*WARNING:  Two Hour epsiode = EXTRA long recap

Okay.  First, I’d like to say thanks for all your comments last week…even Claire who seriously hates my personal issues with Meredith.  I love a fresh perspective.  And we each have our bias so though this is our last blog this season…please keep it up.  Tell me what you love, tell me what you hate…just put it on the boards people!

Rock Bottom


Meredith and Derek keep losing patients with their trial…and they continue opening the fridge with the unopened champagne bottle.  The one Derek bought for their future celebration.  Now it’s a shining reminder of their failures.  Champagne should never equate failure.  EVER!

At her therapy session, Meredith opens up about her mother’s attempted suicide.  Meredith’s mother sliced her wrists with a scalpel and Meredith did not call 911 until she passed out…so her mother wouldn’t get mad.  Dr. Wyatt asked whom Meredith is angry at, if she’s not angry with her mother.  Meredith doesn’t know (because therapy is about learning) and Dr. Wyatt isn’t telling her (again…therapy = learning).

Later, Meredith and Cristina lay in bed together.  Meredith wants to cheer Cristina up, but none of their normal antics work.  Mocking.  Self-loathing.  Instead, Meredith gives over the sparkle pager…because she knows Cristina is in her deepest depressive state yet.  This really is Cristina’s rock bottom.  I’m glad she finally is getting out of her “blahness.”  Yay to fun/competitive Cristina.

Sloane, Shephered and the Chief are at the top Derek’s land discussing their rights to be a man.  Sorry guys…personal issue with men talking about “their rights.”   I tend to tune out.  But the bottom line is that Derek is going to sell his land.  He doesn’t think he needs it anymore.  He’s no longer building a house.  Poor Derek.  His chutzpah is gone too.  

Crazy in Love

Meredith wants to quit therapy.  Provoking her, the therapist calls her a quitter.  So Meredith fires her. Typical Mer.  Why can’t she be strong enough to accept her faults?  She’s so hard on everyone.  It’s a little frustrating.  Week after week our title character mentally and emotionally destroys herself. 

In big Seattle Grace News, Walter Tappley, the “god” of surgery, has come for a visit.  He even trained the Chief.  The Chief’s excitement is palpable, and he runs to Hahn to have Tappley scrub in with her.   Man, the guy even has Hahn’s knickers all bunched up.  

Meanwhile, Derek gets positive about the clinical trial.  Meredith seems jaded, and Derek offers her to opt out of this surgery.  The woman getting the surgery, Greta, wants to wait for her new love, Andre, before she goes through with this.  Derek and Meredith agree to give him a few hours to show up.  

Therapy

So, whenever Meredith thinks about Derek, she thinks about his tongue... in her mouth. And, since they're apparently on their fourth clinical trial together (no successful ones yet), she can't be thinking about tongues. Makes perfect sense, I'd say.

Boring therapist lady tells Meredith that in order to fix these fantasies, she has to think of the reality... aka that Derek is now with Rose. Boo reality!

Clinical Trial

Meredith and Derek meet with the next clinical trial victim, a member of the VA. More on that later, I'm sure.

Meanwhile...

Ahhhh, Dr. Sloane and Callie are totally having sex on the job. Why why why are they back to that? (Side note: we've learned that Bailey has brought her son to work.

There's all this chatter going around the hospital asking if Cristina has seen "it." Though we're supposed to not know what they're talking about, if you've seen the promos, it's obvious. It's a flier of Dr. Burke, saying he won some prestigious award. (In real life, Isaiah Washington is not too pleased that they're using his likeness in a show that fired him.)

Alex wants to move in with Rebecca. Remember, she's married... and it's not to Alex.

Welcome Back

Opening of the episode and everyone is napping except Meredith…of course. She’s in therapy. Apparently we are eavesdropping on her third session. Clearly, her therapist wants to know what’s going on in Meredith’s life…thoughts…feelings…ya know, things therapists use to analyze you. And Meredith, of course, is closed off saying that even attending therapy without saying a word is beneficial. Her therapist is less than amused. Meredith’s needed therapy for years…so this is just what the doctor ordered…literally.

