'Grey's Anatomy' - 'These Arms of Mine': Audio-visual club
A documentary crew comes to Seattle Grace as part of the show's ongoing grief cycle
The "Grey's Anatomy" doctors consider a transplant.
I haven't written about "Grey's Anatomy" this season, sticking to my belief that I enjoy the show more when I don't have to review it, and can therefore focus on the parts I enjoy and ignore the parts that I don't. That said, the Good "Grey's/Bad "Grey's" ratio has been overwhelmingly positive this year, as the show has done a very strong job depicting the aftermath of the shooting spree from the season finale, leaving very little time for the elements of the show I often find annoying. A lot of series might pull a stunt like that and then forget about it a few episodes later, or leave only a few characters traumatized by it, but here the shooting continues to have ripple effects on everyone.
Last night's episode used a documentary format that shows try from time to time. It can be incredibly effective (the black and white "M*A*S*H" episodes) or a distracting gimmick (the live "ER" episode, which was two stunts in one). This was one of the good uses of the device, as it was essentially still a "Grey's Anatomy" episode, but with the ability to go back and forth in time to show the patients and doctors in the time before and after the day being covered. Some good moments for everyone (Avery trapped with the crashing patient was a highlight, as was the entire Karev story), and the right mix of good and bad outcomes.
What did everybody think of the episode, and the season to date?
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October 29, 2010 at 10:28AM EST Reply to CommentI usually hate fake documentary episodes ("Access" was easily one of the weakest episodes of The West Wing, and the ER episode was very underwhelming), so I had lower expectations of this, and really enjoyed it.
I like that it still felt like a Grey's Anatomy episode, moving along the character arcs, despite the gimmick. Good job.
LJA
October 29, 2010 at 10:32AM EST Reply to CommentI'm the first person to throw a criticism in the direction of Grey's, but even a cynic like me has to admit that they're having a strong season, and yes, this episode was a particularly good example of that. It was so refreshing to be free of that plucky goofy music Grey's uses during "lighthearted" moments. I thought it was really effective to end the show on Yang being interviewed in the same room they were using to clear people psychologically for surgery.
The only complaint I really have for this season is that the addition of Kim Raver is a big miss. Otherwise, I am reminded of why I liked this show so much in season one.
sepinwall Good point, LJA. The documentary format meant we were spared the horrible Please Laugh Now music for once.
October 29, 2010 at 10:34AM ESTjan I agree with everything you said, LJA--especially the comment about the music. The one thing I didn't care for was Little Grey running through the security system, and there didn't seem to be any repercussions for her at all.
October 30, 2010 at 9:34AM ESTpamelajaye even I noticed the lack of that music (though not till the 2nd viewing) and I'm the one who never notices when they *use* it. In fact, after reading Stacey's blog, I thought there was no music at all in the ep - but there was - just as there was in Boston Med (where I found it disconcerting).
October 30, 2010 at 6:45PM ESTBaylink found the security system preposterous, as soon as Avery got stuck between doors.
One of my favorite parts? A transplant or in utero surgery where the Chief did NOT say "It will be like a dance."
Over the years, the Chief has very often seemed like a joke, to me. (and I thought we broke Mark of sending residents out for coffee)
Marc
October 29, 2010 at 10:39AM EST Reply to CommentThe show has been on fire. I applaud Shonda for taking that gripping finale and NOT using it as a stunt, but being the catlyst that is informing all the stories this year. The show is actually giving Certain actors Like Patrick Dempsey the opportunity to really show different sides of their charcters and (I believe he is doing his best work on the show ever) and as you noted Justin as Alex Karev was just fantastic last night. The new charcters/actors have really blended in wonderfully and the show hasnt been this consistently good since season 2 - an amazing feat for year 7).
