S11.E08: Risk

[BizBuzz]

Maggie and Meredith disagree with Derek about the best way to approach a patient’s case, which leads to a bigger argument between the couple. Meanwhile Callie feels responsible when one of her veterans is pushed too far and one doctor’s routine procedure results in a devastating diagnosis.

 

[windsprints]

Derek sneak peek

[betsyboo]

DVR ALERT for the East Coast: Pres Obama sked to speak in prime time Thursday night. Be sure to set extra time on your DVRs!!

[pointybird]

Thanks for posting the preview, windsprints!  I could hardly concentrate on what was said as I was mesmerised by the height of Derek's voluminous hair.  It's beginning to bear a disturbing resemblance to Liberace's humungous bouffant during his most flamboyant 1970s heyday.  Maybe there'll be a decent barber in Washington.

[LakeLover]

I cannot understand why Shonda wants his hair like that. There were pictures of Patrick getting a haircut yesterday, it's quite normal now.

[BizBuzz]

DVR ALERT for the East Coast: Pres Obama sked to speak in prime time Thursday night. Be sure to set extra time on your DVRs!!

 

Thank you for posting this, based on the fact this is the fall finale, that would be some necessary information.

[photo fox]

[pointybird]

Loved this episode.  Loved even more

Arizona's facial expressions upon seeing Herman and the male doc having nookie in the on call room.

.  Jessica Capshaw has a gift for comedy.

Edited November 20, 2014 by pointybird

[jb0495]

If you pause the video, you can see that the baby has barely grown between 20 & 23 weeks. And he'd been sitting cross legged for a while. Any doctors/nurses know what condition the baby has?

[KnitsWithRaceCars]

For those of us who are in Central and Eastern time zones...  A friend emailed me this morning and told me that she heard on the radio that Obama is only going to be on cable networks.  Hopefully that is correct!

[nolieblue]

Some local broadcast stations might still cut away for the speech. I know the CBS affiliate in DC is doing that other stations might do it too.

[KnitsWithRaceCars]

Some local broadcast stations might still cut away for the speech. I know the CBS affiliate in DC is doing that other stations might do it too.

 

True.  Good point.  I can see why DC would do that.  I'm in the Midwest and hoping that won't happen here!

[Chas411]

Is this the final episode before the holiday hiatus?

[oceanblue]

Yes

[photo fox]

Seriously, Mer, why the hell would Derek want to stay? You've done nothing but shriek at him like an unrelenting harpy since he turned down the job.

I hope he takes the kids and goes to DC. Meredith probably wouldn't even notice.

[CleoCaesar]

Well that was kind of a tepid winter finale. I don’t even care that the McDreamys are having problems. Derek still comes off as a smug dick.

 

Shonda, you have a massive boner for soldiers and the military in general. We get it. Please stop it with the stupid speeches about the glory of soldiers and the soldier way of life. And that solider who got hurt was cocky and dumb – it really wasn’t up to Callie to stop him anymore than she did (verbally).

 

Maggie’s lisp is immensely distracting. It’s like Meredith and Jackson’s combined. On steroids.

[upperco]

Aside from a few nitpicks, I think this has been one of the strongest installments of the season so far. It was a nice capper to this brief string of episodes. I enjoy the Meredith/Derek drama -- they're infinitely more interesting now than they were during Seasons 6-10. The Amelia/Owen setup was too obvious, and Bailey's storyline is ridiculously trivial. Oh, and I hope April's baby doesn't get a miracle cure. Ditto for Davis' character. Otherwise, really enjoyed this one (although, I am generally a fan of the finales and mid-season finales that are more character driven and don't resort to disasters or gimmicks). 

Edited November 21, 2014 by upperco

[PrincessTT]

I was a bit surprised that they went for a seemingly incurable congenital condition for April & Jackson's baby... I thought they would have gone for a surgical problem for Herman / Arizona to fix. 

 

I like Stephanie and I get that they need to find things for her to do, but I could do without them putting her in the middle of April / Jackson / dying baby drama just for added awkwardness. 

