Tuesday, October 14, 2014

Breakthrough and Breakdown






This week we have two reviews. Let's start off with a  review by Guest Blogger Ashleigh from Texas, USA  Twitter: @ashleighdiane86

Episode Review  11x03 – Got to Be Real 

Alright, so there was much more screen time between our girls in this episode, though not all of it was very positive. We’ve known they were up for some rough times since before the season even started (thanks, Shonda), so none of what we’ve seen has come as a surprise to me as of yet.

Before I delve into my non-professional analysis, I have a non-related side note that I feel is worth pointing out. They have had “Cristina”, or “Yang”, or “Cristina Yang” mentioned by someone in every episode thus far. Granted, we’re only three episodes deep, but I’m curious if Shonda has written her name into every single episode in season 11 – or plans to. I just think that’d be really cool.

So – we start out with Callie and Owen going to visit the veterans rehab center where we clearly see a distraught Callie. She’s mentioned how she is “stretched out far too thin”, which opens the door for their issue(s) this episode. By the way, can we talk about Callie’s everything in this scene – in this whole freaking season so far? So beautiful, and her acting is impeccably on point.

We then see the first of Arizona – adorable fellow Arizona, all student-like – with the amazing Geena Davis as Dr. Herman, schooling her on how she needs to vet herself up to speed and get a notepad! Ha! Poor Arizona. She’s in much better spirits this season, though, which is what we’d been told. Going back to season 5 Arizona – YAY!! In the next scene, we see HER also bringing up her and Callie’s time management issues and seemingly unending responsibilities. Ugh.

Another non-related side note – Bailey with her photo op… bahaha.

Cue the girls walking together, venting out their individual frustrations, which is all good and fine, until Callie starts with her assumptions that Arizona’s saying she’s bailing on the surrogacy appointment. Stop it, Callie, those words did not come out of her mouth… you poor, scared woman. But she WAS very sweet with her supportive words and cheek cuppage. Yes, I said cuppage. That scene was very reminiscent of “You. Are. Great.” and I loved it. At this point, we’ll take any moments of sweet hopefulness, right?

Next unrelated side note – Drunk Meredith <3 “I am the sun, and he can go suck it!” Agreed, Mer, agreed.

We’re back to the soldier with the leg – Owen really needs to keep his mouth shut. As a doctor, he needs to realize his emotional connection to this project is obscuring the fact of the matter with this guy. But good for Callie for sticking up to him and calling him out. It was harshly necessary. Of course, though, we see later on where his “no, you don’t get his hopes up and then crush them” statement is really coming from. Damn it, Cristina…

Avery – I go back and forth between laughing at him and wanting him to get off of his high horse. Because this scene was really funny with his “butt implants” and the whole Maggie and Richard off-base observation (“because she is 12” LOL), and I also really enjoyed his white knight syndrome and saving Callie’s day. The jury is still out. Ask again next week.

Arizona and her cuteness again <3 But seriously, I adored this scene. Dr. Herman’s back on her case, and Arizona’s dimply smile and adamant defense of her ways with moms had me laughing. And then she smacked Jo and I was rolling. Here ends any cute laughter of the episode, though.

On to Callie and Owen in the scrub room where we get to witness the genius that is Shonda Rhimes with that monologue. Oh, but first – Callie when she’s sassy is just SO HOT! “Were you going to give me one, or is this just a head’s up?” HA! But yeah – the light bulb clicks for Callie and for the rest of us – it’s all about Cristina. Heart broken. And I’m pretty certain Callie can relate, hence being so adamant about them getting this baby. Everything is always paralleled with Shonda.

Ugh, Derek. He’s not even worth mentioning in a side note … oh, wait. So, the real side note, JIM! Bah! I feel so bad for Richard; he was most definitely robbed. I am very excited to see how all of that pans out, especially since at the end we see Maggie NOT accepting Richard’s words and explanation so well.

Ok, the last scene between our girls. Callie is naturally excited about work, but AGAIN is making comments about being spread so thin – of course Arizona is going to question you! Ugh. Like, you are the one that said those things – repeatedly – so please don’t make Arizona the villain. And yes, please stop jumping to conclusions. But OH, Arizona! Speak up faster and tell her how crazy she is instead of sitting there like a fish out of water! Sigh. I’m curious about what episode 4 will bring since we know that 5 will be the “Bend or Break” between the two. 

