Look Who Stopped Talking

Calzona Review 10x11 Man on the Moon


Will it be all right that instead of talking about Callie and Arizona in this piece, may  i just  talk about Cristina and Shane's two spectacular (i mean spooktacular) scenes that created ripples in my gut?

Oh, and I also want to talk about Leah's longing looks during the entire Episode 11.

No? Okay.

Nothing really important happened to Calzona in this episode, but oh well...i'll carry on...

Over the moon

Calzona fans are over the moon about something. Much higher than the moon, even. We are in Calzona heaven.

So this is what Calzona heaven feels like.

Right after watching that last  Callie-Arizona  scene of Episode 11, I was up there, halo intact, one with the angels.

No, not high, but extremely ecstatic. Delighted. (Delirious).

The Calzona fandom was, as expected, in pandemonium.

We had a 15-episode drought. We have long been waiting for a present-time sweet moment between Calzona.  And after 9x19, WE FINALLY GOT IT.

Episode 11 gave it to us. We were surprised. They were arguing for most of the episode. 

Then reminiscent of a Calzona fight seasons ago, the fight ended with a tender, sweet, beautiful  kiss.

And despite screaming thoughts at the back of our minds, we gladly accepted this scene wholeheartedly.

Life is short.  Why not enjoy a kiss that comes once in a blue (man on the) moon.

Callie's not in the mood

In the opening scene,  we see Callie and Derek working together, as a continuation of their research, dealing with brain sensors and  robotic prosthetics,  for quadriplegic patient Becca, sitting on a reclining wheelchair, wires connecting her to a computer.

Then we see the first of several Calzona scenes, where Callie and Arizona walk and talk, on their way to see Richard Webber off. 

Arizona: Hows you’re research going? You think you’re gonna make it to the shower

Callie: Crap! Kepner’s shower’s today?

Arizona: Yeah it’s today, she’s our friend so..

Arizona was being her bubbly self, trying to engage Callie in light conversation, Callie was callous. Almost irritated.

Callie: Yeah I know she’s our friend, you don’t have to tell me she’s our friend,

Arizona: Sorry

Callie: I’ll be there if I can

Arizona: Great, great

Arizona was patient, she was cheery. Her wifey may just be having a bad day at work.

And as they walk on, they pass by Leah Murphy,  in a huddle with Stephanie and Jo, and greeted them. 

Yes, Murphy, who was dying inside because of heartache seeing Dr Torres and Dr Robbins back together.

It didn't lighten Callie's mood to greet Dr Murphy back.

Next scene, we see Callie and Arizona together with a bunch of doctors in a light moment, to see  Richard Webber off. He was finally leaving the hospital after being confined since 10 episodes ago.

They couldn’t not say goodbye to him, and Calliope sweetly said they’ll miss Julio, who needed a vacation from all of them.

Noticeably, Callie was not short-fused with other people, just with Arizona.

Starting Small

Then Callie is back with Derek and their patient Becca,  trying to start small, to make progress, in trying to move a finger.

Apparently, the sensors were put in her brain weeks ago, but she had not been able to move any finger yet.

Becca was a little harsh with her husband  John who was trying to make her relax, but whom she just snapped at.  Embarrassed, John  went out of the room to grab  something to eat so as not to distract her wife from trying to move a finger. 

The patient was impatient, even with Derek. 

And this short-fused patient was slowly getting on mega-stunning-in-this-scene Callie’s nerves. 

Kepner Sisters Powers, Activate! (Kepner sister alert) 

Then we see the arrival of the most awaited  Kepnerettes led by April a.k.a Duckie, and they gladly greet BFF Arizona. 

Funnily enough, the sisters obviously knew a lot about Arizona. Looks like galpal April did a tell-all.

Arizona was her usual bubbly self when she saw them, she was still in that good mood.

April: These are my sisters

Sisters: Hi!

Arizona: Hi Im Arizona Robbins

Sister1: Arizona! Haha I feel like I know you. April told us everything about you. Are you gonna make it to the shower? We throw the best showers

Arizona : I wouldn’t miss it

Then sister1 didn't scrimp on awkward banter ...

Sister 1: I have a cat at home who lost a leg. Every time I see him hopping around I think that is real strength

April: Stop talking.

Arizona: Well, it was super nice to meet you guys.  Will see you at the shower.


