"Flight" is perhaps my favorite episode of Grey's Anatomy. This episode is filled with raw drama and pure emotion. Knowing Grey's, this sort of thing was expected to happen at some point, but it was done in such a way that sucks viewers in and never lets them go. "Flight" left me heart-broken. Let's be honest, who didn't sob uncontrollably as Lexie died holding Mark's hand? Or when the episode ended with seemingly no hope left? The plot is enticing and endlessly emotional. Grey's Anatomy in a nutshell (this is why we both hate and love Shonda) "Flight" changed Grey's Anatomy in countless ways. The writers had a make it or break it situation on their hands with the way they did this. I believe that they did an excellent job.
12 Reviews
Fans' Love-Hate Relantionship with Shonda Rhimes in a Nutshell
doublebubble117 January 2014
Warning: Spoilers
Lives in a "Shondaland" melodrama is a rocky road
eileen-guthrie5551 February 2019
Warning: Spoilers
WARNING: LOTS OF SPOILERS HERE AS I DISCUSS BOTH PREVIOUS AND CURRENT CHARACTERS AND EVENTS/DISASTERS/TRAUMAS.
Honest to God, Grey Sloan Memorial (formerly Seattle Grace, then Seattle Grace/Mercy West) has seen more than its fair share of tragedies. (Not even County General of ER, St Elsewhere or Chicago Hope fame was as unlucky or saw so many disasters and traumas.) It's why Cristina Yang gave the hospital, then known as Seattle Grace Mercy West, the nickname "Seattle Grace Mercy Death." These are the unluckiest doctors and I would go elsewhere for my medical needs.
And that's to say nothing of "Shondaland" Seattle's other plane crashes, the ferry crash, the train crash, the ambulance crashes, the tanker crash, the school shooting, the roof collapse, a flood, the tunnel collapse, the sinkhole, the earthquake... and the list goes on and on. It all sounds ridiculous. And arguably, it is. But the writers have had to keep our attention for all these seasons. And we can't really judge - a lot of these cataclysms have kept us captivated as the disaster episodes are ALWAYS ratings gold.
I've grown tired of all the melodrama and the soap operaish will they or won't they stay together and be happy storylines. I've grown tired of losing my favorite characters to the most annoying, narcissistic, selfish, self-centered, often mean and not nice people in the end characters. George was my favorite character from the beginning and was devastated to see he was killed off. (I knew TJ wanted out, but couldn't they have kept his character alive? Couldn't he have been kept alive, gone on to become a top trauma surgeon? Prove all of them WRONG. He had the biggest heart but lacked the confidence of becoming a top surgeon, from a lot of self-doubt thanks to Alex and Cristina and his nickname 007. Seriously? Really? SERIOUSLY?).
So, this leads me to another death of two of my favorite characters of Lexie and Mark. I liked them both together and apart. It showed a softer side of Mark who pined for Lexie as she went from breaking his boner to realizing she was the woman of his dreams and soulmate. She finally found peace with Mark, knowing they were true soulmates and were meant to be together to have it ripped apart by the death of Lexie. Mark didn't want to live in a world where Lexie Grey no longer existed. I would have preferred Cristina was killed in the plane crash, (she's and Izzie were the least likeable characters for me through all the seasons). Cristina's mean, narcissistic, lacks empathy, compassion or warmth and she's too robotic. When she cries, she cries for herself and no one else. I wouldn't have minded April's (so annoying and don't get me started on that squeaky high-pitch voice of hers) or Jackson's (too narcissistic and judgmental) deaths instead as I have never been warmed to either character.
As Lexie is left pinned down under part of the plane with her legs and pelvis crushed and multiple internal injuries, ultimately it was Little Grey, Lexie (Chyler Leigh), who succumbs to her injuries that were the most severe. Despite Mark (Eric Dane) and Cristina's (Sandra Oh) best attempts, Lexie couldn't be saved. It's one of this medical drama's most emotional scenes in its eight seasons, Lexie tells Mark to relay a message to Meredith: She was a good sister and loved. With Cristina frantically looking for Meredith -- who is busy searching for Derek after he was sucked out of the plane -- Mark realizes that there's nothing he can do for Lexie and, in a bittersweet and sad scene as she slips away, he sends her off by telling her that they'll get married and she'll have a bright future as a surgeon. Meanwhile, Meredith (Ellen Pompeo) is too late to say goodbye and arrives just after Lexie passes away. As the trio, Cristina, Meredith and Mark start to search for Derek again, Meredith continues to battle her emotions at the thought that she could lose both her sister and husband as Cristina reveals that she's leaving Seattle if she survives this harrowing ordeal. Most annoying part of this episode was Arizona's constant screaming and surprised no one at Seattle Grace/Mercy West couldn't hear her screams.
