S14.E23: Cold As Ice

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Quote

One of Grey Sloan Memorial's own is seriously injured, making the team reflect on what is truly important to them. Meanwhile, Nicole Herman pays a visit to GSM and talks to Arizona about an exciting opportunity.

Promo:

 

Edited May 4, 2018 by ElectricBoogaloo

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Every time I see the episode title, I hear "he's c-cold as ice" in my head followed by the dance break:

[Chas411]

Hah snap

[BaseOps]

Amazing episode. It was sad, funny, scary, emotional... everything that makes Grey's great. I'll have more thoughts later, but I so fully enjoyed every moment. I cried both sad + happy tears. 

Edited May 11, 2018 by BaseOps

[Ohwell]

Bullcrap.  If she hadn't been one of their own, she'd have been deader 'n dead.

Oh well, at DeLuca seems to have moved on from Dancer Doctor.  I just hope Amelia doesn't mess with him. 

[Laurie4H]

How realistic would it be that April would have no brain damage?

[StaceyNotStacie]

That was nerve wracking. 

I loved that they kept mentioning Meredith’s experience where they brought her back to life. I was kind of hoping that after everyone left, she would have said something to Jackson about seeing Samuel. 

Was I the only one more worried about Matthew than April?  All I could think about was if he died, then she would have lost both of her parents as a newborn. 

[Biggie B]

I wasn't aware that "months" have passed. Arizona said that April and Matt had been seeing each other for months and had fallen in love. I know that the passage of time on this show has been fluid and non-linear since the day the show went on the air, so I just accepted that months have passed since Matt's wife died, even though I thought it had been significantly less time. Whatevs! I'm good with April reuniting with him. They're in sync. I'm glad they both survived. I've always liked April from the get-go, so I'm good with her having a happy ending. 

[funnygirl]

Well, I thought it was subpar.  

Maybe my expectations were too high. Or maybe the near death scenario was better executed the first 10 times in seasons past. 

Edited May 11, 2018 by funnygirl

[chitowngirl]

April is so comfortable with her faith and her science. 

[KaveDweller]

27 minutes ago, Stacey1014 said:

Was I the only one more worried about Matthew than April?  All I could think about was if he died, then she would have lost both of her parents as a newborn. 

I was thinking that if April died Matthew would have lost two women he loved within a very short time period.

[Gladrags]

Go, Kepner! I had been hoping she and Matthew would find each other again. And I surely was hoping Grey's wouldn't go ghoulish again. 

[tua20782]

The exact lazy ending I thought would happen. Whatever I was out either way.

[Chicken Wing]

That was pretty cool. I had no fears that April was actually going to die -- was a little concerned about whether she'd have any long-term damage once they got her back -- but it was still very dramatic, very old school Grey's. Remember when it was a big deal when One Of Their Own was on the table? It felt like those days.

When Jackson started praying and begging for God not to take her, I thought it would be totally cheesy for April to choose that moment to wake up, to answer his prayer. So naturally she did just that. Cheesy as hell but cute.

I'm torn on the revelation that Matthew is the one April has been seeing (though it was obvious). On the one hand, I understand everything that Arizona said about how they came back together, and on paper that do and did make a perfect couple, but on the other hand, it's just too damn soon since his wife died. I realize that time within the show doesn't necessarily equal the time that passes in real life, so it's likely longer than the 3-4 months since Karen died and the month, singular, since Matthew seemed to extend the olive branch after April figured out what was wrong with the baby. But even if it's been twice as long in story time, that's still not terribly long for them, today, to have been seeing each other "for months." Just my opinion. Matthew seems to have a habit of falling in love with women who help him get over losing other women. Didn't he say before that he fell in love with his wife when he was getting over April the first time? Heh.'

Very poignant of Meredith putting away Derek's scrub cap with the rest of her mementos of their time together. They had a good life together. It wasn't as long as she'd hoped, but it was still meaningful and something she will treasure, and she is lucky to have had the chance to have that chapter in her life, and it's okay to move on and close that chapter now. But I'll miss the scrub cap.