In another part of town, George isn’t sleeping either. He’s violently killing roaches in his and Lexie’s new apartment. Lexie wants him to accept it as their home, but George seems to be having a rough time. Lexie says they just need to fix it up. I don’t know if homeless people would live in this dump. For doctors, it is some pretty sad digs.

According to TMZ, Justin Chambers, aka Dr. Alex Karev of Grey's Anatomy, voluntarily checked into the UCLA Psych Ward this week. His rep said he checked in on Monday and checked out yesterday.

The rep told TMZ that the doc was "exhausted and suffers from a sleeping disorder and went in voluntarily to get some help."

Exhausted? But he hasn't had to work in months! Then again, he does have five kids at home -- maybe that did it :)

Or perhaps he just wanted to visit Britney.

Welcome Back to a New Year and Grey’s Anatomy!!

And we’re back. With Bailey narrating? She talks about God’s creation of the world. When she gets to the point where man is created, she says “God created man and it’s been downhill ever since.”

Sloane and Shepherd are out hiking. They are talking about Sloane’s thing for Hahn. And Shepherd’s kiss with Rose. But Shepherd has brought Sloane to the top of this mountain to show him where his new house will be. They look out over a beautiful valley.

Back at the post party Grey house, Shepherd talks to Meredith while she makes an omelet. He wants her to say how she feels about the house because it will be her house too. CUE Meredith dropping egg. That seems pretty sudden. Then again, maybe not. She committed to him the day before. Wait no, I don’t remember them talking about co-habitating.

After last season's depressing Grey's Anatomy streak, many people thought the show was losing its stride.

I think this last episode put them back on top. While Seth Green's neck exploding made me keep my eyes closed for half the episode (maybe that's why I liked it?), I think the last few scenes - especially the dance party - showed that Grey's isn't going away any time soon. The "Crash Into Me" two-parter reminded me why I care about the characters. Heck, I even like Meredith again.

What do you think? Has Grey's Anatomy once again knocked it out of the park? Or is there no hope left for this doc drama?

P.S. What do you think of McDreamy and Rose? Do you wish he would stay with Meredith (especially now that she admitted she doesn't want him seeing other people)? Or do you want McDreamy and Meredith to be McOver?

Katherine Heigl might hate her on-screen relationship with George O'Malley, but in real life the Grey's Anatomy co-stars are total BFF's. T.R. Knight recently told US Magazine that he's going to be a bridesman in Katherine's wedding to singer Josh Kelley on December 23rd.

"I'm standing up there and all," Knight told Us. "So I have to go and get the tux. And I am still deciding on a gift!"

Don't worry, T.R., I'm always the bridesmaid too! Your day will come soon enough (or at least that's what my mother keeps telling me).

I think Katherine Heigl might be drinking! How else do you explain her recent attitude problem with her two hit projects?

US Weekly is reporting that the future Mrs. Josh Kelley reveals what she really thinks about her hit comedy Knocked Up calling it "a little sexist."

“It paints the women as shrews, as humorless and uptight, and it paints the men as goofy, fun-loving guys,” the actress tells January's Vanity Fair. “It was hard for me to love the movie.”

Please remember that this movie she finds "hard to love" is the one that increased her paycheck quote from a mere $300,000 to a sweet six million for her next feature.

She also calls her Grey's relationship with T.R. Knight a "ratings ploy," she doesn't really get.

Wow what did these two projects ever do to her, I mean besides making her totally rich and famous? It's called gratitude, Katherine, look it up!

Happy Thanksgiving

Hello all you dramedy Lovers! It’s your loyal Grey’s Anatomy recapper. In fact, I’m so loyal I am working on Thanksgiving night. So while you enjoy the show and rub your belly full of turkey (or black beans and rice or whatever your tradition), I will be furiously typing to recap as much as my fingers will allow me. And just like me, my holiday locale does not have TIVO so I will be doing a lot of this from memory. If you are reading this posting a little later than usual, that’s because my cousin’s place does not have the internet and I’m fighting to catch a signal…sigh. Either way, Grey’s knows how to work big holidays so tonight should be fabulous, anyone remember the Super Bowl Sunday episode from Season 2? That got a whole other crowd hooked. Shonda knows the importance of holidays and good television, and I look forward to engaging myself in the hook-ups, drama, and medical miracles.

