Let it Go
Updated 2008-11-06 09:11:03
Addison needs $480,000 and she needs it now. She wakes up a sleepy notChristopher with her excitement about needing half a million dollars. It is two weeks into their newly mature rules free boinking relationship. And good god why does this show always have to start with montages of the doctors' sex lives? What about the children? It's barely past baby bedtimes! Ack, forget the kids, what about the adults who are just trying to do their jobs and don't really want to recap naked doctors? Next on the nude rotation are Meg and Pete. And really Meg still smokes? Pete calls her on it, but it's just foreplay, and they roll back on top of each other. Now onto Cooper and Charlotte who are surprisingly... dressed. Weird. Cooper is charmingly chucking out all his condoms because they are going monogamous and getting HIV tests. Now we roll over to Sam and Naomi who are snuggling in bed when their daughter Maya walks in. She asks if they are getting back together and they smile wide and say yes. Hey wait, we didn't get to see Violet naked! What sort of crap montage is this?
Later in the office Sam recounts the moment to his coworkers as if for Maya the news was like Christmas and a puppy and Obama becoming president all rolled into one. Sam is already having doubts (obviously, this is Shondaland after all), because he hasn't sown enough wild oats. He wants some smoking hot thing like Meg (I was serious about the smoking part) jetting in and making him look good. Cooper is also having doubts. He is not sure about ridding his relationship of condoms. It may be too serious a move for him. Elsewhere in the office, Naomi is filling Violet in on all the details of her and Sam's reunion. Addison walks up to join the conversation and it is immediately awkward. Like whenever a coworker joins a private conversation. Addison tries to pretend she is still BFF with Naomi, but Naomi is coolly civil and Violet looks uncomfortable. In her new role as office manager, world-renowned double board certified neo natal surgeon Addison is calling a meeting. She can save the practice by coming up with $480,000. And they are going to make that much by opening an hour earlier, closing an hour later, and putting in a half day on Saturday. They can make half a million dollars just by doing that? Holy hockey my mother was right, I should have been a doctor. One question though about Addison's plan: they don't actually ever see patients. Is that going to put a wrench in the works? Everyone clears out of Addison's meeting because it is "Jenna's day." Who is Jenna and what is her day? Who knows! It's some Oceanside insider information that no one bothers to explain to Addison. Who sulks in response.
Dell has acquired free condoms from Planned Parenthood and of course everyone encourages man-whore Cooper to load up, which I am sure is exactly what Planned Parenthood and their network of donors had in mind -- protecting the willies of randy doctors. When Cooper declines, Violet turns to console him on his break up. He looks confused, then Violet looks confused, then she realizes -- he means monogamy. Violet wants to talk, really, she does, but she can't stay because she has a "really" good friend in town. Is that what she is calling her vibrator these days?
Pete is stroking some girl's forehead (ah, alternative medicine) as Naomi harvests an egg or something. They are all asking about the wedding and the photo album. Some older woman is answering questions and it is very happy and warm for a medical procedure. As they finish up, a man enters the room and everyone greets him. Jenna tells Nick that they harvested her eggs and he is excited that it is all finally happening. Pete leaves the room to report to Sam and Cooper that Jenna is a trooper. Addison finally figures out who Jenna is, but she doesn't get it. Why does everyone care about an egg retrieval? Then she sees Jenna. Jenna is only seventeen. So why are they doing this procedure on a seventeen year old? Because this is worst-case scenario land. All the horrible things that you could ever envision happening to someone are distilled into one- hour episodes of this show. So the girl is seventeen and dying. And all she wants is a baby for her husband to remember her by when she's gone. Sniff.
Violet goes to see her long lost friend and it is Ming Na! From ER and what was she on The Bold & The Beautiful , General Hospital ? I can't remember. Ming Na is Kara Wei and she is running for Congress and the campaign is getting ugly. She wants Violet to destroy her medical records before her evil competitor gets a hold of them. Why? Because after freshman year, when her mother died, she admitted herself to St. Ambrose for shock therapy. She never admitted it to Violet, but she is really worried that such information will fall into her opponent's hands. She knows voters won't elect someone to congress who had shock therapy. Oh please! DC elected a whoring crack addict as Mayor and Ted Stevens may still be re-elected to the Senate despite being convicted of fraud. You really think anyone gives a rat's patoot about some elective therapy? Whatever! Violet doesn't want to risk her license over this malarkey, but Ming Na pleads with her.
