Grey’s Anatomy is on a roll. With slick determination this season is sprinting forward with purpose and style. Episode three, Got To Be Real maintained that run providing us with wonderful story and purposeful smart dialogue. It worked. Season eleven is pretty damn good so far.
The key to why it’s working lies in tension or conflict emerging as the theme of this season. Happy fluffy ships make us feel comfortable and warm in our bubbles. We want things to be going well for the characters we are invested in but invariably this status is dull, boring and potentially toxic to ratings. Conflict provides the drama, the edge of seat motivation; it stimulates and excites. And it’s what keeps us watching. I read comments all the time that say “why can’t x and y just be happy for once” but the moments when they ARE happy fail to raise our adrenalin levels and they certainly don’t deliver ratings. You see a couple making out in the street and your inner voice says “ugh...get a room”. You see a fight break out and many of us would secretly admit to rubber necking to see the action at the same time as creeping to a safe distance to watch. Conflict is the game.
Meredith is soaked in conflict. Her marriage is in deep trouble and she is reeling from the news that Maggie is her sister. Despite her protestations at the beginning of 11.03, it’s clear that this sibling idea is not as preposterous as she wants it to be. Spending the day with Jose and the newly energized Alex she works through her denial until the evidence is placed in front of her. The writers have presented her with this knowledge really early in the season, rather than tease and delay, which is the right thing to not only engage the viewer in the story quickly but also allow it to develop considerably through the next 20 odd episodes. In addition they’ve progressed Meredith’s emotional state already to be empathetic to Maggie’s search. Despite her own relationship with Pierce it’s clear she has softened with a new sensitivity to what’s happened. In one of many great speeches during 11.03 Meredith’s to Richard is perhaps the most poignant...
“So she came here looking for answers about her biological mother. You are her answer. You have to tell her. Don’t make her wait. I mean, Ellis made the decision for you, don’t do that to Pierce.”
...though perhaps Meredith needs to realize soon that she too is the answer.
While this is a truly character driven plot the writing in the first three episodes of the arc (or four if you include season ten finale) has pace and depth.
The battle for her marriage is yet to begin as Meredith and Derek sink deeper into an abyss. Not helped by Derek’s rather arrogant and, to agree with Amelia, narcissistic approach to getting his old job back. We are seeing once again the true nature of Derek’s personality here, which for many seasons has been suppressed or implied. The last time we saw it so tangibly demonstrated was perhaps when he ousted the real Chief from his spot back in season six(?). Derek has always been arrogant but this is a new level and it’s completely believable; he’s given up an immense career opportunity for his family and now he’s bitter. Despite how misguided this decision was it has presented the Shepherds with their own career versus family battle ground. This is not new ground in Grey’s – it killed off Yang/Hunt – nor is it the only career versus family show in town – Torres/Robbins – but it feels right for this couple at this stage in their relationship.
The other benefit of this story is the conflict between Amelia and Derek. Sibling fights can be pretty ugly and without warning Amelia has been thrown into the deep end of the show and told to swim hard, or more specifically make great speeches. Her opponent, Derek, may well be the irrational shark in Amelia’s public swimming pool.
So...speaking of Callie and Arizona, nearly, the other domestic career versus family row.... what on earth is going on there? Another couple in deepening trouble, it feels like they are only one or two arguments away from another separation. The viewers have been promised interrogation of their issues this season and frankly it can’t come soon enough. Watching them on screen is painful. Their relationship is awkward, lacking both warmth and intimacy. I hope this is the positive intention of the writing rather than being despite the writing. In 11.03 Callie starts to imagine problems where they may not be. She’s emotional and reaching. While Arizona did not yield to Callie’s demand regarding not wanting a baby it’s clear that there is something very wrong. The tension between their desire to increase their family and their careers is bubbling erratically now. From Callie’s perspective it’s not certain how it is that Callie can increase her own workload without questioning her commitment to a baby but Arizona’s increase due to her fellowship implies she no longer wants one. This couple has never been good at any form of relationship communication and Arizona’s characteristic silence at the end lit the fuse of Callie’s insecurity. Despite being faithfully in character, this story frustrates but perhaps the viewers will be rewarded soon with some answers. Dear God, I hope so and dear writers, no more ret-cons please.
A side note: Geena Davis...was she always this wooden?
This show had almost forgotten just how good the character of Alex Karev can be. Breathing air in the space vacated by Cristina, Karev blossoms into life, a bigger, better more mature character while still throwing us back to the early days with the humour and Meredith banter. He’s suddenly turned really interesting, we want to watch him again. Alex is allowed to participate in this season with a strong storyline, which so far has nothing to do with his girlfriend. The writers have developed his non-romantic relationships this season while ensuring he has a key reason to exist at the core of the show, something he has been lacking since season six. He’s even been given more dialogue. I don’t think I’ve heard him speak so much in an episode for a long while; and another great speech. He did not get the seat on the board, which is the right decision given seniority, experience and achievement, but with the parallel story of Arizona’s fellowship we can expect more plot to come.
Now ...were you on Team Bailey or Team Alex? Bailey succeeded in getting a place on the board at the expense of Alex. If this surprised you it shouldn’t have. Despite all the challenges Bailey has had over the past few years she is so much more deserving of the board seat and it would’ve been difficult to justify Alex succeeding over her. It was nice to see her insecurities almost get the better of her right at the end despite her speech to Stephanie. That is the real Bailey. It also provided a great antedote to the Derek over-confidence. Balance restored.
If you noticed a lot of monologue in the dialogue in Got To Be Real then you were not alone. Where there was conflict there was a speech and they all had a crack at it.
Jackson deserves a passing mention for his ‘woe is me’ address to Callie. April and the Hall Monitor are plodding along as the token happy couple at the moment. Their drama, if there is any, will follow, no doubt when April’s pregnancy is further on. We had a passionate speech from our new friend Maggie to Richard, though with rather a predictable conclusion. Richard’s behavior appears quite natural for a man who’s just discovered he has a 31 (?) year old daughter. Maggie’s response is equally understandable.
For all the unresolved conflict going on in GSM this week, it would be a crime to fail to mention Owen making amends with Callie; an epic speech, beautifully delivered and wonderfully directed. It was enough to make this anti-Owen viewer a fan. The speech told us a lot about Owen and his response to Cristina’s departure. This was not a narration of story – which it could’ve been if delivered less effectively – it was a moment of pure clarity. While the veteran story itself bordered on being over-earnest this was more than compensated for by his words.
There was little not to love about this episode and that falls in the moments when the writer tried just a bit too hard, taking a joke too far e.g.
Alex: “maybe she thinks there’s money to inherit?”
Meredith: “The only thing you inherit in this family is Alzheimer’s.”
The joke ends actually ends there, but the writer takes it too far with
Alex: “whoa, dark,”
Meredith: “good one though huh?”
This happened again with Callie, Owen and Jackson when the latter was trying “to be cool...” but ended up just being “sad.” It was probably a case of too many words this time.
Overall 11.03 was high quality viewing, continuing a wonderful season so far and promising a lot for the rest. Conflict works for me...how about you?
P.S. The night of the mall explosion was only a week ago? Really?
