'Grey's Anatomy': It's not a finale without a body count

"Grey's Anatomy" has a history of strong finales. With the exception of Cristina's wedding -- which I'll excuse because that was the year of the writers' strike -- each season-ender has been poignant enough to move me to tears. This year, I was too stunned to cry.

The finale, "Sanctuary / Death and All His Friends," turns the hospital from a sanctuary into a battle field. Mr. Clark returns, still upset by his wife's death at the hand of Webber, Lexie and McDreamy despite the board's ruling that the doctors made the right decisions.

This time, he wants revenge of the "eye for an eye" variety, and he's got the jacket full of ammunition to prove it.

It's been 11 years since the Columbine High School massacre, and only three since the Virginia Tech massacre. Despite the fact that "Grey's Anatomy" takes place in a hospital, not a school, the episode couldn't help but recall those memories. Like a school, a hospital is a safe place. It's somewhere people go to be taken care of and nurtured. To be honest, this episode was hard for me to watch.

Death is a common occurrence on "Grey's Anatomy;" someone dies in nearly every episode. However, it's never been a violent, intentional death at the hand of another human being. I don't know what the body count was from Mr. Clark's shooting spree, but I expect we'll find out next season. What I do know is that Seattle Grace will never be the same.

The good

Even in the midst of hospital chaos, the Seattle Grace doctors never lose their signature "Grey's" style of speaking. Arizona's line, "Do not alarm the makers of the tiny humans," was spot on. Later, when things got more dire, Cristina still sounded like Cristina. "I can't do this if you're in there staring at me with big, sad, don't kill McDreamy eyes." The best thing about "Grey's" is that the characters remain consistent. They may be consistently childish or consistently boring ... but they're consistent.

As always, Chandra Wilson blew this episode out of the water. The range of emotion Bailey experienced in tonight's episode was epic, for lack of a better word. The work that Wilson puts into her role really comes across on screen. You get the impression that the emotions are genuine, when in actuality, an enormous level of thought and commitment must go into each scene.

I was thrilled to see Callie and Arizona reconcile. I've made no secret of the fact that I think Sara Ramirez and Jessica Capshaw are the strongest actresses on the show, and their interactions make for some of the most emotional scenes, and some of the most funny. My only concern is that a reconciliation in such a time of crisis can't last.

Dr. Webber really shined tonight. At the beginning of the season, I was so disappointed in him. We'd invested so much in his character just to see him let the hospital down. Tonight, he proved himself a Chief again, and I hope that while Derek is recovering, he cedes the throne to Webber. When he told the officer, "I'm the Chief -- I'm the former -- look, this is my hospital," I truly believed him.

The bad

I've been a fan of Mandy Moore's for years, but I don't think her performance added much to the episode. As this week's big name guest star, all eyes were on her. So why was her dialogue so unnatural and so exposition-heavy? Though the writers remembered to keep the regular characters witty, Moore's character fell flat. I hope she returns for an episode or two next season to redeem herself. After enduring a trauma like this, it would seem odd for her not to forge a relationship with Bailey.

I'm probably going to get reamed for saying this, but I think that the episode would have had more emotional weight if one of the regular doctors had died. Reed and Charles were the only people killed that we recognized, and not only were they the new alien Mercy Westers, but they were also our least favorite Mercy Westers. It almost feels like they were introduced just to be killed.

After Columbine, rumors spread that the shooters asked victims whether they believed in God, and shot them if they said yes. Those rumors were later disproved, but when Mr. Clark asked the hospital staff whether they were surgeons and then shot them if they said yes, it hit a little bit too close to the mark. Since when is "Grey's Anatomy" the show that's "ripped from the headlines"? There are ways to establish fictional tragedy without borrowing so heavily from real tragedy.

This season has been jam-packed with big changes. It seems like a lifetime ago that we were wondering (well, sort of) whether Izzie and George would live or die. Certainly, such a tragic and traumatic event will make even bigger waves. I have a feeling that the Seattle Grace we return to next season will be a very unfamiliar, very scary place.

What are your thoughts on the episode? Were you as shocked as we were by the death toll? Who will you miss the most? Chime in with your expectations for next season in the comments below.

--Carina MacKenzie
twitter.com/cadlymack

Photo: (top) Ellen Pompeo, left, as Meredith and Sarah Drew as April.

Credit: ABC

Photo: (bottom) Mandy Moore as Mary. 

Credit: ABC

Comments

[Christina]

This episode was sad but very interesting suspense. I have been a greys fan from day one. Yes doctors are faced with crisis everyday but it is not everyday that a man comes into a hosptial and goes on a killing spree. Maranda did call for help and nobody came yes there are things I would have done different exspecially since I am a nurse myself. When your put in a crisis situation it will either make you or break you and your true feelings will come out and you will realize things that you should have before but did not. The show was great and kudos to merridith she was saving her best friends boyfriend while her best friend was saving her husband. A doctor will do what they can to save one life, and hey maybe it was someone elses blood on her pants you never know what next season holds.

[Su from Fort Lee, NJ]

The best line and most striking was when Mr. Clark, during the last minute of his life, muses how easy it was to get a handgun. AND he was able to buy more ammunition because they were on sale!

Gun control and stricter access to weapons IS THE ONLY alternative for curtailing violence!

[vajj]

There was only one shot at the end. Did SWAT pull the trigger, or did Mr. Clark make his one bullet left decision?

[Amber Davis]

Honestly I thought that it was wonderful but I have to say last season left me wondering a lot more. They kind of overdid it at the end this year.

[Debbie H]

Last night Greys was the best finale I have ever seen. Talk about glue to my seat!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This show has the best actors I have ever seen in a nightime series next to The Sopranos. you rock Greys!!!!!!!! Keep up the GREAT WRITING AND GREAT EPISODES !! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!

