Serial scan: A stitch in time...

As the drama unfolds at Seattle Grace-Mercy West hospital, season eight is everything that Grey’s Anatomy promises to be – sensational, engaging and shocking. Previous season saw the protagonist Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo) getting into serious trouble when her own friend, Alex Karev (Justin Chambers) spills the beans on her misappropriation in her husband Derek Shepherd’s (Patrick Dempsey), Alzheimer’s trial.

Entering the fifth year of the surgical program, this season finds the residents dealing with situations and problems that are mature and graver than what these doctors have dealt with before. From the entry of Zola, Meredith and Derek’s adopted baby, to their fifth-year responsibilities as solo surgeons, the story line revolves around the complications that marriage, having a child and managing a career brings with it. And as promised, Shonda Rimes, the creator of the show, gives us nothing to complain about.

With the chief’s retirement (James Pickens, Jr.), Owen Hunt (Kevin Mckidd) takes over as Chief of Surgery and his wife Cristina Yang (Sandra Oh) finds herself torn between her personal and professional life. It’s commendable that the creators of the show have kept in mind the essence of the characters, having them grow gradually from measly insignificant interns to responsible surgeons. Equal justice and screen time has been given to the other important characters from Miranda Bailey’s (Chandra Wilson) focus on her love life to Mark (Eric Dane), Torres (Sara Ramirez) and Arizona’s (Jessica Capshaw) journey to parenthood.

The previous season’s offbeat episode Song beneath the Song  wasn’t good but this season’s If/Then plays to the strength of the characters. The episode shows a what-if scenario where Meredith and Cristina are enemies and everything is upside down. You realise here how the ‘twisted sisters’ have grown on you as characters.

172 episodes down, it still doesn’t fail to impress—packed with drama and tragedy, it sort of shakes you up to expect and anticipate what is in store in the upcoming ninth season. And with a season finale smeared with death and all his friends, said to be one of the biggest nightmares the doctors have had to face, will leave you on the edge of your seat wanting for more. The show undoubtedly is a family bonder. In a fight between survival and death, who do you think will make it through?