Grey’s Anatomy 11×20 – One Flight Down

I just love this show so much. I sincerely feel bad for people who assume just because Grey’s is in its eleventh season, it must be running out of good stories.

The plane crash from the season eight finale was an incredible and gut-wrenching hour, but apart from Cristina’s running off to Minnesota and Arizona’s tear-jerking shower-scene, we barely got to see our doctors coping with the aftermath of what happened. This week, some of these old wounds opened again and it was absolutely fantastic to see Meredith and Arizona form an unusual bond. The way they leaned on each other in the teaser, comforting one another by saying it’s “not them” in the plane crash this time, was some of the best acting I’ve seen on this show in a while. I am very impressed.

I almost forgot that Alex was the one who cut off Arizona’s leg. Sure, it was Callie’s call but for some reason and for the past three years I just thought it was Callie who held the knife. It was nice for him to admit that it was indeed him and that Arizona can’t keep blaming Callie forever, but I’m still not ready for a Calzona reunion just yet. For now, they’re both really better off trying to find themselves alone and I would love to see them become friends for now. Just friends.

On the where-the-hell-is-Derek note, I can’t say I was completely surprised by that ending. The flashbacks thrown into the episode were absolutely riveting and a clear sign that something bad is heading our way. I seriously didn’t expect to love the tender MerDer moments in bed as much as I did, but I guess after all those years I’m still rooting for these two. Speaking of flashbacks, I think my heart broke a little when we caught a glimpse of Lexie and Mark at the plane crash site—and Cristina screaming for her shoe. Brutal… absolutely brutal.

The show is definitely benefiting from its history. The way it reminds us of the terrible things that’ve happened in the past eleven seasons makes the characters much more relatable. This week, Maggie found out about Meredith’s plane-crash that cost Lexie’s life, and the reaction on Dr. Pierce’s face was admirable. I do think Stephanie and Jo not knowing until now is a bit of a stretch (especially since they’ve been working in a hospital that’s called Grey/Sloan for a while), but that’s okay because this is ShondaLand and Shonda is allowed to do whatever she wants.

Except kill Derek. Those sirens in the end have to be a red herring. Yep, it’s what I’m telling myself until next Thursday.

 Bits & Scalpels

– What an incredible teaser with Richard driving around in his car and then a freaking plane almost crashing into his windshield! This show sometimes…

– I loved Richard’s C-subplot and the way he manipulated the story of his near-death experience. It all perfectly culminated in a poignant and tender moment with April.

– All those scenes with MerDer in bed were adorable. Even better was knowing that Meredith and Cristina still FaceTime every now and then. Aww.

– Amelia and Owen seriously brought this episode down half a grade. Nope, I just don’t want to see these two together anymore.

– The case of the week wasn’t the most compelling or original thing we’ve seen on this show, but I did find the woman finally remembering the pilot a truly satisfying scene. And Stephanie agrees.

– Bailey makes a hilarious list of all the tragedies Meredith has experienced.

– I was prematurely worried Derek would somehow be one of the plane crash victims after I freaked out in last week’s review about his whereabouts. But what the hell are those sirens doing outside their house if not to deliver bad news? I mean, am I the only one who’s seen We Were Soldiers here?

– I hate watching promos and I try hard not to, but—and no spoilers here—ABC is promoting next week’s episode as “the episode America will never forget”. Interesting.

Grey Banter

Bailey: You and Derek went down in a plane, you drowned, he got shot, you gave birth in a power outage…
Meredith: Is this supposed to make me feel better?

Alex: There ought to be some rule, you know? People who have been in a plane crash can’t work on one.

Richard: It scared the hell out of me. Because the minute you see all the things you have, you see all the things you stand to lose.

Derek: Your snoring woke me up.
Meredith: I don’t snore anymore.
Derek: You know, in D.C., I could hear the Metro station from my apartment. The trains would wake me up every morning. This is a better way to wake up.
Meredith: Yeah?
Derek: Your snoring is like a train. It’s much cuter.

Meredith: For a while, I would FaceTime Cristina. I would prop her up right there where your head is now. Half the time, she was in surgery, so I would just watch her operate until I drifted off. I brought the kids in the bed for a while so we could all sleep together. I printed a tumor, and I slept with that there for a bit. It’s just weird. That pillow’s been empty for such a long time.

Conclusion
This week is all about major characters dying. While I’m not sure if Scandal and Arrow will truly follow through, Grey’s certainly gave us a scare in the emotional and heart-wrenching One Flight Down.

Chris Rating
A-