Grey’s Anatomy – Recap & Review – Song Beneath The Song

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Grey’s Anatomy
Song Beneath The Song

Original Air Date: Mar 31, 2011

Angelique – Associate Staff Writer
Angelique@thetwocentscorp.com

Grey’s goes Glee! We had a musical episode on Buffy years ago – “Once More With Feeling” – and even though I don’t remember many details of that show, I do remember that episode! And I have a feeling that this Grey’s episode will do the exact same thing.

Don’t get me wrong by what I am about to say because I love Glee. I was a little worried (a teeny tiny bit) that this episode of Grey’s would become somewhat cheesy. Glee is all about the music and the performances and in the back of my mind I was wondering how that concept fit into a regular Grey’s episode and I wasn’t really sure if it could. But Shonda and the outstanding cast and crew of Grey’s have proven that I was wrong.

The music was important but it flowed naturally into the background whenever something important happened which I really liked because even though Owen and Bailey where singing during Callie’s treatment, it didn’t take any attention away from the rest of the surroundings which is the way the music usually is used in the show anyway.

The episode starts where we left off last week: the car crash. Arizona wakes up, slammed into the airbag and realizes that Callie isn’t in the car next to her anymore. Callie wasn’t wearing her seat belt and was propelled through the windshield.

Callie and Arizona are brought into SGMW, where every doctor on staff is waiting for her arrival. She has wounds to her face and chest but she’s awake and responsive. Mark and Arizona are watching while everyone tries to figure out what they can do to help Callie. The first song is “Chasing Cars,” by Snow Patrol sung by Callie, Owen and Bailey.

Lucy is trying to find a fetal heartbeat but due to all the noise around her she can’t find it. Webber orders everyone to shut up and finally Lucy is able to confirm that she hears a strong heartbeat and at that moment Callie crashes.

They rush her off to the OR, where Lexie notices that Callie is not yet fully sedated. Owen calls upon everyone to calm down and breathe because this is Callie and they can’t allow themselves to make mistakes. Lexie sings “Breathe (2AM)” by Anna Nalick with her beautiful voice. She’s sent to check up on Mark because he isn’t in the gallery with Arizona. Alex later goes to check on the pediatrician because he’s worried about her.

Callie starts having contractions, which Lucy can stop – for now – but when Webber asks her what she’s planning on doing she admits that she might be a little out of her league which is reason enough for Webber to fly Addison in. Addison is less than pleased with Lucy’s work so far and throws her out of the room.

The Attendings are trying to figure out what their game plan will be for Callie’s treatment and for the baby while the Residents have a moment to reflect their own troubles. Meredith admits that she’s sorry for being jealous of Callie who didn’t try to get pregnant but who got pregnant nonetheless. Owen sings “How We Operate” by Gomez.

Arizona and Mark have to make a decision about the baby and Callie. Surprisingly it’s Mark who seems to care more for Callie while Arizona wants to try and save the baby. Some harsh words are said between the two of them, especially Mark who tells Arizona that she’s nothing.

We get a sort of flashback where time is rewound to the moment right before the crash where Callie realizes what’s about to happen. She starts singing “Running on Sunshine,” by Jesus Jackson. This is the only song which is kinda cheesy and very front and center, where almost everyone sings a part of it.

Meanwhile Christina proves that she’s completely back when she comes up with something that might save Callie, a procedure that she did with Burke years ago. But Teddy is against it completely and since she’s the Attending, Owen chooses her side.

Arizona is sitting at Callie’s bedside talking to her, pouring her heart out. They sing the long-awaited duet of KT Tunstall’s “Universe & U”. Callie’s vitals drop and she’s taken into surgery again. While operating on Callie the cast sings “How to Save a Life” by The Fray.

Her heart stops and Addison has no choice but to deliver the baby, a child delivered at twenty three weeks is barely viable. Lucy tries to get the baby to breathe, and when it doesn’t work Mark and Arizona, who rushed to the OR, can no longer stand on the sidelines and agree on something for the first time since the accident. Arizona steps in, and saves the baby while Callie’s vitals are stabilized.

Again the two find themselves waiting outside Callie’s room, this time however no viscous words are spoken. This time Mark apologizes to Arizona and tells her that he was wrong when he called her nothing because they have a baby together, they are a family.

Even though this episode was centered around Callie, Arizona, Mark and the baby the most heartbreaking part of the episode was when Meredith admitted to Derek that she had been jealous of Callie at the baby shower and how screwed up the universe is. Because Callie didn’t have to try to get pregnant, it just happened while she and Derek are doing everything they possibly can do and nothing happens. Derek promises her that they will have a baby no matter what.

Arizona tells Callie about the baby, their beautiful baby girl – one pound and one ounce of strong as she puts it – one hell of a tiny human. Callie sings Brandi Carlile’s “The Story” which is a beautiful and powerful song which tells everything Callie wants to say to Arizona. At the end of the song Callie wakes up and the first thing she says is ‘yes’. “Yes, I’ll marry you.”

If you know me – which I am aware most people here don’t – you would know that I love music, listening to it, going to concerts and festivals all of it. And you would also know that I have seen quite a broad selection of artists on stage. I have always said that I rather see a singer with a lesser voice who can bring a song than a perfect singer with no feelings. Of course not everyone can be a Julliard graduate or a Tony winner like Sara Ramirez but this cast is blessed with awesome actors who have amazing voices. I was really impressed by Jessica Capshaw and Chyler Leigh, who had never done anything with singing before this.

Yes, Shonda you definitively had this under control all along!