A Death In The Family
Updated 2009-10-02 09:21:23
No previouslies, which is sort of odd since last season left us with at least one cliffhanger . But this show has no time for playing catch-up. It's too important for that. We open with a funeral scene, and a very sad and alone Pete. So it has to be Violet, right? We also see Naomi and Sam, standing together. He's wearing glasses, and she's wearing a giant hat. We get some weird flashing back to last season, with Katie cutting the baby out, and then Pete arrives and finds Violet. He's panicking, so he doesn't even notice the baby's missing until Naomi shows up and is all, "Pete! Pete! Where's the baby?" They call an ambulance. ...
... Then we're in the hospital hallway with Violet on a gurney. Everyone wonders where Addison is, and she shows up, so we know all will be right with the world. Pete wonders what Violet's blood type is, but no one knows. Addison tries to ask Cooper, but he's just feeling sorry for himself that he showed up and heard a noise inside the door but ignored it, leaving Violet to get all cut up. Pete tries to follow Addison in to the O.R., but Addison's all, "I am amazing! Let me do my thing." Or something like that. Pete thinks he should know Violet's blood type. Because you should always know the blood type of the person you decided to finally admit you like twenty minutes ago. Addison says, "Cooper," again, and then we're in a flashback, which we can recognize by its weird lighting, very non-glowy and non-Oceanside Wellness lighting. They must have hired a lighting stylist since then to give it that warm, orange glow.
Cooper and Violet are unpacking boxes at Oceanside, totally excited about this awesome new place they're going to be working! Cooper: "It has a kitchen!" He kept urine samples in a mini-fridge under his desk at his last job. Violet wonders what he thinks about Sam and Naomi. Cooper likes them for hiring him, but Violet thinks they're happy and in love, which is totally creepy. She thinks it can't be real, but Sam walks in right then and says it is real. Pete's with Sam, and Cooper (who has more hair, by the way; nice job, stylist people) tells him how great this place is, what with the kitchen! But Pete's not working here; he has his own infectious diseases practice somewhere. He's actually here to be a patient of Violet's, because his wife died four days ago. He acts totally unemotional about it. Naomi bursts in and announces the name she's come up with: Oceanside Wellness. I wonder if they'll stick with that name?
Back in the present, Sam, Dell and Betsy run in, and Cooper and Pete try to explain what happened, but they're sort of a mess. Pete is still trying to go in with Violet, saying, "She said she wanted to be with me," but Cooper and Sam point out he's covered in blood. Sam takes him somewhere to clean him up, leaving Betsy to ask Dell if someone got hurt, for no reason whatsoever other than to remind us Dell exists and that he has Betsy now.
Back in the past, Pete's at his first session with Violet. He tells her that therapy isn't hard; it's just artificial to tell your inner-most thoughts to someone you don't know. Violet asks if he told someone he does know those thoughts, like his wife, for example. Pete responds he's not here for himself; he's here for Sam and Naomi, because they insist. He says she's dead, but he's coping. He doesn't want to talk about her, though he says her name's Anna, and she died in her sleep with no pain. Pete says, look, he respects what Violet does (which is why he said it's "artificial" moments ago: respect), but he doesn't need this. He'll get through it on his own.
Present. A detective is grilling Pete about the attacker, whom they've brilliantly narrowed to Katie. Pete has a meltdown, and wonders if someone's out looking for the baby. He suggests putting something on TV, gets mad that the cop calls Violet "the victim," and then Sheldon walks up and says that Pete's Violet's boyfriend, and he's the baby's father. Pete says he actually is, or they both are. Whatever. They're still bickering over this now? Sheldon tells the cop to "Wear a condom. Tell your friends." What an inappropriate joke to make when the baby is missing. Can we just lose Sheldon now?