 

I'm glad Derek is going to DC, I hope he takes the kids with him... I just don't want the other half of the season with Meredith playing the victim. 

 

I liked Bailey, again, this episode and I liked that she told Webber not to apologise to Maggie any more. 

 

I wasn't keen on the Maggie & Meredith vs Derek & Webber thing... Drs using patients as a weapon to hash out their own issues with each-other never sits well with me. 

 

I liked the Jo and Alex scene... A couple actually communicating, laying out their problems and setting their boundaries.

Edited November 21, 2014 by PrincessTT

[KnitsWithRaceCars]

Seriously, Mer, why the hell would Derek want to stay? You've done nothing but shriek at him like an unrelenting harpy since he turned down the job.

I hope he takes the kids and goes to DC. Meredith probably wouldn't even notice.

 

Preach it!  This is "the girl with abandonment issues" and she is driving Derek away?!  I really hope Derek takes the kids, because he sure cares about his family far more than Meredith does anymore.  What a witch!

 

 

I'm glad Derek is going to DC, I hope he takes the kids with him... I just don't want the other half of the season with Meredith playing the victim.

 

Unfortunately, I suspect she will play the victim.  After all, she is THE SUN.  Gag me!

 

I am so PO'd!  My stupid ABC affiliate aired POTUS--the only network in my area that did--so I missed about the first 15 minutes of Grey's and have no clue what happened to the girl patient or the soldier.  I am not against the President's right to address America or anything like that.  It's just par for the course for the local ABC affiliate to be the only ones to air it.  They are totally greedy, arrogant, and ratings motivated, as well as delusional because many times they'll preempt shows (including Grey's) for football games because they truly believe that everyone in the state is a fan of the team.  Sorry for the rant.  It just bugs me.

Edited November 21, 2014 by KnitsWithRaceCars

[nolieblue]

I find it kind of icky that they are doing a sick or dying baby storyline when the actress playing April is really pregnant. Ugh.

[gator12]

3 doctors diagnosing a baby on a 30 second ultrasounds make no sense, especially with that disease where more test would need to be done and not just people looking at a 30 second 2D ultrasound. Where was the Ob/Gyn in all this? Why are Arizona, Stephanie and Geena Davis assuming that the baby hasn't move at all on a 30 second s/l? 

Baby not growing or barely growing could be anything but let just say it the most fatal form Osteogenis Imperfecta, no test  needed to be done. 

[North]

My thoughts on this ep:

 

Derek/Meredith-While he was right she hasn't supported his decision, he played into it because ultimately he is pissed that she didn't want to go and then he had to stay and work for his sister.

 

Owen/Amelia-I saw a spark and oddly enough I have no problem with it.

 

Stephanie-This is the storyline they give her?  Just let her go already.  It's clear they don't know what to do with her character.

 

Arizona/Herman-Still don't care.  Nice invasion of privacy Arizona. I did like her horrified reaction when she caught Graham and Herman.  I really don't want to see a miracle cure for Herman.  Also, that scene when she talked to Arizona about confronting Graham, I wondered who replaced Geena Davis with a robot.  It was so awkward.

 

Callie/Owen-What an incredible douche Owen was to Callie.  It wasn't her fault.  She was using the soldiers' competitiveness to the project's advantage but it wasn't up to her to stop it.  It seemed to be working.  If he knew what was going to happen, since apparently he was in the Army, he should have put an end to it.  The more he behaves like this the more I want them to replace him as Chief of Surgery.

 

Meredith/Alex/Callie/Maggie-I'm finding I'm really liking this quartet.  It's the only time I don't find Maggie annoying.

 

Alex/Jo-Don't care about them, but they were pretty much the only happy couple by the end of it.  Somehow, I think it's the calm before the storm.

 

Callie/Arizona-Really nice scene between them, even if it was a little sad.  They were supportive of each other and even though Callie admitted she missed Arizona when she asked, her reasons for the split are still reasons (paraphrasing what she once said to Mark after the first baby breakup), which is why she didn't give false hope to Arizona when she said just not enough to Callie.