Oh my, Callie crying. You guys… waaahhh. Enough said. They seriously need to hash their crap out, because I can’t handle any more of Callie crying.

Final thought – I was happy Bailey got the board member spot... don’t kill me!

Twitter: @ashleighdiane86
_______________________________________________________________________



Calzona Review   11x03 “Got to Be Real”


Hands down, I’d say this is one of the best episodes of Grey’s in many months. A sizable amount of issues happening all at once, it came to a point I got confused on what problem to focus on. All interesting.  All equal in intensity. Power packed drama all throughout.

I can’t be grateful enough that Shonda had written monologues in the episode, and with all respect to all the other writers of Greys, Shonda just writes like a dream.

When the episode was over, I only had  high praise for this brilliant brilliant episode. And I rest in the happy fact  that the ‘Shonda touch’ will be  present in most of  the coming episodes in 11. Yes she tweeted that, so Hooray.

It was a vital episode for Calzona. As we have anticipated, they are well on their way to what we predict as a major pivotal point in their relationship.

And this episode has lent enough oomph for us to believe that in their journey in their relationship,  things are lacking, things are not all okay. Let’s examine what happened to them, in the truly well-written Calzona scenes  in this episode.    

“Skin is not a very tough armor. It’s soft, easily broken.”

Wounded Warriors


In the first scene, we see  a firm Callie stressing she already said no to this project that Owen wanted to introduce her to.  She was just going to give a speech.  Said she was busy. Obviously stressed.



Callie: I got to pull back, I have a kid. Arizona is starting fellowship. We’re trying for another kid, I am stretched out far too thin.

Worthy to note that they are ‘trying for another kid’ so this means even if Callie gave  way to 
Arizona for her fellowship, the baby is still a go.

Owen: I completely understand

Callie: I said no already

Owen : I know that. Just want you to meet a couple of  guys

Turned out they were wounded warriors from the most badass specialized ops forces in the US military.



Owen: But,  you’re too busy to help our nation’s heroes  (guilt trip, Owen?)

Callie: I do not like you

Callie in all her kind-heartedness, could not seem to resist this kind of case.
And Owen knew this.



As she looked at them, she couldn’t  hide  that gleam in her eye. There was a sense of responsibility there. There was no way she would not help. Callie Torres, the girl with a golden heart.


Get a Notepad, Arizona




Arizona looks like a gofer to Geena Davis’ Dr Herman.

Lugging a bunch of files and tagging along with Herman, Arizona is a student once again and is adjusting as  Dr. Herman told her to speed up her work… and that during the fellowship, they were not peers.



Dr Herman: Why are you not taking notes?

Arizona: Oh, sorry, I thought we were just talking (chuckling)

Dr Herman: And I thought you were my fellow

It is an understatement to say that Arizona was enthusiastic to be Dr Herman’s protégé.


Arizona: I am, completely. No, I'm so excited to be your fellow. I just need a little time to get up to speed for three weeks cause I have a lot of cases



Dr Herman: Dr Robbins, for the purposes of this fellowship, we are NOT  peers.  And four weeks is just ten percent of the average gestational age. And that amount of time, a fetus’ lungs becomes a fully functioning organ. Everything in Utero happens at hyperspeed.  And the sooner you get up to that speed, the better.

Arizona looked at her like  a faltering student.



Dr Herman: Get a notepad.

Oh boy, Arizona has got her hands full and this fellowship wasn’t going to be easy as pie.  


Schedules Schmedules


In the next scene,  despite  Derek and Arizona’s efforts to request for a meeting reschedule  for the new board member, Jackson stood firm that a reschedule will not be possible as  this was an urgent matter.

Arizona was just literally drowning in her schedules.

Slyly and not subtly, the episode was  telling us in not so  many scenes, well actually all the scenes, that Callie and Arizona are very busy and are swamped with work , board duties and their own individual  activities.

The  leg that costs a little more than six million dollars


Then we see Callie and Owen speaking to a soldier who was incredulous about getting a free of charge 6 million dollar robotic leg. A robotic leg like The Terminator. But it actually cost a little more than that.



Owen  had his heart in this , having been in the military and having had a stint in war-torn Iraq.  He  was overenthusiastic and all-praise for Dr Torres as he relayed how this leg is fully funded, all expenses paid, and painless

The man had had three prosthetic legs and each one hurt more than the last.