Dancing in the Dark

We open with Yang dancing. And you know what, dancing is contagious? I could just dance when I’m happy. Meredith seems to be contemplating, possibly about Derek. Yang tells Meredith to dance with her so there are the BFF’s dancing like fools and Izzie happens upon them. And Izzie gets a pissy look and walks off.

Teachers, Books and Dirty Looks

Meredith talks about growing up, and they are all at Emerald City Bar. As in The Wizard of Oz. Too clever…sometimes this show just gets too clever for its own good. At the Emerald City, Derek is on a date with Sidney…the nut job resident from a bit this season and tons from other seasons. Sloane runs over to get the skinny while Meredith and Christina sit at a table across the way dissecting the situation. Meredith compares the date to a football player kissing the nerdy, nervous girl. Too funny…this episode clearly surrounds our child-like behavior.

Bailey posts her new title on the bulletin board and proceeds to dance around. Pretty much like a girl that got asked to the prom. But all good dancing must come to an end, and it ends for Bailey when she bumps into another hospital employee. Her giddiness is a bit contagious…I feel it through the screen.

Elevator. Izzie and Derek on board. Hospital floor outside elevator. George and Meredith chat. Elevator door opens, and George and Meredith run away. Children, children. Then they hash out why they are avoiding their significant others. Well their “kinda” significant others.

Good news for Buffy fans, not so good news for Dawson's Creek lovers.

Let's start with the bad news. Boy next door Joshua Jackson was supposed to appear on this season's Grey's Anatomy. Yet due to the writers' strike, Pacey Witter's episode arc was never even written. So if the strike continues for some time, we might not get to see the boy romance anyone other than Joey Potter.

Rumor has it Josh was supposed to hook up with Cristina on Grey's, which would make for some interesting and extremely awkward scenes. From Dr. Preston Burke to a Mighty Ducks star? Now that's a change. I guess Dr. Yang doesn't have a certain "type" of guy she goes after. This, however, may be a good thing, as we all know that Cristina's last man got kicked off the show for good…

As for the good news, werewolf Seth Green's two-episode gig on the doctor drama has been shot and will air regardless of the writers' strike!

Here's some good news coming out of the TV world.

Grey's Anatomy star, Ellen Pompeo got married to her record executive fiance, Chris Ivery, last Friday in New York City.

People is reporting that the couple said "I do," in a very small ceremony at City Hall which was performed by New York City Mayor, Michael Bloomberg

No word on a honeymoon yet as Ellen had to return to Los Angeles to shoot the ABC hit drama but they will likely get to take one soon as the writers' strike will be shutting down the production of the show reportedly this week.

Congrats to the happy and very good looking couple!

Wakey, Wakey

Izzie and George post-coitus. Sweating and both saying “wow.” And I’m not sure whether it was good or bad “wow” until they went for around 2. But it seemed forced. They seem like they are trying to make something work that’s just not working.

Meredith and Derek post-coitus. Interesting pillow talk. She talks about Lexie sleeping with Alex, and Derek discusses his movie nights with the Chief. They almost seem like a couple until she rejects sleeping over. Man her issues can get annoying. She just can’t get close to men. Almost disturbing.

And Christina painting a wall? Hmmm, my post-coitus trend is now done. I can’t believe she’s painting her accent wall red. It’s such a crazy color. But we are talking about Christina here. And she is not exactly known for her sound choices. There’s madness to her methodical nature.

Over at the camper, Derek and the Chief seem to have a dinner and movie routine. Kinda cute, and disturbing. They schedule dates, and the Chief asks Derek to drop off and pick up his dry cleaning. I love my boss, but I’m just not sure how much I would want her to live right next door and have me run her errands.

This weekend at the press junket for his new film Enchanted, Dr. McDreamy dished on the Meredith/Derek love affair over on Grey's Anatomy.

Are the two actually soul mates or is trouble-a-coming? In an interview with TV Guide, Patrick gives a little hint of what to expect in the coming weeks.

"The next couple of episodes are going to be completely different with what happens with Meredith and Derek," Dempsey said. "I’m looking forward to that change and that movement."

Well, you're the only one, Patrick. I've really been enjoying the break-up sex story line. Fine, if I can't get my sexual tension fix over at Seattle Grace, then onto the Private Practice - Addison/Pete sexual buffet I go.

