Tainted Obligation
"Tainted Obligation" is the fourth episode of the sixth season of the American television medical drama Grey's Anatomy, and the 106th episode overall. Written by Jenna Bans and directed by Tom Verica, the episode aired on the American Broadcasting Company in the United States on October 8, 2009.
The episode focuses on Meredith Grey and Lexie Grey as their father, Thatcher Grey, is admitted to the hospital in need of a liver transplant. Meanwhile, Cristina Yang worries about losing her job, and Owen Hunt works with Izzie Stevens on a challenging surgery for a terminal patient.
Although the episode was fictionally set in Seattle, Washington, filming primarily took place in Los Angeles, California. Perry reprised his role as a guest star, while Ralph Waite and Jocko Sims made their first appearances. The title of the episode refers to the song "Tainted Obligation" by the American alternative rock group Community Trolls.
Upon its initial airing, "Tainted Obligation" was viewed by 14.13 million Americans, and garnered a 5.4/14 Nielsen rating/share in the 18–49 demographic, ranking #3 for the night in terms of viewership. It received positive reviews from television critics, with high praise for the performances of Pompeo and Leigh.
Plot
The episode opens with a voice-over from Meredith Grey, reflecting on life's increasing obligations and the inevitability of facing them.Alex Karev leaves his trailer for work and encounters a bear growling outside. He expresses his desire to move back into Meredith's house, but Izzie Stevens insists they must move forward with their lives. Meanwhile, Lexie Grey brings her father, Thatcher Grey, to the emergency room, where Miranda Bailey discovers he needs a liver transplant. Mark Sloan admits an elderly patient, Irving Waller, who, after revealing he wants a penile implant, receives the procedure.
Cristina Yang, fearful of being cut from the hospital staff, seeks to secure her place on the surgical board, while Callie Torres struggles with nerves about asking Richard Webber for an attending surgeon position. Callie seeks support from her girlfriend, Arizona Robbins.
As Izzie and Owen Hunt operate on Randy, a terminal cancer patient, complications arise, leading to his death. Hunt criticizes Izzie for the surgery's failure. Meanwhile, Lexie is unable to donate part of her liver to Thatcher, prompting her to ask Meredith, who agrees to undergo the procedure, ultimately resulting in a successful transplant. Cristina confronts Webber about the need for a cardiothoracic surgeon, declaring that if one isn't hired, she should be cut from the program.
At the end of the episode, Izzie sees the bear again and ultimately agrees with Alex that they should move out of the forest and start anew.
Production
The episode was written by Jenna Bans and directed by Tom Verica, with Edward Ornelas as editor and Donald Lee Harris as production designer. The title refers to the song "Tainted Obligation" by the American alternative rock group Community Trolls. Featured music includes The Voluntary Butler Scheme's "Trading Things In" and Dragonette's "Come On Be Good". During filming, Ellen Pompeo’s pregnancy required adjustments.In the episode, Lexie Grey advocates for Meredith Grey to donate her liver, as she is unable to. Bans explained Lexie's motivation, emphasizing that family is a gift to Lexie, not an obligation. The scene where Meredith offers her liver to Thatcher was originally meant to rekindle their relationship. Bans later changed this, following a request from Pompeo, and offered her insight:
Bans called Waller’s storyline, where he receives a new penis, the most emotional scene she had to write, explaining, "I loved this story because I hate the idea that once you're old, your life is over. I hate when people treat their aging parents like old furniture they want to get rid of but have to find a place for."
Bans also commented on Izzie Stevens' storyline, saying, "Poor Izzie. She’s living with cancer, lost her best friend, impulsively got married, and moved to the woods. By the end of the episode, after Owen tells her that using her patient experience is undermining her as a doctor, she’s wondering if she returned to work too soon. Every doctor wants to believe all their terminal patients can be Izzie, but the odds tell a different story."
Release
"Tainted Obligation" was originally broadcast on October 8, 2009, in the United States on the American Broadcasting Company. The episode was viewed by 14.13 million Americans, a 1.56% decrease from the previous episode, "I Always Feel Like Somebody's Watchin' Me", which garnered 15.69 million viewers. Despite ranking #3 in overall viewership for the night, behind CBS's juggernauts CSI and The Mentalist, "Tainted Obligation" ranked first in its 9:00 PM Eastern time slot with a 5.4/14 Nielsen rating in the key 18–49 demographic, beating shows like CSI, The Mentalist, Private Practice, and The Office. However, this was a decrease from the previous episode's 6.1/16 rating/share in the same demographic.Reception
"Tainted Obligation" received positive reviews from television critics upon telecast, with high praise for the performances of Ellen Pompeo and Chyler Leigh.Glenn Diaz of BuddyTV praised Jeff Perry's character, Thatcher, calling him "the man of the hour," and commended Pompeo's performance, noting, "You gotta love Mer when she's gloomy." He also found Cristina Yang not having a surgery "hilarious" and praised the chemistry between Callie Torres and Arizona Robbins.
PopSugar found the episode title fitting and applauded Pompeo's performance, stating they were proud of Meredith's growth, especially in putting Lexie first and offering to donate her liver. They also appreciated Oh's vulnerable side, though they felt the episode was overall "lackluster".
Cinema Blend’s Amanda Krill criticized Cristina's character as "babyish" and "whiny," while TV Guide’s Adam Bryant called the bear scene "one of the funniest moments on TV that week." He also praised the honesty in the Callie-Arizona storyline and highlighted Leigh's performance, despite feeling her speech to Meredith was "a little overwritten." Bryant appreciated the growing bond between Meredith and Lexie, calling it "nice to see."
Michael Pascua of HuffPost gave the episode a positive review, praising how Grey’s Anatomy balanced serious and comedic moments, such as Alex's bear encounter and the old man's penile implant request. Pascua also highlighted Leigh's performance and the well-written storyline of Ralph Waite's character, Irving Waller.