Episode Report Card Lauren S: A | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT Big Pimpin'
By Lauren S | Season 4 | Episode 16 | Aired on 05.22.2008
In another nod to previous seasons, Mark, Derek and Richard are standing (far too close for my afraid-of-heights liking) on the edge of a cliff, basically, on Derek's land. While they gaze down at the city below, Mark feels sorry for himself that his new leaf isn't turning. Richard replies by telling them that Adele wanted him to change but he's still the Chief, and he announces that weekend he's moving back home. Derek asks the obvious question -- if Adele knows this, but Richard just says she'll be fine. "She was wrong, I was right..." Let me give you a hint, sir -- never say that to her or you won't be moving home. Mark cuts in, "Doing it like bunnies. Can't change. I can't change..." Richard tells him to be himself, and they both assert that they're men and they have a right to be who they are." Derek seems a bit skeptical. They all then admire the land, so Derek asks if one of them wants to buy it. Mark and Richard are appalled and talk about his house, this being the view from his living room, etc. Derek says that's all over and he's thinking of getting a place in town. Mark asserts, "This land and ferryboats are who you are." There are many things I've missed about this show, but fucking ferryboats are not one of them. Derek tells them a man can change, he's selling the land, and rolls around a little in his self-pity as he mumbles, "Ferryboats crash."
The victim of one of these crashes is sitting, basically comatose at the kitchen table. Alex serves up some breakfast as Izzie comes in, and she watches as he puts a fork in Ava's hand and helps her to childishly scoop up some food to her mouth. Alex asks Izzie if she can cover his cases at the hospital that morning so that he can watch movies with Ava at home, and she agrees, but worriedly tells him that Ava doesn't look so good. Alex replies, almost confused, "She's fine!" as if helping a grown woman lift her fork and open her mouth is totally normal.
Bailey is staring into space at the hospital when George runs in and delivers a message from the Chief that she's not spending enough hours in the OR, and that she needs to add 15-20 hours of surgery a week to her schedule in order to sit for her boards. He asks if she has a reply but she shushes him and explains that she's trying to see something. As she stares some more, Izzie comes up to tell her how worried she is the situation with Ava and to ask what she should do, but George talks over Bailey's head (hee!) to pass on that Bailey can't see something if she's asking questions. George finally asks what she's trying to see, and still with her dead-eyed stare, she answers, "The bigger picture."