Cooper's sitting in the hall, where Charlotte comes up and tells him there's a waiting room with chairs. He blathers on about how he called Violet's family, who can't be bothered to get on a plane because she was raised by wolves. Which ... would explain a lot if actually true. He says he's basically Violet's needy family. He got the needy part right, at least. His phone beeps then, and he ignores it, telling Charlotte that no one wants him looking after their children right now, and they can find whoever is on call. Uh, since his phone is beeping, wouldn't that be him? Or am I missing the meaning of "on call"? He again says he was right there, at the door, and she called. She makes excuses for why she called, but he says it's not her fault, it's his fault. Then he says Violet should have had the baby yesterday, like she was supposed to. Charlotte says he, Violet, and Charlotte aren't to blame. The only person to blame is Katie. She says he's not a superhero, and he says "No. I'm her family." Charlotte holds his hand to comfort him, which must take everything for her to do, since it requires being nice and quiet.
They're starting surgery. Addison shouts instructions, and then notices Naomi's sort of out of it, so she asks what's up. Naomi says she was going to Violet's house and they've worked together every day for the past nine years. Addison says she's going to be okay, but when pressed, she admits she's not actually sure that's true. Don't they ask doctors not to say someone is going to be okay? I guess Addison is so amazing she's above the rules.
After some reprieve, in the form of commercials, Cooper's joining the rest of the worriers in the waiting room. He wonders if they've heard anything. They haven't. Pete says Violet wanted to have Katie committed, but he ignored her concerns. Sheldon interrupts that it's "we." He says they both ignored her concerns, they both love her, they both are possible fathers. He calls Pete a "smug arrogant bastard," and, as if to prove him right, Pete says, "I'm the one she chose." They almost fight, but instead hug. No, really. And it's the most awkward hug ever.
Addison and Naomi do surgical things when Dell comes in and asks for answers. He says he needs to be able to tell Pete and Sheldon something. Then something bad happens, so Addison and Naomi work on it. Dell sees Violet's face and starts talking to her, telling her everyone is here for her and she'll be okay. Addison yells at him, saying Violet can't hear him, but she can't hear herself think. Naomi scolds Addison that Dell's just trying to help, and tells him to keep talking. He sits down and tells Violet he got Betsy back, and now she's his family, too, but until now, the doctors at Oceanside were his whole family. At which point my husband said, "She should flatline pretty soon. That would be dramatic." Agreed.
Back in the past, Naomi and Sam conveniently find out that one of their doctors, a dermatologist, isn't going to join the practice because he's being sued for touching people's feet inappropriately. Sam wants to offer Pete the position, and everyone likes the idea except Violet, who points out he's a patient, so he can't work here. Cooper is inexplicably air boxing while everyone else acts somewhat like adults. Violet doesn't think Pete's fine, so she thinks he has to remain a patient. Sam wonders if they have to fire Coop if he has a heart attack and Sam gives him CPR. They continue to debate whether Pete can join the practice. Violet thinks he has something he needs to face and, until then, no one wants him working here. This is so suspenseful! Will he get to join the practice, I wonder?
Back in the present, Pete wants to be doing something, like looking for Katie. Sam points out that's not his job. Maybe his job could be to whine less. But, nope: He amps it up instead, wondering what if Violet dies. Sheldon tells a stupid story about a patient who got in a car accident on the way to the hospital for chest pains. Her family was killed in the accident and she just had indigestion. Sam (and all of us) wonder if Sheldon has a point. Sheldon says the woman came to him for help, but she was okay, saying, "Son, God will provide." Cooper's like, "That's it?" And Sheldon says they need to have faith, even though he doesn't himself. But he's pretending. Only not so much pretending since he just admitted out loud that he doesn't.
