Since all of the episodes of this show generally revolve around the angst of Meredith and the other ladies, we switched it up this week to get a look at things from the boys' point of view. Derek is looking for a new resident now that Meredith has taken herself off his service. He has Alex help him with a surgery but when it turns out that Alex is just looking to earn some neuro hours he needs, Derek gets mad and kicks him out of the surgery completely. When he and Mark wind up working on a patient at the same time, Derek sees that Jackson both has some good ideas and is being given no opportunity to actually do any surgery with Mark, so Derek tries to poach him and Avery is suddenly faced with the problem of deciding which world-class surgeon he wants to work with.
After Alex is cut adrift, Richard takes him under his wing a bit. Richard has a lot of extra time on his hands because no one is used to him just being a regular old surgeon and so they don't want to demean him with routine surgeries. A belligerent drunk is brought in to the OR and when he becomes a threat to April, Alex's dorky patient decides to stand up to the guy and has the stuffing beaten out of him. Once Alex and Richard get him to the OR Alex tries to bail since these aren't the type hours he needs, but Richard orders him to stay and to remember the joy in just doing surgery, period.
In honor of this being the Good-Lookin' Dude Hour, Dr. Ben Warren, Hot Anesthesiologist is back. He's working with Derek, who accidently spills that Bailey has moved on to Hot Nurse Eli. (In case there is any confusion, I am the captain of Team Ben.) He nearly gets into a fight with Eli over a patient and that's before he knows that Eli has taken over romancing his former ladyfriend, so I think when the inevitable showdown arrives, it will be a doozy.
Owen, meanwhile, is trying to adjust to being Chief of Surgery and like Derek before him, he can't handle being stuck behind a desk doing administrative chores while people run by with cool all sorts of various cool traumas. He finally decides that he'll have a mobile office in the form of an iPad, so he's nearby when the drunk guy goes crazy. He manages to both protect his staff and let off a little bit of steam by punching the drunk and breaking his jaw to end his boozy run of terror. Of course the legal department tells him he has to apologize to the guy but instead, Owen goes to see him, closes the blinds, and menacingly warns him that he's glad he did it and he thinks he was totally justified, so the guy is welcome to sue if he wants to. Why do I think this may not be the last we see of him?
Derek has a good outlet for working out his frustration, and he invites first Owen, then Ben, then Jackson to join in: they all wind up helping him build the deck at his house in the woods and there's a lot of therapeutic hammering and sawing that goes on amongst them. The night, Jackson then brings Alex up there so that Alex can apologize to Derek for being flippant about the surgery. The others are already there, hammering away, so to round things out Mark then shows up (with Sofia in one arm, since he's been left to babysit her all weekend) to accuse Derek of trying to steal Jackson. He claims that he's been carefully teaching Jackson all this time, which is something he never does so it sounds like he considers letting his student not actually perform any surgery to be a great honor. After seeing Jackson work with Derek, Mark realized that Jackson does good work after all and comes to steal him back from his friend. Faced with having to make a decision, Jackson decides to stay with plastics. The therapeutic hammering and sawing eventually turns into therapeutic beer drinking and hanging out, and then to mocking Derek when they realize that the deck he just built isn't actually level. All in all, a good (looking) evening for the men.
Why are the ratings for Grey's Anatomy so low this season?
Meredith and Derek are coming along: they have graduated to both being under the covers in the same bed at the same time. But their uneasy truce is broken when she nonchalantly asks him about that day's surgery and what technique he is going to use. He replies patronizingly that he's not going to play this game, and then reminds her that she was the one who left neuro. Well, yes, but she did it to save her marriage to you and not because she actually wanted to do it. But he warns her that he's not going to play the "game" where she gets sad about all of the cases he is working on. But Derek, if she's sad that means she is being punished, and I know your priority is making the woman you are married to suffer as much as you can. She defends that all she was doing was trying to make conversation; he throws it back at her and tells her to talk about something else. But she can't, because the only other thing they can think about is the big empty crib in their room, of which we are treated to another lingering shot, just in case we forgot already that they are Sad, Empty People without their daughter to hold them together. With the number of shots of forlorn baby paraphernalia in the last few episodes, I'm surprised they haven't yet figured out a way to work the empty crib into the logo for the show. Or intertwined it with the ABC logo in the corner of the screen so that we can see it for every second of the entire episode.
To illustrate that this week's episode will be dude-centric, the boys take turns delivering this week's voiceover. Did you know that there are differences between the male and female brain? Women are usually better at retention and memory. That makes it all the more tragic that Richard is at home, packing a lunch for himself and making one for Adele which he puts in the fridge with a note identifying it and reminding her to eat.
April walks into the kitchen where Jackson and Alex are eating breakfast, and lectures Alex that while she'll do his laundry (because she knows if she didn't it would never get done) she refuses to wash the unmentionables belonging to his flavor of the week. With this, she uses a pencil to hand over a tiny thong. Cool as a cucumber, Jackson says that it is Lexie's and takes it, much to April's eternal embarrassment. After she flees, Jackson tosses them at Alex's head because they were in fact a flavor of the week souvenir and he was just doing his roomie a solid. He also approves when he hears that the flavor is Lauren from radiology. Well, with a name like that, I heartily approve too.