Reigning Patients

Meredith lies on Christina’s bed, and Christina diagnoses her pscyh issues with a book. Christina suggests Meredith abstains from break-up sex. And Meredith makes it clear she won’t be doing that anytime soon. However, last week I thought they were pretty much abstaining. I guess it just happened to be a day of awkward Derek/Meredith moments.

Now, the Chief is living with Derek in the camper. Boss/employee relations, how close is too close? The Chief makes fun of Derek getting up to fish every morning at 3 am. He deduces Derek must have female trouble, and it’s obvious the Chief has wife issues (since he’s getting a divorce). This is where the Chief sees the need for a “gentlemen’s evening.”

Spooky Beginnings

Okay so Meredith is dreaming about her dead mother. Karev and Izzie are carving a pumpkin and now we have ourselves a Halloween episode.

During the residents’ morning meeting, Callie outs Izzie to everyone about the George escapade. She only did this after Bailey probed Callie why Izzie can only get her orders from Bailey. It was quite a comical scene, agreed?

Lexi is dressed up as a doll or something. And she gets reamed by a patient’s daughter (dressed as a mouse). Lexi neglected to give out the morning meds, and said patient is waiting for a heart so he can have a heart transplant. George comes to the rescue and coaches Lexi through the situation.

In the clinic, Bailey gets some patient who tells her that his foot does not belong to him. He wants a surgeon to amputate his foot. Of course we get Bailey’s snarkiness…which we can’t live without. Of course, she’s not going to remove this man’s foot. Later, Bailey gives him some meds to deal with his mental issue.

Derek and Meredith bump into each other, literally and Meredith drops her mother’s ashes. Then some kid comes up looking for Dr. Sloane. Hmmm….the kid’s mother works in the caf. Was there some tryst years ago? I mean this kid has to be 11.

Sloane strolls to the nurses’ station trying to be charming. The nurses have formed a club called “Nurses United Against Mark Sloane” because apparently he has used the same lines on all of them. Derek brings the kid to Sloane and bribes him with cash to scare Sloane into thinking he’s a father. But really the kid wants Sloane’s help.

Runners Take Your Mark

Okay, so it’s the next day…after George breaks the news to Callie. She remains silent. Then finally she tells him she forgives him. George seems less than thrilled with her answer, and once he gets to the hospital he frantically looks for Izzie.

Meredith makes out with Derek in the elevator who proposes a weekend away…with just sex. PUHLEASE – they are in love. Meredith needs someone to cover for her weekend shift so Alex agrees if Meredith will take his old man intern, Norman – just for the day. In the clinic, Bailey has a girl with the most disgusting ankle. She says she fell off the Stairmaster, and all she can think about is getting back to her personal trainer.

Meanwhile, Derek and Christina get an injured high school football player, and she has to remove his helmet with a bone saw. Down the hall, OMG…Callie just confronted Izzie in front of Izzie’s interns…and George hid and watched the whole thing. Frickin’ baby. Callie now wants to meet Izzie in the cafeteria at noon. Ominous!!!

Lapping the Competition

George gives Izzie the 411 with his “Callie convo.” And Izzie declares she will put up a fight. Derek, Christina and Lexi look over their patient’s x-rays, and Derek takes an interest in helping Lexi connect with Meredith. He even sends Christina away after she tries to send Lexi away. George, Callie and Bailey look over the Stairmaster patient’s x-rays. Callie acts totally distant, and Bailey seems concerned, but George keeps his silence.

Meredith and Norman go over how he will break the news of death to a patient. Then he tries to act like a normal intern by talking about McSteamy, McDreamy and hospital gossip…which totally weirds Meredith out, especially when he says her key line, “seriously.” She tells him he needs to rise above the gossip. Right then Christina walks by and gives Meredith the skinny on Derek’s convo with Lexi. And Meredith gets pulled back into her immature world. Poor Norman!! A few minutes later, Norman tells a woman she’s going to die. And she flips out. Not that I blame her.