Alex: "Put us down for a 'maybe.'" Heh.

Roy getting all shell-shocked over hearing that April was possibly dying does not cancel out how much I despise him.

Geena Davis continues to rock. And of course she slept with Koracick too. And blind sex is awesome? Lady, blindfolds? People already figured out that sensory deprivation thing. Catch up.

[txhorns79]

Quote

Remember when it was a big deal when One Of Their Own was on the table? It felt like those days.

I think it stopped being a big deal a long time ago.  How many characters have had near death experiences by this point? 

[Chicken Wing]

5 minutes ago, txhorns79 said:

I think it stopped being a big deal a long time ago.  How many characters have had near death experiences by this point? 

Exactly. It's not novel anymore, by a long shot, but it had that old school Very Special Episode feel like they had way back when this didn't happen every five minutes.

[BaseOps]

It's been quite a while since they actually operated on one of their own... Meredith back in season 12? Bailey had her heart attack at another hospital and many of them never even knew about it. 

[LexieLily]

2 minutes ago, Chicken Wing said:

Exactly. It's not novel anymore, by a long shot, but it had that old school Very Special Episode feel like they had way back when this didn't happen every five minutes.

At the rate where One Of Their Own has their near death experience and ends up as a patient at Grey Sloan you'd think the hospital would be used to it and have a back up plan for more staff members. I counted ten - Ben, Bailey, Amelia, Arizona, Meredith, Jo, Alex, Owen, Maggie and Webber - people in April's room just standing around waiting for her to wake up. Jackson should be allowed to stay but the others have jobs to do and surgeries to perform. I suppose everything just got cancelled or pushed back when everyone was working on April for three plus hours.

[pennben]

This was a lovely episode. 

I know there is a lot going on in and around and inside and outside of this and what is happening, but this...this was wonderful, this was really, really good Grey's. Old-style, if you will.

[RollingStone23]

Those Arizona tears at the end felt like that was really Jessica Capshaw. Something about the way April (Sarah Drew) was reassuring her felt like it was ad-libbed.

[SnoGirl]

Grey’s got me as soon as they started playing Snow Patrol. I really wish they would go back to the days of up and coming bands, instead of what they normally play. As soon as Snow Patrol came on, I teared up. That was old school Grey’s for sure.

[JNM5505]

1 hour ago, Laurie4H said:

How realistic would it be that April would have no brain damage?

Right? Of course she would wake up without any spinal damage and perfect recollection/reflexes. This is Grey's after all. /snark

 

1 hour ago, Biggie B said:

I wasn't aware that "months" have passed. Arizona said that April and Matt had been seeing each other for months and had fallen in love. I know that the passage of time on this show has been fluid and non-linear since the day the show went on the air, so I just accepted that months have passed since Matt's wife died, even though I thought it had been significantly less time.

Mhm. So maybe months did pass between the time April slept with that neurosurgeon Tom and tonight's episode. We just didn't see any of it happen. I've given up on trying to keep track of time on Grey's Anatomy. Too many discrepancies.

Edited May 11, 2018 by kinnej5

[Lady Calypso]

I really did enjoy the episode. I didn't feel like they'd kill April off, but I do think the emotional resonance was there in the background, and it was nice. I know it was unrealistic for April to wake up, pretty much fine, but I felt like Sarah Drew did a really great job with her scene with everyone in her room. First off, props to the makeup team for putting as little makeup on April as possible. If only for the fact that it made it believable and Sarah Drew still looks really pretty with minimal makeup. I also didn't mind her being the one to comfort everyone, and I chuckled at her telling them that she didn't die because then she'd be like Jesus. 

I thought Jesse Williams did an amazing job with what he was given as well. I could really feel Jackson's fear for April. It was clear as to how much the two have gone through with each other, so his emotional reaction made the most sense. 

