Episode Report Card Lauren S: B- | 1 USERS: A+ YOU GRADE IT Doe, A Deer
By Lauren S | Season 4 | Episode 1 | Aired on 09.26.2007
They run outside with a stretcher and supplies to find the remaining victim -- the deer. And here I was thinking we weren't going to see them treat the patient who caused the accident. The interns are disappointed, and the boy pathetically asks if she's dead. Izzie sadly explains that she's a people doctor, and finally Dad seems to think it's time to step in as a parent. When five doctors are waiting at his truck staring at a bloody deer. Dad of the year, this one. Just then, the doe opens her eyes and tries to lift her fuzzy animatronic head. Izzie begs not to look at her like that, and then turns and sees the boy doing an equally good job of pitifully imploring her to help. He begs Izzie while his dad makes a totally ineffectual effort to get him to stop. Then and there, Izzie makes a decision and orders the interns for supplies and "something that shaves fur." They stare, dumbfounded; she yells at them to move.
Inside, where the humans are getting treatment, an x-ray shows that Cristina's patient Henry's skull is completely severed from his spine -- internally. Everyone marvels, and Derek comments that 90% of people with this injury just die in the field, and he's never seen one live. I assume he means he's never heard of it, since I can't imagine that many internal decapitations are coming through the doors of Seattle Grace each day. Lexie hopefully says there's a first time for everything and that after all, he came back from the dead. This girl talks way too much. Derek turns to talk to Henry directly and instructs him to blink one for yes, two for no. When he determines that Henry has a family, Derek quietly says that they'll be contacted. Even though he's kept completely immobile, the terror on Henry's face is affecting me more than anything else I've seen in the episode.
Joey's still in the ER, looking uncomfortable. When Callie arrives, Alex pulls her aside to ask for a more interesting patient. Callie refuses to let Alex switch patients, despite his begging, which his interns are watching with interest. This gives Joey a convenient window to ingest first some binder clips, and then some scissors. Callie's had enough of Alex and orders, "You are a resident. You go where I say." She's clearly struggling to gain respect by being overly rigid, which is never going to work with such a flighty group of new residents, as we know them to be.
Nancy's in bed and (understandably) crying. Meredith kindly tells her that they have the arm and that Dr. Sloane is currently seeing if it can be reattached. She asks if there's anyone to call, but Nancy explains that she just moved there. She got tired of waiting for the right guy (get in line, sister) and wanted a baby (okay, not quite at that step yet) so she did so on her own. Her family didn't approve, so here she is, alone and armless. Meredith is clearly affected by her, somewhat uncomfortably. But Mark comes in at that moment to tell them that the arm can be reattached.