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Changes: Shock to the System

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*[[James Tupper]] as [[Andrew Perkins|Dr. Andrew Perkins]]
  
*[[James Tupper]] as [[Andrew Perkins|Dr. Andrew Perkins]]
 
*[[Ashley Crow]] as [[Linda Cotler]]
  
*[[Ashley Crow]] as [[Linda Cotler]]
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*[[John Walcutt]] as [[Paul Cotler]]
 
*[[Camille Chen]] as [[Kerry Schultz]]
  
*[[Camille Chen]] as [[Kerry Schultz]]
 
*[[Walter Perez]] as [[Russ Gammie]]
  
*[[Walter Perez]] as [[Russ Gammie]]

Revision as of 05:39, 20 September 2014


“ They say lightning never strikes twice. But that's a myth. It doesn't happen often. Lightning usually gets it right the first time. When you're hit with 30,000 amperes of electricity, you feel it. It can make you forget who you are. It can burn you, blind you, stop your heart and cause massive internal injuries. But for something that happens in only a millisecond, it can change your life forever. Lightning doesn’t often strike twice. It’s a once in a lifetime thing. Even if it feels like the shock is coming over and over again. Eventually the pain will go away, the shock will wear off. And you start to heal yourself. To recover from something you never saw coming. But, sometimes the odds are in your favor. If you’re in just the right place at just the right time you can take a hell of a hit. And still have a shot at surviving. ”

Shock to the System is the second episode of the seventh season and the 128th overall episode of Grey's Anatomy.

Short Summary

After weeks of concealing the fact she was pregnant and miscarried, Meredith at last tells Derek and is finally cleared to return to her surgical duties in the wake of the hospital shooting spree; Cristina experiences post-traumatic stress disorder in the midst of an operation; and Bailey refuses to let Alex operate until he agrees to have the bullet in his chest removed.

Full Summary

Episode in detail.

Cast

Main Cast

Guest Stars

Medical Notes

Meredith Grey

  • Diagnosis: Psychological trauma
  • Doctor: Andrew Perkins (trauma counselor)
  • Treatment: Trauma counseling

Ever since the shooting, the surgeons had to get cleared for surgery by Andrew Perkins, the trauma counselor that was hired by the hospital. Unlike her colleagues, Meredith still hadn't been cleared.

In the beginning of the episode, she tried to get cleared by showing Andrew her emotional. She was crying and told Andrew it was really hard to see Derek bleeding out after he was shot. She then added it felt good to finally get that out. However, Andrew still didn't clear her for surgery, making her leave the conference room angrily. She later revealed to Cristina she had put on bad mascara so Dr. Perkins couldn't miss her tears.

At the end of the episode, Meredith told him that she lost a baby, almost lost her husband and that her best friend may never recover. She said she didn't have any control over what he would do and was done trying to get cleared. Andrew Perkins said that was a good plan and then cleared her for surgery.

Alex Karev

  • Diagnosis: Bullet in chest
  • Doctor: Miranda Bailey (general surgeon)
  • Treatment: Taking the bullet out surgically

Alex was shot by Gary Clark in the season 6 finale. The wound healed properly, but the bullet was still in his body. In this episode, the bullet surfaced. However, Alex didn't want it taken out of his body as he was proud of it.

When Bailey bumped into him and felt the bullet in his chest, she refused to let him operate on any patient until someone took it out. Alex then had to stand in Bailey's OR to observe her surgery so she could make sure that he wouldn't operate on anyone. After the surgery was finished, Bailey told Karev she was done bullying him and wanted the bullet removed as it reminded her of the shooting. Alex then agreed and Bailey took it out.