Patient: This pain free robotic leg . Sounds made up

Owen: It was made up. By Dr Torres. This cutting edge technology. Dr Torres  is a genius. You’ll be amazed…



Callie cut him off


Callie: Let’s just slow down for a minute. We still have to run a number of tests to make sure you’re even  a  candidate for the study.

Callie was defensive about it. Whoa.  

Owen’s eagerness was ineffable, and the patent had pointed it out

Patient: He’s been going on and on about you




And Callie, subtly sarcastic “hmmmm I bet…”

They Talked But Did they Listen?


Then we see the first Calzona scene of the ep. Walk and talk time. And may I just gush at just how attractive my Callie and Arizona are… *double heart eyes emoji* ….oh my…oh … 



You know that kind of conversation when you and a friend are  much too involved with your own concerns that you talk to each other but  aren’t really  listening? Yeah that’s how they did this.

Callie was speaking to Arizona, while Arizona was speaking to Callie, and both were  talking about how their day went,  listening to the other. Each had their own topic, and although they let each other finish what they were saying, they just went on with their own topic without replying to each other



Callie: I told him how busy I am. He knows. He knows …he just doesn’t care

Arizona: I am an attending! With an entire service of my own. How am I gonna share dozens of patients before

Callie: Oh and now he’s bringing this guy to my lab, right, like Im gonna say no to a guy who gave up his leg for our country


Arizona: She has me reviewing journals and doing skills lab, I have a case report that’s due by four, I’m sorry excuse me I have a neuroblastoma to remove at 4

Callie was chuckling but realized something about what Arizona said

Callie: Is this your way of telling me that you can’t  attend our meeting at the surrogacy agency tonight?



Arizona: What?? No! No! I will figure that out.



If ever Arizona forgot all about it, or if she didn’t, her defensive reaction  was commendable. She was trying to please Callie. And despite her tons of tasks, she was determined to work out her mess of a schedule. 

It was noticeable that Callie seemed to have  a preconceived notion of Arizona being undecided about it, or can easily change her mind.


Arizona: I just…say something to help me

(This reminds me of that day when Arizona told Callie  “Tell me I’m great”)

And Callie dutifully and lovingly says

"You own a hospital, you are raising a beautiful girl, you save babies, you’re gonna save more, right? You can do this too. Anyone can. and you can."

Then Arizona's  phone rang

Arizona: Ok listen I will meet you at the agency with a smile on my face

Callie: And we will get ourselves a new baby



Arizona and Callie were a sketch of  pure unadulterated delight, then Callie lovingly touched her wife’s face, and then held her arm sweetly. Well, may we just label this as Exhibit A: The sweetest scene of the episode.



This whole scene was actually cute. Light. They were in high spirits despite their own pressures. They were gung ho about prospects about their plans about having a baby.


Hell hath no fury than a Calliope scorned




They show the guy a prototype of the titanium bodied leg. It had 13 sensors. His muscles and nerves must interface with the sensors. So  they had to test it using an electromyogram.
Unfortunately,  something was wrong with the reading. Callie was alarmed




Owen sensed it “what”

Callie : I should be seeing readings.

Patient: What’s going on?



Owen : We’re just having trouble with the EMG

Callie: No No It’s not the EMG. Jeff…

Owen: Dr Torres , can I talk to you for a moment?

Callie: Excuse us Jeff

Callie was willing to be upfront with Jeff who wasn’t eligible for the robotic leg, but Owen cut  off 
Callie from telling the truth so enter… badass furious Callie scene.


Callie: That was inappropriate
Owen: Inappropriate? You were about to reject him from the study
Callie: Yes. You saw those readings. The way his amputation was performed,  there’s no way this will work. Okay it’s a crappy amputation
Owen: Probably cause it was done in less than ideal circumstances. He’s a soldier for God sakes.



Callie: I know that. I feel bad about that, all right? I care about that I really do. You know who doesn’t care?  You know who doesn’t give a damn about his service? The robot leg. All the robot leg cares about is that the nerves on his leg are not communicating with his muscles which means they can't communicate with the sensors prosthesis which means the robot leg won’t work!



Owen: You could find a way to help him, just,  just figure it out

Callie: I’m sorry , are you not listening to me Owen? Are you deliberately being obtuse, I just told you his nerve

Owen: Just fix it, just..

