The romantic tension explodes. Meredith and Derek finally get together, only for Meredith to realize she is essentially the "other woman." The episode ends with Meredith telling the handsome neurosurgeon to choose his wife.
A religious patient forces the doctors to confront their own beliefs. Izzie struggles with her past as a lingerie model (a hilarious subplot that aged surprisingly well). Cristina tells Burke she likes him, a rare moment of emotional maturity.
This episode solidifies the Meredith-Derek romance (dubbed "MerDer"). It also introduces the looming shadow of Derek’s wife, Addison Montgomery, though we don't see her yet. Medically, it tackles a gruesome leg amputation and the ethics of organ donation.