Seattle Grace High (Grey's Anatomy Season finale)

Sitting mouth agape as the credits role on what has gone down as my favorite show of the year, next to the Shield’s Rock & Roll season 6, Grey’s Anatomy turns the lights out on another season leaving the world in a tizzy as everyone goes to town on the acting front. Grey’s Anatomy is a show you have to know is written by women. All the men say magically romantic lines in soft tones and the women slip effortlessly into adulterous scandal.

I love ensemble shows, just a thrill I get to see personalities interact and team up. I love the moments where the cast is standing in one room each individually reacting to the mess they have found themselves in. Tonight’s 2 hour season finale episode provided me with more than enough examples of what works in ensemble drama

First things first, the cast of the show is made entirely of young and self involved crazy wads who on a weekly basis jeopardize not only their patients but the hospital’s licensing and insurance premiums with each new triumph and failure. I can not imagine a scenario where the entire lot would not have been washed out of the hospital for their shenanigans.
I should also say,

I still hate Meredith Grey with a passion that is only ignited in fervor on a weekly basis. Her capacity for pouty ineptitude is difficult to swallow, but makes perfect sense in a psychologically screwed up realistic sort of way. What friend hasn’t watch a woman opine mercilessly for a lost man who only dumps on her, all the while screaming inside for her to grow a spine and move on.

I am waxing philosophic around the issues at hand here,

Spoilers to follow:

Grey, the silly love happy trollup that she is sleeps with Derrick again after having the charmingly innocent Chris O’Donnell tell her that he sees a future with her. This means that Meredith has now struck down two decent men in her wake, although the final result is not actually displayed in the show it is obvious after her betrayal of O’Donnell’s Finn character that no good can came from what follows. Derrick has now actually cheated on his wife after a year of playing at working things out. Say what you must about Addison Shepard I really enjoy what she brings to the cast when she isn’t playing the needy lover of Derrick’s indifference.

Izzy’s little nervous breakdown finally plays out as she actually gets Denny the heart only to have a minor complication take him out within the same day. I will tel the story of my missing the first hour of Grey’s anatomy due to the hotel’s satellite being on the fritz, but it will convolute my ire. Long story short I could only hear the show while staring at a jumbled digital screen. (The Red Roof inn got several disgruntled calls from me about it and the problem was rectified on the morrow). I could only hear as Izzy began to hyperventilate in Denny’s arms about how he should risk his life to “take care of me, do this for me.” It disgusted me even more than my bile filled hate for the ultra needy Meredith Grey. As a person who is embarking on a career as a public servant vis-a vis Clinical Psychology I am beginning to understand the ethical concerns that arise from attachment to patients and why certain lines must be drawn in the sand to optimize care. Izzy demolished these lines as she sought to worsen the condition of her man in order to steal a heart for him.

The sad and horrible casualty of her action is the husband and father who missed out on the heart that Denny received due to her childish manipulations. When Izzy crossed into self service territory she gave up on what could have been acknowledged as an innocent loving relationship into a schizoid witch who was willing to kill for her goals, or at least one so arrogant to think that she could tempt fate at an opportunity to be happy. Her short life so mired in this event that it seems insanely short sighted. It is fritting that tonight’s episode featured a faux prom where the Chief, like an authoritarian father demands that everyone attend. The interns are all acting like high schoolers trapped in their own perspective, limited by their inability to see outside the walls of Seattle Grace much like many high schoolers deny the existence of life after high school. That limited perspective that leads to arguments over the keys to the car without considering important adult responsibilities like insurance and other drivers on the road. I am delineating the analogy so tell me if you don’t get it.

Even George was not safe from infantile behavior as he apologizes to Meredith for his attempting to sleep with her. I am in no way denying his complicity in the matter but I feel that Meredith never took responsibility for her ignoring George for so long, so

I felt it only necessary recompense that he ignore her. I don’t even think she wants him back as a friend so much as she does not want the burden of having to feel guilty for what she did to him. Georges whole “I love you” thing with Callie was irritating like a paper cut considering my strong love for George as the Ritch analogue in the show. I love how carefully he handled the moment where he held her firm and told her why he needed time. That was one of the most mature moments in the show. It was superseded by Dr. Burkes quiet liberation of Yang in telling her that he will not hold a grudge against her for her inaction.

My highest praise as always goes to the other love of my life Dr. Miranda Bailey who plays the mommy to Chief’s daddy. The panicked look in her eye when she realizes the possible ramifications of Izzy’s actions takes me back to the days when I put my own wonderful mother to the test with my trials. Call Bailey the Nazi bitch all you want to she is the only sane and selfless person in that hospital. While the others huddle and plot their next self involved escapade she has to swoop in and actually remind him that they are not there to play out their little dramas but to instead be about the business of saving lives. She is a powerful motivator in a room full of babies whose heads are so far up their own behinds to remember to do their jobs. I am reminded of the Mad TV parody of the show which featured impersonators all standing around looking interested and solemn while a fiery Bailey impersonator ran into the room every five minutes to yell for everyone to actually work, reminding them that people are dying here. It is Bailey’s most consistent drum and it saddens me that she has to beat it so hard on a weekly basis. I would have fired my intern doctor on the spot if I had to endure the narcissistic prattle they converse about within earshot of patients. It is surprising that the hospital isn’t besieged by lawsuits for their constant negligence.

The show was full of great moments that tugged at my heart strings and at times kicked me in the gut to make sure I still had feeling. I was LIVID and I mean LIVID with unceasing Vitriol when Meredith and Derrick did the grown people dance behind their significant other’s backs in the hospital. I was sad beyond repair to see Karev be the man and pull Izzy’s pathetic little self from the corpse of her pseudo lover.

I loved the Chief’s deft handling of the interrogation of the interns. He knew how to approach each of them and had they not been as riddled with personality disorders he might have made headway. I almost cheered when Izzy quit, wanting her dumb ass to get fired for a month now. And then there was the final scene with Meredith.

And lets not forget about the killing of the dog. Finn, the vet representing an undertaker of the Meredith Derrick estate as he tried to work his way into Meredith’s heart by taking care of the mutt she shared with Derrick. The dog that Meredith bought to get over Mcdreamy, that was scorned by her roommates until she had to give it to Derrick, who took it to keep a connection with Meredith, who then got mad when he found that it lead her to the charming vet who was trying to swoop her off her feet. And then the dog got cancer and had to be put down, much like the relationship between Derrick and Meredith that so screams Ellis Grey to anyone with an ounce of sense. Meredith is then standing at the closing of the show like the puppy in every bad sitcom gambit that is forced to choose between two masters as they each call her name beckoning her to come.

And then the credits roll and it is over, and another season is regretfully put to bed with so many changes to come in the pending year. Goodnight Seattle Grace. Goodnight Derrick and Meredith, you love sick masochists. Goodnight my beloved Geroge Omally, and my respected Drs. Burke and Karev. Goodnight to the borderline heifer that Izzy became, and the stilted Chief. Goodnight to the cluelessly lost Addison Shepard, and to the innocently in love Callie, who is weird enough for me to adore. Goodnight to the lovely Dr. Bailey, whom has stolen my heart. Goodnight you horribly watchable show, you glorious bastard of a drama. I hate you for making me love you so much.