Callie: I just told you , I cant!

Owen: Just fix it, that is an order!


Callie: An order, who are you? General Patton?

Owen: I'm the Chief of Surgery.

Callie: On the surgical floor you are my Chief. In my lab, funded by money that I procured, I am in charge, are we clear??


Owen: No. You don’t get this guy’s hopes up and then leave him with nothing


Callie: No no no, I didn’t do that Owen, you did that. Youre the one there running your mouth at the rehab center about free, pain-free six million dollar man robot legs. I'm about to go in there and crush his dreams because of you!

And Callie storms off.

I have never seen Callie this furious. I think that based on my trusty Callie memory, this is the loudest that she has shouted at anyone. It was a terribly tense moment and even as we saw this already from the sneak peek, I could not help but still be crushed because it was not a pleasurable sight to see  Callie  extremely angry.

But  as an aside, Furious Callie is super attractive Callie.

It wasn’t as if she was not compassionate about the patient. It was actually an anger caused by having to be the one who would have to break the news  to Jeff, when this man’s  hopes were falsely kept  up due to Owen’s overenthusiasm. She just felt it was not right, and worse, she was to be the harbinger of bad news.

Count the emotions that Sara has displayed in this ep. There was anger, there was sadness, tears, there was happiness. All performed with intensity. When has Sara ever failed us? Her acting is always topnotch.

The Ortho Goddess and Mister Hall Monitor


Next scene we see Callie confronted by  Jackson about the noise that she and Owen created in the hospital hallway.

Jackson: So I heard you and Hunt had a little episode in the hallway

Callie: He told on me (with a look of exasperation)
You could write me up all you want for insubordination but I stand by the fact that I do not take orders regarding my own lab and Hunt..



Jackson gently interrupted Callie’s rambling and gave her a  gentle, charming  piece of his mind 



"…..I'm not asking you to take orders in your own lab.., what I'm asking is maybe that you not have a screaming match in the middle of the hallways of the hospital because when members of the board cause a scene, I have to stop practicing medicine, which I love doing, and become a hall monitor which I don't really love doing. So I come down here lecture you about responsibility, honor and crap, I don’t really  want to be lecturing you about….
Grey calls in sick, your wife tries to give up peds surgery on me and ….so you and Hunt running around screaming at each other, I don’t get to be a surgeon. I’m a hall monitor.”



Callie was cooperative. She stood up for her principles but  she  knew where she went wrong

Callie: I will stop screaming in the hallways


Jackson: All right, what’s wrong

Callie: Hunt’s got this bug up his butt about a candidate for my robotic  limb project  and as much as you want it to happen, those nerves are not communicating with those muscles and there’s nothing I can do about it


Jackson : I can . Targeted muscle renovation. Create an alternate traffic route for the nerve signals, that’s like if there’s construction on a highway, you pick a side street right? I can dissect a nerve, secure a location and then rewire it whenever u need a connection established.




Eureka! Callie was amazed.

Callie: You are a waste as a hall monitor

Jackson: I know!

Jackson seemed revitalized. He has had a surgery drought and this was one project that seemed to awaken his surgery savvy once again.  And yes, Jackson did save the day!



Owen's apology 




Then while scrubbing in, Owen approaches Callie. And we thought we were  in for a light scene because of how fun it started, with Callie’s no nonsense directness..

Owen: I owe you an apology

Owen’s  pregnant pause allowed Callie to give a candid reply

Callie: What,  are you going to give me one  or is it just  a heads up?

Owen: I'm sorry okay? We’re okay?


Callie: No! Come back here. Come back and say a bunch of crap to make me understand why you were yelling at me and giving me orders and generally being a big old ass. No we’re not okay.

So Owen goes on with his iconic speech, which was incidentally brilliantly witten by Shonda. And I was actually so floored by this.

“I need something to be good. I need something to feel right. I’m not depressed. My heart is not broken. I’m not grieving. She’s not dead. She’s out there. She’s living out her dream. I know, I know she’s happy and that makes me feel proud for her. 

But there is this other feeling that doesn’t completely feel fair or right or good. She goes on, day in, day out. Happy without me. Every morning I wake up and there’s this pit there’s this feeling here that maybe my dreams are over. Maybe I had my dreams, and they’re over now. Maybe I’m single now, No wife, no kids, no family. She was my family. 

