S17.E12: Sign O' the Times

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Quote

Maggie is preoccupied with Winston while trying to treat a patient wounded in the Seattle protests; Levi is tested by an emergency; the doctors struggle to treat a patient who doesn't believe in COVID-19.

Promo:

Original air date: 4/15/21

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Well, it looks like we finally have an idea of where the show's timeline is now. The protest means that this episode takes place at the end of May.

Requisite musical reference:

 

[FnkyChkn34]

2 hours ago, ElectricBoogaloo said:

Well, it looks like we finally have an idea of where the show's timeline is now. The protest means that this episode takes place at the end of May.

Requisite musical reference:

 

Finally, a time frame!  But, it still makes no sense. 😉  No way Meredith celebrated Bailey's birthday - in May - before she became sick for so long and then was on a vent for weeks.

Also, when I read the title, I thought, "No, Harry Styles' song is 'Sign OF the Times' not 'O'..."  I'm an idiot.  I'll see myself out now.  

[toomuchtv]

Good riddance to covid denier guy. 

[funnygirl]

Social Justice Anatomy* needs to time jump and catch up to the now when there's a vaccine… maybe then COVID can take a backseat, C plot at the most, and we can get back to surgeons doing surgery and such. 

Props to Ellen Pompeo for getting paid a looooooooot of money to spend a season laying in bed and/or hanging out on the beach with minimal dialog. 

 

*I jest, yes I know these real life issues are serious but Grey's can be a touch too sanctimonious about it.

Edited April 16, 2021 by funnygirl

[DollEyes]

1 minute ago, toomuchtv said:

Good riddance to covid denier guy. 

Amen to that. He wasn't just stuck on stupid; he was marooned.

[Laurie4H]

Could that be any more heavy handed?

I get what they are trying to do but bring it down a notch. 

Edited April 16, 2021 by Laurie4H

[LexieLily]

I'm worried about Jackson driving away in the night without telling anyone where he is going. His dad is in Montana; is that eleven hours away from Seattle?

[sashayshante]

1 minute ago, funnygirl said:

Social Justice Anatomy* needs to time jump and catch up to the now when there's a vaccine… maybe then COVID can take a backseat, C plot at the most, and we can get back to surgeons doing surgery and such. 

 

*I jest, yes I know these real life issues are serious but Grey's can be a touch too sanctimonious about it.

If I could like this a thousand times I would.

I'm hesitant to share my opinion because I don't want to sound insensitive but this show is a freakin' drag at this point. Especially since we're just about out of the woods with COVID and this show is stuck a year behind.

I kept wondering why they added Maggie's boyfriend to the cast and I think tonight's episode is why. Outside of that I've never found him remotely interesting. He contributes nothing to the show. Maggie, too, has no purpose on this show at this point outside of fretting about Meredith or make out with her boyfriend in-between partaking in a scene that highlights how racist this country is. Which it is, obviously, but every single episode now has a woke-related storyline.

Just pull the literal and figurative plug already.

[Daisy]

So.. why are they protesting? 

Honestly i don't have thoughts on the episode. I simply didn't like it . at all. 

[KaveDweller]

11 minutes ago, LexieLily said:

I'm worried about Jackson driving away in the night without telling anyone where he is going. His dad is in Montana; is that eleven hours away from Seattle?

Yeah, it looks like it could be his dad. Google tells me that Helena and Seattle are 9.5 hours apart by car, and Montana is big enough that 11 hours could put him somewhere else in the state.

I hope we have a time jump soon, because if this show is still in May 2020 they have a ton of pandemic to go. 

[statsgirl]

It was hard to recognize Phylicia Rashad under the mask, although the voice is unmistakable. Debbie Allen getting her family, about justified.

Although preachy, I thought that Winston's cop story was very well done. It really gave me a sense of what it must be like to live like that, where no matter who you are, it doesn't matter.

I could have done without yet another Meredith tongue bath. Is there a rule that one has to be included in every episode?

14 minutes ago, Daisy said:

So.. why are they protesting?

According to the show's timeline, it was an early George Flyod protest.

[HighHopes]

If people are “exhausted” with watching shows and characters deal with the reality of being Black in America try to imagine how it is to live as a Black person in America. The show is 42 minutes and you can turn it off or mute it at anytime. Black people do not have the option to turn their lives off. 
 