Personally, this was an emotional episode and the devastating loss of two of my favorite characters and couples. With Lexie, Mark grew up, no longer a jerk with his fly unzipped looking for interns or nurse to fill up his loneliness in the hospital's on-call room. Mark grew up when Sofia arrived and became a devoted dad to his little princess. So, I'm still mad at losing both characters. I stopped watching the series as a regular weekly viewer when they killed Derek off. I'll watch Grey's on Netflix and Lifetime repeats to see what's happening with these characters now and then but I'm no longer a regular viewer as it's turned into a melodrama and a weak weekly soap opera. They have their audience invested in these characters lives. Play sick mind games with their audience to have these characters ripped apart with these asinine will they-won't they be EVER happy for more than a few episodes each season. In this episode, I was expecting to see the smoke monster, a Polar Bear, Walt, his dog Vincent and John Locke with his knives to walk out of the woods with Derek over his shoulder. The reality is, most of them who weren't dead already would have succumb to their injuries and/or hyperthermia.
Is it possible for just one couple to stay together on this freaking show? I still miss the characters of Derek, George O'Malley and Callie. Callie was fun and funny. And, Meredith is no longer MerDer, so what's the point? Seriously? SERIOUSLY?
Honest to God, Grey Sloan Memorial (formerly Seattle Grace, then Seattle Grace/Mercy West) has seen more than its fair share of tragedies. (Not even County General of ER, St Elsewhere or Chicago Hope fame was as unlucky or saw so many disasters and traumas.) It's why Cristina Yang gave the hospital, then known as Seattle Grace Mercy West, the nickname "Seattle Grace Mercy Death." These are the unluckiest doctors and I would go elsewhere for my medical needs.
And that's to say nothing of "Shondaland" Seattle's other plane crashes, the ferry crash, the train crash, the ambulance crashes, the tanker crash, the school shooting, the roof collapse, a flood, the tunnel collapse, the sinkhole, the earthquake... and the list goes on and on. It all sounds ridiculous. And arguably, it is. But the writers have had to keep our attention for all these seasons. And we can't really judge - a lot of these cataclysms have kept us captivated as the disaster episodes are ALWAYS ratings gold.
I've grown tired of all the melodrama and the soap operaish will they or won't they stay together and be happy storylines. I've grown tired of losing my favorite characters to the most annoying, narcissistic, selfish, self-centered, often mean and not nice people in the end characters. George was my favorite character from the beginning and was devastated to see he was killed off. (I knew TJ wanted out, but couldn't they have kept his character alive? Couldn't he have been kept alive, gone on to become a top trauma surgeon? Prove all of them WRONG. He had the biggest heart but lacked the confidence of becoming a top surgeon, from a lot of self-doubt thanks to Alex and Cristina and his nickname 007. Seriously? Really? SERIOUSLY?).
So, this leads me to another death of two of my favorite characters of Lexie and Mark. I liked them both together and apart. It showed a softer side of Mark who pined for Lexie as she went from breaking his boner to realizing she was the woman of his dreams and soulmate. She finally found peace with Mark, knowing they were true soulmates and were meant to be together to have it ripped apart by the death of Lexie. Mark didn't want to live in a world where Lexie Grey no longer existed. I would have preferred Cristina was killed in the plane crash, (she's and Izzie were the least likeable characters for me through all the seasons). Cristina's mean, narcissistic, lacks empathy, compassion or warmth and she's too robotic. When she cries, she cries for herself and no one else. I wouldn't have minded April's (so annoying and don't get me started on that squeaky high-pitch voice of hers) or Jackson's (too narcissistic and judgmental) deaths instead as I have never been warmed to either character.