And now she’s someplace else and I let her go and its good that I did, I mean it’s better for her. But for me.... So I need something to be good. I need a reason to get up every morning. And then crawl back into that cave that I was in before I met her. And you know? She saved me. You know, you were there, you remember how I was, I was,  I was dark, and war may be dark, and that darkness is still in me. She just lit it up. 

So I just thought, maybe to beat back that darkness I would do something good, I'd just do something good. And go be with those guys who remind me …I just wanna be good. And that’s why I dragged you into that rehab center.  That’s why I wanted you to help. That’s why I pushed you hard and that’s it. I’m not gonna talk about it anymore so just say that we’re okay.”

Callie: Okay

Owen: Great

Callie: Owen



Owen: For God sakes, Callie

Callie:  I was just going to ask if you wanted to watch Jeff’s surgery.  Jackson is doing a little muscle renovation, he’s moving the nerves to where they can talk to the robot sensors.

 Callie and Owen with  Avery trying to be cool


Then in the O.R. Owen, Callie and Jackson work on Jeff, as Owen and Jackson discussed the procedure, Callie suddenly popped the question. Callie had been full of surprises in this episode…

Callie: Avery, have I mentioned that Hunt and I are starting a special project with Veterans?

Owen: We are?



Callie: We are.  We are taking a chunk of my research money and focusing it on prosthetics for vets. Free, Pain-free. Right?

Jackson : That sounds great. That is good for the hospital. Good work, guys.

Callie: You want in? Unless you’re too busy with butt implants, hall monitoring...

Jackson: Well yeah I guess you would benefit from 'good plastics guy who knows nerves'

Callie: Eww, so weak. Did you see him trying hard to pretend he had friends in the playground? Don’t try to be cool, don’t try to be cool, it’s…hot…


Owen: Don’t try to be cool

Jackson: Shut up

This hilarious banter in the O.R. was just a welcome comic relief from the tense moments of this episode.


Couch Talk at the Surrogacy Agency


Callie and Arizona meet up at the agency and discuss cozily and eventually tensely in a couch.
It was a welcome sight not to see them in their hospital coats.

Callie enthusiastically regaled Arizona about her new project



Callie: Adding on this renovation, it revolutionizes the whole thing, I mean the potential for control these patients can have is incredible, I could have I mean, I could change the way the world does amputations

Arizona: Sounds like you really wanna do this



Callie: I do, I do. And we’ll be stretched so then I really think that..

Arizona: So wait, so are you saying that maybe we should wait on this baby?


Arizona was sincere with her question after hearing Callie’s story and seeing her eagerness toward it and assessing that this might not bode well for their planned baby. Arizona was questioning, which surprised Callie

Callie: What? No. No. Why would you say that?



At this point, Callie’s mind seemed to be racing and wanted to get ahead of what Arizona was going to think and say. Given all their experiences with the journey in trying to have a baby, Callie was already becoming  jaded, that there will be something again that will hinder them from having a baby.

Arizona: No because you said it was going to be too much to juggle




Callie did not seem to be listening to what Arizona was saying. She had already figured out Arizona’s supposed reply in her mind. She had a picture of how this conversation was supposed to go, how the dialogue was supposed to be, and it seemed it didn’t already matter what Arizona was saying.

Callie: And you’re supposed to say it’s not a problem, ‘you can do it Callie, we can do it all’ 
You're supposed to support me the way that I’ve been  supporting  you ever since you decided you needed to start this fellowship

This sentence said a lot. It allowed us to get a glimpse of what was inside her mind and heart.
She had been giving all the way. Giving and forgiving. Ever since Arizona lost her leg, since Arizona cheated, since Arizona had her affair with Leah, since Arizona’s struggle coming to terms with her disability. Callie was there, was supportive.



But now, we see that Callie is human after all. And what a relief, really. This seemed to be the start of her breaking point.

Now, we begin to see Callie starting to show that she has expectations too. She had been there for Arizona all the way. She understood her. She supported her. And now that she was engaged in  a new project which will keep her busy, she expected Arizona to be her cheerleader and help push her on with both her project  and to have a baby?

Arizona: What if we can’t? What if we can’t do anything and everything?

Callie was stunned by what her wife said, she was careful to ask the dreaded question




Callie: Are you saying you don’t want …Are you saying you don’t want a baby? Cause then what are we doing here, why are we meeting with this lady who’s going to help us find someone who can help us make a baby if you don’t want a baby.

