“The Disaster Episode” is a well-established sub-genre within ABC’s long-running procedural, Grey’s Anatomy. While crashes, hurricanes, earthquakes, multiple shootings and other disasters bring intense circumstances, they often make for fan-favorite episodes when higher stakes make the series more captivating for propelling character growth.
Though there are multiple, the best Grey’s Anatomy disaster episode occurs in Season 2, Episode 17, “As We Know It.” It’s the second episode of a doubleheader where a patient discovered to have an explosive device inside of him is admitted to the hospital. The lives of everyone on the O.R. floor are suddenly in danger, including a number of the prominent characters. It’s fantastic for its intensity scale alone, but palpable tension further leads to individual character developments and memorable romantic moments.
Both Meredith and Derek Prove Themselves as Heroes
Meredith Grey and Derek Shepherd may have plenty of faults, but after this episode, there is no questioning whether they are worthy of being lead characters. The episode before “As We Know It” ends with the EMT, who has her hand inside the patient’s chest and subsequently keeps the explosive device stable, panics and takes her hand out. In a moment of heroism, Meredith places her hand inside the patient’s chest to keep the device from exploding. Meredith’s choice is an admirable split-second decision, but her true heroism takes place between placing her hand inside the patient and taking it out. Meredith manages to remain calm, considering any wrong movement she makes could cause the device to detonate and kill everyone in the O.R. Despite being afraid for her life, she never regrets risking her life for others.
Derek, for his part, chooses not to evacuate but instead stays and continues operating on Dr. Bailey’s husband, who is critically injured. This is an iconic moment in Grey’s history, in which almost any viewer can understand the appeal of “McDreamy.” Derek jokes that he is more afraid of Dr. Bailey than dying, so he must keep operating on her husband. Still, it could have been any patient on the table, and Derek still would have stayed. For two seasons, he’s proven that he would never abandon a patient because he would also sacrifice his life for someone else’s. Tragically, this heroic attitude foreshadows the ending of Derek’s story.
Derek Shows He’s Still in Love With Meredith
For viewers waiting for Derek and Meredith to get back together, “As We Know It” contains several delicious morsels for them to hold onto. The drama is part of the appeal of Derek and Meredith’s romance, and there is nothing more dramatic than Derek being worried about Meredith’s life when he learns of her predicament. The romance trope of someone expressing concern because “their love interest is in danger” is common for a reason. Viewers love to see pairings they ship in angst-filled situations where it is blatant that they are in love, even if they are not together.
At the end of the episode, Derek shows up at Meredith’s house to see her, and even though Derek had chosen Addison over Meredith, the pair share a moment to reminisce over their romantic history. The implications of this scene are clear, proving Derek is still in love with Meredith, and it is only a matter of time before they get back together. While the writing shows viewers one thing, the performances thoroughly highlight the underlying emotions.
Bailey Is at Her Most Vulnerable in ‘As We Know It’
As if the stakes already weren’t high enough, Dr. Bailey and her unborn baby are in danger in addition to everyone in the O.R. Bailey is amid labor but is refusing to push because she is in shock over her husband’s critical condition. In the first several seasons of Grey’s Anatomy, Bailey is depicted as overly tough and unfeeling, but “As We Know It” sees her exhibiting tremendous vulnerability. This side of Bailey is revealed for the first time in the series, making the storyline more powerful.
The one who steps up to the plate and inspires Bailey to deliver her baby through a tough love tactic is none other than George O’Malley. This scene displays an incredible role reversal between Bailey and George, as George is the most anxious of the original five interns. The fact that he stands up to Bailey and convinces her to do something no one else can is a shocking sight. Viewers could not predict that George would take this course of action or that Bailey would respond to it, which makes it all the more compelling.
Grey Sloan Memorial and its doctors have witnessed plenty of disasters since “As We Know It,” but none have been as advancing for the character journeys. Seeing Meredith, Derek and George bravely save the lives of others proves these characters are well-written and that the audience is right to root for them. Years after its air date, the episode’s character dynamics and revelations make “As We Know It” stand out.