As Lexie is left pinned down under part of the plane with her legs and pelvis crushed and multiple internal injuries, ultimately it was Little Grey, Lexie (Chyler Leigh), who succumbs to her injuries that were the most severe. Despite Mark (Eric Dane) and Cristina's (Sandra Oh) best attempts, Lexie couldn't be saved. It's one of this medical drama's most emotional scenes in its eight seasons, Lexie tells Mark to relay a message to Meredith: She was a good sister and loved. With Cristina frantically looking for Meredith -- who is busy searching for Derek after he was sucked out of the plane -- Mark realizes that there's nothing he can do for Lexie and, in a bittersweet and sad scene as she slips away, he sends her off by telling her that they'll get married and she'll have a bright future as a surgeon. Meanwhile, Meredith (Ellen Pompeo) is too late to say goodbye and arrives just after Lexie passes away. As the trio, Cristina, Meredith and Mark start to search for Derek again, Meredith continues to battle her emotions at the thought that she could lose both her sister and husband as Cristina reveals that she's leaving Seattle if she survives this harrowing ordeal. Most annoying part of this episode was Arizona's constant screaming and surprised no one at Seattle Grace/Mercy West couldn't hear her screams.
Personally, this was an emotional episode and the devastating loss of two of my favorite characters and couples. With Lexie, Mark grew up, no longer a jerk with his fly unzipped looking for interns or nurse to fill up his loneliness in the hospital's on-call room. Mark grew up when Sofia arrived and became a devoted dad to his little princess. So, I'm still mad at losing both characters. I stopped watching the series as a regular weekly viewer when they killed Derek off. I'll watch Grey's on Netflix and Lifetime repeats to see what's happening with these characters now and then but I'm no longer a regular viewer as it's turned into a melodrama and a weak weekly soap opera. They have their audience invested in these characters lives. Play sick mind games with their audience to have these characters ripped apart with these asinine will they-won't they be EVER happy for more than a few episodes each season. In this episode, I was expecting to see the smoke monster, a Polar Bear, Walt, his dog Vincent and John Locke with his knives to walk out of the woods with Derek over his shoulder. The reality is, most of them who weren't dead already would have succumb to their injuries and/or hyperthermia.
Is it possible for just one couple to stay together on this freaking show? I still miss the characters of Derek, George O'Malley and Callie. Callie was fun and funny. And, Meredith is no longer MerDer, so what's the point? Seriously? SERIOUSLY?
Plane Crash Aftermath
ZegMaarJus21 August 2023
Warning: Spoilers
This Episode begins with Meredith, she and Mark, Arizona, Derek, Lexie, Mark and Cristina got into a plane crash. Lexie is stuck, a part of the plane fell on her body. Lexie past away. Meredith cries after Lexie died. Meredith and Cristina found Derek back. Derek fainted. Mark past out he is heavily wounded. Mark has a cardiac tamponade. Owen fired Teddy. Mark stays alive after a heavy surgery that Meredith performes. Amazing Final Episode of Grey's Anatomy Season 8, such a great final with a lot of action and the cruel death of Lexie Grey. Meredith lost her sister, what a sad story. Really looking forward to Season 9!
i gotta get this out of my chest...
blackroses_af22 May 2012
Warning: Spoilers
okay..Grey's anatomy has been my favorite TV series that i have enjoyed watching every single episode from the beginning(even thou I've been started to watch it again from the top lately).. but this and the previous episode!!i gotta be honest i hated it..they still left us with a lot of unresolved issues..and again..killing a main character?seriously?..they could've just sent Lexie away if they didn't wanted her for next season..why are you killing it?i had 3 favorite characters from the start..first was Izzy and George which i didn't had problem with killing George cuz it was surprising and i cried a lot..but it was good for the series..then they disappeared Izzy..now Lexie?! i'm gonna watch the next season but i hated the finale of this season...please don't kill anyone else(yet i'm still trying to get over Lexie's death)
Just plain bad
barryjcostello18 May 2012
In a desperate attempt to gain back the many millions of viewers that have given up on this show, Shonda Rhimes is yet again killing someone. But she can't even get that right. This episode is mainly filler, which in turn, takes away from the intended emotional impact of the death of a major character. And the ending is an anti-climax. Badly edited and very bad written. Shonda Rhimes is clutching at straws here, hoping that maybe this time she will win an Emmy for her writing. She needs to take a page or two from ER's book, that show run for 15 years on a wave of extremely high viewer-ship, killing only a handful of major characters with each one unforgettable and cathartic. I dare Shonda Rhimes to try and create the kind of emotion that was felt in "on the beach" - ER season 8 finale (death of Dr.Greene), that was one of the best bits of television i have ever seen! Realistically we shouldn't expect much from the person who wrote 'crossroads'.
