'Grey's Anatomy': Whodunit mystery rocks Seattle Grace

Thursday night's "Grey's Anatomy" episode was called "I Saw What I Saw," and I saw something that I haven't seen from "Grey's" in quite a while: promise.

Usually I don't like episodes that feel really gimmicky, but tonight's film noir style of storytelling worked for me.  Maybe it's because Halloween is coming, but I was digging the dark and stormy night and the Seattle Grace twist on the classic whodunit puzzle.

The eerie feeling began from the very first second of the episode, with thunder crashing outside the hospital as a janitor mopped up a slough of blood from a dark trauma room, a bloody axe resting on a cart nearby.

It's immediately clear that something has gone horribly wrong, and the Chief and his board are on a mission to find out who is to blame. I was initially skeptical of the whole concept. Do we really need yet another excuse to pit these docs against one another? The merger and subsequent firings have made "Grey's Anatomy" resemble a reality show.  Who is getting kicked off the island this week?

I complain about that every week, though. I'm sick of the doctors battling it out with each other, but I've resigned myself to the fact that the "Grey's" writers clearly love the competitive streak.

As the doctors were interviewed, light was shed on what happened earlier in the day. All hell had broken loose when a hotel caught on fire, and the ER was flooded with trauma patients. Cathy Becker (Erinn Hayes) came in with her young son and was treated for burns, but somehow, the rest of her ailments fell through the cracks.

I loved how we got bits and pieces of the night as each doctor described his or her experience from his or her own perspective. The Rashomon theme worked very well to build the tension and raise the stakes.  Every single doctor says, "She wasn't my patient," and every single doctor genuinely believes that the tragedy was someone else's fault. Obviously, this can't be the case - but the point is, the doctors aren't lying.  They just have different versions of the truth.

As soon as Cathy wheezed, "Don't let my son see me die," and Lexie promised that she wouldn't die, I knew she was a goner. Haven't the Seattle Grace doctors figured out by now that every time they promise someone will live, that person ends up in the morgue?

Ultimately we found out that Cathy died because her airways closed and her organs failed.  But what about that ominous slasher-movie axe from the cold open? Well, the axe did indirectly cause Cathy's demise. April - the new Mercy Wester played by the amazing Sarah Drew - saw the axe sticking out of a man's chest, and was distracted from checking Cathy's throat.

Had she done the entire examination, she would've seen the soot in Cathy's throat and could've easily prevented the tragedy. It's such a small mistake, a tiny human error the likes of which would've gone unnoticed if April had a desk job. But when you're a doctor, you can't make tiny human errors.  You have to be superhuman; you have to be perfect.

I was disappointed to see April fired; she was my favorite of the Mercy Westers. Plus, I got a kick out of seeing her interact with fellow "Everwood" alum Nora Zehetner (Reed). I'm glad Reed survived the episode.  Of all the newbies, I'm most hoping that she sticks it out and joins the regular cast. Zehetner really holds her own against the more seasoned actors - even if she does look like she could use a sandwich or two.

Of course, I wouldn't mind seeing more of Dr. Avery, but I'm pretty sure that's just because of Jesse Williams' killer blue eyes, not because the character is interesting. Can we get this guy a storyline, please?  His little playground scuffles with Karev aren't particularly compelling.

For me, the best moment of the episode was at the very end, when Derek and the Chief discussed the day's fallout.  The Chief was so determined to find out who made the fatal error - the absent-minded screw-up that cost a young boy his mother - that he failed to look at the situation from a wider angle.

"Maybe it's not one doctor [who is responsible]," Derek said.  "Maybe it's too many doctors who don't know each other and who don't trust each other.  When I got to that room, it was chaos, because that's the system now: chaos.  That has been the system that's been in place since this merger.  Your system.  I'm saying you should look again at who is responsible."

Preach it, McDreamy! The Chief needs to look to himself when he's looking for someone to blame.  How can the hospital be strong when there are such clear cracks in its foundation? The Chief is the one who let the hospital falter, and now the doctors and nurses are the ones feeling the consequences, getting fired left and right. 

By the way, I adored the music on tonight's episode. The two most prominently featured songs were "Songs From Different Times" by Jack Savoretti and "Out of the Dark" by Matt Hires, in case you're wondering what to search for on iTunes.

OK, let's discuss the episode in the comments below! Did you guys miss Izzie much? Did you, like me, agree with Derek's harsh reality check for the Chief? Do you think April deserved to get fired for accidentally skipping the throat exam? Who do you think is next on the chopping block?

Can't wait to hear your thoughts!

--Carina MacKenzie (follow me on Twitter @cadlymack)

Related Articles:
Mercy West is in, Izzie Stevens is out
Bears, bones, and big sad eyes
Paranoid schizophrenic meets paranoid residents

Photos: Top - the Mercy Westers (Jesse Williams, Robert Baker, Sarah Drew, Nora Zehetner) wait to face the wrath of the Chief. Bottom - Doctors try to break up a fight between Karev (Justin Chambers) and Avery (Jesse Williams).

Comments

[Hans]

I really appreciated your review. I'm not normally a Grey's fan, but my wife is and I usually catch a couple minutes with her. I couldn't leave after watching the first part of this episode. It was a little gory, but the story kept me enthralled. I wasn't sad to see April fired because wasn't she the one who said the guy with the axe in his chest was a good case? She epitomized to me what is wrong with the medical profession. Derek summed that up pretty well at the end.

