Grey’s Anatomy’s “Get Up, Stand Up” Leaves Us Wanting More

The midseason finale of Grey’s Anatomy begs one question – how are we supposed to wait until February 27 for the next episode?

This was classic Grey’s with everything us long standing viewers love about this show year after year after year.  It had the tear-inducing moments that rip at our hearts as well as the jaw dropping scenes that are signature Grey’s. I know some online buzz says that this show has overstayed its welcome now that it’s in its tenth season.  I say bah humbug.  This show makes us care about characters, developing even the originals in ways that other shows can only hope to achieve. Lesser shows are leaving us hanging with their fall finales by putting leads at death’s door, and I can’t muster up a single tear. Grey’s has a guest star we’ve never met stroke out in a surgery and I’m reaching for the Kleenex.  This one was the best of the season and focused heavily on Meredith/Yang, April Kepner, and Alex Karev.

The episode begins with Cristina doing a press conference talking about the baby she saved by implanting the 3-D printer created conduit.  She looks uncomfortable and uncertain of herself and won’t declare it a huge success.  That’s okay because Shane is by her side and says it was a “home run.” He stops short of proclaiming Yang is God.  Baby shark needs to pipe down with the hero worship or he’s not going to be anyone’s sidekick. Cristina tells him as much adding that he’s going too fast. “You’re going to burn yourself out. Go home, relax,” she demands. He says he’s fine and we can see he may be a sharklette, but he’s definitely no poker face.

A father brings in his badly injured son, transporting him to the hospital himself.  Arizona and Alex fear the boy may be paralyzed in large part because of the dad’s actions in getting his son help.  Arizona tells Alex she’s got this one, go see your dad.  Karev takes her advice and ends up in his deadbeat dad’s room.  All these years and you can see how much it still bothers Alex that his father could just walk out on his family. Justin Chambers is always good even when the writers don’t give him much to do, but tonight he was great.  He had a juicy storyline and worked the heck out of it.  Someone explain to me how he’s never won an Emmy?

(ABC/Eric McCandless)
CHANDRA WILSON, TESSA FERRER

He shares a sweet moment with bad dad reminiscing about fun at the fair.  When Jimmy starts bad mouthing mama Karev, Alex asks him who he thinks took care of her, of the kids.  He’s screaming at Jimmy telling him, “I was the dad!”  Jo rushes in so no blows thrown tonight.

The other big storyline was the continuing downward spiral of the Mer/Yang relationship.  Things are so tense between the two it makes you start to think you imagined the whole being each other’s person thing.

The funniest moments of the night belong to April. Our perkiest doctor is in full blown bride on a rampage roll and she will steamroll anyone in her way.  She’s walking around the hospital with curlers the size of Rhode Island in her hair and eyes with enough crazy  to even scare Jackson into going to the ceremony.

April brings in a seamstress to the hospital to fit her new bridesmaids in their dresses. When Meredith and Cristina end up side by side in their dresses World War III is declared.  Yang admits that the conduit failed; she has no idea why the baby’s alive. “It was like slapping the side of the TV,” she says. Meredith tells her she will never be as arrogant as her with Cristina replying with a simple, “Go to hell!”  They look like they’re about to enter a cage match in their bridesmaids dresses. Thee knockout blows were landed when Meredith says, “You became the thing you worshipped.” Cristina counters with , “And you became the thing we laughed at.”  They don’t even like each other at this point, and it’s heartbreaking.  We need our favorite couple back together. Pronto.

Meanwhile, Jackson and Stephanie have the tragic case of the night, a man needing a relatively simple surgery.  He’s joined at the hip with his wife and they banter back and forth in that funny teasing but really love each other way. A possible risk is that his vocal cords may not function after.  He takes the opportunity to say all the things he’d been holding back … gems like “that purple dress really did make you look fat.” The wife teases, “Cut the cords now.”  The writers make us love this couple with their cute give and take only to rip our hearts out when the husband suffers a massive stroke after the surgery. I’ve known you for forty minutes but there’s no denying that lump in my throat and wetness at my eyes.

(ABC/Ron Tom)
SARAH DREW, SEAN ABBOTT, JUSTIN BRUENING

The boy Arizona and Alex performed surgery on makes it out alive but could be paralyzed.  Dad is distraught realizing he shouldn’t have picked up his son.  He asks Alex if it’s his fault. In typical Karev fashion, he tells the dad, “You were trying to help him. Whatever happens it’s not your fault.” We’ve never bought your tough exterior, Alex, and here’s another example of your softie interior.

This spurs on Karev to make amends with his dad.  He lets him off the hook by telling Jimmy, “You did your best. I turned out okay.”  He adds that they’re not family and the only reason he is a success is because you left. He says goodbye and stiffly shakes his dad’s hand.

The final scenes of the episode feature April’s wedding on the farm and an emergency surgery Shane performs on Alex’s dad.  April finally tells her bridesmaids off.  She tells them to shut up about their problems.  “Not today. It is my wedding day. I should be feeling special.  Stop thinking about you and make me feel special.”  Well put, Kepner.

Back at the hospital, daddy Karev takes a turn for the worse, so Shane decides he can save him despite Leah’s protests.  He gets the elder Karev in the OR and really freaks out thinking about how he sort of killed intern Mousy so many episodes ago.  Leah finally gets Webber to help out. Good Richard is officially back, and he talks Shane off the ledge. He desperately tries to save Jimmy, but it appears he’s failed with the sound of a flatline echoing in the room.

Alex shows up on the farm right before April’s wedding not knowing what’s going on with his dad. He kisses Jo passionately and is talking a mile a minute asking her if “We’re the only family we need, right? And we’ll be together forever right?  If we have kids we’ll be great, right? I’ll be a great dad and you’ll be a great mom.” I can almost picture the white picket fence. If anyone deserves a happy ending it’s Alex Karev. This is Grey’s, so I’m not holding my breath, but a girl can dream, can’t she?

Final jaw dropper of the night… April and Matthew are at the altar. Jackson looks at Stephanie and says, “I’m sorry.”  He stands up awkwardly then abruptly sits down.  He stands up again and declares his love for April.  He says, “I love everything about you, even the things I don’t like. I want you with me. I love you and I think you love me too.”  ‘A Total Eclipse of the Heart’ is playing in the background and I think my heart is melting.  I would like some wine with the cheese.  So good, Grey’s writers.  April just looks at him. No answer. And we are left with that darn February 27th return date!

Random Notes

• Derek is asked to consult on a presidential brain research initiative.  He turns it down because he promised Meredith he would take a career backseat this year.  She thanks him sincerely, and you can tell this is bigger than if he mopped the floors.  Don’t get too excited, Mer.  The president, himself, calls Derek.  I’m thinking someone’s going back on the whole backseat thing.
• Leah is becoming a favorite of mine. She has just enough crazy to fit in perfectly.  She yells at Bailey in this episode earning her mentor’s respect.
• Jackson mentions Mark Sloane to Stephanie recalling his advice of letting someone know if you love them. “Say it loud and go from there.”  Ghost of McSteamy spurs on Jackson at the wedding.  We miss you blue eyes.
• All is not perfect in Calzonaland.  Arizona confesses to April that Callie is trying too hard.  She admits that the reason she cheated was because a woman found her attractive…as is…fake leg and all. She doubts if Callie will ever get there.
• Funny lines if the night – Cristina is called the magic healer of children. You cannot call grumpy pants that!  It’s just wrong. Stephanie is called the shedder of hair and bras by Jackson.  Funny stuff.