really what it's all about. We have to cherish the time that we have here, and love the people who surround and support us, even if they make us crazy, because things happen. Brain surgery, Alzheimer's and weddings. And the worst thing is to come to the end of your life, and realize, like Ellis, that you should have tried harder", stated Rater, putting the emphasis on the main aspects of the episode, characterizing it as "not ordinary". Reception On its original broadcast on February 1, 2007 at 9:00 ET, the episode averaged 24.18 million viewers, ranking ninth in weekly viewership with an 8.5 rating, according to Nielsen. The episode was the fifth most-watched episode of the season, airing in the fourth week after the winter hiatus. The episode showed a significant increase in ratings, attracting 2.68 million more viewers than "Great Expectations", which received a 7.6 rating. "Wishin' and Hopin'" was also the leading show in the time slot, with 2.69 more million viewers than CBSs' CSI, which ranked tenth in weekly viewership with a 7.6 rating. Kate Burton, who portrayed Ellis Grey, received a nomination at the 59th Primetime Emmy Awards in the Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series category, but ultimately lost to Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Leslie Caron. Variety listed the episode in its top 10 most bizarre medical maladies encountered in the series. Staci Krause of IGN had a positive outlook on the episode, mainly due to the heavy development the episode's plot had in the season's progressive arc. She described the storylines involving the cancer patient's intoxication and Ellis' lucidity as achieving a balance, and moving the show "at a lightning quick pace". Krause deemed the episode "stellar", noting how it avoided the possibility of having negative points. Regarding the episode an "epic" one, she praised the scene which depicts O'Malley realizing the intoxication provoked by the patient's blood. "This is what we come to expect from medical dramas and it is great to see Grey's get back to this, while not sacrificing the personal stories", stated Krause, putting the emphasis on how "this case brought out the hero in just about everyone, pushing their limits for a patient". Krause noted that O'Malley has developed into a hero, stating that "pulling all the people in the operating room out, even though he was already sick and could have easily died from