Cristina Leaves Seattle, But Not Before Giving Meredith A Parting Gift

I'd like to say there are as many ways to write a character out of a continuing TV series as there are actors who want to leave part of the way through their shows' runs. But there aren't: they pretty much either move to other cities, or die. Grey's Anatomy has had no compunction, over the years, killing off characters, but when Sandra Oh announced last year that the show's tenth season would be her last, no one probably thought the show's producers would go that way with her: she's one of the last original cast members and one whose bracing, vinegary character has been an important corrective to its usual mawkishness. And her sendoff is pretty much what I would have wanted for Cristina.

As I wrote a few weeks ago, I've returned to the show after close to a decade's break to see Cristina's big farewell, and on the whole, it's been going well. Cristina is leaving Seattle because she got offered an amazing new job at an extremely advanced research hospital in Switzerland -- an opportunity that is commensurate with what we've been told about her skills this whole time, and a huge leap forward for her career. It's also not because (for example) she wants to be closer to some dude; the Cristina I know -- and, admittedly, I haven't known her for a while -- makes practical decisions out of the best kind of self-interest.

Now, it's the season finale, and it's also Cristina's very last day, and it's also the day a bunch of people get injured in an explosion at a mall, leading to a classic hospital clusterfuck. Since Cristina had mentioned to Owen (before their very last roll in the trailer) that she needs an international adapter for her dead phone and was going to have to "go to the stupid mall," he can't get hold of her after the explosion and fears the worst, but the show doesn't let the "Cristina's dead" fake-out" go on for long. However, the catastrophe means that even though she'd promised Owen that their rushed, perfunctory "see ya" at his place wouldn't be their real last goodbye, it turns out to be true: he only gets a quick glimpse of her dealing with ER triage, hears tell that she's okay, and lays eyes on her for the very last time when she interrupts his surgery on someone whose guts are falling out so that they can exchange some meaningful eye contact. (Really, is this the time, Cristina?!)

But, of course, when a character doesn't get killed off, they instead get a parade of very last moments with all their former showmates. Cristina being Cristina, these generally aren't too mushy: she forces a hug on an unwilling Bailey, lets Webber tell her how great she is, and agrees to bring teacher's pet Ross to Europe with her, and even gives Derek a quick 'Oh, bye forever, I guess.'

The only parting everyone was really waiting for, though, was that between Cristina and Meredith. For most of the episode, Meredith is yelling at Cristina to get the hell out of town: she knows Cristina's been dragging her feet and coming up with excuses why she has to deal with some of her very last cases rather than hand them off to her perfectly competent replacement. Throwing Cristina into a cab, Meredith snaps, "What do you need -- an 'I love you' or something? I love you!" But that's not what Cristina needed, it turns out; she comes back a few scenes later to get their particular kind of closure.

Maybe this means something huge to people who didn't take seven years off from Grey's Anatomy, but the dance it out...I mean, it's just so corny. I don't believe these characters doing it. And, not for nothing, but the actual dancing itself is either not even kind of synced to the music or they just suck.

BUT! The end of the scene! I'm not sure I totally agree that Meredith has an extraordinary mind, but I'm glad that Cristina could look at her own professional triumph and realize she had to pay it forward to her dear friend. Meredith is kind of getting screwed over by Derek; her later description of herself as his "trailing spouse" is real and should, if she's as good as Cristina says, really be cause for professional alarm for Meredith. So, for me, what redeems the dumb, hokey dancing is Cristina's gift of a last declaration: "Don't let what he wants eclipse what you need. He's very dreamy, but he is not the sun. You are."

I just like that not only does Grey's Anatomy feature one woman being smart about her career irrespective of her romantic attachments -- it shows her helping another one realize that she needs to do the same thing. It doesn't entirely redeem all the stupid, self-sabotaging career choices made by the lead on Shonda Rhimes's other show, and it's probably not enough to make me keep watching to see how the Derek/Meredith showdown plays out, but I'm glad it happened, and it feels like the right way for Cristina to exit the show.