Archive

“Grey’s Anatomy” recap: Episode 7.18 — “Song Beneath the Song”

The Grey’s Anatomy musical event has finally arrived! Arizona wakes up with her bloody face stuck in the airbag of her smashed up car. 

Arizona looks across to the passenger seat and Callie’s not there. Arizona sees broken glass and then looks up and finds Callie’s legs hanging out of the window. Callie wasn’t wearing a seat belt so she was thrown through the windshield. As Callie lies atop the hood of the car, she sees a vision of herself standing on the side of the road. 

Arizona screams for help while Callie whimpers in pain. I immediately start to cry as the vision of Callie starts to sing, “Nobody knows where we might end up. Nobody knows.” Callie’s eyes close.

At Seattle Grace Hospital, Mark is in the OR bragging about what a great surgery he just performed. Meredith waits for Mark’s gloating to end so that she can deliver the news about Callie’s accident. Mark races out of the hospital to join his colleagues as they wait for Callie and Arizona’s ambulance to arrive. I’m not a “kid person” but I really hope Callie’s baby survives.

The Chief tells Mark that he isn’t allowed to operate on Callie. An angry Mark agrees, but insists on being in the room during the operation. Callie is unloaded from the ambulance and once again sees a vision of herself standing over her own body. The vision of Callie begins to sing “Chasing Cars” by Snow Patrol. (Did the song really need to have the word “car” in it? A little literal, don’t you think?) Callie gets rushed into the OR and Mark runs up to the injured Arizona and asks what happened. Arizona explains that she asked Callie to marry her and then a “truck came out of nowhere.”

The doctors rush through the hallways and Owen tells Callie to stay alive. Owen then begins to sing and Callie starts to whimper. Come on Callie, Owen’s singing isn’t that bad! Arizona and Mark hug the wall of the examining room while the doctors review Callie’s condition. Arizona screams out, asking if the baby has a heartbeat. Dr. Hottie says she doesn’t know. Then Owen and Callie start to harmonize on “Chasing Cars.” Bailey races out of the room and begins to sing, too. Bailey returns with supplies and sees Callie trembling, so she grabs her hand to calm her down. And now I’m crying again! This episode has barely begun and I’m already drenched in tears.

Dr. Hottie finds the baby’s heartbeat and, just then, Callie’s own heart suddenly stops beating. But she’s brought back to life. Callie’s gurney is rushed into the elevator and, when the elevator doors close, a dazed Arizona says, “I asked her to marry me and then a truck came out of nowhere.” Not to split hairs, but Arizona asked Callie to marry her and then took her eyes off the road for 10 long seconds and in that 10 seconds Arizona didn’t notice that the truck in front of her had stopped. Therefore the car crash was Arizona’s fault. I love Jessica Capshaw, but I would never get in a car with her behind the wheel. (But if she and I were lying in the backseat of the car together, that would be a different story.)

Where was I? Oh, yeah. The Grey’s doctors are frazzled and running around the OR. Owen makes an announcement asking everyone to take a deep breath and calm down so they don’t make any mistakes while operating on Callie. The doctors quiet themselves and breathe. Lexie tells Callie to just breathe and then Lexie begins to sing “Breathe (2 a.m.)” by Anna Nalick. Once again, that’s really literal. Is there a song coming up called, “Save Callie Torres and the Baby”?  If so, I hope it’s a disco track.

Arizona is up in the observation room, but Mark is nowhere to be found. The Chief tells Lexie to leave the OR and check on Mark. Then the Chief tells all  the doctors who are in the way to get out of the room, so Alex and Avery exit. Owen warns the Chief that Callie might bleed to death and April looks to Bailey and asks what happens now. Bailey explains that they will move Callie to the ICU and if she makes it through the next 24 hours, then they will operate on her. The Chief pulls Dr. Hottie aside and asks if she has a plan. The Chief wants to know if Hottie is prepared to deliver Callie’s baby if necessary. Dr. Hottie says she doesn’t know what to do and that she’s out of her element.

Lexie finds Mark crying in the stairwell. Mark tells Lexie that she doesn’t have to be there with him because he knows Lexie hates him. Lexie says she doesn’t hate him. Lexie still loves Mark and she is just using Avery and his pretty blue eyes for sex. Although having sex with someone’s eyes is probably not sanitary.

Alex checks on Arizona, who is still covered in blood, and offers to stitch up Arizona’s bleeding head. Why didn’t anyone take care of Arizona when she got out of the ambulance? There has to be some random nurse doing paperwork that can clean up Arizona’s wounds and give her a few stitches. Arizona tells Alex that she’s fine and then bursts into tears.