If the show makes you think or makes you uncomfortable, good. If you’re bored by it, by watching Black characters deal with their very real experiences you might need to ask yourselves some questions about why that is. 

And to answer someone else, being woke will never end. Sorry you’re no longer able to watch shows that ignore racism and sexism. Everything in this episode has always existed, you’re just no longer going to be able to live your life ignoring it. 

 

Edited April 16, 2021 by HighHopes

[rlc]

They can tell me time and again that Maggie is brilliant, but as far as I’m concerned she’s the stupidest character on tv. Seriously- screaming like that when Winston was pulled over? What the hell did she think would happen? That the cops would not be infuriated by her screeching? Ugh. Dumber than the COVID denier and a box of rocks.

Edited April 16, 2021 by rlc

[SoMuchTV]

34 minutes ago, Diana Berry said:

Wake me when woke is over

 

25 minutes ago, Daisy said:

So.. why are they protesting? 

Honestly i don't have thoughts on the episode. I simply didn't like it . at all. 

Couldn’t disagree more. Little did they know this would air in a week when reality said “hold my beer”. 

[sashayshante]

12 minutes ago, HighHopes said:

If people are “exhausted” with watching shows and characters deal with the reality of being Black in America try to imagine how it is to live as a Black person in America. The show is 42 minutes and you can turn it off or mute it at anytime. Black people do not have the option to turn their lives off. 
 

If the show makes you think or makes you uncomfortable, *good*. If you’re bored by it, by watching Black characters deal with their very real experiences you might need to ask yourselves some questions about why that is. 

And to answer someone else, being woke will never end. Sorry you’re no longer able to watch shows that ignore racism and sexism. Everything in this episode has always existed, you’re just no longer going to be able to live your life ignoring it. 

 

It's not the message. It's the way it's being delivered. It's heavy-handed, repetitive and showcasing characters we either aren't invested in or are just flat out annoying. This is a show in its 17th season that should have ended at least 5 years ago. Outside of the 3 original cast members - Mer, Baily, Richard - almost the entire cast is insufferable.

Edited April 16, 2021 by sashayshante

[Daisy]

3 minutes ago, HighHopes said:

If people are “exhausted” with watching shows and characters deal with the reality of being Black in America try to imagine how it is to live as a Black person in America. The show is 42 minutes and you can turn it off or mute it at anytime. Black people do not have the option to turn their lives off. 
 

If the show makes you think or makes you uncomfortable, *good*. If you’re bored by it, by watching Black characters deal with their very real experiences you might need to ask yourselves some questions about why that is. 

And to answer someone else, being woke will never end. Sorry you’re no longer able to watch shows that ignore racism and sexism. Everything in this episode has always existed, you’re just no longer going to be able to live your life ignoring it. 

 

 

Well I can cross of a lot of minority boxes, so for me - i don't really have to imagine it. I know. I've experienced it. But I still can also have the opinion it can be done a heck of a lot better, and can totally appreciate how it can make anyone tired (irregardless of race, sexuality, creed etc). 

I personally think that a lot of this stuff could be told or shown with a lot more organic nuance, which I personally don't feel that it is doing so.  It comes off as preachy and unauthentic. (And quite frankly, the way they treat other sensitive topics on the show as jokes, it also comes off hypocritical. It's okay to champion these causes, but this stuff we can make fun off because it's okay). 

I don't know what "woke" means that's too slang for me, but I've been watching shows that dealt with racism and sexism- this isn't a new phenomena or anything here- but  again if it didn't come across (well to me, i don't wanna speak for others) as someone handed people a bunch of stats and them just listing it off it of like bullet points it would probably sit better with people.

Like prime example, Jackson was like what about the mortality rate of pregnant black mothers - well, you know Arizona also had this issue several seasons ago - but she focused on all mortality rate of pregnant women. the way Jackson was going on it sounded like this was a black women issue, where Arizona and Carina showed that this was an United States Women issue (and it's Arizona so I doubt very much she would have ignored minorities). Arizona spent several episodes focusingon this and coming up with solutions. (this was fuelled by the contest - but Jackson's argument was fuelled by this protest thing. But all these guys preach about the unfairness but we're not seeing them do anything with it). 

[HighHopes]

36 minutes ago, sashayshante said:

It's not the message. It's the way it's being delivered. It's heavy-handed, repetitive and showcasing characters we either aren't invested in or are just flat out annoying. This is a show in its 17th season that should have ended at least 5 years ago. Outside of the 3 original cast members - Mer, Baily, Richard - almost the entire cast is insufferable.