So, I guess the explanation as to why Matthew and April restarted their relationship makes some sense. It's a better explanation than I expected, in all honesty. I guess a lot of months might have passed, then, from Matthew's wife's death to now.

[WhosThatGirl]

I’m really surprised they didn’t kill April off actually. 

Also my big question where was Matthews daughter?

[Chicken Wing]

With his mom or at whatever daycare he sends her to, I guess.

[Court]

I enjoyed this episode as well. I know it will never happen but I'm shipping Jackson and Meredith. 

[Evie]

I enjoyed it. Yes, there have been countless "one of their own" episodes, but I thought this one was well done. I thought the whole cast had nice moments and enjoyed the nods to the relationships both Arizona and April have had with various characters. The April and Owen moment may have been my favorite, and I don't even like Owen that much.

I also liked the touch of everybody receiving the wedding invitation at the beginning.

I don't mind the idea of April and Matthew; I accept that Grey's time is wonky and it's been longer than it seems, I guess.

[shantown]

I have never been a huge fan of April and surprised myself when I was actually quite sad when I thought she was going to die - and incredibly stressed out for the last 12 minutes when I was waiting for the other shoe to drop after she woke up. I was waiting for a Mark Sloane situation.

The music in this ep also got me. The first few seasons had such memorable music (“Where Does The Good Go”, “Life is Short”, etc) and the past several seasons have been pretty unforgettable in terms of music. Nothing that really fits the scene or the characters, and some really questionable choices with the acoustic covers. 

[KaveDweller]

55 minutes ago, BaseOps said:

It's been quite a while since they actually operated on one of their own... Meredith back in season 12? Bailey had her heart attack at another hospital and many of them never even knew about it. 

Amelia just had brain surgery earlier this season. I know technically her doctor wasn't a regular, but it was still at Grey-Sloane.

[Amethyst]

Didn't know that much time had passed for April and Matthew to be back together.  At any rate, that was fine.  I really thought April would take a turn for the worst after she had been resurrected, and I was glad it didn't go that way.  

Maggie's "There is a rhythm!" was so over the top and embarrassing.  Girl, bring it down a notch.

[moonorchid]

1 hour ago, Amethyst said:

 

Maggie's "There is a rhythm!" was so over the top and embarrassing.  Girl, bring it down a notch.

There was a lot that was over the top and embarrassing. I can’t help it, that last scene with everyone in April’s room awake had a wizard of oz vibe. I was half expecting her to say, “and i saw you, you, and you were there too!” 

And a lot of that dialogue was lifetime movie of the week cringe. 

But it wasn’t without its highlights. Jesses acted the crap out of this. I loved April telling Owen how he always brings her back. Even April comforting a crying Arizona was perfect. 

I have a lot of feelings about Matthew and April and all of them are negative so for now I’ll just say I don’t like it. 

Edited May 11, 2018 by moonorchid

[Starscream]

I think my favorite part was April messing with Jackson about him praying for her.

Herman was just as good as she was previously.  Her association with Koracick just made me want to see a Koracick-Herman spin-off (I first considered Herman-Koracick, but then it would just sound like it's some dude).

[ForeverAlone]

I wasn't exactly pleased with this episode, even though I was pleased April was okay. If I had to guess, this was some episode slapped together after Sarah was let go, so to facilitate an exit story for April. For me, this episode was all about tell and not show. I mean, these doctors were gathered around her, emotionally traumatized by her injuries, and yet most of her colleagues weren't exactly all that close to April. She floundered for months and nobody seemed to notice or care until it was nearly too late. She was frequently the butt of jokes for her ways and her personality, and overall, she just wasn't that appreciated. Combine that with the (not shocking, but still ugh, for me) revelation that she has been in love with Matthew for months now. Just how many months have passed on this show, because it was only a few weeks ago when we saw April and Matthew have some sort of wordless rapprochement. If the show wanted to plausibly have them reconnect, why not actually show that, even if it were just a few scenes here or there? Instead we have Arizona basically lay it all out while this all happened offscreen. Maybe if I actually wanted April and Matthew to get back together again, I would be delighted about this turn of events. But since I was so hoping the show wouldn't go there with all that, I am not exactly happy about these storytelling choices.  [Minor point, but I was still wondering: just where was Matthew's daughter, since she obviously wasn't in the car with them? Another minor point: just where the hell does Matthew live, because it seemed like the car accident took place out in the middle of nowhere?]

