An Honest Mistake

Season 5, Episode 15, Aired
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Episode Summary

Derek's confidence is shaken like never before as he faces off with Addison over what course is best for their dying pregnant patient. Cristina calls the abilities of a renowned surgeon into question after she botches a standard procedure. And Bailey, who has decided to pursue a fellowship in pediatrics, is appalled by the Chief's less-than-stellar letter of recommendation.moreless
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Fan Episode Reviews (19)

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  • Great heartwrenching episode.

    9.0
    "Superb"
    By hrgaffney, Nov 24, 2010 Report Abuse
    This was an episode as good as Grey's ever was in the early seasons. I loved the tensions between Addison and Derek over Jen, whether he should try anything and everything to save her or whether the baby should be brought out and take it's chances being so premature. The fight between Cristina and Dr Campbell was also really well handled, the new vs the old and so on. I loved the scene at the end where Owen told Cristina he wanted to still be with her in 40 years time. And of course the fisticuffs on the balcony! Whatever next?moreless

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    3 0

  • One of those episodes that recuperates the series when it was in a very difficult script-wise position. This episode closes with a "finale climax" the crossover experiment made by the producers of Private Practice and Grey's Anatomy.moreless

    9.0
    "Superb"
    By yasin_abdulwali, Nov 24, 2010 Report Abuse
    This is one of those episodes that brings you back to the series, honestly, I wasn't sure about the way things were been handled for the last eight or nine episodes, but the crossover and the big finalle to it just blew my mind and makes me need the weekly grey's fix I felt when the series was in its best moments.

    I seriously believe this episode is bringing back the series to the quality we were acostumed and has a chance to catch again some of the audience it lost for the past two months.

    The best moments for me were two fights, the "scalpel fight", in wich Addisson and Derek order each other to put down the scalpel to save the life of their respective patients (being one inside the other, mother and baby premie), and the super fight in wich Derek (again) and Mark are involved (that will give us for sure a lot of juice to continue their hate-love relationship).

    I'm not sure, though, what is what we gained to take back to L.A., as I see now, Grey's Anatomy took more advantage of the crossover than Private Practice, which is entering in a non-climatic spiral that will need help very soon.

    Bottom line, I am glad they decided to do the crossover, we wanted to see Addisson in Seattle again and juice up the show.moreless

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    4 0

  • Dereck seems to be losing control while Izzie tries to find out what is wrong with her. An itense episode with funny bits thrown in.

    9.5
    "Superb"
    By stewie1423, Nov 24, 2010 Report Abuse
    So Derek snaps...it was intense to actually quite painful to watch him unravel but it was pretty well done. His feud with Addison in the OR was engrossing, though I was on the side of the latter I did feel sorry for Derek. That guy calling him a murderer seemed to be the nail in the coffin...will Meredith be able to pull him out of this 'depression'? Should be interesting!

    I loved Izzie in this episode, I really hope she isn't sick because her character really stands out. I found it scarily real when she started feeling for any lumps...but it was great the way she gave the interns patient x to help her work things out. Another thing that should get even better.

    I like Cristina and Hunt, this was an enjoyable storyline which brought the old Cristina back for me, I loved how she commented on the older surgeon during the 2nd attempt, so Cristina. Hunt seems like a deep character, hope he is explored more. Other than that the Mark/Derek fight was a little sudden but shocking. I like Lexi and Sloan together.

    Goodbye again Addison and hello to really interesting storylines!moreless

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    1 0

  • Emotional episode.

    9.0
    "Superb"
    By XooKey, Nov 24, 2010 Report Abuse
    Derick and Addison continue to work on a worman who is pregant and brain bleading and swelling. They were able to save the baby but the woman died. The actor that played here husband brought so much passion into his part. When he cried and called for his wife after she died, I imagined what it would be like and I started crying myself.

    Sloan tells Derick about he and little Grey. Derick punches him and a fight ensues.

    Cristina calls a verteran Dr. named Margaret Campbell on a mistake she makes in the operating room which causes more surgury to have to be done on a man.