So your issue is with the characters and not the story. There's a difference. And it's not heavy handed, turn on the news and you will see these exact situations happening in real life. If you think it's heavy handed or repetitive you're not paying attention to the real world. It's "repetitive" to you, but again, imagine living this daily. Because that's reality for the vast majority of Black people in America. 

Here's a thread (and you can read the quoted tweets as well) of various Black Twitter users talking about the most ridiculous reasons for why they were pulled over. 

24 minutes ago, Daisy said:

 

Well I can cross of a lot of minority boxes, so for me - i don't really have to imagine it. I know. I've experienced it. But I still can also have the opinion it can be done a heck of a lot better, and can totally appreciate how it can make anyone tired (irregardless of race, sexuality, creed etc). 

I personally think that a lot of this stuff could be told or shown with a lot more organic nuance, which I personally don't feel that it is doing so.  It comes off as preachy and unauthentic. (And quite frankly, the way they treat other sensitive topics on the show as jokes, it also comes off hypocritical. It's okay to champion these causes, but this stuff we can make fun off because it's okay). 

I don't know what "woke" means that's too slang for me, but I've been watching shows that dealt with racism and sexism- this isn't a new phenomena or anything here- but  again if it didn't come across (well to me, i don't wanna speak for others) as someone handed people a bunch of stats and them just listing it off it of like bullet points it would probably sit better with people.

Like prime example, Jackson was like what about the mortality rate of pregnant black mothers - well, you know Arizona also had this issue several seasons ago - but she focused on all mortality rate of pregnant women. the way Jackson was going on it sounded like this was a black women issue, where Arizona and Carina showed that this was an United States Women issue (and it's Arizona so I doubt very much she would have ignored minorities). Arizona spent several episodes focusingon this and coming up with solutions. (this was fuelled by the contest - but Jackson's argument was fuelled by this protest thing. But all these guys preach about the unfairness but we're not seeing them do anything with it). 

I do agree that Grey's can be a bit heavy handed, but sometimes you have to hit people over the head with issues because they don't pay attention otherwise. A publishing prof once told me you have to write at a grade four reading level for websites because that's the reading level for the majority of Americans. I assume the same is true for TV sometimes, handle issues in the most obvious ways. 

Maternal mortality rates need to be intersectional. Yes the high rates are an issue, but they are especially high for Black women.

I do think the show is building up to Jackson going about changing something, and I think we will see that in the next few episodes. The issue with Grey's Anatomy though is they have these Big episodes and then never mention anything ever again. 

Woke simply means: alert to injustice in society, especially racism.

Edited April 16, 2021 by HighHopes

[KellySunshine]

JMHO, but they went way overboard with the anti-police rhetoric.  Not all police are bad, there are many many police officers who chose that career to HELP people. This episode went overboard painting all police officers as evil.  It was way too one-sided. 

 

Edited April 16, 2021 by KellySunshine

[anna0852]

2 hours ago, rlc said:

 Seriously- screaming like that when Winston was pulled over? What the hell did she think would happen? That the cops would not be infuriated by her screeching? Ugh. Dumber than the COVID denier and a box of rocks.

Maybe she was thinking that she was about to hear her finacee die? That once again white police officers would kill a Black man and receive no consequences. 

Edited April 16, 2021 by anna0852

[chocolatine]

2 hours ago, LexieLily said:

I'm worried about Jackson driving away in the night without telling anyone where he is going. His dad is in Montana; is that eleven hours away from Seattle?

Yes.

1 hour ago, anna0852 said:

Maybe she was thinking that she was about to hear her finacee die? That once again white police officers would kill a Black man and receive no consequences. 

It was a routine traffic stop (because Winston's license plate was obscured by his bike) and the officer didn't even notice that Winston had someone on the phone until Maggie started screaming. The interaction was very quiet before that, so there was no reason for her to think that he was in any danger.

[Diana Berry]

4 hours ago, KellySunshine said:

JMHO, but they went way overboard with the anti-police rhetoric.  Not all police are bad, there are many many police officers who chose that career to HELP people. This episode went overboard painting all police officers as evil.  It was way too one-sided. 