Other than that, I enjoyed the B story with Geena Davis's return. It was a fun return, particularly the revelation about her liaison with Dr. Koracik. Dude, that guy screws a lot of doctors. :) :) :) I knew that she was going to offer some sort of job opportunity for Arizona, so I wasn't surprised that she was set up with a very nice exit story. 

[Amethyst]

1 hour ago, LexieLily said:

I counted ten - Ben, Bailey, Amelia, Arizona, Meredith, Jo, Alex, Owen, Maggie and Webber - people in April's room just standing around waiting for her to wake up. Jackson should be allowed to stay but the others have jobs to do and surgeries to perform. I suppose everything just got cancelled or pushed back when everyone was working on April for three plus hours.

I wondered this as well.  Didn't Jackson say that there had been an apartment fire and a bunch of people were injured?  None of the doctors needed to tend to that? 

Also thought April was doomed when she was talking to Maggie when they were alone.  I was sure April was going to say something like "Take care of Jackson" before dying right there.  

I didn't mind Matthew and April, but Arizona explaining their reconciliation felt lazy, just one big info dump.  Right down to the "They shared each other's pain because she lost a daughter and he lost a wife" mess.  Ok, show.

[LexieLily]

7 minutes ago, Amethyst said:

Also thought April was doomed when she was talking to Maggie when they were alone.  I was sure April was going to say something like "Take care of Jackson" before dying right there.  

I assume these months of offscreen time meant that April is aware of the idea of Jackson/Maggie and is okay with it? 

[bybrandy]

4 minutes ago, LexieLily said:

I assume these months of offscreen time meant that April is aware of the idea of Jackson/Maggie and is okay with it? 

She knew about maggie and Jackson in the pot episode.   

I'm glad Harriet's mom didn't have to die for Jackson and Maggie, too bad Ruby's mom didn't get so lucky.  Sorry Matthew's wife, you were just placeholder.

[LaughingOne]

24 minutes ago, Amethyst said:

I didn't mind Matthew and April, but Arizona explaining their reconciliation felt lazy, just one big info dump.  Right down to the "They shared each other's pain because she lost a daughter and he lost a wife" mess.  Ok, show.

Seriously. It was such a violation of the show-not-tell rule that it made me embarrassed for the writers. If having April end up with somebody was so important to her endgame, then write the damn scenes.  Anyway, I thought it was a decent, but uneven episode. However, the two minutes of Jackson promising to believe if God saved April made the episode for me. Jesse was the best he’s ever been on this show.

[pennben]

49 minutes ago, Starscream said:

Herman was just as good as she was previously.  Her association with Koracick just made me want to see a Koracick-Herman spin-off (I first considered Herman-Koracick, but then it would just sound like it's some dude).

Pretty nice to have Geena Davis on the bench to come in for an episode here and there....! Capshaw deserved an all-star to help escort her on her way out. Well-done here.  I honestly thought there would be a Callie reappearance at the end, but this stands up well on it's own. 

[beautifulGA]

For someone who was thinking that April will end up with some physical damage, I'm glad she is gonna make it out alive. And now I feel like this arc of trauma/April's last arc did'nt served any big purpose? like the whole matthew revelation could have done in a much nicer way? If anything this just propped maggie as an character....

anyways that was some great acting by jesse williams, geena davis, jessica capshaw and sarah drew. jackson's connection/emotions with/for april can never be written as an 'just friendship' no matter how much they give it a mapril/jaggie spin.