Linda Kotler

Kerry Schultz

Russ

Mitch

Warren Griffith

Music

Song Performer Scene
"Precious" Tobias Froberg
  • There's a storm in Seattle.
  • Meredith pretends to make a breakthrough with her trauma counselor.
"Wishing He Was Dead" The Like
  • Lexie tends to Kerry.
  • Russ and Mitch make Kerry cry.
  • Meredith, Cristina, Jackson, Alex and Lexie watch the footage of the lightning bolt.
"Into the Mystic" Greg Laswell
  • Lexie shows Derek, Mark and Kerry the lightning footage, revealing something interesting.
  • Kerry has a promising recovery.
"The Wait" School of Seven Bells
  • Derek tells Lexie that Mark is afraid of her.
  • Meredith bursts in on April.
"Calling Me" Alva Leigh
  • Callie warns Mark about a significant event in his life.
  • Owen tells Meredith and Cristina that Linda is fine.
  • Meredith tells Derek about her miscarriage.
"Business Transaction" Home Video
  • Warren apologizes to Kerry.
  • Bailey tells Alex he has to let her remove the bullet.
  • Teddy updates Paul on Linda's condition.
"White Blank Page" Mumford & Sons
  • Meredith and Cristina talk about their marriages when Owen walks in and gives them a speech.
  • Meredith gets cleared for surgery.

Notes and Trivia

thumb|300px|right

  • This episode's title originated from the song Shock to the Sytem, originally sung by Billy Idol.
  • This episode scored 12.53 million viewers.
  • Meredith finally gets cleared for surgery by Andrew Perkins at the end of the episode.
  • This episode marks the first time that Alex is being operated on in an OR in Seattle Grace Mercy West Hospital. When he got shot in the Season 6 finale, Lexie and Mark gave him some first-aid help before he was transmitted to another hospital.
  • This episode marks Sara Ramírez' 100th episode as Callie Torres.
  • Meredith finally tells Derek about her miscarriage in Death and All His Friends.
  • This episode follows directly on With You I'm Born Again, as April mentions that Owen and Cristina's wedding was last night.
  • Cristina says 50% of marriages end in a divorce, so that between her and Meredith, Meredith and Derek's marriage should be fine. Ironically, in season 9, Cristina and Owen really get divorced.

Gallery

Episode Stills

Quotes

April: Dr. Shepherd, the chief is looking for you.
Derek: I know.
April: You missed the wedding last night.
Derek: I know.
April: You smell like pee.
Derek: I know!
Derek: Hey I've heard about Cristina. Is she alright?
Meredith: No, she's not alright. No one is alright. That idiot is clearing everyone for surgery like they're fine and they're not fine.
Derek: Stop, stop it, I need to talk to you.
Meredith: Just leave it alone Derek, it was one night in jail, you drive too fast, just forget about it!
Derek: I don't wanna talk about that, don't worry about that.
Meredith (teary eyed): Don't worry about it? All I do is worry. All the time, I spend every minute of every day worrying that I'm gonna get a phone-call that you've wrapped your car around a pole. That's why I left you in jail. So that just for a little while I would know that you weren't dying like you were dying on that table. That's what I think about every time you pull out of the driveway.
Derek: I'm right here. I'm okay. We're okay.
Meredith: I was pregnant. That day, I was pregnant, and I lost it.
Derek: I... (pause) You didn't say anything. I could've helped you.
Meredith: If you wanna help me, your driving is something you can control. Just do that. Just do that. 
(They kiss and hug)
Meredith: (to Perkins) Go hug yourself!
Meredith: (to Perkins) I lost a baby, I almost lost my husband, and my best friend may never recover. So, I don't care what you do. Clear me or don't clear me, I have no control over any of it. I'm giving up.
Perkins: Well... (signs the form, she's cleared) That sounds like a good plan. You're cleared for surgery, Dr. Grey.
Mark: (to Derek) Hey, how was your night in jail? You shank someone right off the bat? You gotta let the other cons know not to mess with you.
Derek: That's not funny. They almost charged me with reckless endangerment.
Webber: I'm sorry, what?! I mean, that's where you've been all morning, in jail for reckless endangerment?
Derek: Nobody was endangered.
Webber: I can't have this, Derek. I won't...
Derek: Have you ever been over 120mph before? Richard, have you ever been over 80? It's fun, really fun. (excitedly) I mean, especially when you go through a corner like that, at that speed and you're not sure if the rear end is gonna stick or not and you lose control, and then you put the throttle down and the car corrects a little bit and you take it to the limit. And you don't loose control, you just grab it! Have you ever done it?
Webber: No, Derek.
Derek: You want to? I'll take you.
Mark: You should, it's really great.
Derek: Let's go. Right now. Come on.
Webber: I'd like that.

See Also

A complete overview of this episode's crew can be found here.

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