Mark, meanwhile, is getting ready to spend three days of quality alone time with his new love, daughter Sofia, while Callie and Arizona go to a conference. They coo over the baby and hesitate only a wee bit before they let Mark shoo them out with assurances that they will be fine. By the way, in case you weren't aware, women like to communicate through language, while men... don't. This voiceover is groundbreaking. It deserves note that Mark gets a little high-five from Sofia and my ovaries made a little squeak at the sight.
Owen, meanwhile, is moving things into his new office and stares at his new nameplate, not entirely excited about it.
Derek wraps up the intro VO by telling us that men are capable of emotions, they just usually don't want to talk about them. No, men hammer! Build things! Sweat their angst out through their manly pores! Derek is trying to do just that at his house, which I'm happy to say after all this time finally has some walls.
April must have decided that part of getting her fellow residents on her side was letting them use her office as their new hangout. Alex has wasted no time in getting really comfortable and has his bare feet kicked up the desk where he is using the computer. Jackson comes in with breakfast, though I could have sworn he had already eaten at the house during Thongate. Maybe this is to show us that men are also hungry bears? Why not. These two seem to suddenly be best friends and mock each other like male friends do until Alex starts moaning about having to write a paper about his bringing over the African kids. He declares that fifth year blows just as Richard walks in and both of them jump up at attention and Alex apologizes. Richard reminds them that he's not the Chief anymore and also opines that Alex is currently the resident in the best standing and "the world is [his] oyster," but if he wants to gripe, that's his problem. He then casually asks if there are any big accidents on their way in and Alex laughs to realize that he's trolling for cases. Alex's joy is short-lived when Jackson reminds him he's supposed to be in surgery with Derek right that moment, but Richard tells him to use the excuse that he had an appointment with "Mayfield in 22" that ran long and assures him that Derek will then forgive his tardiness. Alex can't stop himself from calling Richard "Chief" as he thanks him and runs out. I can't blame him for that -- all of my notes on the episode still refer to Richard as "Chief" too and I suspect I won't break myself of that for a while.
Alex runs into the OR and stupidly expresses surprise that Derek started without him. I've been extra sick of Derek's attitude recently but in this case completely back him telling Alex he forfeited the right to take lead on the surgery by showing up 20 minutes late. My intense dislike for Derek and intense disgust for myself at having to agree with his attitude for once is quickly overshadowed by my delight in seeing that Hot Anesthesiologist Dr. Ben Warren is back! As he and Derek give Alex a hard time, Ben points out that Meredith was never late and I wonder if he knows what's been going on and that he shouldn't use her name. He seems to have been actually gone and not just "working in another area of the hospital where we just happened not to see him" gone, but I'd have to think that with the way gossip travels that the Grey-Shepherd debacle would have been one of the first things he was told about upon his return. Regardless, Derek admits that while Mere is many things, she is never, ever late. Alex, desperate to log some needed non-pediatric surgery hours, decides to use Richard's suggested excuse. Immediately Derek and Ben change their tune and become almost apologetic, and Derek steps aside to let Alex finish up the surgery himself.
Richard finds Mark hanging out on the bridge, rather obsessively watching Owen through the window as he gets his office in order. Richard is letting everyone know that he's looking for cases, but I doubt Mark even hears him due to his focus on Owen, who he claims is already barely hanging on to the job. Derek walks up behind them and he's seriously so much shorter than these two that it looks like he'd have to stand on his tiptoes to really see over their shoulders into the office as well. He joins them in staring as Mark continues to yammer about how scared Owen seems. Finally, Mark announces that when Owen fails at this job, he will be there for the hospital. I haven't seen Mark this jealous since Lexie started sleeping with Jackson. Owen finally catches on to the staring and comes out to let them know that he has to bump one of Mark's surgeries because they just got a call that a ton of patients are on their way into the ER after an accident at the convention center.
The promise of a massive accident is music to Richard's ears and he grills Owen for more details, which unfortunately he doesn't really have. He does offer up the tantalizing tidbit that there was screaming in the background when the call came in, and Richard shivers with anticipation.
Alex is reporting back to Jackson how awesomely the "Mayfield in 22" excuse went, even though he has no idea who that is. Is this a male/female difference too? Because I think the very first thing I'd go do was check out who Mayfield was to at least be able to delivery my phony excuse with more confidence time. Cristina walks up and they all gown up in anticipation of the incoming traumas. Owen joins them and explains that there was a stampede at a comic convention; Richard chimes in excitedly that this means lots of crush injuries for them. They all turn the corner and are greeted by an array of people in various geek-tastic costumes. A nurse then comes up and pulls Hunt aside to take an important call and it's with great reluctance that he leaves the chaos in the ER.
As the patients are brought in Richard isn't fast enough to lay claim to any of them or, in the case of Mere, she won't hand over her patient because she insists it's far too routine a case for him. Finally, when a sexy zombie nurse is wheeled in with cuts and blood all over her, he practically steamrolls Cristina in running over and laying claim to the patient.
