Episode Report Card Lauren S: A- | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT How the West Was Won
By Lauren S | Season 5 | Episode 4 | Aired on 10.15.2008
George gives Hahn and Mere the rundown on their patient, an 8-year-old named Duncan with aortic valve disease due for something called a "Ross procedure." Before they can meet him, a little hellion runs out of the room, his parents hot on his tail. The doctors all pause a moment, until Hahn orders them to, "Go!" Mere actually runs off with her hands still in her pockets, like a strange motorized doll. Everyone ends up in the waiting room, where Duncan stands on the chairs with his fingers on the fire alarm. He wants them to promise that he's not going to have surgery, and everyone ends up turning to a stuttering Mere. Unfortunately for them all she stutters that they can't promise he won't have surgery. He pulls the alarm, and a very bored-sounding electronic voice starts telling them that this is an emergency as emergency lights flash.
Presumably order has been restored, and Richard demands to know if they have the kid under control. He's extra pissed because they already look so ridiculous after the ceiling collapse from last week. Hahn promises that nothing else will happen and once he's gone, turns to make sure her underlings will make sure of that. Mere answers, "I'll sedate him if I have to." Satisfied, Hahn tells them to study pulmonary autografts, concluding, "I don't want to spend the day bathed in your ignorance as well as your incompetence." As much as I agree with her, I do wish that they would make her a little more human, especially after deciding last week that she wanted to be a better teacher. Once she's gone, George expresses worry at the idea of sedating the kid and Meredith has to tell him that she was just trying to sound tough for Hahn. She reminds him that it's his last day as an intern, and won't he be happy to move on?
Hahn finds her sorta-girlfriend working on the computer and asks if 8 is too late for dinner. Callie's fine with it but very graciously and quickly offers to reschedule if need be. Hahn won't hear of it, she made reservations somewhere named Canto. Callie is clearly terrified, but since we're to believe that Hahn is completely brilliant but somehow can't manage to read even the most obvious emotions in other people, she happily tells her, "We are doing this," and leaves.
Mere finds Cristina to ask her about the Ross procedure. Cristina coaches her on what to say, describing the procedure and some extra details to make her look like she's familiar with it. Mere panics that nothing Cristina has said is in the book, but Cristina promises her that it's the key to this procedure. And hey, if ever there was a time to fake it, it's when you're operating on an 8-year-old, right? Meredith is stoked that someone has the answers for her, while Cristina is ticked off that she's given Mere some of her best stuff. Mere leaves, and Lexie finds Cristina so that she can see a patient. This one is sporting a rash, which of course thrills Cristina to no end. But even better, when she pulls back the curtain the patient sees her and screams, "No! She's the mean one! I don't want her!" Cristina looks shocked, but I have to wonder if she's also a little proud to have that reputation after half an hour there.