I almost meted at all the jackson and harriet scenes and I hope we continue to see more of that next season.

I LOVED all the Herman - Arizona scenes. I love that she's still snarky. I love that Arizona is getting a whole damn hospital to her name. Props to Krista for giving Arizona an exit that's so respectful of the character and the talent. Also I am glad Arizona's research will also get recognition as well and that too to her name. 

Geena Davis is such a treat to watch.

No offence to the actress, but meredith looked out of loop with her emotions for april. there's just so much gap between the characters themselves that it all looked forced. Not to mention when meredith ran and cried in front of alex, i had to stop myself from not laughing. But then the ending scene rolled in, and there was ferry boat scrub cap being placed over merder vows and I was reminded again why I like this character so much. 

The Arizona and April scenes looked ad-libbed a bit to me as well. Jessica and Sarah has been so out of the park phenomenal this season. I will miss that friendship.

Owen and Leo are cute. It just hit me in this episode only that owen won't have his trauma soldier anymore to run the ER. I hope we continue to see Peyton next season as well.

Bailey's little speech to Arizona had me choking as well.

All in all, I have made peace with the exit scenario and I just want some happiness for these characters to go forward with. Even with all craziness I hope the jolex wedding turns out to be a blast.

[WalrusGirl]

52 minutes ago, beautifulGA said:

No offence to the actress, but meredith looked out of loop with her emotions for april. there's just so much gap between the characters themselves that it all looked forced. Not to mention when meredith ran and cried in front of alex, i had to stop myself from not laughing. But then the ending scene rolled in, and there was ferry boat scrub cap being placed over merder vows and I was reminded again why I like this character so much. 

Yeah, they’ve sort of weirdly disconnected the two characters since the season after the shooting when they decided they were friends now, though Mer was always friendlier with Jackson (which they also ignore for seasons on end even though they’re great together). But they haven’t been antagonistic since April’s first season/her annoying crush on Derek, and there’s a lot of history there even though they aren’t besties. I was thinking that between the hypothermia situation similar to her own near-death drowning (when she woke up to her mother having died, and Derek there) and talking to/worrying about Jackson (having been the spouse informed of the car accident herself), losing it, especially with Alex, still made sense. I actually rewound that a few times to see whether or not it was an almost-hysterical laugh reaction (to Alex’s “I’m on my way to taste cake with Kepner. Wanna come?”) that set it off.

It did feel like old-school Grey’s, and I noticed and appreciated the musical choices as well.

[lorbeer]

7 hours ago, Laurie4H said:

How realistic would it be that April would have no brain damage?

I guess as muchr ealistic as Meredith's in season 3 :)

1 hour ago, beautifulGA said:

No offence to the actress, but meredith looked out of loop with her emotions for april. there's just so much gap between the characters themselves that it all looked forced. Not to mention when meredith ran and cried in front of alex, i had to stop myself from not laughing. But then the ending scene rolled in, and there was ferry boat scrub cap being placed over merder vows and I was reminded again why I like this character so much.

I think she just broke.. She's not April's best friend, but they went through a lot together, they lived together and they're colleauge's.. And Alex JUST told her he was going to pick up cakes with April.  She wasn't as devastated as Jackson after all.. I think it was realistic :) Maybe her 'crying' acting was a bit strange. But then again everyone cries differently - if you know what I mean :)

20 minutes ago, WalrusGirl said:

It did feel like old-school Grey’s, and I noticed and appreciated the musical choices as well.

Right? And Bailey again was more like the old Bailey :)

[Quark]

Some very powerful performances this episode.

I'm very glad April is alive, I was rather concerned.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

I like competent Dr. Andrew so much better than horny lovesick obsessed with dancer girlfriend Andrew. I had to laugh when he asked if Betty was allowed to be in the control room with them because in a lot of places, the answer is NO.