Good mood Arizona knew it was time to leave the Kepnerettes. And this last line wins the coveted award for  most hilarious line of the episode because sister1 just wouldn't quit,

Sister1: She is such a good walker.

Yes she is, sister. She is.

Not a ray of sunshine 

Then Derek and Callie  finally concluded that there was not anything wrong with their research procedure, it was Becca who was holding up the progress.

Callie: It's not the sensors, not the coding, it’s Becca.

Derek: It's Becca

Evidently getting impatient with Becca's attitude, Callie complains, but Derek remained patient: He knew Becca was making an effort.

Callie: Look she’s not the most positive person, I mean everyday, it’s a fight. 

Derek: She’s no ray of sunshine but she’s trying. Maybe it’s me, maybe it’s not Becca. Maybe I'm just not seeing the right thing to get her to do it.


Don't know why but these lines remind me of how Callie sees Arizona. "everyday is a fight."

At least Derek injects that all-important wisdom of emphasizing that the patient is trying. And so is Arizona. She's trying, too. Just as we will see in the next scene.

At the O.R Gallery

In the OR gallery, we see Arizona sit beside Callie, observing the livestreaming surgery of Cristina and Alex.

Arizona: Has she moved it yet?

Callie: No

Arizona: Well that sucks
Callie: Yeah

Arizona: Well, it just takes time, right?

Callie: I don’t know

Arizona: Cheer up

 

Callie could only dish out staccato replies. And found Arizona’s reply preposterous

Callie: Why? My research just  stalled, why would I cheer up?

Arizona: I dont know, that’s just something that people say sometimes to

Callie: I know I know, let's not fight

Arizona: Callie

Callie: I should get back

Clearly, Arizona was trying to be pleasant. Trying to constantly reach out and show Callie she cares about what is happening with her, but Callie did not seem to appreciate it. There  was just not enough patience within her when Arizona tried to talk with her.

I actually am not surprised. Picking up from where we left off last episode when Callie said she's going to need a night to digest Arizona's confession about her easy peasy sexcapades with Leah,  Callie seemed to not have gotten over this. 

Maybe she was still having a difficult time coming to terms with Arizona's ten plus times dalliance with Leah.

So Callie, catching herself on time , decided to drop the conversation and left Arizona in a rush, avoiding another argument, leaving Arizona in a frustrated state.

She was, after all, trying, but it was not good enough for Callie.

.

Then as an intermission, we are treated to "ready-to-swoop-in" Leah's hopeful question to Jo: 

Leah:  Did you see that?

Jo: Yeah it was intense (referring to the ongoing surgery)

Leah: Do you think they’re gonna break up?

Jo found Leah impossible.
I found Leah impossible.
No one in the fandom found her to be Leah Possible.

Leah, please just stop. Do not be like a wild bird  ready to swoop in for the kill when a flying fish decides to jump out of the water. 

Leah, uhm, that's being pathetic. Didn't Arizona tell you: "You do not want to be the person who says i'll wait for you in case it doesn't work out with your wife" ??

Stop. Just. Stop.

'Nuff said.

Why they live that way (Kepner sister alert)

The sisters catch Arizona, a.k.a April’s BFF, again in the hospital reception area

Sister: Where’s April?

Arizona: Oh, a trauma came in, she got pulled into surgery I don’t know how long she’ll be

Sister: What we just cancel the shower?….

Arizona: Yeah we say a lot of things. Look, we’re just not in charge of our schedule, this is just how it works.

Sisters: Why do you live this way?

Arizona: Because we save people’s lives. She’ll pop in at some point

Sister: No it’s her shower, she cant just pop

Arizona: You may have to settle for pop.

Aside from Arizona explaining and defending BFF April's occupation to her sisters, here we also get  a glimpse into the life of our beloved surgeons, whose time isn’t under their control. We see how dedicated they have to be at their profession.  

With all the pressure at work and the problems they have in their personal lives, sometimes, it can be unnerving. 

This gives us a better understanding of their temperaments, actions and reactions, short-temperedness, decisions. 

After all, theirs is one of the noblest professions. They save people's lives.

Irritable Callie is irritated with irritable Becca

Back again to Callie , Derek and Becca

Becca still couldn’t get to move a finger.