[Cyndi]

I was so happy to see Derek put the Chief of the spot like that. Finally! Changes need to be made at the hospital as if we had to endure week after week of backstabbing competitiveness, it would get old real fast. Right now, I cannot stand the Mercy West folks. They seem like they are manipulative and scheming ... I know the plan is to introduce more cast to the show to see if it can survive beyond the original cast, so hopefully they will grow more likeable if changes are made in the storyline.

[Sarah]

Since the beginning of season 5, i have viewed the storyline of Grey's as a metaphor for the show itself. First the hospital's declining ratings in the season 5 opener, paralleling the declining quality of the show, and, with this last episode, a quest to discover a reason behind the still-disappointing quality. I feel this season has so far had a couple of high points but still been inconsistent, and i think it's due to inconsistent writing, a lack of direction, and a lack of comedy. What i took away from this episode is that it's up to Shonda Rimes, or Krista Vernoff, or someone, to take responsibility and pull this thing back together.

Well, the premise was interesting at least. Some humor would've been nice. Even "Code Black", ridiculous in all its seriousness, had its funny moments. But it's not really fair to judge the current show by the standards of Classic Grey's Anatomy, either.

[KT]

Ms. MacKenzie, your review was spot on. Next week is the McDreamy episode and I hope we have some of that good old fashioned Grey's writing that we have been sorely lacking this season. The writers need to provide us with humor along with some sadness, romance and the ups and downs of relationships. I realize the Grey's writers are trying new things this year but their story lines need to vastly improve and SOON!

[maha]

I didn't miss Izzy so much because she wasn't really around there the last few episodes and she has been always the distracted one not the good one, but i hate to see Alex in this condition. he is a very good doctor and we need him back.
Plz someone get us a cardiothoracic surgeon, Christina needs more work and needs to prove that she is the master of cardio...she really needs her space.
And finally Derek will always be Derek the great charming doctor..
P.S. i am medical student and i know that any doctors community is filled with competition that would never end..we learn it from our very 1st year.

[WI_Dilettante]

Preferred last week's episode, but this at least held my attention. It seemed clear that it would be one of the Mercy Westers who would take the fall, so I'm sorry that it turned out to be the only one I had any real interest in. And that has less to do with Grey's Anatomy and more to do with lingering affection for Sarah Drew's marvelous turns in -- well, just about anything: Wonderfalls, Everwood, Mad Men, etc.

[R D]

Maha you raise a good point there! Seattle Grace needs a cardiothroacis surgeon and desperately too! In last week's ep of Private Practice [no I haven't got my shows mixed uo :o)] when Sam said he did specialised in cardiothoracics before going into whatever he's in now [someone care to remind me what that is again lol] whether that was a plain coincidence or not.

I'm not thinking he will transfer and become part of the GA cast [although that could happen] but he may do a few crossover eps to fill in the massive void left in the medical staff [and it's a shame they already took Mercy West's cardio-god] if indeed his training in the specialty was sufficent. Is he an actual qualified cardiothoracic surgeon? Was that clarified?

I sympathise with Cristina, I really do. She needs to learn her specialty and the Chief needs to find someone to teach her otherwise what is she doing there? And besides all that, how exciting to meet a new cardio-god and see what he/she would be like!

Anyway, onto the GA episode. I rather enjoyed it, I thought the whodunnit concept worked really well and what a great way to show different versions of the truth since none of them were actually lying.

I also thought it clever how they worked Meredith into the episode. It's a good thing we don't miss her in the series but they've certianly given her a great line for mat-leave!

Derek summed it up perfectly at the end! They need to find order in the hospital before it goes under! Too many distractions lead to too many mistakes and that's never a good thing. I know in time it will be worked out, or at least it should, so I will enjoy the journey from chaoict tumultuous hospital to ordered and civilised [albeit with that regular, small dose of chaos that is always present in a hospital] staff finally being able to make it work.

One thing I miss, a little humour and a sense of the old Grey's. Just a bit that reminds us why we fell for this great show in the first place. I still love it and will continue to watch it each week!

[sharon Blickenstaff]

I totally agree with this review. I have been so disappointed in this year's shows that I was beginning to think Shondra had lost whatever creative spark she had 5 years ago. I know that the series has had ups and downs but this years episodes have lacked focus and for me any interesting story lines. I do not miss Izzie at all. I think KH is a marginal actress that makes stupid silly movies. Her story lines tend to take over the series and I am not that happy with it. The last best storyline with her was S2 with Denny. That was a good season. Anyway I appreciate that Thursdays show was different and interesting and I look forward to more like that. I don't know where this merger is going but I too am tired of these residents acting like they are in high school. Please everyone grow up! You are doctors!!!!

[Sher]

Nice review, Carina-- I just got around to watching the episode. I did enjoy this particular episode-- especially since the previous ones have been such a disappointment. Am sorry they let April go-- she showed great promise. I thought they had the basis for an interesting character in her. Oh well, such is new television. Make sure you don't like any character too much! Glad they finally figured out that poor leadership is at fault here. Let's see where the writers take us with this. Perhaps young April will be brought back when big ol' bad Chief accepts the error of his ways?? (I do like his Character but the writers have led him down a path which makes him tough to respect at this point.) Am hoping that tonight's episode has ZERO doctor infighting. It is boring at this point. Yes, competition exists among doctors but it is somewhat healthier or at least less "in your face"-- and the patients' faces-- than what we have witnessed at Seattle Grace the last few weeks. Let's see in tonight will continue the improvement in episode quality. I enjoy your writing style!