As Naomi tries to prep Jenna's egg for fertilization, Addison comes charging into the lab and throwing a moralistic hissy fit. She can't believe they are making a baby for a baby. Cooper points out that she is a married woman and really wants to be a mother. Addison throws her morals around some more and everyone ignores her. Without even asking what is wrong with poor Jenna, let alone talking to her, Addison denounces her decision as manufacturing an orphan. Naomi basically tells her she doesn't know what she is talking about and to shut the hell up. They made this decision over a year ago and Addison doesn't get to unmake it just because she is now in charge. Addison turns on her heel and stomps out leaving a trail of moral vapor in her wake. For some reason Pete feels the need to go after her. Addison feels that Naomi was making a dig at her. She may have been, but she totally deserved it. Pete tells her it wasn't a dig. He gives her the background on the case: Jenna has been a patient at the practice forever, she got non-Hodgkins lymphoma and they couldn't cure her. They all feel guilty and want to give her a baby. Which is actually pretty fucked up logic. Couldn't they just have left it at: she's a married patient who wants a baby? Because, really, end of story.
Dell, who is desperately seeking a storyline, has been helping Addison go through the accounts. What's with the forensic accounting? I thought he wanted to be a midwife? Anyway, he has managed to figure out that patients owe the practice over $140,000. Addison tells him to go be the enforcer and GET THAT MONEY! For the love of God, hire a collection agency, Addison, not the receptionist.
Violet confides in Cooper that Ming Na wants her to destroy her medical records. Cooper is impressed that Violet is friends with someone from a real medical show. Violet explains that Ming Na is her best friend. They went to college together. Cooper corrects her: he is her best friend. And no best friend would ask you to do something that illegal. Violet's not so sure. Cooper reminds her that just because he has a girlfriend doesn't mean that they aren't best friends anymore. And as far as the illegal stuff. Just think of what she's told him a million times. She blurts, "Stop sleeping with skanks?" just as Charlotte walks in. Heh. Cooper leaves Violet to her moral quandary as he and Charlotte head out for their rapid HIV testing lunch. Which is way less sexy than a liquid lunch, but far more responsible.
Naomi and Sam smile at each other in the hallway and blithely agree to talk later about what they said to Maya this morning. Sam looks a bit uneasy and you can tell Naomi sort of picks up on it. They agree to talk later. Sam chats with Jenna and the meaning of life and love. People with terminal illnesses always have a deeper understanding of the important things in life. Life is precious when you know it is finite. That's why Jenna wants to have a baby so badly. Sam looks thoughtful. In the hallway, Addison runs smack into Jenna's husband with his sperm deposit in hand. That is one slapstick tableau I do not want to see happen. Ick-o. Addison points him in the right direction for dropping off the goods, turns off his porn, and then forces him to reconsider his decision to impregnate his dying wife. She corners him into admitting that he hasn't really thought through what it means to have a child while he is in college. He starts to sweat, he starts to panic, he looks like he is going to throw up. Good quality ethical work there Dr. Addison! Oh my god I am so never going to that clinic.
Charlotte and Cooper have taken their HIV tests, which in their world appears to be the modern equivalent of a promise ring. Cooper asks about the job interview she had this afternoon, but she changes the subject back to sex. As Naomi injects Nick's sperm into Jenna's egg, the whole family is gathered around for the procedure. Nick stands separately from the group and starts looking paler and sweatier as the procedure progresses. When the photo op comes up, Nick reaches the apex of his anxiety, panics, and bolts. While Jenna and her parents freak, Naomi looks concerned.
Sam tries to get Cooper to admit what would be on his to-do list before he died, but the question makes Cooper nervous about the results of his HIV test. Their conversation is interrupted by the pandemonium surrounding Addison's handiwork. Nick has locked himself in an exam room and everyone is trying to convince him to come out. Naomi thinks it is all just "normal fertility stress." Oh is that Addison's nickname? When Pete finally gets the key to the room, Nick comes out off his own accord. He confesses that he doesn't really want a kid. Addison made him realize that Jenna and her parents were pressuring him into it. But he isn't ready. Everyone turns to glare at Addison, but they have to crane their necks to see her way up there on her high horse. Nick storms out. Naomi breaks the bad news to Jenna that they can't use the fertilized egg without his approval. Jenna goes to sulk, while Naomi rounds on Addison for sabotaging the procedure because she didn't approve of it. Addison claims she was just being a good doctor, but no one believes her.