 

Yes, they made the cops out to be Neanderthals like from  Deliverance.  Coming from a family that has family members in law enforcement , not everyone is a bad cop just as not all citizens are bad people. It’s a disservice to the men and women in blue who put their lives on the line everyday for us.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

I know I'm supposed to be impressed that Schmitt has finally become a competent doctor and see that he has become the teacher and the new intern was the skittish colt that Schmitt used to be, but he still annoys me. When he and the new guy got put in the hyperbaric chamber together, I briefly wondered if this would be Schmitt's new boyfriend. I guess we'll see.

While I totally get Bailey's frustration with that COVID denier, they're supposed to be a few months into the pandemic so is this really the first one that she's come across? I loved when she and Teddy were talking about his accusations and how they were getting paid by "the government" for each COVID diagnosis. I also LOVED when the COVID guy tried to be a dick to Tseng and Bailey immediately told him that DOCTOR Tseng was a second year surgical resident.

This episode reminded me that Owen isn't completely awful when he's away from the endless romantic entanglements. He was nice with Maggie which is such a contrast from his attitude when he's with Amelia/Teddy/Cristina.

I get that Katherine was trying to keep Jackson safe because that's what parents do (see also: McWidow not wanting his kids to protest anymore), and she was telling the truth when she said that she fought for things long before he was even born. But Jackson is an adult and she still treats him like a child. She dismisses him, changes the subject, and speaks down to him when he disagrees with her or he says something that she doesn't want to hear.

I liked that Richard acknowledged Jackson's desire to do more than write checks and go to work. I'm glad that Jackson has an authority figure in his life who isn't trying to baby him or coddle him. I know it's different because he hasn't known Jackson since childhood so he treats Jackson like an adult, but he's known Meredith since she was a child and he tends to treat her like an adult too so I'd say that overall Richard seems like a better parental figure.

Poor Winston. Although he was clearly shaken up afterward, I was just so relieved that he was safe.

[AzraeltheCat]

27 minutes ago, ElectricBoogaloo said:

I get that Katherine was trying to keep Jackson safe because that's what parents do (see also: McWidow not wanting his kids to protest anymore), and she was telling the truth when she said that she fought for things long before he was even born. But Jackson is an adult and she still treats him like a child. She dismisses him, changes the subject, and speaks down to him when he disagrees with her or he says something that she doesn't want to hear.

She has ALWAYS been like this to him which is what drives me crazy.  He is a grown ass man and talented surgeon and can make his own decisions about protesting and relationships. It's fine for her to offer an opinion or advice if he asks, but damn! 

9 hours ago, funnygirl said:

Social Justice Anatomy* needs to time jump and catch up to the now when there's a vaccine… maybe then COVID can take a backseat, C plot at the most, and we can get back to surgeons doing surgery and such. 

Yes please!! I'll admit that it would have been weird for the show not to address it, but I'm tired of COVID stories, Meredith on on death beach, Amelia stuck in the house with kids.  

 

9 hours ago, sashayshante said:

I kept wondering why they added Maggie's boyfriend to the cast and I think tonight's episode is why. Outside of that I've never found him remotely interesting. He contributes nothing to the show. Maggie, too, has no purpose on this show at this point outside of fretting about Meredith or make out with her boyfriend in-between partaking in a scene that highlights how racist this country is.

I actually like Winston and have since he joined the cast. Granted we haven't seen a lot of him but he's a smart, charming guy who seems to be a good doctor.  Unlike Maggie's previous love interests, I really feel the chemistry between these two.  And I was so infuriated by his treatment during the traffic stop.  Yes, I know not every person in law enforcement is a racist asshole.  But there some; these things DO happen; and they happen more often than just the ones we see on the news.  And as I white female, I can imagine how differently that traffic stop would have gone if it had involved someone who looks like me.  I think that is the point of this scene - showing folks that are still unaware/"unwoke" that it happens, even to nice guys like Winston, simply due to race. 

[dmc]

I sort of watched this reluctantly.  My mom called and told me preemptively what the episode was about and I kind of was about to skip it.  The show has felt less fun to me too and I just wanted a light episode. 

It’s definitely a subject that needs to be told, but in the midst of a real life trial on a this and a new shooting during it...I’m just exhausted as a POC. 
 

Then I came here and saw one of the first comments said something about “woke politics” and realized clearly this is a story that people need to keep seeing despite feeling uncomfortable. The day this comment stops and people can be safe in a traffic stop is the day we can stop having this heavy handed plot served to us. Being safely stopped or arrested by the police shouldn’t be politically divisive.