[admiralrodcocker]

I find it kind of icky that they are doing a sick or dying baby storyline when the actress playing April is really pregnant. Ugh.

 

This is the second time this year I am watching a pregnant actress who is also pregnant on the show having to act out her baby's death. I don't know what the appeal is for the writers, but my only guess is that they think that since the actress is pregnant, the emotions of having to act out a dead fetus will be more real and genuine. Whatever the reason, it is gross and in poor taste. I'm not a mother, but I'm going to assume that for a pregnant woman, losing their baby is a real fear that comes up at least once during a pregnancy so to have drum up those feelings at all, real or not, is tacky.

 

On that note, not nearly enough Japril for me. They've been so scarce this whole season, even during their own baby story line they had THREE short scenes between the two of them.

 

Stephanie's involvement is contrived, but I like it, and I really like the actress that plays her. She can play out the awkward beats, and then make me truly feel that she is genuinely sad about that baby.

 

I hate, hate, hate that this baby is doomed :(

[BC Mama]

This is the second time this year I am watching a pregnant actress who is also pregnant on the show having to act out her baby's death. I don't know what the appeal is for the writers, but my only guess is that they think that since the actress is pregnant, the emotions of having to act out a dead fetus will be more real and genuine. Whatever the reason, it is gross and in poor taste. I'm not a mother, but I'm going to assume that for a pregnant woman, losing their baby is a real fear that comes up at least once during a pregnancy so to have drum up those feelings at all, real or not, is tacky.

 

Agreed! I'm 36 weeks with baby number two, and I found this storyline really upsetting.

 

However, I have a prediction! Herman will be scheduled to perform a first of its kind, miracle surgery on April's baby! As she is scrubbing in, she will inevitably collapse and be rushed off to emergency surgery with Amelia. Arizona will have to reluctantly take over, and against all odds, the baby will be saved. As the baby is saved, Dr. Herman will die due an unexpected and unavoidable complication. Owen will comfort Amelia... in an on-call room!

[gator12]

This is the second time this year I am watching a pregnant actress who is also pregnant on the show having to act out her baby's death. I don't know what the appeal is for the writers, but my only guess is that they think that since the actress is pregnant, the emotions of having to act out a dead fetus will be more real and genuine. Whatever the reason, it is gross and in poor taste. I'm not a mother, but I'm going to assume that for a pregnant woman, losing their baby is a real fear that comes up at least once during a pregnancy so to have drum up those feelings at all, real or not, is tacky.

 

On that note, not nearly enough Japril for me. They've been so scarce this whole season, even during their own baby story line they had THREE short scenes between the two of them.

 

Stephanie's involvement is contrived, but I like it, and I really like the actress that plays her. She can play out the awkward beats, and then make me truly feel that she is genuinely sad about that baby.

 

I hate, hate, hate that this baby is doomed :(

Who was the other actress and what show

[Ravello]

I was disappointed in this episode, too soap opera like. I hated all the confidentiality breaches, especially the resident carrying around the ultrasound report. I despise the doomed baby storyline. The fighting over the treatment plan made me want to change the channel. I'm sick to death of Meredith and Derrick and feel it is time for him to leave Seattle and leave this show. I wish they would focus on one or two stories per episode instead of short shrifting everything. I would like less Callie and more Arizona. I want much more of April and Jackson. They are overdoing the long lost sister story.

[photo fox]

How did Jackson and April's story become all about Stephanie?

I anticipate they'll find out the baby was misdiagnosed. A lot was made of the fact that Herman has a brain tumor, Arizona is inexperienced, and Stephanie sucks at reading ultrasounds. I think they're giving themselves an out. April and Jackson will have big drama about terminating, and then it will be resolved with an altered diagnosis.

A quick google search tells me that there are many types of osteogenesis imperfecta, and not all of them are fatal (though still serious). Also, some types have a symptom of hearing loss. A call back to the deaf child from last season?

[admiralrodcocker]

Who was the other actress and what show

 

Teresa Castillo, General Hospital. Her baby on the show was born early, caught an infection and died. All this while the actress was heavily pregnant and close to delivery.