A stormtrooper walks by making sounds like he is equipped with Darth Vader's breathing device. Look, dude, you've got to pick one costume and then go with it accurately! Stormtroopers don't make menacing mechanical breathing noises. Alex's patient Carter is sitting on a gurney, hugging two fake furry feet to his chest. His real feet seem to hurt a little but overall he seems fine. He explains to Alex that the convention was giving away collector's edition replicas of Dr. Who's TARDIS in the original packaging, signed by Russell T. Davies to the first 15 people through the door. Coincidentally, after stumbling upon and becoming mildly obsessed with the last couple of seasons of Dr. Who this summer, I understand what every one of those words means and I thought, "Oh yeah, that would cause a stampede at a comic convention for sure." When I went to find a picture for y'all, I found this, which now I think I need for my home. Hey, I never claimed to be cool. Alex appears not to be a Whovian and is therefore unimpressed by all of this. But Carter doesn't care; he can't get over his excitement of actually being in the middle of an exciting catastrophe. His excitement is replaced by fear that he'll never walk again when he hears that he needs an x-ray, and then turns to disappointment when he's told that he just has broken toes and won't even be getting a cast to prove he took part in this battle.
Richard examines his unconscious sexy zombie nurse and figures she needs stitches for a cut on her arm, so he sends a nurse to get a suture kit. But as he dabs at the wound he realizes it's not bleeding and then upon closer investigation realizes it's fake and pulls the entire thing off. He then investigates all of her horrible wounds and finds out they are all just part of her costume, much to his extreme disappointment.
A patient named Keith is brought in with plenty of actual injuries, accompanied by his friend Greg who is clutching one of the coveted TARDIS...es. TARDI? Well, he's got one, and he explains to the doctors that 500 people tried to get through a tiny door at once to claim the 15 that were available. His friend got knocked down and stampeded, and Jackson is horrified when he realizes that not only did Keith's ear get ripped off, but that no one thought this was an important detail to mention to the docs. Greg seems to think it wasn't important since they looked for it but didn't find it, and Keith seems not to care at all since they now have a TARDIS. Upon hearing this, Greg hugs the box a little closer to himself and corrects that, he got a TARDIS. I smell a nerd fight coming on.
Carter is now out of his hobbit gowns, and is so sad to hear that after surviving a stampede, all he gets to show for it is tape for his seven broken toes. Alex likes the guy so he promises to throw in crutches as well. Curiosity then gets the better of him and he asks Carter what he is supposed to be; Carter is surprised that Alex didn't recognize him to be a hobbit. He explains, "We're a gentle folk from a farming community called the Shire..." and continues on to say that they live a simple life but crave adventure and when they find it, some become heroes. He is certainly committed to being a hobbit. He is then overcome when he catches a glimpse of April and thinks she looks just like a princess from the A Song of Fire and Ice series. (Which I now know is what the series is called that contains Game of Thrones -- I don't have the advantage of having been sucked into that this year like I did with Dr. Who.) Alex is appalled and amused that Carter is lovestruck by April but Carter doesn't hear him; he can only dreamily gaze after her and softly say her name. Derek then calls Alex into the nearby trauma room.
He needs Alex to serve as some muscle since Greg and Keith are going at it about the rightful ownership of the TARDIS. Alex manages to pull Greg out of the room so that Mark can explain to Keith how they will make him a new ear out of cartilage from his ribs. Mark then pointedly asks Jackson if he has anything to add, knowing he does not, and Jackson uses all his self-control to remain polite when he replies. Derek has been checking Keith's legs at this time and asks what he's feeling. "Hurt? Betrayed?" Keith yells. I love Keith. Derek of course wasn't worried about his feelings over the loss of a small-scale time-traveling spaceship that's bigger on the inside but rather about the fact that Keith can't actually feel anything in his legs. He orders an MRI, and then leaves to answer a page.
The page came from Ben, and when Derek arrives he finds Ben and Eli yelling at each other over how Ben's resident screwed up an epidural on their patient. The two of them are so heated I fully expect them to just whip 'em out and measure to get things over with. Derek finally gets them to tell him how the patient is doing (fine) and then orders them both to walk away.
Once he has them separated, Derek tells Ben he understands but asks him to fight with Eli about Bailey on his own time. The only problem is that they were actually only fighting just because they seem to have taken an instant dislike to each other; Ben had no idea until this moment that Eli was Bailey's current flame. Derek tries to flee but Ben won't let him and keeps asking about just what kind of relationship they have, hoping it's been just a couple of dinner dates. Derek keeps telling Ben he doesn't want to know but finally warns him not to go into a couple of the conference rooms without knocking. He was right, Ben didn't want to know. Also: have we really moved on to doing it in conference rooms? On-call rooms are one thing; at least they are meant for people to be horizontal, but conference rooms bring up a whole new level of having sex on surfaces which really should never be experiencing any threat of bodily fluids. Ben asks if Bailey has said anything about Eli and Derek deadpans that she said, "His hands have a kind of magic." Before Ben has the capacity again to form words in response, Derek warns him not to yell at his nurses -- even the male ones -- and then walks away while Ben yells at him for dropping a bomb and then fleeing the damage.
