest. Who didn't appreciate that? Present boyfriend Jackson (Jesse Williams). He's no dummy and he'd have to be blind not to see the ever-present Mark-Lexie writing on the wall.
We have to hand it to the writers, not only are they able to write in non-doctor Henry (Scott Foley). But they accomplished three things this episode. They made his health start to fail (conveniently for upcoming high-drama sweeps weeks), made him a baseball pro and hired him at the hospital. All semi-solid (and hilarious) reasons to explain Scott Foley's adorable presence in Seattle Grace Mercy West. Someone send that boy to medical school. We'll suspend our disbelief, it's cool.
Surgeries for Social Work: Despite his gruff attitude, we've always known Alex (Justin Chambers) has a good heart and really does care for Meredith (Ellen Pompeo) and especially Meredith's MIA baby, Zola. Alex spent the episode out of the ER and trying to work within the system to get information on what's the hold up with the court hearing. Alex worked the clearly faulty system and risked prosecution to bribe the judge and a social worker or two. Awwww. Now that's true friendship and even better, future baby Shepherd-Grey has a court date.
Moving On and Moving Up: Cristina (Sandra Oh) has been chomping at the bit all season to get more fancy work to do, but Teddy (Kim Raver) has had her warming the bench. But today after seeing her play well on the team, the surgical team that is, she's making the lineup. It's so clever how that all comes together on the special team-building baseball episode. The good news is Cristina is rewarded with a "Bucket List" of amazing surgeries to perform. Like we said, baseball brings out the best and worst in everyone. Bailey and Meredith finally hash it out in the outfield. And for now, their differences seem to be set aside. Meredith is out of the pink scrubs and into Bailey's diabetic mouse trial.
ONE-LINERS
"Doctor, attempting to influence a judge is a federal offense." —Judge
"We're going down. So what do you say we go down fighting?" —Owen
"Right in the boob!" —Callie
"What? I thought she was stealing second." —Lexie
WHAT LIES AHEAD
Messy Midseason: There are a few things you can expect from TV as we wind our way to winter: shorter days and, most importantly, high sweeps drama. Kevin McKidd tells us the drama we've been experiencing pales in comparison to what's coming up: "People better watch out. It's been quite sedate up to this point." Oh lord, someone please hold us through the drama.
Triangle Straight Ahead!: Because we are completely professional we only cackled with glee for a few minutes. Finally, after months—make that seasons and years—of Mark-Lexie back and forth, we're going to be treated to more Mark-Lexie back and forth. Jackson Avery is no one's fool and when he got involved with a rebounding Lexie he knew there was and boy is it coming back with a vengeance. Jesse Williams calls it "competition" and "macho crap," but we call it "epic Mark-Lexie-Jackson love triangle ahoy." It's a mouthful, we admit.
So what did you think? Are you happy to see Cristina's rock-star surgical skills back on track? How great was Alex hunting down info on baby Zola? And are we setting ourselves up for heartbreak whatever way this Mark-Lexie-Jackson triangle goes? Hit the comments!