Operating room. Addison and Naomi make more surgical talk about bleeders and blood. Naomi thinks Addison should take out Violet's uterus to save her life. Addison thinks she can do something else that will save the uterus, but Naomi says she might die if they do that. Addison says that if they don't find the baby, she's not going to want to hear that she has no uterus, but Naomi says they will find the baby and at least she'll be alive. Addison says, "I'm embolizing." Dell wonders if they should take into account what Violet would want. Addison gives instructions and then goes to the waiting room to ask for a decision. Pete says, "Save Violet." Sam wonders if that's the choice. After some bickering, Pete and Sheldon agree to save Violet. Addison asks Cooper. Pete doesn't want him involved, but Addison says he's Violet's Cooper. Cooper thinks she'd want her uterus saved. Pete and Sheldon protest, but Cooper says he knows her and this is what she'd want. Addison's going to embolize. I don't think it matters what that means, other than: saving the uterus.
The past. Violet thanks Pete for coming for another session, and he says he was sort of forced to by Sam. He also says he has his own practice, but in light of everything, working with friends seemed good to him. He tells Violet that since she can't figure him out and he doesn't fit into one of her boxes, she thinks he's not okay. Violet thinks he's avoiding talking about something profound. They bicker. It's not cute, though I think maybe it's supposed to be. Violet compares Pete's pain at losing his wife to an infectious disease. Pete asks if she's married or ever been married. She doesn't think it matters, but he doesn't think she's qualified to judge his grief if she hasn't been married. He storms out.
Cooper arrives at the nurse's station and wonders if he's the only pediatrician in Los Angeles, since he's not on call but has been paged five times. The nurse says, "You're the only pediatrician she wants," and points to Katie, who's holding Violet's baby. Cooper whispers to the nurse to call security and then he heads to Katie, who wonders if Violet's alive. She says she heard about her on the news. She tells Cooper she had her baby; isn't he beautiful? Cooper looks like he's going to be sick. Commercials.
Katie's still creeping Cooper out after the commercial. She says she wants Violet to see her baby when she's better, because Violet will be so surprised, since everyone thought she was having a girl. Cooper asks if he's healthy, and what the doctor who delivered him said. She says everything's fine, but Cooper says he looks pale. Pete comes by right then, and is about to storm in and freak out, but Cooper stops him, all, "Look who's here: Katie. She had her baby. Does he look pale to you?" Pete says he does and cites some sort of illness he might have. They eventually convince her -- Pete tells her to "have a little faith" -- to hand the baby to Cooper to take a look, and security guys swoop in and handcuff her. She screams that they're stealing her baby. Cooper hands the baby to Pete and runs to stop Addison.
In surgery, Cooper storms in to say the baby's here, so Addison needs to stop. Addison says it's too late, since she's already started. Charlotte storms in then, and says the baby has something wrong and needs surgery. So, in five seconds the baby went from looking fine to being prepped for surgery? Okay then. Addison leaves to go help the baby, and when Naomi protests, since she's only done this procedure Violet needs in medical school, Addison tells Naomi she's the best in the world and must save this baby. She says, "I can save them both." Except that Naomi would be the one saving Violet, but I'm sure Addison will take credit.
In with the tiny surgery baby, which is so sad to look at that I can't even make fun, Cooper is feeling sorry for himself again, since he ignored all of those pages and could have saved them both if only he had answered the first one. Charlotte doesn't even reassure him this time, but she also manages not to say, "Yeah, I told you to answer your phone, but you wouldn't see past your self-pity."
Past. Pete's leaving and basically tells Sam he cannot stand Violet, though he tempers it with, "I don't want to trash your colleague." Sam's sorry. Then they look at Naomi reading to Maya, who's starting kindergarten this fall. Sam says he's a lucky guy. It's luck that she was his lab partner, and that she went out with him, and that she said yes when he proposed, and that Maya's healthy and happy, and that they have this life, when Pete's... but he doesn't have to finish. Pete says Naomi's the love of Sam's life, which isn't luck, but something else. Pete assures Sam he's going to be fine. Naomi comes to ask Sam to come and read to Maya. Pete watches the loving family.