 

Also I saw a comment above about decent law enforcement.  This is absolutely true.  There are some people who make a mediocre salary and risk their life day in and day out to help their communities.  I don’t feel a storyline like this takes anything away from these people.  Except to maybe make some more quicker to condemn the shitty people they work with so they too don’t have to be associated with them.

Edited April 16, 2021 by dmc

[readster]

1 hour ago, ElectricBoogaloo said:

 

While I totally get Bailey's frustration with that COVID denier, they're supposed to be a few months into the pandemic so is this really the first one that she's come across? I loved when she and Teddy were talking about his accusations and how they were getting paid by "the government" for each COVID diagnosis. I also LOVED when the COVID guy tried to be a dick to Tseng and Bailey immediately told him that DOCTOR Tseng was a second year surgical resident.

Still said how people even now are more against vaccines and still calling the pandemic a "farce" sadly heard it so many times with my own coworkers in education. Plus, people still going on on how the election was "stolen" you just CAN'T change people who rather live in another reality. Hell, current shootings this past week, there are people saying that the officers were "set up" despite evidence they didn't. Welcome back to the 1950s-1980s everyone.

[NickyB1975]

This past episode “Sign O’The Times has made me stop watching the show.  I’ve been watching the show since day 1, but this whole season has been annoying me. First of all, Covid is shoved down our throats every day and now it’s pushed down further on the show.  Then, this episode shows cops being bad to only black people is enough!!!  The way Maggie freaked out while on the phone.  Like people don’t get pulled over?  They  over exaggerated the matter way too much!  Goodbye Greys Anatomy

[iMonrey]

Quote

They can tell me time and again that Maggie is brilliant, but as far as I’m concerned she’s the stupidest character on tv. Seriously- screaming like that when Winston was pulled over? What the hell did she think would happen? That the cops would not be infuriated by her screeching? 

Seriously. If they want me to believe that Maggie is one of the most brilliant surgeons in the country . . . hell - even a competent surgeon - then she needs to stop acting like a hormonal thirteen year old. I get that getting pulled over just based on the color of your skin is an actual thing and I get why she would be worried. But why on God's green earth would Richard or anyone else in that hospital allow her into an operating room when she's having a full-on panic attack and obsessing over her boyfriend? Would you want this woman operating on you? She needed a serious time-out. Instead, Richard bangs on the window in the middle of surgery to tell her that her boyfriend is on the phone! Wow. Just . . . wow. It's a wonder any patient walks out of that hospital alive.

Also, what exactly is wrong with Meredith? I know, Covid . . . but last week she was conscious and this week she was unconscious again. Is she slipping in and out of a coma?

[DEL901]

I thought Winston’s story was a logical follow up to last season when Bailey had “the talk” with her son and what it means as a black male and how he has to be hyper careful when interacting with police.   As a white woman, when I’ve gotten pulled over by police, I was annoyed, worried about a ticket but never feared for my life because I was caught speeding.  These stories, like Winstons, are unfortunately are playing out on the news all too often    

Re Jackson and black maternal mortality rates...he also mentioned the need for education on racial bias in medicine.   John Oliver did a good story on this before Covid and had facts and figures to back up both racial and gender bias in medicine.   

Here’s to hoping Meredith ends up staying with Derek, but wouldn’t be that lucky.   

Edited April 16, 2021 by DEL901

[Lovecat]

 

17 hours ago, statsgirl said:

It was hard to recognize Phylicia Rashad under the mask, although the voice is unmistakable. Debbie Allen getting her family, about justified.

Although preachy, I thought that Winston's cop story was very well done. It really gave me a sense of what it must be like to live like that, where no matter who you are, it doesn't matter.

I could have done without yet another Meredith tongue bath. Is there a rule that one has to be included in every episode?

According to the show's timeline, it was an early George Flyod protest.

From the previews, I thought it was Katherine (Debbie Allen) getting out of the ambulance with Richard.  When I saw her walking into the hospital with Jackson in the beginning, I thought "Only Katherine Fox would go to a protest wearing those heels!"  When I saw the ambulance scene I realized no, just a lady who sort of looks like her...and thought nice fake-out, editors!  It wasn't until an embarrassingly long time later that I recognized Phylicia Rashad's voice and the penny dropped--I had seen her name in the credits, for crap's sake!  