Arizona: Don’t put words in my mouth this was my idea

And this is a welcome revelation. We could see that Arizona made an effort to insist to have a baby, as Callie gave way to her last episode, to pursue her fellowship. True enough both gave way to each other.

Callie: Yeah but you don’t want to carry it and then I couldn’t and you still couldn’t carry it and then we find this and you find something else to do, okay I got it, it’s so obvious, I can’t believe it. Say it. Just say it.  Just say the words . You don’t want a baby

Callie was short-fused about this long drawn out topic. She was already defensive at the mere talk of the baby.


I was staring at Arizona’s reaction. She was confused and surprised. She didn’t know what to say and was not able to speak. Because the woman at the agency assigned to speak to them,  interrupted their discussion.



“Hello”

So Arizona and Callie stared at her in suspended silence, and there we were,  left hanging..
Until the next scene…



Callie breaks down


In the next scene, Callie was checking on their sleeping “masterpiece patient” and she was  crying, hidden from view of everyone.


Jackson and Owen came by to tell Callie that it’s time for the board meeting and to check on the patient too,  and Owen, sensing that something was wrong, approached Callie..

Owen: You okay?



Callie: Yeah, I just uh…I need something to be good too…  

Callie broke down and so did I. She just could not hold  in all the suppressed sadness  and frustration anymore. She needed to let it out. When Callie Torres cries, we all cry.



And Owen, in a very sweet gesture, gives her  a comforting hug. It was a touching moment seeing Callie cry and it was such a relief that Owen was there. Callie had to have someone to break down to. And  Owen is a teddy bear, after all.



Callie was there for him when he opened up about his pain about Cristina and Callie forgave him. And now, he was there for her. He was a good friend to Callie.

It is a delight to see this good friendship continuously blooming. Ever since the banana bread days.

Callie breaks the hug. Wipes her tears, and turns light.



Callie: Okay, how sobby do I look? One to ten?

Owen: Hmmm, six



Callie: Oh, okay (Laughing)

The Meeting of the Board


And then at the Grey Sloan Memorial Conference Room, we catch a glimpse of  Callie and Arizona in the board meeting. We are left to witness through the quick camera shots of how Callie was disappointed with her wife and they were not minding each other. A sad way to end the episode really, for Calzona.



In line with the theme, our characters are human. Even as  surgeons and having been jaded with medical situations that can turn  tummies of any ordinary layman, beneath their tough exterior, they are prone to human frailties.

They have vulnerabilities, problems that they face. And with them, we are left in the hope that even as they open up with their weaknesses, that they gain strength to overcome all the challenges they are to face.     

“Surgeons are bred to be invulnerable it’s very hard to lay ourselves  bare,  because we know exactly how deep many injuries can go.
But vulnerability isn’t the opposite of strength. It’s a necessary part.
We have to force ourselves to open up..to offer up everything we have and just pray that it’s good enough otherwise  we’ll never succeed.”


Notes:


Callie and Owen’s project

I just felt the need to make sense of Calliope's extreme anger in the hallways that we saw in this episode, because Callie isn't prone to this kind of anger. It takes extreme conditions to set her off like that. 

When Owen and Callie explained the robotic leg benefits to Jeff, there was a bit of manipulation on Owen’s  part. He knew it would be irresistible for Callie to take this project on but I guess that’s justified because of his noble objectives toward his fellow soldiers, and as he explained later on in his apology, he needed  something to be good. But what was not so right then, was that he kept Jeff's hopes up, to Callie’s objections.

It was reckless on Owen’s part to have done that and Callie was guarding against it but to no avail.

That’s why when they found out that the  robotic leg wouldn’t be feasible for Jeff, frustration plagued both Callie and Owen. Owen for not achieving what he set out to do, and his objective of something good to do. Callie for not being able to fulfill this objective for which she was called upon, and and having to take up the cudgels to explain this to Jeff , when she was not even keen on the idea of keeping his hopes up in the first place.

Owen was too eager, while Callie was sensible enough not to jump to conclusions until they have gone through a process.

So here, we see Callie’s sense of professionalism. She also wanted to be of help to Jeff, but she was in control enough to not let her emotions get the better of her.