Violet has given up seeing patients in order to lunch with her long lost so-called best friend. Ming Na won't let Violet off the hook about destroying her medical records. She even tries to bribe her with a campaign position. Violet tells her just to man up and deal with the matter, because unstable mental health and congressional politics go hand in hand. Violet slips into therapist mode and tells her that it is not good for her to keep it bottled up inside. Ming Na reminds her that she wanted to keep her rape personal and she helped her do that. The least she can do is re-pay the favor. As Ming Na storms away from the table, Violet furrows her brows. Wow, Vi, your BFF is kind of a bitch.
Cooper is anxiously waiting for his rapid HIV test results. He is apparently using his office's resources for personal gain as he keeps harassing Dell about "his patient's results". Sam is looking for ways to sow oats and step off cliffs. He knows what he wants to do before he dies. He wants to get his ear pierced. Cooper does it for him. I guess it makes sense that a pediatrician has an ear-piercing gun in his office. As Sam admires his little gold stud, Cooper pats him on the arm and congratulates him for crossing the same threshold as every ten-year old girl in America. He said it so I didn't have to.
Dell is done with his ridiculous bookkeeping/debt collecting storyline. He won't be a bill collector anymore. Not when he knows a secret that would save the office a lot of money. Addison demands he spill the beans. Cut to Addison and Naomi standing in 10,000 feet of unused office space that Naomi has been saving for the practice of their dreams. It was the space she and Sam originally had and they won't get rid of it. Addison wants them to lease it while they pay off their debts. Sam has joined the conversation now and he agrees with Naomi. They won't lease it. They all snipe at each other and Addison walks off in a huff. Sam and Naomi linger in their 10,000 foot office space of dreams when Naomi finally notices Sam's ear of wild oats. She laughs at him and then invites herself over to dinner to talk. He agrees, but walks off quickly leaving her looking a little anxious.
Meg is still smoking and Pete is still troubled by it. Meg tells him that she is a smoker and he can take it or leave it. He mulls it over. Charlotte and Cooper are lying next to each other fully clothed and very dismayed over the fact that their HIV test results didn't come back yet. I guess Cooper got rid of every last condom, because they are just lying there bemoaning the fact that they can't have sex. They almost start talking, but Charlotte won't stand for that talking nonsense and remembers that oral sex exists. A naked Addison bores notChristopher with details of her office drama. He's in SWAT, so he knows all about the tough decisions. Yeah, I'm sure whether to lease or not to lease comes up all the time in hostage negotiations. notChristopher then offers to eat noodles off her back and for some reason she jumps at the opportunity. Ew. That just sounds messy, not sexy. Like, can you pick that large glop of greasy chow mein noodles and steamed celery off my back before it drifts past the equator? I repeat: Ew. Meanwhile Sam is hosting Naomi and Maya at his house. Maya is peppering the couple with questions about their reunion. Naomi looks excited, but Sam is definitely skittish. They say some other stuff, but I am distracted because they are playing "Crash" by The Primitives, which is a song I recorded with my tape player off of "120 Minutes" and danced around to. Between this and "No New Tale to Tell" showing up on Gossip Girl I can't decide if I feel incredibly old or incredibly hip.
In the lobby the next day, Violet is sick of Cooper pretending they are still friends. She was stressed about the Ming Na situation and was stuck home alone, eating Chinese with nary a nude back from which to suck her egg foo yung. Cooper looks frustrated with the whole sophomoric conversation about BFFs, as Violet rides the elevator alone except for her scowl. Naomi calls Sam on the fact that he ducked all of Maya's questions. Then she spies his to-do list, between mocking his desire to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro and drive through the Badlands, she realizes that he is in full on panic about getting back together with her. Their conversation is interrupted by the arrival of Jenna and her parents, who I want to call the Jamesons, but I don't think that is right. Jenna wants to have a baby. If Nick won't get on board with the plan then she wants to use a sperm donor. Pete won't sign on for that. He thought he was helping a happily married, albeit young, couple have their family dreams come true. Obviously Addison and her moral majority have a serious problem with this situation. Addison snorts, "Since when do we let married patients use sperm donors when their husbands don't want kids?" They wouldn't let a grown up woman choose to use a sperm bank without her husband's consent? Since when were sperm banks and fertility doctors the arbiters of morality? And since when did they get revoltingly paternalistic? Just shut up Addison! As Addison once again storms off, Naomi bitches to Pete about Addison's boss lady attitude. Much to Naomi's dismay, Pete agrees with Addison.
Violet is at St. Ambrose's for Ming Na's files. Cooper has followed her there to try and pretend he is still her friend and to convince her that destroying the records is wrong. Luckily for Violet's quandary, she isn't going to be able to get the record, because she doesn't work at the hospital. Unluckily, Charlotte happens by and vouches for Violet to the medical records clerk, much to Cooper's annoyance. Cooper keeps trying to plead with Violet, but Charlotte drags him to her office to find out what is taking their test results so long. Violet heads off to make her mistakes with her new BFF. She may be doing something illegal, but at least she'll have one friend that is not battery operated.