Back in the present, Naomi's stitching up Violet when her pulse starts to drop and then they have to call in a crash cart and use the paddles on her. Dell asks what the hell is going on, and Naomi's like, "I don't know." This is the doctor who was recruited to replace Charlotte . She doesn't know. Then she starts talking to herself like she's studying for a class and ends up saying, "electrolytes," and then "Turn her on her side." That's some medicine she's practicing there. It's like she's just spouting the ingredients of Smart Water, which brought her to this epiphany that she must roll Violet over. Brilliant work, Naomi. She gives Violet a shot into her sutures as music of uncertainty plays. It must have been a Smart Water shot, because when they roll her back and use the paddles again, her pulse comes back. Naomi's all, "I did it. I did it. I did it." Except then blood starts running from Violet's nose as her pulse drops again. Naomi tells Dell to get Addison NOW. Guess that Smart Water isn't all it's cracked up to be. I get that they're trying to make Naomi look like she's struggling to overcome her idiocy compared to the amazing Addison, but I am not buying that Naomi would ever be this a) stupid or b) unsure of herself.
Addison's talking surgery talk over the baby when Dell comes in and gets all firm, telling Addison to come NOW. Addison tries to ignore him, but he says Violet's bleeding from her nose and mouth and it won't stop. Charlotte: "She nawt clawttin'? Damn." Dell continues yelling at her, and she says she hears him. A doctor we don't see tells Addison he's got it here, so she sets the clamp and then, after pausing to tell the other presumably competent surgeon what to do and not to kill this baby while she's gone, she leaves. Pete tries to get information from her in the hall, but she storms by, all "Not now." Dell looks at Pete, who says, "I know, I know. I should try to have a little faith."
In Violet's surgery, Naomi tells Addison what's going on. Addison wants to give her an anticoagulant, which Dell and Naomi try to protest since, you know, she's not clotting. She tells Naomi what to do and then says she has to get back to the baby. Naomi says Addison better be right, and Addison shouts, "Do it, Nae!" as she storms out. Close-up of Violet's pale, bloody face leads us into a flashback.
Pete returns to Violet's office and tells the story of how he found his wife dead in bed. He woke up and she ignored him, so he went to the bathroom, then he talked to her and she ignored him, so he called her a bitch. She was still silent, so he ripped the covers off. And she was dead. He says he spent five minutes arguing with his dead wife. He starts to cry, as Violet's thinking, "Gotcha! I knew you had something to share." She tells him that he didn't know, and his anger didn't kill her or change anything. She says "People fight," but he says he hated his wife, and he doesn't know what that says about what kind of man he is. He cries and says if she wants to know why he didn't want to talk to Violet about it, it's because his wife is dead and all he can think is, "I can breathe again."
Back in the baby's surgery, Addison's calm and collected, when Naomi walks in. Addison asks if Violet died, and Naomi says, no, she barely made it. Addison says that's good. Then we flash back to Sam, Naomi, and Cooper trying to find a new doctor for the practice. Violet comes in and tells them to hire Pete. She thinks he's going to be okay, and she referred him to someone else. She says it will be good for the practice. Back in the present, Naomi watches Pete sitting by Violet's side. Addison walks up and Naomi asks how the baby is. Addison says she did her best, and time will tell, and wonders how Violet is. Naomi says she's not waking up and that Addison made all of the decisions and then left Naomi alone in there. Addison screams that Naomi left her alone first. They bicker about why Addison had to do everything, and it's basically because Naomi quit on her and left her alone. So, you know, what you should do is think only of yourself when someone else and her baby are both about to die. Addison is horrible. Even her supposed non-selfishness is completely selfish. Addison says, "I have to do everything. Me." Hey, did you notice Addison thinks everything's about her? She says that she is bad at relationships and friendship, apparently, but she has one thing she's good at: She's a brilliant surgeon. Naomi doesn't get to fault Addison for any of this, since Naomi walked out of the practice and left Addison alone. Naomi refrains from telling her what a horribly selfish wench she is and says, "You're not alone." She'd never leave her alone. I'm sure I'm supposed to be moved by this, but it's just so dumb that Naomi leaving the practice would make Addison think their friendship is over. Naomi goes all Good Will Hunting , saying "You're not alone" over and over as Addison lays her head on Naomi's lap, does her annoying fish-lip affectation, and cries.