Mark is still in the stairwell crying to Lexie. He says Callie is his best friend and Lexie holds his hand to comfort him.

A helicopter races to Seattle Grace Hospital as Alex and Dr. Hottie stand on the roof and wait for Dr. Addison Montgomery to arrive. They flew Addison all the way in from her other TV show, Private Practice, just for this surgery!

Hottie says she’s embarrassed that she needed to call someone else in for help, but Alex explains that Addison is the best doctor for this. And I’m sure Private Practice could use the cross-over promotion. (Personally, I can’t stand Private Practice, can you?) Alex tells Hottie to suck it up because they are worried about Callie and her baby’s life, not Hottie’s ego.

Addison arrives and she’s all business. Addison races to Callie’s side and dismisses Hottie from the case since Hottie didn’t properly take care of the baby’s lungs. Addison tells Callie that she shouldn’t worry, but the doctors are all yelling at each other as they try to figure out the best way to help Callie. Owen once again breaks into song to calm everything down. When did Owen become the voice of reason? I’m concerned that this episode is making me like Owen and I don’t want to like Owen. I want Owen to have an affair with April so Cristina can leave him and be with Meredith. Am I the only one who feels this way?

While everyone offers their two cents on how to operate on Callie, the Chief closes the door and Cristina, Meredith and Alex are shut out.

Meredith tells Cristina that she’s gives Cristina permission to be Callie’s baby’s godmother. Alex, being Alex, responds with, “If there is a baby to godmother.” Alex is such a d–k! Meredith notices a hickey on Alex’s insensitive neck. Meredith and Cristina tease Alex about being in love with Dr. Hottie. But Alex reminds them, “She works at Seattle Grace Mercy Death, so I’m pretty much sure she’s gonna go crazy, get cancer, be shot by a gunman or hit by a truck. So don’t get your hopes up for Karev’s big happily ever after.” Seattle Grace Mercy Death? That’s bleak, even for Alex.

Arizona and Mark argue about saving Callie and the baby. Arizona wants to save them both, but Mark is too scared that Callie won’t make it so he just wants to save Callie. Bailey breaks into song and walks towards Callie who’s breathing with the aid of a machine.

Arizona and Mark continue to argue while Bailey sings over them.

Arizona: We all want her to live but what’s her life going to be like if she wakes up and her child is gone?

Mark: We can have another baby but we can’t have another Callie.

Arizona: What, you’re just going to screw my girlfriend again?

Mark: Oh for God’s sake, get over it! We screwed. Big deal.

Bailey sings louder and Mark and Arizona continue to bicker.

Mark: Well if that’s what it takes to get a child, my child, we’ll screw again.

Arizona: No you won’t.

Mark: Yes we will!

Arizona: You are out of your mind!

Bailey goes into Callie’s room and closes the door so the unconscious Callie can’t hear them, while Mark and Arizona continue yelling at one another.

Bailey and April sing together, then Lexie joins in (even though she’s in a different room). Lexie sees Avery and asks what the plan is for saving Callie’s life. Avery explains that they are all waiting for Arizona and Mark to decide if they should operate on Callie or take the baby out and then operate. Wait a second. Legally, neither of them should be able to decide what happens to Callie. Only her legal family/spouse can make a medical decision, unless Arizona and Callie created wills during their few months of rekindled bliss. And Mark would have no legal say in what happens to Callie since friends can’t dictate your medical care while you’re unconscious. Has anyone contacted Callie’s disapproving family to get their legal consent? I think I need to lay off the Judge Judy.

Avery asks if Lexie wants to go home with him or stay at the hospital and she tells him that she doesn’t know. Avery says he “gets it,” which means that he doesn’t believe Lexie is over Mark yet. A disappointed Avery goes home alone.

Derek tells Meredith that Callie has suffered massive head trauma and that her brain may never be the same, and he’s too scared to tell Mark the bad news about Callie’s condition. Meredith comforts Derek and tells him to rest up before Callie’s big surgery.

Arizona and Mark are still arguing, now over the medical risks of the surgeries.

Mark: I know the risks!

Arizona: Do you? Because you’re acting like you don’t care about the baby!

Mark: I’m thinking about Callie. You don’t think I care? This is my baby!

Arizona: You are not being rational.