Owen is sitting at a table in the break room and an administrator gives him a ton of papers that need signing or some other form of handling. He seems upbeat as gives him the pile, and then takes a cheerful bite of the sandwich on a plate to him. But his bliss doesn't last for long as he sees people running emergency patients down the hall and Alex delightedly showing Jackson Keith's x-ray showing he has a broken back. Owen is clearly jealous but trying to tamp that down when Richard comes in to say hello. He happily says he used to do work in here too, so he could feel like was still in on the action. This isn't what Owen wanted to hear and he tries to find out if Richard had a point. He didn't, really, so he starts to head to the skills lab but first asks Owen if he's going to eat the grapes he has in front of him.
Derek and Alex are scrubbing in to repair Keith's spine and as they scrub, Alex explains the injury and how he plans to do the surgery. Derek is impressed until Alex stupidly asks him if, since he's operating in two places, this would count as two surgeries? I'm not sure what made him think Derek would be okay with this but he's so stressed out, maybe he has lost his grasp of common sense. Derek comments in a pointed tone that Alex needs more non-peds hours, and Alex happily agrees, thinking Derek understands and his on his side. Oh, how wrong he is. Derek starts to holler about how this kid has a shattered spine and all Alex can think about is the credit he can get; he then kicks Alex off of his service. Maybe Meredith doesn't seem so bad after all now, huh, Derek?
Alex is so oblivious that he bitches to Jackson about how much Derek sucks for kicking him out just because he wasn't thrilled at the chance to see a spine, not realizing how disrespectful his question was. Jackson makes some infinitesimal head movements to indicate that Richard is in the room but Alex doesn't notice until Richard speaks up and tells Alex that Mere is a tough act to follow. It does feel a little like Derek is cutting off his nose to spite his face at this point. I know, I know, she got him blackballed. I guess I'm just so sick of this whole complicated, stupid situation and all of the yelling and condescension. Richard and Jackson are using Owen's grapes to practice microsurgery, and I promise that's not any sort of euphemism. Richard warns them both that they have to figure out how to feel the joy in surgery again because one day they'll look back and wish they were back at this point in their lives, operating on people rather than on grapes. Well, operating on grapes is more surgery than Jackson has had a chance to do recently. He's also surprised since Richard is in the OR all the time, but Richard explains that it's only ever to help on complicated cases, but never to do any sort of routine or regular procedures. Jackson then has an idea, and asks if the technique they are using would work on ear reconstructions. It would, and Richard congratulates him on finding some joy. Alex, though, still feels none -- especially since he now has to go write his paper since Arizona threatened to drop him if he doesn't publish. He leaves, a sad little angel clown, while Richard shows Avery some different grape techniques.
Derek walks in to Owen's office just in time to see him throw back a healthy glass of what I presume is Larry Jennings' congratulatory scotch. He's already feeling the stress of being chained to his desk with paperwork, so Derek just orders him to finish his drink and they'll go somewhere.
"Somewhere" turns out to be his house, where they can hammer away their problems like manly men. One particular shot shows the trailer in the background; I can't believe I forgot the trailer! That thing was practically a character in its own right for a couple of seasons. That at least gives a much more reasonable explanation as to where Derek was sleeping when he wasn't with Mere. [But I thought Alex was in the trailer in the parking lot? Maybe Derek took it back when Alex moved back in Mere's house? -- Angel] Owen asks, mildly concerned, if Derek's contractor doesn't mind Derek doing the deck himself but Derek points out he's the one paying the guy, so I guess if he wants to hammer away at the deck he can do it. He then gripes about Alex not caring about surgeries and just wanting the hours, and Owen ventures that Alex isn't Meredith. Derek agrees and then starts to hammer extra hard. Owen then admits that while he thought Derek was crazy to quit being Chief and asks if he's just paranoid that everyone expects him to fail? Derek tells him that they have a pool going and he needs to hold on for six months for Derek to win $100. Owen then starts to air his own problems; despite my thinking he and Cristina had a breakthrough last week he complains that he's walking on eggshells at home, and while he used to go to work to get away from it, now work sucks too. Derek just thinks and nods; this is obviously too much talking and Owen finally stops so they both can hammer away their feelings like men some more.
Back at his apartment, Mark is changing a very adorably wiggly Sofia all about his day. He then answers the phone and assures Callie that the two of them are still all right, and turns around for a moment to pick up the onesie he has laid out. When he turns back, he sees that he probably has to swallow his words as there is no longer a baby on the sofa. He drops the phone and then kneels down on the floor, where Sofia is wriggling and cooing and generally being adorable under the coffee table. He finally picks the phone back up and asks Callie: guess who just rolled over for the first time? Sofia looks positively delighted with herself about it while Mark looks relieved that it appears she's not broken in any way.
Alex is wheeling a chair down the hall while Mark, even more inexplicably, is wheeling a gurney with Sofia's carrier (containing Sofia) on it. Come on, she can't be that heavy yet, she's still a wee little thing. Mark yells his name and Alex freaks out and yells that Hunt said he could have the chair, but Mark actually just wants to get Alex's help; Sofia hasn't cried since rolling off of the sofa the night before and Mark is convinced that this means something is horribly wrong. Mark can't ask anyone in pediatrics to check her out because he knows they will call Arizona but Alex is not inclined whatsoever to help. However, Mark has always been a skilled intimidator and when he threatens to "end" Alex, Alex picks up Sofia's seat, sets her in the rolling chair, and wheels her along down the hall. She's probably not crying because these are some fun rides she gets to go on.
