To be honest, I’m not very good at writing up these reviews. Normally I’m a bloody verbal acrobat, but these feel stiff and clunky. Maybe I’ve got to break into the habit. It should help that I’m rather drunk.
So on with the review!
Recap: Chief is still being a dillhole. Arizona gets most of an episode dedicated to her, with pleasing effects. Paeds gets a big look-in. Cristina and Owen get some screentime. Izzie is still being a [insert word of your choice] and has [insert word of your choice]ed off the face off the earth and left Alex with a tasty $200,000 worth of medical fees. Alex saves a baby’s life (with his shirt off, like OMG). And, oh, Jackson and Reed have the hots for Cristina and Alex, respectively.
Yes, new doctors Jackson and Reed – the waspy trend of surnames-and-given-names infects this show – are lusting after the two remaining members of the original group, who are suffering in their own relationships. Cristina is butthurt when Hunt shouts at her for going rogue in a surgery (my God, the surgeons are all going Guevera on us these days) and cuts open a girl’s heart to release an air bubble. Jackson, however, finds it a turn-on and they drunkenly make out over their mutual defence of Cristina’s heart-stabbing rebelliousness. This causes Yang to realize somehow that she truly loves Hunt and, though she won’t back down on her I’m-right-itude – falling back on the old “that’s me, I’m Cristina” line that GA favours so – she won’t make a big fuss either and asks him to come home with her. Awww. (And I mean that sincerely.) It’s nice that they’ve moved on as a pairing and that the writers didn’t pull a Season 5 on us and have them go into 6 weeks’ worth of drama over it, complete with 3 or more break-ups and make-ups.
They’re not the only couple having problems either, ho no: Callie and Arizona are sweeter and testier than ever as Callie fails to adequately support her girlfriend while she copes with being emotionally arm-twisted into slicing open a long term patient on his 11th birthday. Of course it doesn’t help that that, like all paeds cases, this boy is not only adorable, but mind-blowingly precocious. Which begs the question of why do they never treat stupid kids? Or ugly kids? Anyway, Arizona is at her perky stardust-and-fairy-tales best as she introduces the residents to the world of paediatrics and her attachment to young Wallace causes his obscenely rich parents to offer a donation of $25 million to the department. The Chief and his kiss-ass board lackey jump on this, but Ari wavers overs cutting the kid open, as is the wish of the parents. Eventually she does, and he dies. It is very moving, with some fantastic character interaction. The Chief gets to play only the passive bad guy as the board member sucks up to the Andersons in order to keep the grant, and he looks on, fighting his fierce desire to keep the hospital on top, and his human compassion. He is still the villain in Arizona’s eyes though, and when the normally timid surgeon shouts at him to get the hell out of her OR, I clapped out loud.
Poor Dr Robins then arrives home to find that Callie, on Lexie’s advice – and against Mark’s – has thrown her a surprise birthday party. Arizona storms out, but returns later to find Callie alone, with a party hat and lingerie. In a moment of vulnerability, Ari states, “I love you.” We held our breath waiting for Callie’s response, and as the screen faded out to credits, we heard softly, “I love you too.” I screamed.
Ahem.
Alex wonderfully picks up the pieces of his plans for a paeds career that fell apart after Addison left, when he saves the life of a baby not expected to survive, just by holding her in a special “kangaroo” position, and staying the night in said position. This helps distract him from Izzie’s abandonment, although judging by the promo (SPOILER) looks like Iz will be returning with a little bundle of joy of their own growing in her whiny womb.
That’s pretty much it. Season 6 continues to earn my love. I hope it has earned yours too.
