Episode Report Card LuluBates: B+ | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT Saint (I Wish I Was) Elsewhere
By LuluBates | Season 5 | Episode 8 | Aired on 11.13.2008
Lexie and her creepy intern buddies are cutting and stitching in their secret basement hideout when George knocks on the door. In his new role as resident he needs an intern to file or photocopy or fetch a coffee for him. He thinks the secret intern hideout looks cool, but Lexie kicks him out. Apparently George took her words very seriously, because that is the last we see of him in this episode. Lexie should just tape a sign to the door that says: "Intern Clubhouse! No Doctors Allowed." That way no one will come in and leave them to their Secret Cutter Society.
Mr. Pretzel refuses surgery. He is homeless and if he can't walk he can't survive. He recites his daily route and it involves a lot of walking. The doctors all exchange looks over Mr. Pretzel's head. Mr. Pretzel still refuses to have the surgery. While Shepherd and Sloan try to explain that he is most likely going to die without surgery, Mr. Pretzel won't budge. Hunt listens and tells everyone the surgery is off. Shepherd and Sloan grit their teeth and rip off their gloves angrily. There's nothing like an angry glove rip off to let someone know you're mad!
The Wizened Navajo is also being recalcitrant. His old ways are butting heads with Dr. Dixon's love of rules and facts. Izzie intercedes to explain that the Wizened Navajo would rather live a short life on machines than a longer life that is haunted. Bailey and Alex and Dixon all stare at Izzie, who then backs up and out of the line of fire. The Wizened Navajo requests that his extra heart be returned to him after the surgery so they can perform a ceremony over it. Dr. Dixon rants that laws are laws and rules are rules and no. Bailey suggests a compromise where the old heart is removed and given to the Wizened Navajo and the new heart is implanted. That doesn't work for anyone. Dr. Dixon repeats her rules and laws mantra and walks out.
Hunt is scrubbing down when Shepherd and Sloan find him. They didn't appreciate him shutting down Mr. Pretzel's surgery. They don't just patch people up here at Seattle Grace, they save lives. If Hunt can't deal with that he should just take his scalpel and go back to the desert. Shepherd's speech is so playground bullyish, that it is impressive when Hunt restrains himself from sticking his fingers in his ears and sing-songing "I can't hear you!" As Hunt walks away, Shepherd sighs to Callie that he hopes she can find some way to build Mr. Pretzel some legs. Callie gets wide-eyed at the thought. Meredith gets wide-eyed, then Sloan, and then Shepherd. Can Callie channel all her frustration at the disappearance of Hahn into building this man some legs? Can she? I think she can. Callie, Sloan, Meredith, Cristina, and Sadie retire to some wood-paneled room to survey the possibility of rebuilding Mr. Pretzel's legs. Since there are some viable bone fragments Callie thinks she can do it. She is excited at the possibility. She sends everyone out a scavenger hunt to find every piece of titanium in the hospital. The team high fives and scatters. I know it is totally evil to say, but this man is homeless and uninsured or at best covered by Medicaid. Who is going to pay for the $500,000 worth of titanium they are going to put in his leg? And won't the hospital miss it? And is this how Wolverine got started?