    Izzie has a biopsy done on a place on her back and it apparantly comes back positive, by her reactions.

    This was a very good episode but kind of a tear jerker with the man's wife dying and so much emphasis being put on his emotions. Also, finding out Izzie may have cancer is pretty emotional for those of us who have grown to love her. and lastly Derick is in alot of pain after loosing his patient.moreless

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    3 0

  • Christina proudly practices insubordination, Derek has a massive hissy fit, Alex likes "guys," and Meredith becomes yet more unimportant as her winy supporting characters awkwardly throw themselves at the camera.

    3.0
    "Bad"
    By Bullwinkle520, Sep 16, 2010 Report Abuse
    Firstly, what is with Bailey's flashy new hair style? What's with the Alex/Meredith my-guy/your-guy stupidness? It is utterly out of character, and Alex had a role in the storyline solely because he banged Addison a few seasons back - but that doesn't mean he should randomly be her lapdog. I found it disturbed that Derek's patient was ALWAYS wearing make-up, whether or not she was in surgery. Her husbands remark of "save her, we can always make another baby," was strangely undeliberated, insensitive, unhesitant, and lacked any of the character development that would require such an opinion/commitment. Addison's trigger-happy "Dammit, I have to remove the baby!" was redundant, the childish yelling, and Derek's hissy-fit was all just very, very odd. Christina's rude, strange, know-it-all storyline was random, as was the old surgeon (her strange shrieking), and their demands that she retire (especially Owen's. Seriously, it was all just too random and forward of them).
    I'm sorry peoples, but this episode was weak. I personally thought it looked frighteningly like Private Practice.moreless

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    7 23
 

Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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  • Trivia

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    • Goof: During the fight with Derek Mark loses one shoe but later during the fight he wears both shoes again. Edit
    • Goof: During the surgery scene where Derek is working on Jen and Addison is trying to persuade him to stop and let her deliver the baby, the position of Derek's spectacles on his nose keeps changing throughout the scene. Edit

  • Notes

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    • International Episode Titles: Slovakia: Ľudské zlyhanie (Human Failure) Czech Republic: Chybovati je lidské (To Err Is Human) Edit
    • Original International Air Dates: Italy: May 18, 2009 on Fox Life Latin America: May 18, 2009 on Sony Entertainment Television (aka Canal Sony) Australia: May 28, 2009 on Channel 7 Germany: July 15, 2009 on ProSieben Norway: December 1, 2009 on TV2 Slovakia: January 25, 2010 on STV1 Czech Republic: June 3, 2010 on Prima Edit
    • Music Featured In This Episode: 1. Turn the Page by Matt Hires 2. Error Error by Dash & Will 3. Twice by Little Dragon 4. Like A Ghost by Calahan 5. The Planets Bend Between Us by Snow Patrol Edit

  • Quotes

    ADD QUOTES
    • Derek: Put down the scalpel, Addison! Addison: You put down the scalpel. Derek: Addison, put the scalpel down. Addison: You put the scalpel down! You have to let her go. Derek: Take your hand off the scalpel, Addison! You take your... take it off! Addison: Meredith, go get the chief. Derek: Do not go anywhere. Addison: Karev, go! (Alex leaves) Derek, don't do this. Derek: Do not touch my patient, Addison! Edit
    • Addison: Letter of recommendation. Callie told me about the Chief's letter. I figured that it was the least I could do before I get on a plane back to L.A. Bailey: Addison Montgomery, thank you! Addison: Don't thank me. Just, you know, kick ass. Don't make me regret writing that you're the most promising young peds surgeons, that I've ever had the pleasure of working with. Edit
    • Lexie: I'm so sorry. Mark: It was worth it. Lexie: No, i-it wasn't. M-Maybe a little. ... Thank you. Edit

  • Allusions

    ADD ALLUSIONS
    • Episode Title: An Honest Mistake An Honest Mistake is a song by The Bravery taken from their self-titled album The Bravery. Edit

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