Then John pops in , with the chips he bought for his wife,  and not expecting Becca’s harshness:

Becca:John, leave us alone

John: Im sorry

Becca: Just wait outside and I’ll call you when Im done. JUST GO.

Déjà vu. Why do I remember Callie and Arizona’s last scene in the O.R. gallery? It’s similar. Irritated Callie (like Becca), And Arizona trying to be cheery (like John). But everything Arizona does is just irritating to Callie.

Becca continues:

"My God, did you see that? I just keep snapping at him. And pretty soon, we just cant even look at each other it’s so awful. 

I'm awful. Because he does everything for me. And I started this because I wanted to do something for him for once. It seemed like something I could do. I just wanted to do one damn thing... and I cant. I'm done. I cant do this anymore."

The ever gentle Derek was supportive,

"That’s okay. Let’s take a break"

Becca: ‘You're not hearing me. I don’t wanna do this anymore. I cant. I hate this. Take this crap out of my hand.

Oh so that’s it. She wanted to do something for her husband to show her thanks and she ends up hurting him. 

Instead of showing his thankfulness, she ends up showing her wrath.

Which is unfortunate because it defeats the purpose of her participating in the research. She’s hurting him instead of doing him a good thing.

Callie was obviously growing irritated. She was holding her thoughts but she was at boiling point, and couldn’t help but blurt out

Callie: Do you want to schedule surgery to have them taken out?

Derek: Dr Torres, we are not there yet 

Derek was surprised at Callie’s outburst, and was still the remaining calm one

Derek: Dr Torres may I speak with you?

Callie: Yeah

Derek and Callie’s pow wow

I have not mentioned yet how pleasing it is to see Callie and Derek working together. They have good work chemistry.  And in this situation, Derek knew, he needed to supply Callie with good reason. 

It's actually nice to see them argue, with the confidence that somehow, it will end in a positive resolution. This is because Callie and Derek  get along well with each other. 

They have developed a mature friendship, and it helps that they both listen to each other's points.

Callie: She hates being here

Derek: She shows up, everyday. She is trying

Callie: No, I cant fight anymore. Everyday, everyday is a fight. My whole world is a fight. At home  I fight with Arizona, and then I come here I fight with Becca and I’m fighting with you.

There it is. Callie's issue fatigue is out in the open.  Becca's hopelessness about her situation and harshness toward her husband brought it out of Callie.

She is just tired of conflict. She has been having it everywhere. And Derek listened, Derek understood. 

Derek: Well we just haven’t figured it out yet how to get her to do it so we’re  frustrated and she’s frustrated

Callie: Hmm

Is it wrong that I wish that water were a bottle of gin?

Derek: We need to talk to Becca

It was a eureka moment for Derek. Callie's instinctive craving for gin, via the bottled  water and Becca's speech about her sincere intentions for her husband made Derek realize that maybe if they just asked Becca to focus on that, maybe it would finally work to get her to move the arm.  

Arizona Kepnerized

Arizona is seen with another Kepnerette, with whom she trades notes: 

Sister: It is so great that you two are trying to work things out. Duckie doesn't know this but my husband had an affair. We have three boys, so we stayed together.

Arizona was interested in this topic. It hit close to home.

Arizona: Did you go to therapy cause we couldn't even agree on that

Sister: Oh no, we didn’t feel the need to talk…we just focused on moving forward, putting it in the past, hoping things will get better one day.

Arizona: Well did that work?

Sister: We are still getting through it

This seemed to make Arizona think. It was an eyeopener. Though we could not exactly read what was on her mind, it seemed like she was struck by how April’s sister handled their troubled marriage,caused by an affair.

She saw the striking similarity to her and  Callie's situation, of not going to therapy. But looked like she was reflective when she heard that they were still working on it, that they just put it in the past, and hoped things will get better. 

She took note. With a smile.

Love moves 

We're back with Derek,  Callie, Becca and John

Becca was still at her bitchy best. 

Despite Becca's protestations against John staying in the room and "wasting his time," Derek and Callie made him stay.

Derek: When you’re thirsty, you don’t think about moving your fingers or grasping the cup. You just get a drink, and the rest follows. Now, I want you to look at John.

Becca: When do I move the hand?

Derek: You don’t. Just look at John. Think about what you wanna say to him. You don’t have to say it. Just think about it. Look at John. What do you want to say to him.