Christina, Derek and Lexi go over the procedure they will be performing on the high schooler. Christina boxes Lexi out of the conversation. Izzie and Alex talk about her pending fist fight when the Chief’s niece gets rolled in – unable to breathe. Adele, the Chief’s wife, is there freaking out while Izzie tubes the Chief’s niece. Now she can breathe again. Everyone freaks out, and the chief busts into the room…quite pissed.

Love in an Elevator

Elevators were the hot spot at the beginning of this episode until Derek and Meredith do it in the linens closet. Let’s start with the elevator – secrets. The interns talk about their envy of George while Lexi and Alex share looks. In a separate elevator, Christina realizes Meredith and Derek are still sleeping together while she watches them share their own glances. And Izzie watches as George exits the elevator with Callie; therefore, no break up.

Alex gets a new intern, Norman – Edward Hermann a.k.a Rory Gilmore’s grandpa a.k.a an old man. The Chief seems to like him when he tells Alex that age is just a number. The Chief hears the news about one of his former patients where Dr. Sloane announces she still has cancer, and the cancer is in her tongue. Therefore after they operate she may never speak correctly again. Alex tries to pawn Norman off onto Bailey’s clinic.

Izzie grabs George to find out what happened with Callie, which we all know he said nothing because she needed her night. Izzie’s interns interrupt their conversation so she has to deal with a comatose patient who she calls “really old guy.” As they leave the room, the old guy tells them he won’t need his treatment, he plans to die today. And he then gives Izzie some sass about her calling him “really old guy.” His name is Charlie DARN IT!

Addicted to Love

Ahhh…Grey’s Anatomy…second episode of the season, can it live up to the expectations of the first week? George continues last week’s moment of confessing his love to Izzie. In a bedroom upstairs, Derek and Meredith continue their “friends with benefits” sexual escapade. Cut to: George saying he shouldn’t have gotten married…and then in a not so near apartment, Christina opens all her wedding gifts with a fervor second only to a hurricane. THEN George walks away right before he kisses Izzie. Where is he going? To break up with Callie.

Blow Out

At the hospital, the Chief makes time for his wife by “delegating,” but he can’t seem to let go of the control. George tries to confront Callie but she doesn’t have time for him. And Christina sells her wedding gifts for chances to scrub in. Poor Izzie wants a mix master (who doesn’t?!?) but apparently Izzie has nothing Christina needs. Christina gets a page and we get a fun quote, “Carnage trumps rounds.” She continues to refer to her interns as numbers - - very similar to something happening on House. Each of the residents start getting their patients from an apparent gas stove explosion. Christina gets a patient who has major issues from being in front of the stove. Ironically, Callie gives everyone patients. But she is less willing to give Izzie a patient – does she know?!? When all seems to have gone to hell in a hand basket (hurt baby, internal bleeding, stretchers full of injuries), Burke’s mother walks in looking for Christina.

Freshmen Orientation
Ahh…fresh start….fresh season. Who doesn’t love the first day of Grey’s Anatomy each fall? And George is back at Seattle Grace? And Meredith, Izzie, Christina and Alex are all residents. They are ALL the new “Nazi” with their own interns. It’s quite funny actually; it reminded me of day one on Grey’s Anatomy -- that magical time when all of this was new.

Home Room
Let’s breakdown the beginning: George is an intern -- again -- in Meredith’s group, and George's wife, Callie Torres, rules the roost of residents. Bailey holds a grudge against Torres, and I don’t blame her. She lost out her chief resident spot. Burke is gone -- not just away -- but gone gone. McDreamy has no friends to bounce his ideas off. And the Chief is still snarky and kicking it. Izzie continues her crush on George while her interns talk smack about her “Denny History.” Oh ,and did I mention Meredith’s half-sister happens to be an intern at Seattle Grace? Ten minutes in and we already have CRAZINESS, and some patients are rushed in from a car accident.

Greetings! I would like to introduce myself as the Grey's Anatomy Season 4 blogger. To review my previous work, please look at the TV Cocktail blog for Lost and Age of Love or read my movie blog at groups.ivillage.com/ivillagemovieinsider. Before the season gets started on Thursday September 27, get yourself caught up with the craziness from Season 3. Whether you read the previous blog or buy the DVD (available today!), just make sure your strapped in for a crazy ride. I'm super excited to blog for you guys and even more excited for your comments. Let countdown begin...