Down in the pit, Carter is back and he watches as two girls wearing Victorian dresses and kicky tiny hats are brought in, one of whom has an ice pack to her head after having a beer bottle thrown at her. Following them the paramedics wheel in a huge, belligerent drunk guy who seems to be the bottle-thrower. From what I can tell from his frenzied, drunk yelling, I believe he lives near the convention center and hates it when all of these slightly-crazy people show up and bother him every year. He keeps trying to get up but April yells at him to stay on the gurney, which only makes Carter's heart grow fonder. Alex sees him there and quickly realizes he's just there to see April, though he tries to make some lame excuses about how he is in pain. Alex offers to give him April's number so he can go away but Carter can't deal with that idea. Instead, he realizes that if he tells Alex he has chest pain, Alex has to admit him for observation. Ah yes, I learned that the hard way myself once. And this is when I went to the hospital with a collapsed lung, which is something I had had once before, and I told them that and asked them to start with a chest x-ray, but it turns out that the words "chest pain" are such hot-button words that they have to go through the whole EKG and whatnot of it all before they do anything else. Two hours later, a simple chest x-ray revealed, in fact, a collapsed lung. Lesson: caution is extremely important, but common sense can go a long way too. Back in Seattle: Alex glowers at Carter but underneath his glare seems to be s small bit of admiration for his quick thinking and nerve.
Derek, Mark and Jackson are looking at Keith's scans, which show that he reinjured himself and needs surgery right away. Unfortunately that doesn't give them a chance to sew his ear back on immediately, but Jackson has the bright idea to insert the ear into the guy's abdomen to keep it viable until they can go in and fix it. Mark actually thinks this is a good idea, and seems a little surprised to hear himself admit that, and Derek agrees. Owen then shows up, seemingly to answer a page from Derek.
They two men walk and talk while Owen shows off his new "mobile office" in the form of a tablet. I feel that there is a happy medium between an office the size of my living room and a tablet the size of a paperback, but whatever floats Owen's boat, I guess. Owen asks Derek if he has found a new resident and Derek admits he might have a candidate, then tells Owen that the new lumber came in and he's welcome to come work on the deck some more. Owen is there, as long as he can use the even-manlier-than-a-hammer power saw.
Alex might admire Carter's chutzpah but he makes sure to do a painful job putting in his IV catheter all the same. Carter is incredibly nervous as he watches April trying to deal with Ragey McDrunkerson; Alex assures him she is fine but once he knocks over a nurse, Alex walks over to try and help while April yells for security. A couple of guys run in but Carter puts it best: Ragey is hulking out and seems to be able to throw off any puny human that tries to contain him. Carter quietly repeats his Hobbit mantra to himself and when April is thrown to the floor he decides that it's time for this hobbit to become a hero. He gets up and crutches over until he's standing in front of the guy, and orders him to calm down. Unfortunately for Carter's internal organs, this just makes him angry and he knocks Carter to the ground and begins to kick beat him with his own crutch. Presumably, no one could get over there to help him but because of an awkward camera angle, there's a great shot of the other doctors in the background just kind of kicking back, while he's having the stuffing beaten out of him.
Owen power-walks down the hall and tells the nurse with him to get a room ready for a patient with a broken jaw. The guy asks, confused, if they have a patient with a broken jaw and Owen declares that they are about to. With that he walks into the ER, up to McDrunkerson, and punches him square in the jaw, sending him crashing to the floor while Owen just straightens his tie. Yeah, that was hot, in a caveman sort of way.
As we all know, word spreads fast in the hospital and when Owen exits the elevator, shaking out his hand, all of the other male attendings wind up coming over to excitedly ask if he really punched someone. Owen admits that he did, but only because the guy was endangering his staff's and patients' safety. Mark can't help but get in a little jealous dig, reminding Owen pointedly that he's not the sheriff. Derek, meanwhile, tries out the new office procedure and looks at a scan on Owen's tablet, declaring it clear.
Richard gets paged to the OR, where Alex is prepping Carter in order to stop his internal bleeding. Poor Carter should have been careful what he wished for. Alex then tries to leave, figuring this way the Richard gets a surgery and he doesn't have to bother putting in hours he doesn't need. Richard, though, orders him to stop, and then has the nurse put on his old playlist. An awesome soulful, kind of funky song starts up and Richard starts grooving and then twirls a concerned Alex in a circle.
Ben is working with Derek again, and admits he was not happy when he had a meeting in the ninth floor conference room and could only think about Bailey and her current lovah in there. They mock each other a while like men do and then to further stereotypes, Derek invite Ben to come over and take his frustrations out on the deck. Mark and Jackson, meanwhile, are preparing a nice little bed for Keith's ear in his abdomen. Mark tells Jackson to move so he can show him something and when Jackson pointedly replies that he showed him the move twice the week before, he just says that he'll do it again now. Jackson is visibly defeated and Derek takes notice and offers him the chance to do something fancy in his spine surgery. Jackson goes over to work and Mark complains, but Derek pointedly says that he figured Mark wouldn't mind since Jackson's hands were free. He then comes right out and asks Jackson if he's ever considered neuro.