Back at the funeral from the start of the episode, the casket's being lowered into the ground, and someone walks up and grabs Pete's hand. It's Violet. So, his wife's funeral happened how many days after her death, exactly? And when did Violet go from being his doctor to a good enough friend to hold his hand? Anyway, Pete throws dirt on the casket, and Sam tells Naomi he doesn't know if he could do it, if God forbid... She says she's not going anywhere.
Back in the present, Naomi and Sam are standing together. She tries to apologize about yesterday, about leaving the practice. He tells her it's okay, that people move on, and they can do this. She agrees they're all going to be okay, and looks over at Addison, who's asleep. They're in the hall, so I don't know if she's on the floor or on a stretcher, because we just have a close-up of her face. In the waiting room, meanwhile, Cooper joins Dell, who has Betsy with him, asleep on her lap (where did she go throughout all of this drama?). Dell says he wanted her back, but now she's back and he feels like she's not what he should be worrying about right now. Cooper points out she should be, since she's his daughter and his priority. Dell wonders how he can deal with being a 25-year-old single father, and Cooper says to just love her, and take time off if he needs to. He says they'll be waiting when he comes back. I don't want Dell to take time off if it means time off from the show. They're not giving him enough to do, but can't they? I mean, he's so cute. Why would they want to lose that, even temporarily? Maybe they were told to cut costs, but couldn't they have killed off Violet instead? Or sent Charlotte back to the South? Cooper tells Dell he's not a superhero, and he should just breathe. Then he tells him he'll watch Betsy if Dell wants to go see Violet, so Dell leaves. Charlotte comes in and tells Cooper to go see Violet, because if she wakes up, she'd want him there. Cooper says he's good here. Charlotte sits down and looks at him.
Pete's sitting with the baby when Sheldon comes in and Pete valiantly asks Sheldon if he'd like to sit with him. He would like that, and thanks Pete. He wonders what his name is, and Pete says they'll have to ask Violet if she wakes up. Sheldon: "When she wakes up," and Pete agrees.
Back in the past, Pete's unpacking in his new office. He's not wearing a suit anymore, and Violet wonders why. He says he's also thinking of changing specialties, to alternative medicine. Maybe that's something you should have told them before they asked you to join the practice. They might not have wanted that particular specialty here, after all. Violet wonders if she can ask him how he is now that they're just colleagues. He says he's better, and then she tells him what kind of man she thinks he is: He's the kind of man who married the wrong person. Pete says maybe his wife married the wrong person, and that he's not cut out for love and marriage and all of that. She says he is, because he's a good man (and all good men must marry, right?), and he'll find someone to love.
Back in the present, we get another close-up of Violet's face. I have to say that as silly as this show is, they went all out making Violet look truly, horrendously injured. She wakes up, and wonders where he is. Pete says, "He's here," and gives her the baby. She looks happy, says he's so beautiful, that she didn't expect that. She must think he's Sheldon's. Addison turns away, crying, because it's not all about her and she HATES when that happens. Naomi sees her turn away and reaches out to hold her hand. Close-up of the baby. This would all be much more meaningful to me if I didn't watch the previews. We get an extended preview of 2012 , which is so terrible I wish I were recapping that. Because it was made for snarking.
Next week: Violet won't leave the house, and she also hates her baby, and faces a "heartbreaking decision." Kellie Martin stabbed her husband, but says it was an "accident." I hate it when that happens. It looks like she has somewhat of an evil child, though, so maybe she did it. Oh, and if you want to see the REAL Kate Walsh, they have video at ABC.com . Don't trip all over each other trying to watch it.
DeAnn is a writer and editor in Portland, Oregon. You can contact her at twopmodmars@gmail.com .