In a paltry attempt at a storyline, Pete heads off to try and find Nick. Obviously the GPS tracker Pete embedded in Nick's athletic shorts is working, because Pete finds him instantly. Nick is letting out his anger by hitting a punching bag on the beach or boardwalk or something. Pete tells Nick that Jenna really wants a baby and she is now looking at sperm donors. Nick don't play that, but he don't play any of this. He is young and lonely and angry and just wants to hang out with his wife for the time they have left. Pete encourages him to tell Jenna that.
Violet looks shell-shocked as she stumbles into Ming Na's congressional campaign office. As soon as the room is cleared of extras, er, campaign volunteers, Violet turns on Ming Na. She told her everything about her rape and Ming Na told her nothing. We are left hanging as to what that means.
Addison storms into Naomi's office to remind her that Jenna is dying and bringing a baby into the world won't stop it. Naomi is not stupid. Naomi knows that. Addison then tells her to kill that dying girl's dream of motherhood and, while she's at it, kill her own dream of filling out the empty office space upstairs. Kill those dreams and find new ones. Naomi gives her the stink eye until she storms out. Again.
Ming Na confesses to Violet that her mother was wildly abusive. The abuse was bad and constant and one time her mother put her little brother's hand to the stove for mouthing off. That was when Ming Na killed her. She wasn't hiding shock treatments, she was hiding killing her mother in self defense. Violet looks traumatized, but she pleads with her friend to do the right thing. I'm not quite sure what the right thing is, but Ming Na won't listen to reason. She already redacted (read: shredded) the legal records when she was a district attorney. Now she just needs to get rid of the medical records and there will be no trace of the tragedy. Violet hands her the medical file, but wants her to choose the path of the light. And it's a tragic story and all, but you know some crafty marketer could build one hell of a congressional campaign out of it. Ming Na shreds the files in front of her. Violet is aggrieved. This is not relevant, but Ming Na's dress is really ugly. Half hotel upholstery, half overly-pleated grey flannel suit.
Jenna found a sperm donor she liked. But Naomi won't do the procedure. She is putting her foot down because no one else will. They all love Jenna. They all want her to not be dying. When they talk about the baby they get to forget the bad stuff and take back control of everything. As Naomi, Jenna, and her parents tear up, Nick and Pete make the scene just then. Nick admits that he doesn't want a baby, but he does want her. Jenna runs into his arms and cries that she doesn't want to die.
After witnessing Jenna's tragedy unfold, Sam has come to the realization he wants to spend the rest of his life with the people he loves the most. Which does not include his gold earring. Naomi gulps. If he had asked her yesterday or the day before she would have said yes. But now she's not sure. They never really let go and they keep falling back together. They have to learn to let go. I think she's drawing parallels between their personal life and a certain 10,000 feet of office space. If it was in iambic pentameter, it could be from Shakespeare! Naomi kisses him on the cheek and says goodbye. Goodbye that is until they run into each other in the lobby in five minutes. Violet goes to sit in Cooper's office. She messed up. She stole medical records and she did it for the wrong reasons. She just wanted a friend and now she has no one. Dell interrupts to deliver Cooper's blood test results, but Cooper doesn't open the envelope. His best friend needs him. Naomi tells Addison to go ahead and lease the fourth floor. Addison tells her she already did. The broker found a tenant this afternoon. Naomi looks surprised, but tells Addison she will make a great leader. Addison looks surprised and thanks her. Pete comes home to find Meg packing. He thinks he may have been too hard on her for her smoking, but she laughs. Pete tells her that his wife died before she could quit smoking. Meg looks momentarily intrigued, but she keeps packing and Pete tells her to go to Ghana, but to come back because he likes it when she is there. She considers both that and quitting smoking. What was the point of that storyline exactly? Some meager attempt at giving Pete some depth of character? Whatever. Naomi comforts Maya after telling her that she and Sam won't be getting back together. She is sorry. But it's going to be okay. Cooper is ready and waiting for sex again and Charlotte is on her way. She just has to finish up re-designing Naomi's fourth floor office space for the mystery man who has hired her for some mystery job. Mystery Man didn't think Charlotte would be right for the position, but now that she got this office space and an architect's rendering in half a day, he is impressed. Oh please. Charlotte is right for any position. Just ask Cooper!
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