Why?
catmankellom15 November 2017
Warning: Spoilers
Look, I'm all for a good main character death but this was just stupid. Believe it or not I actually liked the episode where (spoiler) Derek was killed off because it reminded us how much we loved him and will miss him (prior to this episode he left his family for a job??). However, this is not the case. Lexie and Mark deserved better. You could tell the writers were losing interest with Lexie since she was basically invisible the whole season except an insanely boring love triangle with Jackson and Mark. I was just didn't feel the same suspense and shock I felt with George or even Edwards with this one. Sorry
Flight
newmoon9617 June 2012
Warning: Spoilers
This is a review on Grey's Anatomy's Season 8 finally, called Flight, but I can't understand what flight they are talking about, whether or not it was the flight that crashed, or the flight of Lexie to the next plane of existence?
This episode is truly offal, it is by far the worst Grey's episode I have ever seen, and this episode has by far the worst acting I have seen in awhile, the crying and emotional scenes seem forced, except for when Lexie dies, and the horrible acting isn't even the worst part, there are so many clichés and goofs throughout this whole episode, I wanted to scream. So let's take a trip down a very emotional and rocky road to what is the latest finally for this season in 'Grey's'.
Meredith, Christina, Lexie, Derek, Mark, and Arizona take a flight to go operate on a case of conjoined twins, I think, and the plane they are on malfunctions, ripping half the side of the plane off, and sending passengers flying everywhere, some of the most notable ones are Derek and Lexie, but we will get back to them shortly. Christina is the first to awaken from the plane crash, and is screaming for Meredith, who awakens with injuries and of course automatically starts looking for Derek, because recently that's all she seems to be doing half of the time.
Whilst looking for Derek, Meredith remembers Lexie, who they eventually find with parts of the plane on her, and bleeding from the mouth, they then ask her about her injuries, and she says that she is pretty sure her pelvis is shattered, and that she can't feel her left arm, so she is pretty sure it's gone. Meredith continues to look for Derek, while Mark stays with Lexie, I have to hand it too Eric Dane & Chyler Leigh, they had a very touching scene, and a very emotional one with that, and Mark is basically the only one left with Lexie when she dies.
That is basically the jist of the story, Derek survives with only a broken hand, which he gave himself, Arizona has a broken leg, Meredith has a deep cut on her leg, Christina has a popped out shoulder, and Mark almost died. The captain of the plane must have broken his spine, because he can no longer feel anything below the waist.
That is basically what happens, so no, this episode does not top the shooter, and it doesn't really top any episode so far. The only reason I watched this episode was to see if Lexie survived which she didn't, and that disappointed me. The only reason why I could see anyone watching this would to see Lexie's fate, and it's a tear jerker.
This episode was fairly terrible, and if your a Grey's fan, it's a must to watch, and if you are a Lexie fan, you might be disappointed.
This episode is truly offal, it is by far the worst Grey's episode I have ever seen, and this episode has by far the worst acting I have seen in awhile, the crying and emotional scenes seem forced, except for when Lexie dies, and the horrible acting isn't even the worst part, there are so many clichés and goofs throughout this whole episode, I wanted to scream. So let's take a trip down a very emotional and rocky road to what is the latest finally for this season in 'Grey's'.
Meredith, Christina, Lexie, Derek, Mark, and Arizona take a flight to go operate on a case of conjoined twins, I think, and the plane they are on malfunctions, ripping half the side of the plane off, and sending passengers flying everywhere, some of the most notable ones are Derek and Lexie, but we will get back to them shortly. Christina is the first to awaken from the plane crash, and is screaming for Meredith, who awakens with injuries and of course automatically starts looking for Derek, because recently that's all she seems to be doing half of the time.
