The episode begins in medias res, depicting events following a whodunit style, presenting the events from multiple perspectives in a fast-paced manner. It follows the doctors as they attempt to uncover the truth behind a medical error that leads to a patient's death.
Upon its original broadcast, "I Saw What I Saw" was viewed by 15.40 million viewers in the United States, ranking #1 for the night, and garnered a 5.6/4 Nielsen rating/share in the 18–49 demographic. The episode received critical acclaim from television critics for its unique narrative structure, pacing and performances of the cast.
Plot
The episode opens with a voice-over narration from Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo) about seeking new perspectives to uncover the truth, even when it leads to more questions and difficult challenges.
Eventually, Reed realizes that the fatal mistake was made by April, who neglected to check the patient’s airway—already swollen from smoke inhalation—after being distracted by another patient with an axe lodged in his chest. As a result, Richard fires April. The residents react differently: some criticize April's negligence, while Cristina shows compassion for her former rival. Derek Shepherd (Patrick Dempsey) confronts Richard, blaming him for creating the chaotic environment in the ER due to the merger.
Derek takes Meredith home following her discharge after the liver donation surgery, and recounts the entire chaotic incident in the ER to her, filling her in on the events she missed during her recovery.
Production
The episode was written by William Harper and directed by Allison Liddi-Brown. David Greenspan edited the episode and Donald Lee Harris served as production designer.[1] The episode's soundtrack featured music by notable artists, including Metric ("Blindness"), All Thieves ("We Will Be Dust"), Faded Paper Figures ("Polaroid Solution"), Jack Savoretti ("Songs From Different Times") and Matt Hires ("Out of the Dark").[2]
Release
"I Saw What I Saw" was originally broadcast on October 22, 2009, in the United States on the American Broadcasting Company (ABC). The episode was watched by 15.40 million viewers, an increase of 1.61 million from the previous episode, "Invasion", which garnered 13.79 million viewers. In terms of overall viewership,[3][4] "I Saw What I Saw" ranked #1 for the night, surpassing CBS's Survivor, The Mentalist, and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.[3] Additionally, the episode earned a 5.6/14 Nielsen rating, securing the top spot in its 9:00 PM Eastern time-slot and for the entire night in the 18–49 demographic, outperforming shows like Survivor, NBC's The Office and 30 Rock, and ABC's FlashForward.[3] Compared to the previous episode, which garnered a 5.0/13 rating share in the same demographic, "I Saw What I Saw" demonstrated an increase in ratings.[4]
Reception
"I Saw What I Saw" received critical acclaim from television critics for its unique narrative structure, pacing and performances of the cast.
BuddyTV gave a positive review, stating, "Notice how good Grey's Anatomy gets when it focuses on the medicine and ignores people’s drama? That, in a nutshell, is what happened to Seattle Grace following the so-called invasion last week. It was an awesome episode. Flashbacks are made of win, especially when you sort of know the ending, and everything feels like a gradual build-up to it."[5]
A review on TV Squad offered a more mixed response, commenting, "There was a lot of potential that this episode could have gone with... The thing about what made the Grey's episode poor was the fact that in Grey's, all perspectives were the same."[6]
TV Fanatic posted a mixed-to-positive review as well, stating, "The question is whether it worked. We're going to go with a definitive yes... and no."[7]
References
^Writer: William Harper. Director: Allison Liddi-Brown (October 29, 2009). "I Saw What I Saw". Grey's Anatomy. Season 6. American Broadcasting Company.