Once they are done and scrubbing out, Jackson asks Mark if he might be able to actually do the procedure time, but Mark just teases him that now that Derek let him do a procedure he thinks he can do things by himself. Well, that actually would make a whole lot of sense, but Jackson just replies that he wants to practice on something other than fruit. Mark insists that he still isn't ready and then leaves. Derek then comes in and when he asks if everything is okay, Jackson apologizes for possibly overstepping but asks if he can come over and hammer later. Because Derek already likes him, he considers this just a good example of initiative.
Out at the deck, Owen and Ben are doing some manly measuring of wood (no, I mean that literally) and complaining. Owen is offended that the legal team told him he has to apologize to McDrunkerson while Ben gripes that Bailey didn't want to be in a relationship but now she's in a relationship with someone else. Oh, Ben. Ask any woman -- that's a story as old as the hills. Owen just tries to saw his trouble away.
Jackson is hammering away his feelings, amused at how worked up everyone is getting. Derek tells him he should try the saw but Jackson thinks he's happy here. However, as he hammers he starts complaining about Mark even while he apologizes for overstepping. His hammering gets harder and harder as he gets more frustrated, and even Owen and Ben start to take notice over the sawing. He's upset that he gets home each night to find out his fourth year girlfriend performed more surgery than he did, while he has to spend the day just watching her ex work away. Owen realizes that Jackson needs some serious therapy, and walks over to hand him the saw.
Richard has really taken Alex under his wing, and as he works he lectures the resident that he knows he thinks he has somewhere better to be, but he really doesn't. Alex is antsy with wanting to finish his paper but Richard just goes on that eventually all of the tests and papers fall away because they are just doing those things to get to this, the pure surgery of it all. When Alex "uh-huhs" him, Richard tells him he sounds like Adele. Sadly, Adele does that when Richard tells her about his day because sometimes she forgets he is a surgeon and gets nervous when he talks about cutting people open. Cue the sad background music. Richard warns him that sometimes you don't see the happy part of your life until it is over. Alarms then ring and Alex takes the lead, eventually stopping whatever it is (probably bleeding, it's always bleeding) so that Carter's vital signs go back to normal. He grins, and when Richard asks if he's feeling the joy now he admits that he is.
Alex finds Jackson and invites him to go to the skills lab where Richard is going to help him with a particular stitch. What a funny little threesome these guys have become -- I rather hope it sticks because I like seeing Richard have fun again and I like those rare occasions where Alex finds he can get along with other human beings. Jackson can't go because he's supposed to help April and Bailey in the skills lab, so Alex mocks him and leaves. Jackson thinks a minute and then, instead of following the ladies, uses the "Mayfield in 22" excuse to get out of it. April gets flustered and tells him it's okay while Bailey, with just a hint of a grin, tells him there are things she never needs to know. Derek walks up and invites Jackson to another deck night as well as helping out with a surgery the day and Jackson agrees, but seems troubled about it.
Somewhere among all of this surgery and joy-finding, Alex has had time to write a 19-page paper, which he happily shows off to Richard. Richard takes it from him and then won't let Alex have it back, now using the "Once the Chief, Always the Chief" card after spending the couple of days trying to train Alex not to call him that. Jackson joins them and asks for some advice, since he's now agreed to assist both Mark and Derek at the same time the day and he doesn't know how to choose. Richard asks logically who he wants to work with more and Jackson admits he prefers plastics but wants to actually get his hands dirty. Richard will just tell him that choosing between two world-class surgeons is a privilege and Alex can't help brown-nosing a bit by telling Jackson to feel the joy, much to Richard's delight. Alex then asks Jackson how he got out of the skills lab and when Richard hears that he used the Mayfield excuse, his joy grows exponentially and in fact he has to take his glasses off and wipe his eyes from all the laughing. He's especially amused that Jackson used it on Bailey. Jackson was pretty pleased with himself but as Richard's laughing continues, Jackson seems to realize this might be at him rather than with and starts to worry.
Alex responds to a page from Mark, who has been worked up into a frenzy, worrying about his still not-crying daughter. Alex is exhausted and informs Mark that she's not crying because he's a good dad, and she is happy. He then asks if he wants to see her cry, and then pulls her leg which predictably starts the waterworks. Mark seems too happily stunned to realize he's a good father to get mad at Alex and he just rocks and coos to Sofia as Alex leaves.
Ben is glaring at Bailey from across the way as she gazes seductively at Eli and runs her fingers along his hand. Derek comes up and Ben comments dryly that they look happy; Derek responds that he knows he'll be seeing Ben at the Deck of Testosterone and Heartbreak later that evening.