Mark: Oh, you never wanted this, you never asked for this. Why the hell are you giving some opinion on –

Arizona: No, no, no! You know what I didn’t ask for? I didn’t ask for you, Mark! You know what you are? You are basically a sperm donor! I mean this is me and this is Callie and we’re together so I say –

Mark: No! You don’t get a say! This is my family. I’m the father. I’m the father. You’re not anything. You’re nothing!

Arizona gives Mark a stunned look. I give the same stunned look to my television. Am I reading too much into this or is Mark not respecting their relationship because they are two women? Do you think Mark would be arguing with Callie’s partner/fiancĂ© if they were male? I really hope I’m wrong, because I will never look at Mark’s character the same way if that is indeed the case.

In another part of the hospital, Cristina has a brilliant thought and shouts out, “Wait!” Maybe Cristina knows what to do since Cristina always knows what to do. Cristina should have her own action figure. Captain Cristina Yang: Cardiologist and Crime Fighter!

As Callie lies in her hospital bed, her mind wonders back to moments before the car crash.

Callie and Arizona are bickering about Mark’s incessant texting while they are trying to have a romantic weekend away. But this time, Callie is the one who throws the phone in the backseat. Arizona tells Callie to just get the phone and respond to Mark or else he’ll bother them all weekend. Callie turns around to get the phone and then remembers that Arizona is going to propose. Arizona says no she’s not going to propose and she asks Callie to put her seatbelt back on. Callie remembers that the reason she doesn’t give Arizona an answer to her proposal is because she’s not sure if she wants to marry her or not. Well isn’t that’s kind of obvious?

Callie asks, “Is this what love is supposed to feel like? Is this what love feels like for other people?”  In my opinion, if you don’t know if you love something/someone, then you probably don’t. Callie starts to rattle off the names of all the couples in the hospital that are either married, dating, in love or doing “it” somewhere in the hospital, which is pretty much everyone at Seattle Grace. Seattle Grace is like the lesbian community; the pool is small so we all date the same people.

Arizona doesn’t care about who’s dating who in the hospital and begs Callie to put her seatbelt on.

Callie says, “I want us to be like that because I love you!” Callie starts to sing to Arizona and then the scene cuts back to the hospital and Elijah starts to sing to Bailey. Owen and Cristina (who is topless, thank you Shonda!) are getting it on their kitchen while Owen sings. If I were getting it on with Cristina Yang I’d be singing too!

As Teddy examines Henry, he also starts to sing, “Girl, I got this rocket in my front left pocket, ready to explode like a bomb” and then Henry thrusts his crotch at Teddy. Stop, please! I was into this whole “singing episode” up to this point but I never want to see Henry thrust anything at anyone again on this show ever again. In fact, I wouldn’t mind if his Henry’s storyline ended immediately. Teddy can do better! OK, we now return to our regularly scheduled recap, already in progress.

Alex sings to a pantless Dr. Hottie as they get it on in his trailer in the hospital parking lot. I really hope this is a fantasy because if Callie dies while all of these people are having sex, I have a feeling Callie’s family is going to file a malpractice suit against the hospital. Then I’ll have to watch Private Practice to get my medical fix and I hate Private Practice!

Lexie sings while she runs her fingers through Mark’s hair, Meredith sings to Derek and then Callie flashes back to her body on top of the hood of the car. Callie sees Derek at the scene of the accident. Derek and Meredith reduce the dosage of Callie’s sedatives to see if she can respond. Callie can’t squeeze Meredith’s hand, which is not a good sign. Derek and Meredith deliver the bad news to Mark and Arizona.

Cristina shows Teddy and Owen old x-rays from one of Dr. Burke’s previous patients. Cristina believes she has found a way to save Callie and the baby. Teddy says, “No, it’s too risky.” Cristina turns to Owen for backup and Teddy snaps that she is in charge, not Owen. Owen stands by Teddy’s decision and Cristina storms off.

Arizona sits with Callie and talks to her while she’s still unconscious, “Mark is kinda right. I’m nothing. I mean, legally, I am no one. Which is kind of crazy. ‘Cuz I feel like your wife. I feel like our baby’s mom.” Then Arizona starts to cry, and so do I. Arizona continues, “Can you just … can you live? For me? Can you live for me?”

Callie’s vision of herself appears again, this time behind Arizona. Arizona and Callie begin to sing together, and Mark looks on while Arizona holds Callie’s hand. Addison tells Mark to make peace with Arizona, and Mark says there is nothing left to say. Then Callie starts to code. Addison, Mark and Alex race in (where did Alex come from?) and Callie’s pressure is bottoming out, her lungs are full of fluid and her stomach is hard as a rock. Addison orders an OR because Callie is bleeding out and needs to be operated on immediately.