Owen and Callie’s Apology scene (Owen’s speech)

Let me just note that with the way Callie handled Owen’s offer of apology, she was communicative enough to let Owen explain. She said it in her own direct  way and she wanted clarity. She was willing to listen to Owen’s explanation. This just led me to think that she can be this clear. She was willing to listen. She just needed to ask Owen to speak up.

For me, this is what we can call crystal clear communication. And I could not for the life of me, figure out why she and her wife cannot have this kind of openness. If only they had this kind of candor. This directness.

And to top it all, she was forgiving. 

What was touching was that kind-hearted Callie easily understood and forgave Owen after that most memorable heartfelt  Shonda-penned monologue.

Callie was  her ever-forgiving self and I was just marveling at the heart of this wonderful character.



Callie and Arizona’s communication

From their first scene together, although it ended sweetly,  there was a clear communication problem. Each one kept talking but neither was listening to the other.

In Callie's scene with Jackson, Jackson mentioned that Arizona was trying to quit peds surgery on him, this was a total surprise to Callie. It seemed that there were some important  things that Arizona had failed to  tell her wife. 

At the surrogacy agency couch talk, Callie was not listening to what Arizona was saying. She already had Arizona’s reply in her mind before her wife could even speak. And she was voicing out her expectations, of how Arizona should be acting at that moment.

It seemed that all the giving and accommodation, which admittedly largely came from Callie all this time, had taken its toll on her. Somehow we saw this coming. It comes with being human. 

She can’t be all-giving all the time and not somehow expect something in return. And maybe she had become used to Arizona balking on their  plans, that she thinks her wife is backing out again.

And as we see her mindset, she begins to blurt out things for Arizona, which honestly didn’t look like Arizona’s thoughts at all.

Seemed Callie had kept it all inside, and it is all manifesting now. Her inner expectations. Her fear that Arizona will ditch the baby thing again, even if this visit to the  Agency was Arizona’s idea.

Clearly, this kind of communication is not what makes a harmonious relationship. From this, we can initially identify  that Callie has unmet expectations. Callie is very eager about the baby. 

Callie had not expressed her true feelings ever since their string of  problems happened.

And now she is bursting at the seams in frustration. 

In contrast to how she and Owen talked in the apology scene, when she told Owen to articulate what led to him act that way. The relief is that Callie forgave him, so that is a good sign that the kind-hearted Callie is still there.

The capacity to understand and forgive is still there. But this particular moment with Arizona tempted a volcano ready to erupt.

So the Calzona journey took a turn for the worse.

As to why Callie wants to have a baby so much that maybe she thinks it can solve all their problems or that it can keep her from losing Arizona again, we hope to know soon. Because if this is her line of thinking, then it does need tweaking.

These two have to continue talking and be open to each other about their feelings because what happened at the couch talk is  a primary example of how feelings long kept inside will soon blow up and will out in an unpleasant manner.

And it was emotion that let out those words and feelings, not sensibility. Arizona’s innocent question touched a raw nerve in Callie who was  already ultra sensitive about the baby issue, and pushed her to stress the point of how she had been so generous all this time.

She was emotional when she put words into  Arizona’s mouth.

Arizona was astounded. She did not know where this had all come from.
I would like to think that Arizona appeared to be happy to have suggested this visit to the agency and despite her very busy new schedule, she was willing to go on with it. There was no hesitation on her part. She was all in with plans to have this baby.

But Callie’s reaction was surprising. And it seems something will blow up soon..

Moving Forward

Will Arizona understand Callie's outburst?
Will they still decide to go on with the baby?
Will Arizona continue on with the fellowship which is wreaking havoc in her schedule?

So this makes it a strong initial build up for the expected ‘bend or break’ point in 11x05.

As expected, episode 3 will contribute to the build up and so will episode 4.

It is just awesome that Shonda has rewritten a lot of Season 11, and brilliant monologues/lines have had much power and thereby resulted in a very good episode.

I am truly hoping that Shonda will also write even more  beautiful dialogues for Calzona in the coming episodes.

And here’s to hope that even in these troubled times, both Callie and Arizona will learn more about each other in order to understand each other better.

Lastly, let’s hope Sofia makes an appearance soon. As we begin to suspect  that she has run away from home because of all this surrogacy talk.

So as always,  hope we keep the faith.

Yep, this time, we badly need to get back to hashtag CalzonaStrong.

#CalzonaForever

Twitter:

@GAFan8

No comments:

Post a Comment