I've always said that [My real name] is French for "slow"...  

[FnkyChkn34]

2 hours ago, iMonrey said:

Also, what exactly is wrong with Meredith? I know, Covid . . . but last week she was conscious and this week she was unconscious again. Is she slipping in and out of a coma?

I think that one of them said that she wakes up and is coherent when she does, but she spends most of her time sleeping.  I was wondering if they are keeping her sedated, to continue healing?  Either way, I guess I'd have to assume that it's a normal step in the recovery process.  They've seemed to try to make the covid story as realistic as possible.  

[anna0852]

16 hours ago, chocolatine said:

Yes.

It was a routine traffic stop (because Winston's license plate was obscured by his bike) and the officer didn't even notice that Winston had someone on the phone until Maggie started screaming. The interaction was very quiet before that, so there was no reason for her to think that he was in any danger.

I'm a white woman and even I know that there is nothing 'routine' when Black drivers are pulled over. Time and time again Black drivers are harassed, injured, arrested and killed at a much higher rate than white drivers. If Grey's wants to show the reality of being Black in America then I cheer them on.

Edited April 16, 2021 by anna0852

[Crashcourse]

16 hours ago, chocolatine said:

It was a routine traffic stop (because Winston's license plate was obscured by his bike) and the officer didn't even notice that Winston had someone on the phone until Maggie started screaming. The interaction was very quiet before that, so there was no reason for her to think that he was in any danger.

While I can understand her thinking that he might be in danger, she should have known that screaming wouldn't help and, in fact, would endanger him even more.  

[MarylandGirl]

1 hour ago, FnkyChkn34 said:

I think that one of them said that she wakes up and is coherent when she does, but she spends most of her time sleeping.  I was wondering if they are keeping her sedated, to continue healing?  Either way, I guess I'd have to assume that it's a normal step in the recovery process.  They've seemed to try to make the covid story as realistic as possible.  

I've read that it can take a long time to recover from being on a ventilator for more than, say, a day or two. That people tend to need extensive rehabilitation in both physical and mental capacities. (Source: I did a bit of panic reading about ventilators fairly early on in the pandemic.) So, to me, this is more realistic than here suddenly popping up and being ready to work in a week. However, it would be good if they included more explanation of that on the show. Like, "That's great she's awake. But it will take a long time and some hard work to get her back to being fully functional."

[chocolatine]

51 minutes ago, anna0852 said:

I'm a white woman and even I know that there is nothing 'routine' when Black drivers are pulled over. Time and time again Black drivers are harassed, injured, arrested and killed at a much higher rate than white drivers. If Grey's wants to show the reality of being Black in America then I cheer them on.

At a higher rate than white drivers, yes, but the vast majority of the 20+ million traffic stops in the US every year are routine and uneventful. I understand being nervous, but screaming her head off when there was no indication that Winston was being mistreated was unwarranted and unhelpful. 

[shantown]

1 hour ago, anna0852 said:

I'm a white woman and even I know that there is nothing 'routine' when Black drivers are pulled over. Time and time again Black drivers are harassed, injured, arrested and killed at a much higher rate than white drivers. If Grey's wants to show the reality of being Black in America then I cheer them on.

7 minutes ago, chocolatine said:

At a higher rate than white drivers, yes, but the vast majority of the 20+ million traffic stops in the US every year are routine and uneventful. I understand being nervous, but screaming her head off when there was no indication that Winston was being mistreated was unwarranted and unhelpful. 

I think it has a lot to do with when this episode was taking place as well - in Grey's time they had just found out about George Floyd, and were seeing protests taking place near the hospital in Seattle. Everyone was already a little on edge, so being told to turn off the phone/recording device when being stopped for seemingly no reason would be enough to push someone over the edge. Maggie reacts in extreme ways to lots of things - I can see how being hung up without a goodbye and then not being able to get through to Winston for over 20 minutes would be worrisome.

I need to go back and watch last week's preview for this episode because I remember it being very different from what the episode turned out to be. Bailey running into the stairwell going "What? WHAT?!?!" was theorized as everything from Derek returning from the dead to another shooter in the hospital. I'm much happier it was played as a somewhat comical moment instead. There was also a very dramatic scene of Glasses watching the door to the hyperbaric chamber close with a worried look on his face. In reality he was just annoyed that someone else was coming in!