Carter looks quite well for someone who just had his insides kicked into mush and then had his abdomen opened up to fix said insides. He's berating himself for picking a fight with a giant but Alex actually gives him a huge compliment by reminding him that he is a Hobbit who found adventure and became a hero. He adds that he's not the only one who was impressed, and wheels Carter towards April. Then, before he walks away, Alex advises Carter just to say hello and let April do the rest. She bounds up, he says hello, and she thanks him and gushes about how brave he was. Carter, moved once again beyond rational thought, just says quietly, "I was a hobbit." She's not quite sure how one responds to that comment so politely tells him she's not familiar with hobbits and then thanks him and leaves. Alex can't believe Carter blew it and asks him what happened to just saying hi. He leaves too, and a smug girl's voice starts to mock April for not being familiar with hobbits even though they are in some of the best known books and movies of all time. A lovestruck Carter turns and sees the girl who was hit by a beer bottle, now also in a hospital gown and wheelchair like he is, and they both shyly say hello and smile over their shared love of hobbits.
It's time to replace Keith's ear, and Jackson has it out of his abdomen and prepped. As he sits down he screws up his courage and tells Mark that he might have to leave surgery early the day so that he can take lead on Derek's surgery. Mark acts more like a jealous boyfriend than an offended boss, since he's more upset to realize that the two of them hung out the night before. Then, Jackson's day takes a very unexpected turn as Mark seems to see him in a new light and offers to let him take the lead and sew Keith's ear back on. Jackson is genuinely surprised and thankful; Mark can't help but add a warning to him not to screw it up. So it turns out that rather than being straightforward, making Mark jealous was the key to making him see how much Jackson meant to him. Men and women have a lot in common after all!
Owen heads into McDrunkerson's room, where the brute is sober and recovering from having his jaw wired shut. Owen introduces himself genially as the man who both repaired and broke his jaw, and reminds him that with it wired shut, he can't speak. He proceeds to close all the blinds, and then threateningly announces that while everyone has told him to apologize, he won't apologize for what he thinks is right. He is proud of what he did and after seeing the security tapes that showed what a threat this guy was to everyone, Owen is sure he saved at least six other people from being injured. He reminds Ragey of the people that he did hurt and then informs him that he will happily stand in front of any court and tell them how violent and dangerous he was. He reiterates how good he feels about what he did, and then grabs him by the jaw so that he can look him in the eye and dare him to go ahead and try to sue the hospital. In this particular hospital, is that really such a good idea? I mean, the last time there was a lawsuit it resulted in someone shooting up the place. But Owen is adamant, and cheerfully wishes the guy good luck with his recovery and leaves as the guys tears up and feels his aching jaw.
Finally, Alex seems to have realized that it would be a good idea to research who Mayfield in 22 might be and once he has his findings, he brings Jackson back to show him too. It's not entirely surprising that Dr. Mayfield is an E.D. specialist, but it is surprising that it takes Jackson a moment to realize what that truly means, and Alex has to inform him that he told Bailey he has erectile dysfunction. Because boys are always good at comebacks to save face, Jackson quickly reminds Alex that he said the same thing to Derek. Richard then comes by and he has Alex's paper in hand and tells him it was a great first draft. Alex is completely dismayed to find it completely marked up and his mood isn't improved when Richard slyly warns them not to hang out in front of that office for too long lest people get the wrong idea. Jackson runs off, trying to hide his pretty face with his lab coat, while Alex can only flip dejectedly through his paper.
Mark is examining Keith's newly-sewn-back-on ear and says that it looks fantastic -- amazingly, this time he actually means it and isn't just saying that to make the patient feel better. Greg then arrives and fortunately, Keith doesn't rip his ear off in frustration thereby requiring yet another surgical do-over. But he does order him away, though Greg doesn't obey. Finally, Greg explains that while he's sorry he upset Keith, as his friend selling the TARDIS was the right thing to do because Keith owns an apartmentful of collectible crap and therefore has no money to pay for things such as his upcoming extensive medical bills. I can't help but think that Greg probably wasn't thinking this altruistically when he first made a profit, but at least he's doing the right thing now. Keith's seems to realize he's right but doesn't really want to admit it, so when he finds out who Greg sold it to, Keith complains how much he hates that guy. And then when Keith finds out that Greg got $7500 (!!) for it, he sniffs that Greg was ripped off. All I can think is that Keith is going to be the 40-year-old virgin. Mark has been watching all this with mild interest and clearly finds Keith crazy.
And now, ladies and gays, it's time for Jackson's obligatory shirt removal for this episode. Mmmmmmmm.
Oh, excuse me, I'm sorry, something else actually happened in that scene. Alex is in the locker room complaining about how he now has to basically start his paper over and not only that, but he still has no neuro hours. Jackson seems a bit tired of the Alex Pity Party so after he puts another shirt back on (Boo!) he orders Alex to grab his coat.
They arrive at the deck accompanied by a chorus of hammering, and when Alex realizes where they are he starts complaining mightily, not least of which because he hates the woods. You and me both, my friend. Jackson walks up and tells Derek he hopes that Derek doesn't mind, but Derek seems to mind rather greatly if the way he throws down his saw. Alex, for once, does the mature thing: he walks up to Derek and announces that fifth year is kicking his butt, but that's also not an excuse and he's sorry because he never meant any disrespect. Then, realizing he left out the most important thing, he adds that he was lying about Mayfield. Derek grunts but is obviously amused -- maybe he thinks finding out that Alex told a roomful of people he had ED was suitable penance. He then hands him a hammer, which seems to be man-speak for, "You're forgiven."
