Big Bang Theory/Grey's Anatomy/Fringe/The Mentalist/Private Practice

The Big Bang Theory – The Boyfriend Complexity

     Penny’s father came to visit and Penny had lied him and told him that she and Leonard were back together.  So they spent the entire episode pretending to be back together to make her father happy.  Leonard seemed to really be having fun with the situation, but Penny was uncomfortable with it, and eventually told her father the truth.  He was disappointed but understanding to Penny, but asked Leonard not to give up on her.

     Howard and his girlfriend Bernadette hung out with Raj while he watched planets on a feed from a telescope in Hawaii.  Raj had some wine, and he and Bernadette bonded a bit and got to know each other better.  Then Raj drank too much wine and tried to kiss Bernadette in a moment of sadness.  Instead Howard pushed him away and Raj and Howard ended up kissing each other.  They both got weird about it, but I am sure it will be fine next week.

     There wasn’t enough Sheldon in the episode, but he was very funny.  At one point he tossed a bunch of papers in the air in frustration, and one of them stuck to the back of his head.  It was hysterical, and it was unplanned and just happened.

Grey’s Anatomy – Slow Night, So Long

     The Residents were on the night shift, not working with our usual Attendings.  Our Attendings were at Joe’s celebrating the fact that Derek won the Grant he wanted for Alzheimer’s research.  It was cool to see some of the Attendings get a bit hammered, especially Bailey, who got to relax and let loose.  Callie and Mark hooked up; she used him as her sexual sorbet, to cleanse her palate after Arizona.  Teddy went on an internet date that lasted less than an hour, then got drunk with everyone else and bemoaned the single life.  I feel ya, sister.

     Hunt was on call, and had to go into surgery, assisted by Avery and Lexi.  Avery rocked the surgery, even thought he was still having nightmares, not sleeping well, and still seemed very angry.  He finally talked to Lexi a bit, not actually about himself but about the patient who will likely experience survivor’s guilt.  Avery basically told Lexi that is at least part of what he is experiencing, why he is dreaming about Charles, and why he is so angry.

     Meredith was on Dr Stark’s service, but he was more interested in enjoying a nice real at a nice restaurant than making sure the children in his care were okay.  Meredith called him in once for a child, and when he decided it was gas, he left in frustration.  When the same child experienced even more pain, Meredith went to Alex, because he had more recent experience in Pediatrics.  They ran some tests, discovered the child had an ulcer, and booked an OR.  They repeatedly tried to reach Stark, but he never once responded to a page, so Alex did the surgery himself, with Mer assisting.  He rocked it, saved the child, and then they both got berated by Stark, while the Chief looked on, more or less amused.  He totally understood what had happened and what had gone on.

     I wish I didn’t have to talk about Cristina and the situation she was in this week.  I understand this storyline, why it needed to be told, why it couldn’t be resolved in just a couple of episodes, and even why Cristina had to be the center of this story.  This storyline shows the amazing talent of Sandra Oh, and has really showcased her acting ability.  All that being said, I want Cristina the rock star surgeon back, damnit!  I hate that she was working as a bartender at Joe’s, and I hate that she got fired ½ way through her first shift.  I hate that she kept acting like she worked there, and then drank herself into an alcoholic stupor, and that she acted more like a stripper than a doctor.  I am terribly frustrated by the fact that she isn’t doing anything to help herself heal.  She knows she is a mess, yet has not gotten professional help.  She forced Owen to get help to deal with his PTSD, yet she hasn’t sought treatment for her own.  I also wish Owen would be a bit more proactive and push her to get help, instead of just holding her hair while she got sick after she got hammered.  I understand he is trying to stand back and let her come to it herself, but she needs his help.  I have to say, it’s a good storyline, because it certainly has me feeling passionate about what’s going on.

Fringe – The Abducted 

     We were back in the alternate universe with our Olivia tonight.  In the Alt-verse every kidnapping as treated as a Fringe case, dating back to when Peter was kidnapped and brought to our world by our Walter.

     The important part of this story was that Olivia figured out who the kidnappers were, with the help of Broyles’ son, who had been kidnapped by these men several years ago.  Olivia rescued the most recent kidnapped boy, and her kindness to both children really affected Broyles deeply.  When Olivia made a mistake and said she was with the FBI, he realized she had remembered who she really was and where she was really from.  Instead of turning her in he walked away.  So, he didn’t help her, but he didn’t hurt her either.

     She made her attempted escape but was pulled out of the tank by Walternate and his team, who were warned an alarm was triggered in the lab.  Before she disappeared from our universe, she was able to speak with a woman in the gift shop that she keeps appearing in within our universe.  She left a message for Peter, and the woman called Peter and told him that Olivia disappeared in front of her but asked her to call and tell him that she is trapped in the other universe.  Of course, Peter was in bed with Fauxliva when she called, so what he is going to do is anyone’s guess.

The Mentalist – Red Moon

     I don’t have a lot to say about this episode.  A serial killer targeted law enforcement, but also killed a woman who was not part of law enforcement.  The woman’s boyfriend/fiancée/husband wanted revenge on the killer, and Patrick eventually figured out that he was actually the killer.

     Once arrested he said he would talk, but he would only talk to Patrick.  When Patrick arrived in his holding cell, the killer was ON.FIRE.  Burned alive, he was placed in the hospital and as his organs were shutting down and he was dying he woke for one horrible moment and whispered something to Patrick that seemed to completely freak Patrick out.  Now, I have to be honest here, I rewound the DVR three or four times, yet had absolutely no idea what he said.  So I searched on line, and apparently he said “tiger tiger” which was part of a poem Red John    quoted to Patrick when he was holding Patrick hostage.  It appeared that this man was working with, or for, Red John.  No wonder Patrick looked freaked out.  This scene would have had a great deal more resonance for me if a) I had been able to figure out what he said, and b) if I remembered the poem. 

Private Practice – Can’t Find My Way Back Home

     When this episode ended the first thought I had was “Finally!”  Finally Charlotte did the right thing, finally Cooper knew the truth, and finally the insane pressure she had been putting on herself under trying to keep her rape a secret from Cooper was relieved a bit.  When Violet told him, my first thought was that Charlotte will never forgive her, but maybe she will.  Cooper was a rock, and said all the things Charlotte needed to hear, and meant them. 

     Charlotte identified her attacker, Lee, in a line up.  I am so hopeful this will allow her to start healing and getting her life back.  She will never be the same, the attack and rape will always be a part of her for the rest of her life, but being able to finally say “this is the man who hurt me” should give her a way to move forward.

     The other major thing that happened this week was that Addison told Sam she wants to have a baby, and sooner rather than later.  She said they don’t need to talk about it, which I didn’t really understand.  I wasn’t sure if she meant that she thought he would just be fine with them having a child together or if she doesn’t really care if Sam is a part of it or not.  At first I really had no idea, but the longer I have thought about it, the more I think she is just going to do it with or without Sam, on her own, and he need not do anything in the conception or raising process.