Whilst looking for Derek, Meredith remembers Lexie, who they eventually find with parts of the plane on her, and bleeding from the mouth, they then ask her about her injuries, and she says that she is pretty sure her pelvis is shattered, and that she can't feel her left arm, so she is pretty sure it's gone. Meredith continues to look for Derek, while Mark stays with Lexie, I have to hand it too Eric Dane & Chyler Leigh, they had a very touching scene, and a very emotional one with that, and Mark is basically the only one left with Lexie when she dies.
That is basically the jist of the story, Derek survives with only a broken hand, which he gave himself, Arizona has a broken leg, Meredith has a deep cut on her leg, Christina has a popped out shoulder, and Mark almost died. The captain of the plane must have broken his spine, because he can no longer feel anything below the waist.
That is basically what happens, so no, this episode does not top the shooter, and it doesn't really top any episode so far. The only reason I watched this episode was to see if Lexie survived which she didn't, and that disappointed me. The only reason why I could see anyone watching this would to see Lexie's fate, and it's a tear jerker.
This episode was fairly terrible, and if your a Grey's fan, it's a must to watch, and if you are a Lexie fan, you might be disappointed.
Utter disappointment
micajelicic20 May 2012
Warning: Spoilers
Horrible season finale. This must be the worst episode I have ever seen and I am watching this show since the beginning. First it didn't solve anything from earlier episodes - Owen and Christina (gething back together or not), Kepner and Avery (in love or not) and the rest of the residents futures. A plane crash and killing one of the main characters? Horrible acting also, its not enough for a badly written season finale but horrible acting as a bonus? I don't know what is going to happen in season 9 but to me its looking like this- Derek can't operate any more because of his hand (or truth leaving the show) Mark is going to kill himself because of Lexie and Christina is going back to Owen. And a bunch of new people and actors are going to come because for the crashed doctors its gonna be a long recovery! Don't believe I'm gonna watch this show any more...
Most Pitiful Final of a Season I've Ever Seen
mikewill459018 October 2013
The writer of this episode would probably be fired if it wasn't the creator of the show. One wonders how someone who writes such a pitiful excuse of a show ever had the imagination to dream up the show in the first place.
I've watched several seasons for the intrigue of what takes place in the operating room and that which leads up to it and what which comes after during recover. I've endured along the way Rhimes's, the creator, attempts to indoctrinate us with the supposed realization that practically every other person we bump into lives an alternate sexual lifestyle. I've also endured the immorality that apparently is the basis for Rhimes's existence. However, until this point there has actually been that level of suspense that always drew me back. After this episode not sure that will be the case.
First of all the lack of realism was incredible. She unsuccessfully tried to achieve suspense but I never once found myself on the edge of my seat. And for an episode that should have provoked a lot of emotion it was so poorly written and sequenced that I never felt attached to the characters. Makes me think she missed her first three writing days and then rushed to get something together. Then again maybe she's just out of ideas.
I've watched several seasons for the intrigue of what takes place in the operating room and that which leads up to it and what which comes after during recover. I've endured along the way Rhimes's, the creator, attempts to indoctrinate us with the supposed realization that practically every other person we bump into lives an alternate sexual lifestyle. I've also endured the immorality that apparently is the basis for Rhimes's existence. However, until this point there has actually been that level of suspense that always drew me back. After this episode not sure that will be the case.
First of all the lack of realism was incredible. She unsuccessfully tried to achieve suspense but I never once found myself on the edge of my seat. And for an episode that should have provoked a lot of emotion it was so poorly written and sequenced that I never felt attached to the characters. Makes me think she missed her first three writing days and then rushed to get something together. Then again maybe she's just out of ideas.
Stupid writing
Eriyaoz8 September 2020
unbelievable.
MidoriAi10 November 2020
Warning: Spoilers
I like plain crashes, but I didn't like as a means to kill loved characters.
And what's the deal of NOBODY knowing about what happened to them??
It was 2012, everyone have cellphones with internet... why nobody check on them??? NOBODY!! At least do that right.
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