Oh goodness. Derek was so calm. He was even more understanding  than Dr Phil. Dr Phil is that you? He was so gentle and charming as he asked Becca to follow his instructions on how to try to move her finger by using a different approach. This time, with the assistance of John.

Knowing that Becca loved John, Derek used this love, this sincerity of intentions toward John, to make Becca feel the emotions of love, and therefore activate the brain sensors to enable her to get the arm to move.

It had to take firstly, the instinct, based on a deep desire. A strong decision, to do something. And Derek and Callie used this technique to get  Becca   to move the robotic hand.

This moved Callie to tears. And moved me to tears too. It was such a touching moment. It  showed how love for a person is strong enough to make difficult things happen.

Of course, being Grey's veterans, we know that this situation will have a significant parallel application to Callie’s  personal  experience.

John: Becca you touched me. And I never thought you’d do that again.

Becca: Me neither

They're April's People Now (Kepner sisters alert)

Now we get to the fun part. The funny scenes are always the most enjoyable and we are treated to a real funny scene.

Duckie a.k.a. April had her own reckoning when pushed too far by her sisters, and who would have thought this would happen? In an on-the-spot, never-before-seen situation,  the ex-ugly duckling now swan April has terminated the services of her bridesmaid sisters.

And guess who the new ones are?

Yay! BFF Arizona,  and  the twisted sisters Meredith and Cristina.

Arizona , Mer and Cristina were all too hilarious with their reactions when April named them “her people” and could not hide their surprise but of course agreed to April’s appointment of them as the new bridesmaids.

Arizona's facial expression was so funny when  April was holding on to her.

Also, the reactions of the bridesmaid trio when April said she was a swan deserves an award for best facial expression.

Jessica Capshaw  as Arizona was at her comic best. Her clueless nonchalant but supportive countenance was to die for. 

Arizona’s reaction was one for the books.

This line of Swan April will forever be immortalized in the annals of well-loved quotes:

I’m not your hopeless ugly little sister anymore. I am not an ugly duckling I am a swan. And a surgeon. A freaking kickass surgeon who  by the way has had sex before"

The Scene

Then with a transition nighttime  Seattle skyline scene, we are transported to the  Calzona apartment and see our protagonists in a heated argument.

It was discouraging. Seeing them arguing, shouting like that.  Especially when we had  all been waiting for a sweet moment between them. We were all waiting for Arizona to be back sharing a bed with Callie. We were hopeful too because of that promising promo pic.

There were barely three minutes left in the episode. All we've seen so far was how Callie was irritated with Arizona  throughout  the episode. 

Callie: Oh so now we’re gonna fight about how we fight? I am sick of this. Everytime we talk it turns into this

Arizona: Okay, do you think that I'm not sick of it, Callie? Everything I say seems to piss you off.! Like everything loaded..

Then Callie suddenly looks at Arizona in a different way, as if possessed by a strange force. We were sensing something different. Were we getting there?

She looks down..

Goodness gracious, Callie's expressions were so perfect. You could feel every emotion she conveyed. I could feel that animal mood just with that look she had

And then from out of nowhere, Callie, in the blink of an eye, Callie  quickly  pulled Arizona by the arms, quickly  held Arizona’s neck with both hands and .............................................
……………………………………………………………………

The ellipses explain themselves. The words would not come out of the keyboard.  

Let’s just stare at the photo. They are more than words can express.

In the meantime, I was unconscious. I was in Calzona heaven. Nobody was to touch me. Nobody was to  talk to me. I had to have this moment to myself.

Arizona's dazed look killed me, just as Callie's all-loving sexual look killed me as well. I died twice.

Callie: I think talking may be  the problem

Arizona: Maybe we shouldn't talk as much 

It had been 15 long episodes. We’ve waited so many months. And now that it came, why would I even hesitate to enjoy it?

This kiss was at first, something to get excited about. 

A celebration. The happiness in the fandom was unmistakable. It was a Calzona Feast Day. The long awaited kiss came.

Also to be celebrated is the brilliance of Sara Ramirez and Jessica Capshaw in this scene. They made it so convincing, we could not stop re-watching it.

The anatomy of a kiss

Mer’s narration applies to the Calzona situation so aptly. ..