The vision of Callie appears again. This time she sings as the doctors race around in slow motion trying to save the real Callie’s life. The vision of Callie sits atop the real Callie, who is lying on a gurney. The gurney might move faster if the vision of Callie gets off of it. Just a suggestion.

Arizona and Mark wait outside the OR as the doctor’s scrub in and being to prep Callie for surgery. Now the vision of Callie lies on the table, but where’s the real Callie? She’s the one who needs surgery! OK, she’s back and now the vision of Callie is gone again. Mark and Arizona sit in the observation room and look on. Part of Callie’s head is shaved for Derek to do brain surgery. Oh no, I loved Callie’s new hair cut! Hopefully she can get a wig with the same adorable style.

Arizona says to Mark, “We should say a prayer. She would want us to pray.” He replies, “I haven’t stopped praying since yesterday.”  

The surgery isn’t working and Cristina pipes up and says they should do Dr. Burke’s surgery instead. Owen agrees but Teddy protests. The Chief tells Teddy to walk away while Owen and Cristina perform Burke’s surgery. Then the entire staff sings the The Fray‘s “How to Save a Life.” I know how to save a life, just listen to Dr. Cristina Yang!

As the song crescendos the staff sings louder. The vision of Callie now appears between Arizona and Mark in the observation room. 

Something goes wrong and Addison has to deliver the baby in the middle of Callie’s surgery. A tiny little purple baby girl is born. Mark and Arizona rush down to see the baby but the baby isn’t breathing.

Mark looks to Arizona and nods to her, which means “Save my baby!” in nodding language. Arizona springs into action and beings to stabilize the baby. Arizona hears the baby’s heartbeat and, at the same time, the Chief announces that Callie’s heart is going strong. The vision of Callie looks on and smiles.

Callie is now in recovery and still hooked up to a breathing machine. Derek tells Arizona and Mark that they have done everything they can, now all they have to do is wait for Callie to wake up. Derek warns them that Callie might not wake up at all.

Mark tells Arizona, “You’re not nothing. We have a kid together. You’re a mom, I’m a dad. I’m sorry.” I’m really glad Mark apologized because I was prepared to despise him for a really long time. Arizona tells him, “She’s going to wake up. She has to wake up.”

As Meredith and Derek ride the elevator (did that sound dirty?) Meredith begins to cry.

She’s upset that she was ever jealous of Callie because Callie got pregnant without even trying and she and Derek haven’t been so lucky. Meredith wants to know why the universe is so screwed up, random and mean. Derek hugs Meredith and tells her that he’ll make sure they have a baby.

Arizona sits next to Callie’s hospital bed and tells Callie all about their new baby girl. Arizona says the baby weighs one pound and one ounce, has black hair and is waiting for her mommy to wake up. The vision of Callie appears again and sings Brandi Carlile‘s “The Story.”

Mark sits with his little baby and holds her little hand through her incubator.

Avery tells Lexie that he’s not the kind of guy that waits around for a girl who’s in love with someone else. Lexie tells him, “Jackson, let’s go home.”  Then they walk out holding hands.

Teddy tells Cristina that she can’t teach her anymore. Cristina protests, but Teddy reiterates that if Cristina won’t listen to her then she can’t teach her. 

The vision of Callie walks through the hospital hallway singing and rubbing her hair. Maybe her head itches from getting it shaved for surgery?

The vision of Callie shakes her own hospital bed. Just because the show is 60 minutes long doesn’t mean Callie has to wake up in this episode. The vision of Callie should back off and leave the real Callie alone until she’s ready to wake up!

The vision of Callie won’t take no for an answer and she squeezes the real Callie’s ankles and wakes her up. The vision of Callie cries and then vanishes. Is that all it takes to wake up coma patients? A squeeze from a ghost?

Callie’s eyes are now open and she murmurs something that Arizona can’t quite make out. Callie repeats it again, “Yes, I’ll marry you.”

Arizona’s face lights up with joy and that’s the end of the Grey’s Anatomy musical event!

This episode was very emotional and I found the singing to be powerful, except the part in which Henry thrust his crotch at Teddy. I found that to be more disturbing than the car crash.

What did you think of this episode? Do you think the music worked?

Lesbian Apparel and Accessories Gay All Day sweatshirt -- AE exclusive

Related Articles

Leave a Reply

Back to top button