[LakeLover]

I am loving the hell out of this season and how committed Patrick Dempsey & Ellen Pompeo are to their characters. It's been the best writing in years in general.

 

I'm starting to warm up to Dr. Hermann. I'm still can't stand Amelia, have little use for Maggie, and Jo can go out to the black hole parking lot along with Dr. Hahn. Alex, though, is as wonderful as usual - he rocked the explanation about the house.

 

I wish I could care about Jackson and April's baby - I don't, but honestly as mentioned above, it is really unfortunate that the actress is dealing with this while being pregnant. I wouldn't wish that on anyone.

 

Owen continues to be a jerk - I'm no fan of Callie's, but Owen was just brutal.

 

And I will pay good money to the person who can convince Shonda Rhimes to drop that inane line about the sun. We get it, Meredith - you are the sun because Yang said so.

[gator12]

How did Jackson and April's story become all about Stephanie?

I anticipate they'll find out the baby was misdiagnosed. A lot was made of the fact that Herman has a brain tumor, Arizona is inexperienced, and Stephanie sucks at reading ultrasounds. I think they're giving themselves an out. April and Jackson will have big drama about terminating, and then it will be resolved with an altered diagnosis.

A quick google search tells me that there are many types of osteogenesis imperfecta, and not all of them are fatal (though still serious). Also, some types have a symptom of hearing loss. A call back to the deaf child from last season?

The show said it was type two which is the fatal type. So they gave that baby a death sentence 

Edited November 21, 2014 by gator12

[photo fox]

The show said it was type two which is the fatal type. So they gave that baby a death sentence

Yep. What I'm suggesting is that they could have diagnosed the wrong type. Herman looked at the ultrasound for all of 30 seconds. Surely such a serious diagnosis would warrant a more extensive look?

[PrincessTT]

The show said it was type two which is the fatal type. So they gave that baby a death sentence 

 

Herman said "if it's type two"... There hasn't really been an official diagnosis yet. I think it would take more than just looking at some ultrasounds to fully diagnose.

[gator12]

There would have to be, but this is Grey's who diagnosis by looking at a 30 second 2D ultrasounds. When there was nothing wrong at the last ultrasound, with the OB/GYN, who knows the case no where to be found.

Either those 3 surgeons are completely wrong or they will go to the death baby storyline. 

I just can't at them writing this jumping to conclusion with this diagnosis for it to lead nowhere

Edited November 21, 2014 by gator12

[RedheadZombie]

Callie/Owen-What an incredible douche Owen was to Callie.  It wasn't her fault.  She was using the soldiers' competitiveness to the project's advantage but it wasn't up to her to stop it.  It seemed to be working.  If he knew what was going to happen, since apparently he was in the Army, he should have put an end to it.  The more he behaves like this the more I want them to replace him as Chief of Surgery.

 

It kind of was Callie's fault, but not for egging the guy on.  He was wearing a gait belt, and she should have been holding it and spotting him - as Owen did with the next soldier.  No physical therapist or nurse would have made that mistake.

 

This is the second time this year I am watching a pregnant actress who is also pregnant on the show having to act out her baby's death. I don't know what the appeal is for the writers, but my only guess is that they think that since the actress is pregnant, the emotions of having to act out a dead fetus will be more real and genuine. Whatever the reason, it is gross and in poor taste. I'm not a mother, but I'm going to assume that for a pregnant woman, losing their baby is a real fear that comes up at least once during a pregnancy so to have drum up those feelings at all, real or not, is tacky.

 

On that note, not nearly enough Japril for me. They've been so scarce this whole season, even during their own baby story line they had THREE short scenes between the two of them.

 

 

Pregnant actresses frequently portray miscarriages and stillbirths.  I think it's horrible for the actress, but I don't think there's any twisted reasoning.  It's easier writing a pregnancy into the storyline than pretending the actress is not pregnant.  It's also difficult to accommodate a baby into a show, so they often die.  Soap opera actresses go threw this all the time, and I always feel bad.