“Sometimes the key to making progress is to take that very first step, then you start your journey.  You hope for the best, and you stick with it. Day in, day out. Even if you’re tired, even if you wanna walk away, you don’t because you are a pioneer. But nobody ever said it’d be easy.”

I think that if this is their way to start resolving their conflicts,  and get them on their journey to healing, then so be it.

This is their first step.

It may look superficial. We may again say they are rushing things, they have to fix things first, but just as it was with Callie and Derek’s patient, who relied on her deepest desires, or the dictate of her instincts, her subconscious, to be able to move her  hand, Callie noticeably had that same realization when she kissed Arizona.

She still loves Arizona deep in her heart, but that was obstructed by  the after-effects of all the conflict they've been through. Now that they were trying to work it out,  she could only manage to show her impatience and irritability. No approach seemed to work, they always ended up fighting. They were both aware that they wanted to avoid fights but could not.

Arizona was trying her best to be cheerful as before. Like things were normal again. But we all know it is far from normal. They are still in the very early stages of resolution of their conflict. She was doing her best but all efforts at trying to get back to a comfortable level of normalcy always ended up in arguments.

Callie may have chosen to just focus on the love she had for Arizona. Just like Becca did. Chose to push all the wrongs to the sidelines and zero in on the love that had always been there since they first got together. She reignited the spark and I think that if this  will start to lead them to more openness to one another, then it's all good.

To Talk or Not to Talk

 As for Arizona's next move after talking to April's sister, I hope she realizes that it will help both her and Callie to still talk and not just move forward without sorting out their issues. 

I wouldn't want Arizona and Callie to just put all things behind them, without resolving anything, not talking about past issues, not addressing real problems because I wouldn't want them to live everyday for a long time, endlessly  pretending that things are okay when they're not. That would not be a happy union. 

It would be just like putting a bandaid on an unhealed wound, and a quick fix is the last thing I want for them, because sooner or later, the sad experiences of their past will continuously haunt them.

Two ways to handle the kiss:

Either 1) enjoy it for being the momentous event that it is   Or 2) mope now and worry about what will happen later on.

There are a lot of unresolved things yet for these two. They have to address the issues. And maybe, just maybe, this kiss was the key to  pave the way for openness between them.

Who knows, maybe this is what will bring them back.

Two ways too to tackle the line:

“I think talking might be the problem”

1) This goes directly against our hopes to see them to  communicate, heal and eventually reconcile.

2) Or we can take it as them taking the first step to true reconciliation 

The kiss is the first step.

They were having arguments. Callie was always irritable. She considered her life as always a fight. Everything Arizona says, she always considered as an affront.

Callie warded off  all the irritation by that kiss. Maybe it’s their own special way of lessening the tension.

Maybe they needed a relief. They needed to quell the  pressure of always being conflicted with one another. Maybe they always bumped heads in their  initial efforts trying to communicate.

They needed this. It is not a quick fix. It is the beginning to communication. It is their first step to try and work things out.

And it had to be a wonderful sweet kiss to get  them started.

We cant always box in relationships and how to resolve conflicts within them. Each couple has their own way of coping. They fell into this trap before. They missed out on communication.

When they had fights, they always made up because of some huge tragedy or a huge change in their lives i.e. the Gary Clark one-man-wrecking-crew brouhaha, the car crash, Callie’s pregnancy

Everything about their conflicts were always rushed, without proper time for healing or proper communication. It was always a quick fix, an instant cure. And this doesn’t bode well for their relationship.

Since we don’t know what will happen next, This time, let’s hope that they’ll use this kiss as a pathway for them to release their inhibitions, knock down the barriers to real communication.

Taking things slow in the sex department was not working for them, so  since they chose to  get it on, let’s  hope that this will get them to start talking.

Arizona was crying in the promo for 10x12, I hope that this breakdown will lead to the discovery of her PTSD so that they can address the issue, so real healing can finally begin.

In the meantime, I'm happy. And I choose to be happy, until the next episode.

They're on their journey to healing and so are we on this journey with them, however bumpy it may be.  May the odds be ever in our favor.

Remember who the real enemy is. No, not Leah.

#TeamCalzona for always.

Twitter: @GAFan8

Note: As a special feature, there were indicated alerts when a scene involved April's sisters because they were the best guest stars ever. :)