For more insight on how the ep came to be (and fans of Boston Med, like me, that suspected it was the inspiration, You are right) check out the eps writer, Stacy McKee's take on it on the GREYS blog.
http://www.greyswriters.com/2010/10/stacy-mckee-on-these-arms-of-mine.html
pamelajaye so, basically, we have Terence Wrong (and possibly Stacy's baby) to thank - for this episode (not the entire season)
October 30, 2010 at 6:50PM ESTI can't even remember last week's ep at the moment, but I remember thinking "well, surely Alan has to like this"
evie
October 29, 2010 at 10:47AM EST Reply to CommentChristina is more cloying than ever this season, but other than her, I must like it because I'm still watching it. I'm up to a personal best for straight episodes watched.
My favorite storyline was the amputee, especially how they dealt with the tatoo. (Was that the girl from Felicity?) Very moving. The woman dying at the end was all-too-obvious, and I knew not to get invested in her from the beginning. If you can overlook stuff like that, the show is fun to watch.
So are Callie and the other woman really leaving the show?
LJA I'm not sure which girl you are referring to, but the widow Nicole whose husband donated the arms was played by the same actress who plays Peggy Olsen's sister on Mad Men.
October 29, 2010 at 10:52AM ESTMarsha I got weepy when they put up on the screen that he'd added "thank you" under the "Nicole" tattoo. I really loved the way they handled that storyline - it's nice to see a medical issue as something that brings people closer rather than tears them apart, and medical dramas tend to focus on the latter quite a bit. In addition, I found their macabre sense of humor fantastic (and in my experience, pretty realistic), everything from the wiping his a** comment to both their reactions to the tattoo. Really well done.
October 29, 2010 at 10:55AM ESTsepinwall The "thank you" note was lovely. And, yes, evie, the wife of the patient receiving the arms was played by Amanda Foreman, who was the witch on Felicity.
October 29, 2010 at 10:56AM ESTE. Wasn't she also the crazy fetus snatcher from "Private Practice"?
October 29, 2010 at 11:57AM ESTsanen85 What's odd is that Amanda Foreman also played the character (I believe named Katie) who cut open Violet on Private Practice. If these two shows are supposed to exist in the same reality (as the many crossovers have shown us), why use her for two different parts. It was very jarring.
October 29, 2010 at 1:08PM ESTpamelajaye have I already mentioned that Grey's and PP share actors all the time? It will not bother me until they start using Major Characters from one show in the other As Different Characters. If I see Denny Duqette, Ellis Grey, Thatcher Grey, Susan Grey (or possibly Hector Elizondo) on PP playing other characters, I will definitely cry foul.
October 30, 2010 at 6:58PM ESTAlso, they have used a large part of the cast of What About Brian, which is where *I* saw Amanda Foreman, Bailey's boyfriend from last season, Rosanna Arquette, the girl who played Deena... that's 4, and WAB had a pretty small cast (one member of which is tied up on Chuck these days)
Tab
October 29, 2010 at 1:50PM EST Reply to CommentI read another review of the episode that expressed annoyance with the lasting traumatic effects of the shooting ( see http://unrealityshout.com/blogs/review-–-grey’s-anatomy-these-arms-of-mine-s07e06 - " with dramas and soaps, everything happens a lot faster than it does in real life. Why? To stop us viewers getting bored. "), but I'm... a little in awe of the fact that the writers/producers are portraying a more accurate picture of the long-term effects of trauma. I wouldn't be surprised if Christina never entered an OR again, or if Jackson decided to be with his prestigious grandfather in Boston, or if Bailey slowly became more and more withdrawn, refusing to give any relative of any patient ANY kind of good news until the patient was out of the hospital. I mean, hell, it's not only a tragedy for patient Mandy's (sorry, Mary's, heh) husband, but it also may be, for Miranda, an uneasy echo of the whole series of events that precipitated the shooting, which was when the shooter's wife came through a surgery just fine... until she wasn't fine and suddenly she was brain dead.
SueNYC I agree - I think it's a brave, really interesting choice to follow the effects of the shooting over the long-term, especially with Cristina's PTSD. Sure, maybe some viewers want Cristina to "just be over it" and get back to the old character we loved... but isn't that reflective of how the characters around the fictional Cristina must feel? It feels true to life, and I'm really glad that they're respecting their story and their character by not just going back to business as usual.
October 29, 2010 at 6:06PM ESTpamelajaye > if Bailey slowly became more and more withdrawn,
October 30, 2010 at 7:03PM ESTshe will be Mark Green and John Carter.