 

I anticipate they'll find out the baby was misdiagnosed. A lot was made of the fact that Herman has a brain tumor, Arizona is inexperienced, and Stephanie sucks at reading ultrasounds. I think they're giving themselves an out. April and Jackson will have big drama about terminating, and then it will be resolved with an altered diagnosis.

 

I hope it doesn't go this way.  April will never terminate the pregnancy, and Jackson will never understand why.  If they have them argue about it and the baby turn out okay, that makes Jackson look even worse.  She would have terminated a viable baby.  Horrible storyline, in my opinion.

[Bort]

Arizona's dry-heaving reactions to Dr. Herman doinking Graham were hilarious.

[oceanblue]

Last week we were set up for the disagreement between April and Jackson on what to do because of their difference in faith.  April will want to let God decide and Jackson will feel it's cruel not to terminate.

[North]

It kind of was Callie's fault, but not for egging the guy on.  He was wearing a gait belt, and she should have been holding it and spotting him - as Owen did with the next soldier.  No physical therapist or nurse would have made that mistake.

The thing is he was done walking.  He wanted to try the stair but she went to stop him, he didn't listen.

 

Also, the holding and spotting was not what Owen blamed her for, he very clearly blamed her for egging them on.  You could tell she felt horrible about it and blamed herself but he continued to be a complete jerk about the situation.

[rachel1496]

Last week we were set up for the disagreement between April and Jackson on what to do because of their difference in faith.  April will want to let God decide and Jackson will feel it's cruel not to terminate.

I think this is where it's going.  Jackson will want to terminate now and April will want to let it play out naturally.  Either way, I'm pretty sure baby Avery is doomed.

Does anyone know when Sarah Drew's baby is due?  If it's soon they may be shooting all of the pregnancy stuff now and saving the birth/death for after she comes back from her maternity leave so she doesn't have to do it while she's actually pregnant.

[redsox7819]

Who was the other actress and what show

 

Teresa Castillo, General Hospital. Her baby on the show was born early, caught an infection and died. All this while the actress was heavily pregnant and close to delivery.

 

I thought of her too.

Edited November 21, 2014 by redsox7819

[ramble]

My local affiliate aired the president & then Grey's aired in full after that, but of course my DVR didn't know that. I missed the last 15 minutes or so & sadly just don't care.

Was it my tv, my brain or truly some odd musical extravaganza tonight? The background music seemed louder & longer than normal. It was too strong for the dialogue ar some points. Specifically the scene with all the doctors at tables having lunch & immediately thereafter. Dial down the drama tunes Grey's.

Edited November 21, 2014 by ramble

[North]

I seem to recall Sarah Drew mentioning she pitched a story idea at some point and they were going to use it.

 

Maybe this was her idea?  Actors love this kind of thing.

[RedheadZombie]

The thing is he was done walking.  He wanted to try the stair but she went to stop him, he didn't listen.

 

Also, the holding and spotting was not what Owen blamed her for, he very clearly blamed her for egging them on.  You could tell she felt horrible about it and blamed herself but he continued to be a complete jerk about the situation.

 

I know Owen didn't blame her for that - as my previous post noted.  I blame her for it.  Like I said, not a mistake a physical therapist or nurse would make.  She was a couple of steps behind him, and at no point ever had hold of his gait belt - even while he was walking.  And her telling him to stop - sounded a lot like Willie Wonka trying to stop Augustus - no, wait, don't ..... oops!  It was a silly scene.

[North]

I know Owen didn't blame her for that - as my previous post noted.  I blame her for it.  Like I said, not a mistake a physical therapist or nurse would make.  She was a couple of steps behind him, and at no point ever had hold of his gait belt - even while he was walking.  And her telling him to stop - sounded a lot like Willie Wonka trying to stop Augustus - no, wait, don't ..... oops!  It was a silly scene.

I get what you're saying.  I'm simply going with the story that they showed, though. Not what would have normally happened.

 

As we know, Grey's is not the pinnacle of reality, lol.

 

I agree she could have been more forceful trying to stop him, but Owen was there too.  He shunted off all blame on her while standing there twiddling his thumbs.  Then he was surprised when she got to the point of not wanting to continue with the study.  He even sort of half assed apologized by saying he was angry before.