[choclatechip45]

I thought this episode was the best of the season so far. There was no reason for the cop to tell Winston to hang up his phone. 

[chocolatine]

4 minutes ago, shantown said:

I can see how being hung up without a goodbye and then not being able to get through to Winston for over 20 minutes would be worrisome.

Yes, not being able to get through to him for a long time was terrifying and it would have been perfectly understandable if she had started to freak out then. My problem was that she started to freak out when there was no reason to, possibly escalating the situation for Winston.

[MarylandGirl]

26 minutes ago, choclatechip45 said:

I thought this episode was the best of the season so far. There was no reason for the cop to tell Winston to hang up his phone. 

I'm guessing the cop was afraid Winston (well, I guess Maggie, whoever was on the other end) would be recording him and didn't want it on record.

[Anela]

21 hours ago, Daisy said:

 

Well I can cross of a lot of minority boxes, so for me - i don't really have to imagine it. I know. I've experienced it. But I still can also have the opinion it can be done a heck of a lot better, and can totally appreciate how it can make anyone tired (irregardless of race, sexuality, creed etc). 

I personally think that a lot of this stuff could be told or shown with a lot more organic nuance, which I personally don't feel that it is doing so.  It comes off as preachy and unauthentic. (And quite frankly, the way they treat other sensitive topics on the show as jokes, it also comes off hypocritical. It's okay to champion these causes, but this stuff we can make fun off because it's okay). 

I don't know what "woke" means that's too slang for me, but I've been watching shows that dealt with racism and sexism- this isn't a new phenomena or anything here- but  again if it didn't come across (well to me, i don't wanna speak for others) as someone handed people a bunch of stats and them just listing it off it of like bullet points it would probably sit better with people.

Like prime example, Jackson was like what about the mortality rate of pregnant black mothers - well, you know Arizona also had this issue several seasons ago - but she focused on all mortality rate of pregnant women. the way Jackson was going on it sounded like this was a black women issue, where Arizona and Carina showed that this was an United States Women issue (and it's Arizona so I doubt very much she would have ignored minorities). Arizona spent several episodes focusingon this and coming up with solutions. (this was fuelled by the contest - but Jackson's argument was fuelled by this protest thing. But all these guys preach about the unfairness but we're not seeing them do anything with it). 

I’ve just seen this on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/p/CNvhorhgE1t/

I’m watching right now, and I’m surprised that nobody expected this storyline.  It’s not only relevant (all the time :( ) but people were getting shot with rubber bullets, losing eyes, and doctors were begging the cops to stop using tear gas, because of covid.  This is a medical show. It’s always relevant here.  The Irish guy just coughed, and mentioned tear gas.  

Edited April 17, 2021 by Anela

[taanja]

On 4/15/2021 at 9:35 PM, HighHopes said:

If people are “exhausted” with watching shows and characters deal with the reality of being Black in America try to imagine how it is to live as a Black person in America. The show is 42 minutes and you can turn it off or mute it at anytime. Black people do not have the option to turn their lives off. 
 

If the show makes you think or makes you uncomfortable, good. If you’re bored by it, by watching Black characters deal with their very real experiences you might need to ask yourselves some questions about why that is. 

And to answer someone else, being woke will never end. Sorry you’re no longer able to watch shows that ignore racism and sexism. Everything in this episode has always existed, you’re just no longer going to be able to live your life ignoring it. 

 

I ❤️ this a million times!

Thank you. 

Edited April 17, 2021 by taanja

[Rorosi]

On 4/16/2021 at 4:35 AM, HighHopes said:

If people are “exhausted” with watching shows and characters deal with the reality of being Black in America try to imagine how it is to live as a Black person in America. The show is 42 minutes and you can turn it off or mute it at anytime. Black people do not have the option to turn their lives off. 
 

If the show makes you think or makes you uncomfortable, good. If you’re bored by it, by watching Black characters deal with their very real experiences you might need to ask yourselves some questions about why that is. 

And to answer someone else, being woke will never end. Sorry you’re no longer able to watch shows that ignore racism and sexism. Everything in this episode has always existed, you’re just no longer going to be able to live your life ignoring it. 