If she suddenly starts smoking, watch out. (yup, I may have been wrong about other series not showing "lasting effects" of Bad Things having happened. Perhaps that only applies to Major Catastrophes Which Are Done For Sweeps. No, wait...)
Scazza
October 30, 2010 at 11:56AM EST Reply to CommentThey have done a great job, but this season I realize how much I watch the show just for Christina. Without her normal personality there's a real hole in the show. I know it's realistic, better than the alternative, but my patience is wearing thin. I like the portrayal of excellence, ambition, skill, vision, force that is in any of the characters, but is mostly in Christina. I would stop watching the show if she doesn't recover. However as realistic as this might seem, I can't believe that someone who knows rationally that what they've wanted their entire life has been taken away from them, wouldn't they miss it and fight to get it back; why hasn't she pursued therapy and healing seriously? I don't think that's realistic for her character, especially for this long. Am I to believe that she's just not that self aware? She's so dissociated & depressed? Though she's creating defenses, everyone is protecting her, it's out there; she's really so blind? I guess so, but they're dragging it out, destroying the best part of the show (for me).
pamelajaye
October 30, 2010 at 12:25PM EST Reply to CommentI watched Boston Med (had to, being from Boston. I also watched Hopkins, just because) I also read Stacey's blog post. Awesome!
I'm really liking this season. As you note, other shows might forget (Chicago Hope? Even I forgot ER had a big shooting - but only in the ER). I also love the focus on "other things" this season.
I never got to see what won for the season 7 promo poster...
Anyway, I love it when Grey's is less soap, but I also loved it when Derek told the documentographer that Cristina and Mer have sleepovers - in his bed. With him. And I loved seeing Derek and Mark joke around... I do love it when they focus on the medicine. Also Mer's hair looked pretty. (yup, I'm a straight woman, but I'm also a woman who falls asleep listening to this show - it's always surprising to me how much more fun it is it actually watch her). and yes, I really love Meredith the den mother, mama bear. Once read a fanfic where Mer & Der were finally in The Dream House. The doorbell rang. Derek said "It's 10pm. It must be for you." I still say that the characters we find most annoyingly self-involved (Meredith, Ally McBeal) are also often the most loyal, supportive, keep my tribe together, friends
pamelajaye
October 30, 2010 at 7:14PM EST Reply to CommentA poster at greyswriters reminded me - I am a big fan of eps where Mer is being strong and a good doctor.
On the other hand,
There was an ep a while back where she was reading Mommy's diaries and she said something like, "I'll never be half the surgeon my mother was." And I thought "Yes, but you'll be twice the person."
I love Competent Meredith, Strong Meredith, Mama Bear Meredith.
pamelajaye
October 31, 2010 at 7:55PM EST Reply to Commentsomewhere on GreysWriters, in the comments, it was mentioned that the teacher of trachea girl was named Mrs McKee - after the writer. It's not the first time. I'm watching ep 6.02 (yeah, I don't think I ever watched my season *5* DVDs) and the Chief is at Mercy West, about to be sutured by a new intern, named McKee.
erinpayton
October 31, 2010 at 11:08PM EST Reply to CommentI thought it was absolutely terrific, and a wonderful change of pace from the regular show that, while sometimes annoying, can feel very similar from week to week (i guess as all series tv shows do). The silly music, rambling dialogue, sometimes overwrought acting--all that was modified beautifully by the format. I can actually see why the docu format is tempting (as it was for Detroit 187, before they ditched it). I even loved the fake promos--it kept me interested!
This is definitely one of, if not the only, shows that has kept the fallout going from a huge event like the shooting, and I think it's great (although I'm hoping Cris will snap out of it eventually, but don't we all?) I loved the show from a different perspective, which cut down much of the cutesiness it usually displays. And I really enjoyed the interactions that we as the audience "happened" upon, and the group at the bar after the surgery--fun to see them so comfortable with each other.
And I love how Alex is still the heart of the show. Such a great character--so sweet to see him IN A TIE at the girl's show and tell!