The third season of the Emmy- and Golden Globewinning medical drama continues, following the trials and tribulations of Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo) and her fellow interns at Seattle Grace Hospital. In this week’s episode, Addison runs away from her problems; Cristina gets cold feet; and Meredith bonds with her father.

Still reeling from Alex’s rejection, Addison takes a spontaneous road trip to California for some personal time. She arrives to find that Naomi, her best friend from med school, is now divorced from her college sweetheart, Sam. Despite this, the pair are still working at the cooperative private clinic that they set up together.

While Addison announces that she is in California “to read trashy novels and go to the beach”, it is not long before she admits to Naomi that there is another reason for her visit. She wants to have a baby – and Naomi is a fertility specialist. “This is Addison post-McDreamy and post- McSteamy,” she says, before confessing that she needs a sperm donor to father her child. Back in Seattle, Mark confronts Alex over Addison’s hasty departure. The young doctor pleads his innocence, but Mark knows better. “Whatever you didn’t do sent Addison running for the hills,” he says accusingly.

Elsewhere, Cristina discovers that her and Burke’s mothers have arrived in town to help plan the wedding. They assign the bewildered bride a number of arduous tasks, including choosing her bridesmaids and attending a wedding-dress fitting. A shell-shocked Cristina questions Burke over this sudden burst of frenzied activity. “What happened to you and me and City Hall?” she asks. The groom admits that he is a traditional man and wants the works – including a chapel that can seat 200 guests.

In the middle of the dress fitting, Meredith is called in to the hospital to help tend to her stepmother’s unusual medical problem – Susan cannot stop hiccupping. The affliction is so bad that Miranda has decided to operate. Before the procedure, which involves sewing up the base of Susan’s oesophagus, Meredith consoles her estranged father. Thatcher tells his daughter that he is jealous of the growing closeness between Meredith and Susan: “I’m envious that she’s getting to know you and I’m not yet.” But Meredith is stunned to learn her father thinks that Susan is actually faking her persistent hiccups in order to bring father and daughter together.

Also this week, George has made up his mind about relocating to Mercy West – and Izzie is devastated; Jane Doe tries to get to the bottom of Alex’s flippant attitude towards women; and Addison helps to solve the paternity mystery surrounding a heavily pregnant surrogate mother.