If things between Christina and Meredith were shaky last week, this week seems to be the final, definitive nail in the coffin for the two former BFFs. It turns out that you can call Meredith crazy and you can steal her coffee, but you never, ever tell her she’s a bad doctor OR bogart her 3D printer. I’m sure you also can’t tell her her kids are ugly or slash the tires on her car, but we haven’t covered those matters yet.
I understand that, even after all these years, Christina hasn’t entirely mastered the art of communication. I would think, though, that a reasonable conversation about these issues could have been hammered out. Maybe I just wanted the rift between these two to feel more believably divisive. Unfortunately, Meredith is only coming across as petty. Given how well she’s managed to shed her neuroses, it’s a disappointing step backwards that feels dictated by Sandra Oh’s exit instead of the characters’ arcs.
Slightly more believable is Bailey’s looming mental breakdown. I’m not clear on why getting her husband back home is such a trigger (though it makes me fear for the longevity of the union), but I’m glad to see that her experience with the leaky latex gloves is something that’s stuck with her and hasn’t been fully (or easily) resolved. Too often big events (shootings, floods, patient deaths, you name it) are dealt with and quickly put aside. Too much realism might suck the fun out of the show, but a little PTSD wouldn’t be out of the question, either.
April and Matthew have become a relationship oasis on the show, and I wasn’t surprised when April made the decision to delay sex until the couple’s wedding night. They’re cute, they’re happy in love, and hey, it’s nice to see April not chasing what she can’t have for once. In fact, there’s a remarkable amount of relationship harmony on “Grey’s Anatomy” right now. Owen has Emma, Meredith and Derek are fine, and Webber seems to have Catherine in his corner. The angst has been left to Callie and Arizona (with Leah on the side), with some minor exceptions. We saw nothing of Karev and Amy Jo this week, ditto for Jackson and Stephanie.
I suspect the big break-up we need to steel ourselves for is between Christina and Meredith. While it isn’t developing as fluidly (or realistically) as I hoped, it’s going to be a Very Big Deal. Maybe I’m just sentimental, but I’m glad to see some of the focus return to the “grown-ups” on the show. While the latest batch of interns has done a good job of capturing the youthful energy and nattering self-awareness that made “Grey’s Anatomy” clique with viewers in the beginning, we can’t help it — we’re attached to the characters who have been around longer than a season. Feeling that they’re being shuffled into the background like Webber, telling tired stories from his hospital bed, is just depressing. So bring on the breakdowns and break-ups. I can take it, “Grey’s,” I promise.
Do you think Bailey is having a breakdown? Do you like the new surgical interns? Do you think Callie and Arizona can ever get back together?