 

It was a contrived scene in order to make Callie feel guilty for something that happened to a patient to go along with the guilt she feels for ending her marriage.

 

Although, it did lead to a nice scene between Callie and Arizona.

[windsprints]

Whatever the reason, it is gross and in poor taste. I'm not a mother, but I'm going to assume that for a pregnant woman, losing their baby is a real fear that comes up at least once during a pregnancy so to have drum up those feelings at all, real or not, is tacky.

 

I agree, I think its kind of awful. I remember an interview with ER writers years back where they said they would never have a pregnant actress have to act out a sick or dying baby and I thought that was the way to go. I guess actresses are different and don't mind.

Last week we were set up for the disagreement between April and Jackson on what to do because of their difference in faith.  April will want to let God decide and Jackson will feel it's cruel not to terminate.

I'm still hoping that maybe it is some kind of misdiagnosis. They can still have what you described play out while they are waiting for the final diagnosis. 

Seriously, Mer, why the hell would Derek want to stay? You've done nothing but shriek at him like an unrelenting harpy since he turned down the job.

 

Agree! I don't get what she wants from him. She said she would move then changed her mind (2nd time she's done this to him) and left him having to choose between the new job and his family. He chooses his family and she yells pretty much non-stop. I imagine she'd be pissed if he chose the job from the start too.  He would have been shrieked at either way IMO.

 

I really liked the editing at the end of the episode with Ellis screaming for Richard to stay intercut with Meredith telling Derek to go. 

Edited November 21, 2014 by windsprints

[izabella]

Owen/Amelia-I saw a spark and oddly enough I have no problem with it.

 

I don't have a problem with it, either, and it would give Owen something to do other than running around yelling at people.  I thought it was nice that Owen reached out to her after everything that went down last episode, and that Amelia was receptive to his kindness instead of being all bitchy about it. 

[stopthestatic]

Where is Bailey's storyline heading? It's such a weird little thing they've been putting in the episodes.

[Tuleh2]

 

I really liked the editing at the end of the episode with Ellis screaming for Richard to stay intercut with Meredith telling Derek to go.

 

I didn't understand that at all. Is Meredith supposed to be somehow better than Ellis because she pushed Derek away rather than being left (like Ellis was)? Or are we supposed to see a parallel between Ellis being left by Richard and Meredith being left by Derek (never mind that Meredith insisted he go)?

 

The real parallel for me was with how Ellis ditched Thatcher and took Meredith away. But this season, they seem to be glossing over all the horrible stuff Ellis did and turning her into Joan of Arc.

[Artsda]

Derek should take the kids, Meredith's awful. She's been nothing but a bitch since he said he's stay for the family. She's been punishing him for choosing her ad the kids, like she rather he not.

[stopthestatic]

I'll never get why people think Meredith is being a bitch.

 

HE made a choice not to go - HE is moping around because of it when SHE told him he could go. 

 

All his misery that he blames on her is actually his own fault. She said he could go and he chose not to.

 

If anything, Meredith has been stubborn because exactly what she guessed was going to happen happened - he's blaming her and begrudging her for not being able to go - when it was his own choice. Which is why she told him to go in the first place. 

 

 

The truth is Derek is lashing out because he can't handle the guilt either way - leaving the project or leaving the wife/kids. He knows he's being selfish either way which is why he's acting like a huge baby.

[Artsda]

 

 

I'll never get why people think Meredith is being a bitch.

HE made a choice not to go - HE is moping around because of it when SHE told him he could go.

Because she's treated him like crap since then, he said it in this episode. She never supported him staying. He tells her he chose her, he chooses the kids, he doesn't want to be away from the children and his family.

 

Her response "I need a drink" and to walk off leaving him standing there. How can he not be miserable around her being miserable around him, always going of drinking at Alex's, calling in sick to drink at Alex's. While he works and takes care of the kids and cooks. Meanwhile he still tries to mend things with new sister and mend her relationship with Meredith and Richard. 

Edited November 21, 2014 by Artsda