[William]

You guys seem to assume the action in the show was actual time ... they never showed a clock for us to know how much time passed in that day ... it could have been 15 mins or a hour ... when bad things happen time seem to stop or slow down ..

[starlight_722]

Im a very big fan of Grey's Anatomy. I love the show and the show this week was so nerve wreaking and had me in tears I was truly blown away by all the drama. I could not move from my seat I dnt want to miss one this . I most deffinently will be looking foward to the next one. Greys Anatomy Crew U GUYS ROCK HARD!!!!!! I rate this the number 1 show in my book!

[Laura]

I felt like I couldn't breathe but I don't think it was the "amazing writers". I can't believe that they would put this on television. I was crying so hard the whole time because what everyone was calling entertainment in those two hours was a real nightmare for so many people at one time or another. We get so upset over this when it happens in real life and then we praise these writers for writing an unrealistic nightmarelike this that is so similar to real situations and glorifing it. I don't know if I will be able to tune in to this show again without remembering this.

[Elli]

Cooper? CHARLES.

[lyna]

The Grey's Finale was great!!!!! In no way did it remind me of any school shootings, what it showed was a man consumed by grief over the loss of his wife and no outlet to get past his pain but to kill innocent people and the ones he held responsible for her death. When really it was all about guilt over not knowing his wife's final wishes if she wasn't able to do so on her own and the doctors basing there decisions on a three year old medical proxy she signed before about not wishing to be kept alive by a ventilator when she got sick the first time. Mr. Clark and his wife should have talked about updating the proxy when she became ill again to see if her feelings had changed and this could have saved a lot of heartbreak on the part of Mr. Clark and maybe just maybe he wouldn't have felt the need to go on shooting spree at the hospital.

[Horsegirl]

I thought Dr. Avery's small part in the season finale was incredible! I can't wait to see his character develop more next season and find out who he will fall in love with:)!

[lb]

It was by far the best Grey's anatomy I have ever seen....It was graphic in spots but I loved it...I was on the edge of my seat the whole time...Can't wait till next season

[FanofZehetner]

Okay, this may not be a comment others want to hear. I think Grey's Anatomy is nothing but a venue for showcasing the idea of infidelity. The reason I liked the final episode is a break from who's sleeping with who this week! I hate they killed off Reid, but hey the show is geared for the female viewers, give them a new hot guy. Move over McSteamy and McDreamy lets bring in a McStudly and kill off the cute pixie like doctor Reid. I get why they didn't kill of a main charactor, you don't want to mess with a winning formula, but why Reid?

[Lissa]

Last night's finale was great...felt a little like the old Grey's to me...I guess once they killed all that drama off screen (Katherine Hiegl and that Knight fella) they were able to concentrate on kicking up the drama on screen.

Yeah...it was so good! They bought it last night. Bailey, Kristina, and that gun men bought their A game. Chief did me proud, too.

Grey's was about to loose me, but they showed up last night. So, I'm in for next season.

[SHERRI]

I will miss Cooper the most, & I do miss Katherine Heigl. I find the intimate, kissing scenes between the lesbians offensive.

[Odochi Ibe]

I think this was one of the best episodes left. I disagree with some comments from the message board and the author of the article I think everything was surprising and great addition to the story. Doctors are people at the end of the day no matter what situations they usually face they are doctors when Dr. Bailey is crying and doesn't know "Where the water is coming from" thats a human moment she is always so strong the majority of them are and face life or death situations but this was something different this was a tragedy unlike an explosion or 5 car pile up. When you are rendered helpless not able to save someone when they are in a hospital with the equipment yet unable to reach them anyone would panic and lose control but they all pulled it together and did the best they could. Its not real life of course but it is how any human would behave its only natural some people run away others run back, but there is no easy way to deal with your coworkers or anyone being shot right in front of your or a gun being pointed to your head...thats the reality of it. And seeing as there has been no discussion on any of the main characters leaving none would be permanently hurt thats just the way it is...

[Vincent]

This episode had too many holes in it. What I couldn't understand is why when swat shot the man in the hallway and saved little grey, why oh why didn't he empty his clip and kill the man? Why could Webber find the man and swat couldn't? Stuff like that just bothered me about this episode.

[Jay]

Seriously people? It was a great season finally PERIOD. A tv show PERIOD.
Why do you feel the need to disect every nanosecond? It is tv land.

[RZK]

Mostly I agree with DC. By the second hour, even tho I, too, was as riveted as all the other posters, I had strong doubts about the SWAT team. I mean, really, it got totally unbelievable. I had the thought that if this were a police drama instead of a hospital drama, the cops woulda been all over Mr. Clark by 10:10pm! One shot? and in his shoulder? And he gets to roam free throughout the hospital still? Give me a break. Seriously not realistic at all.
As for the acting, that's a different story. I was beyond moved by Chandra Wilson's performance, especially the scene after she and M. Moore have dragged a dying Charles through the hall and the elevators are turned off. Jumping up and down, almost bouncing off the walls in hysteria and frustration. Then pulling it all together again to compose herself and be professional. Major kudos to her! Stellar performance! She knocked it outta the park. And the last scenes with Cristina and Meredith when McDreamy was at death's door were also stellar. Cristina was so Cristina. I just wish the writing had measured up to the acting. Maybe that's why the actors had to do such an incredible job; they knew Mr. Clark roaming around so long was just not believable. Still, I sat there to watch the entire episode.

[kris]

YES I was absolutely VEXED by April. The whimpy girl who breaks down is always annoying and I didn't like the fact that she had a crush on McDreamy either. I liked the episode but I really wanted Lexie to get back with McSteamy. She doesn't work well with Alex and he was calling out for Izzey anyway.