 

The thing is I don't live in the US. Where I live there is racism but no way near like in the US. I am very conscious of reality and get far too upset about it as it is. Believe me there is not only racism in the world. So I watch shows like this, not to be educated but to be distracted. But now as the US is full of dumb people who are clueless about the world that surrounds them and have crap education, the only way to get people to see is through TV and cinema so this sort of thing/theme now appears on every show. It is tiering.i want a break from reality not a reminder. Fewer and fewer of my shows provid that anymore. 

Also if you really want to be truthful then maybe these shows need to equally show times when a black person is stopped and treated just like anyone else or are you saying that it is systematic that the cops are always 2 white cops 1 50ish slightly overweight and the other one younger orsimilar to first. That systematically they treat a black guy like they did in this episode? No that would be ridiculous. Yes there are plenty of cad cops and black men are more likely to be pulled over. But the likelihood of a black man who looks like this, in a car like that, who explains he is moving to Seattle to work as a doctor and move in with his girlfriend who is also a doctor, Tobe treated that way is slimeven for the US. Most cases of police acting with excessif force or doing this sort of thing is in areas where there is a high poor black population and on drug routes. The people involved are mainly in their early mid 20s and look it. There manner of speach is that of the streets (not impolite but has a certain flow to it). This does not excuse a thing let me be very clear on that. I'm just saying that the 30 year old doc dressed like a 60 year old who speaks in proper English and has an expensive bicycle on the back of his car (not the sort of thing a drug dealer would have or a gang member), clearly moving, is not going to be a target unless he is really unlucky and falls on some really racist cops. Most of the bad cops are either trigger happy guys who go into the force to have an excuse to use their weapon or cops who have such strong stereotypes implanted in them that when someone presents with those characteristics their mind acts as if they have the worst criminal in front of them. Only few are raciste in the core. Pure evil men. 

[ams1001]

On 4/16/2021 at 5:31 PM, Crashcourse said:

While I can understand her thinking that he might be in danger, she should have known that screaming wouldn't help and, in fact, would endanger him even more.  

I read the thread before watching so I knew it was coming and I was still wanting to scream "What the hell is wrong with you?! You knew he was being pulled over! Why would you try to talk to him?! And expect him to respond?!" 

Also wanted to smack Schmidt for being such an ass to the other guy in the chamber for no reason. Just because Mer is "VIP" doesn't mean other patients shouldn't get treatment they need when there is plenty of room in there for both of them. Grow up.

 

[iMonrey]

Quote

If people are “exhausted” with watching shows and characters deal with the reality of being Black in America try to imagine how it is to live as a Black person in America.

I can respect the experience of what WInston went through and still have contempt for Maggie's behavior. Those 2 things are not mutually inclusive. 

[Quark]

I don't mind when this show is heavy handed about important issues, it's Maggie I can't stand. I felt awful for Winston.

And I'm completely baffled by Jackson's speech about being upset that he didn't have scars.

[ams1001]

On a lighter note, I did get a laugh out of Katherine saying she heard about [Phylicia Rashad's character] and she should go stop by and meet her.

[statsgirl]

40 minutes ago, Quark said:

And I'm completely baffled by Jackson's speech about being upset that he didn't have scars.

To Jackson's credit, he didn't want to keep being safe and only donating money from a distance, he wanted to be down in the trenches, being physically present and getting bashed on the head as Richard, Phylicia 's character had been in  the past and even McWidower was in this episode.

[RedbirdNelly]

I appreciate the topical storylines that do convey how much people of color have to carry day in day out.

I wish it was better written and acted so it felt less speechy and more organic. It was silly to have Maggie expect Winston to chat with her during the stop itself. I understood her being concerned but she should know to listen quietly at that point. The stop had just started.

I continue my Glasses Death Watch and to despise him. Being a snit about his VIP patient did nothing for me. Him saying Meredith needed not to be spoken to/no stress was comical because nothing would annoy me (or Meredith) more than having to lay there and listen to him blather on about clouds. 

I like Meredith more than most but seriously show? more "she's the greatest" stuff? just stop.

 

[NaughtyKitty]

One of my friends from high school was the patient whose guts came out.  That was fun to see.  Otherwise, I wasn't engaged by this one.

[ams1001]

 

7 hours ago, RedbirdNelly said:

I continue my Glasses Death Watch and to despise him. Being a snit about his VIP patient did nothing for me. Him saying Meredith needed not to be spoken to/no stress was comical because nothing would annoy me (or Meredith) more than having to lay there and listen to him blather on about clouds. 

I half expected her to wake up just to tell him to shut up.