It wasn't flashy. No bombs were detonated or guns fired. Even the surgeries on "Grey's Anatomy" went relatively smoothly this week. (Spoiler alert: Stop reading now if you've saved this episode, the first new one to air in five weeks, for later viewing.)
But it was a strong and sometimes emotional hour with a nice bit of symmetry at its centre: We saw George and Meredith struggling with two drastically different -- but equally painful -- experiences of family.
George is getting closer to his dad than ever, but his father's cancer has spread. Bailey and the Chief did extensive surgery, but Mr. O'Malley may not survive. So George risks losing a parent he loves deeply, and he's grappling with taking over as patriarch of his close-knit family.
Meanwhile, Meredith is feeling the pain of barely knowing her father.
He came to the hospital this week to visit his newborn grandchild (Meredith's half-niece, for those keeping score), who is quite ill. So Meredith had to witness the warmth her dad offers his new family - warmth she craved but didn't get from him during her own childhood.
The Chief encouraged Meredith to talk with her father and it looks like she'll have the chance: The baby won't be leaving the hospital anytime soon, so Thatcher Grey should be pacing the halls of Seattle Grace again next week.
Alex and Addison operated on the baby together -- and almost kissed later in the episode, a fresh development in a storyline that's been brewing for months.
In other news: Izzie finally deposited the $8.7 million cheque from Denny's estate, crying uncontrollably throughout the transaction. But the money probably won't sit idle for long.
A young patient with a severely deformed spine has a chance to recover through radical surgery, but her insurance won't cover it. Izzie is clearly moved by the girl's plight, so odds are she'll use some of her windfall to pay the bill. Once again, she's getting in awfully deep with a patient.
And the power struggle that is Burke and Cristina's relationship has ground to a halt: Neither one will be the first to approach the other, which left them in silence throughout the episode. Still, as the hour ended, she was napping on a couch in his hospital room, watching over him as he recovers from further surgery on his injured hand.
They may not share the bubbly affection that Meredith and Derek enjoy, but in their own icy way, Burke and Cristina are still very much together.