As the guys all sweat away their woes, Mark walks up, awesomely holding little Sofia in one arm. It detracts a bit from the menace he's trying to convey as he yells at Derek that he's trying to steal Mark's guy. Mark then turns to Jackson and, like a controlling boyfriend, orders Jackson to go get in the car. Because there are no women around this hour for the episode to have a big, wrenching, couple's argument, Mark decides to fill the void and he and Derek start fighting over Jackson. Mark thinks that Derek was never interested until he saw how much Jackson meant to Mark (Sorry, Mark, Derek just saw that you were underutilizing him and took advantage of the situation) and says that he's been taking his time teaching Jackson because he's a quick learner who can sew an ear back on better than Mark himself could do at this point in his career. Jackson is taken aback to actually hear something sincere and positive come out of Mark's mouth. Mark then turns as if to leave and Derek starts to yell at him for it, but it turns out that Mark has to keep moving to keep Sofia happy. Realizing that the gravity of this conversation is being undermined by Mark bouncing up and down with a pink-clad sprite in one hand, Owen offers to take the baby. Derek is just confused by this whole insane spectacle, as Mark again tries to order Jackson to the car.
Owen takes Sofia a ways away and sits and talks to her all sweetly, elated to have some time with a baby. It's actually a little bit heartbreaking because he so clearly would still love to have one of his own, but I give him credit for respecting who Cristina is (and always has been) when this would obviously be the cherry on top of the sundae that is his life.
Derek and Mark have very maturely just deteriorated into yelling at each other and finally Jackson cuts in and says that if he has to choose, he chooses plastics. He then thanks Derek sincerely for letting him take the lead in a surgery, which prompts Mark to do a quick about-face and give Jackson shit for using "[his] boy" Derek for surgery. By now, the others have all stopped staring and are just watching this bizarre scene unfold in front of them. They finally decide to just go get some beers and kick back. The All-Male-VO starts up to ask, what do people mean when they say to be a man?
At home, Richard opens the fridge and sees that the lunch he left for Adele, along with the note, is still where he left it. He takes it out and sadly calls out to her that dinner is ready as he unwraps it.
Owen is still playing with Sofia but seems to think that she might be tired; whatever it is, something is now a little off.
Jackson has joined Ben and Alex and the three of them sip on their beers and watch Derek and Mark talking. Ben's guess is that they are arguing over which one gets to take Jackson to the prom. Oh Ben, I love you. Now you go and get Bailey back for yourself because I love you a lot anyway, but I LOVE love you when compared to Eli. The voiceover throws out things that might describe "being a man," such as strength and sacrifice.
What they are actually talking about is that Mark isn't having sex, and Derek thinks that is why he's currently so interested in teaching. I still think he wasn't even interested in teaching until Derek wanted to poach Jackson, but no sex is a decent theory too. All of this seems really to just be a result of Mark's jealousy at Owen being named Chief, and despite Derek assuring him that he just had a baby and therefore wouldn't want to deal with a job like Chief of Surgery, Mark wants to know if his name came up in the discussion. Derek tells him that Richard never asked his opinion but when Mark asks if Derek would have suggested him, Derek just tells him that he just had a baby. I'm kind of surprised that Mark seems to take this without some wounded-ego comeback. After a few moments of manly contemplation, Derek laments that a few weeks ago he knew just how the 10 years of his life looked, but now everything's gone to shit. Well, he lists it all out but we know, he's the saddest, most-done-wrong-by man in the history of wronged men ever and we don't need to go over it all again. He does admit, though, that some days he misses Meredith so much that he doesn't know if they'll make it. I'd feel sorry for him except for the fact that he is still with her entirely at his own insistence, but along with that insistence he's staying away from her almost all the time and not making any effort to be nice to her. If he really missed her, he might try actually making even the tiniest of efforts to repair the marriage rather than acting like his sticking around and hollering at her is doing them both a giant favor. Mark asks him, a bit inexplicably, if Derek has told Owen any of this. I guess Mark is also jealous of their friendship now? That came a little bit out of left field. But Derek didn't, so Mark's role as bestie is safe. Owen then comes up with a seriously worried look on his face, holding Sofia held out at arm's length because she needs a change. As he walks over he knocks over one of the beer bottles, and the three men watch as it starts to roll down the maybe-not-so-level deck. Mark teases Derek about his construction ineptitude and Derek actually admits that he has to call the contractor. He VOs that sometimes it takes a real man to set aside his ego, admit defeat, and start over. And so, my darlings, I leave you this week laughing so hard I can't breathe at the idea that Derek Shepherd could actually set aside his ego for any reason at all.
Lauren S is a writer and gal-about-town who lives and works in Atlanta and wouldn't mind taking Jackson Avery to the prom. She wants everyone to know: "The views expressed in my recaps and anything else I might write on TWoP are my own and do not necessarily reflect the views of my employer."