Loved Jo mocking Jackson's "poor me, I'm so broke with my six figure salary, my yacht, and my penthouse!" Broke Jackson still has more income and property than I do so yeah, shut it. Loved that Jo told him that her definition of broke was washing her underwear with a water bottle and suddenly he was like ohhhhh, so not every cries tears made of diamonds?

Owen ordering everyone to pray was inappropriate, even if he prefaced it with "I don't care how you do it or who you do it to." If you don't believe in a higher being, being ordered to ask a favor of one isn't going to make you suddenly start believing. Besides, who wants to believe in a god who only helps people who pray? Does that mean anyone who dies while under the care of the Grey Sloan doctors just didn't have enough people praying for them? I'd like to believe that any higher power that exists isn't so ego driven that they would play favorites like that.

7 hours ago, Starscream said:

Herman was just as good as she was previously.  Her association with Koracick just made me want to see a Koracick-Herman spin-off (I first considered Herman-Koracick, but then it would just sound like it's some dude).

I would totally watch an hour of Herman and Koracik just giving people shit and messing with them.

[llewis823]

15 minutes ago, ElectricBoogaloo said:

I would totally watch an hour of Herman and Koracik just giving people shit and messing with them.

WORD!

 

2 hours ago, lorbeer said:

And Bailey again was more like the old Bailey :)

I loved her analogy of not jumping to conclusions re: April's condition - comparing it to her husband's job. "He leaves for work, is good at what he does and that is the information we have." (I have a hard time actually putting that kind of wise thinking to use, but I do love the theory!)

[Biggie B]

Quote

With his mom or at whatever daycare he sends her to, I guess.

EDITED to remove incorrect response by me - I misread ChickenWing's quote. 

Edited May 11, 2018 by Biggie B

[Snow Fairy]

They did point out at the beginnig of the episode that it's May (or March?, I think it's May). That was so we would know lot of time has passed. But I don't remeber what time of the year it was an episode ago

[lorbeer]

I just realiazed we still don't know how April is going to be written out of the show.. Any ideas?

[AnnieHeights]

Harriett is one cute child!

I have not been a Jackson fan but he was awesome in this episode.  I think the cast played their parts with genuine emotions knowing April and Arizona are leaving IRL.....Maggie continues to grow on me just not with Jackson.

[FictionLover]

1 hour ago, lorbeer said:

I just realiazed we still don't know how April is going to be written out of the show.. Any ideas?

I was going to ask the same question. We know where Arizona is going and because of her child in NY, it was an easy fix. But with April and Jackson having a child, her exit will be harder. I can’t see either of them being all right without Harriett.  My guess is that they don’t know yet and are trying to figure out something for fall. It’s why I expected April to die. 

[shantown]

2 hours ago, ElectricBoogaloo said:

Owen ordering everyone to pray was inappropriate, even if he prefaced it with "I don't care how you do it or who you do it to." If you don't believe in a higher being, being ordered to ask a favor of one isn't going to make you suddenly start believing. Besides, who wants to believe in a god who only helps people who pray? Does that mean anyone who dies while under the care of the Grey Sloan doctors just didn't have enough people praying for them? I'd like to believe that any higher power that exists isn't so ego driven that they would play favorites like that.

I don't like Owen at all, but this made sense. Owen is closest with her (besides Arizona), and he clarified it with "April would want us to pray for her." It didn't mean they stopped any of the medical science from happening (which April also believes in) but it meant putting some good vibes into the room. I guess I didn't read it as "people die because not enough people were praying for them" but more is "here is something small we can do for our friend, who would appreciate it if she knew."

I don't think of it as a callback, but more in line with how Derek used to say "It's a good day to save lives" before starting a surgery, or that one doctor who played party music in the OR, or how they tell patients to have a positive attitude going into surgery.  Puts a more positive emotion in the room, in the hopes that it helps.