From Shonda Rhimes, creator and writer of upcoming post-Super Bowl episode

Episode Airdate: 2/5/06 -- After the Super Bowl!!!

So I’m all…”Pitch for the Superbowl episode?  Sure, why not…they won’t pick us...so it’s no big deal…”  I typed out a one page synopsis and sent it in to the powers-that-be at Touchstone and ABC.  Then I lay back down on the couch and promptly forgot about it.

They picked us.

Now, to understand what this meant to me, you have to understand how I write.  I don’t.  Not until the last possible minute.  Then I churn it all out in a crazed frenzy while eating ice chips and cursing the gods for not making me something sensible like an astronaut or a prima ballerina.  Prima ballerinas do not have to write things.  But I guess since they have to be freakishly thin, they may have it worse off than me.   

But I was sick.  Actually sick – not my usual drama sick.  So sick that members of the cast were peering through the door at me in my office and very kindly trying to suggest that maybe I might want to consider heading over to the nearest hospital and moving in for a while.  So sick that the medical research team did an intervention and sent one of their own in to examine.  So sick that the entire show had to be shut down for a week so that I could recover enough to not cough up pieces of my lung on my computer screen while writing.  Let me tell you: it sucked.

Now, I tell you this as a shameless ploy for sympathy.  I love sympathy as I am a neurotic writer.  And to distract you from the fact that, because I am a neurotic writer, I procrastinated and procrastinated until literally the DAY of the read-through (a read-through is when we gather together the entire cast and they do us the honor of reading the script out loud at a big round table – even after a season and a half, it is amazing to me that I get to hear my words read aloud by these truly talented people).  At which point, I started writing like a crazed fiend.  I finished writing the script just in time for my team to make copies of the script and race them over to put them into the cast’s hands as they were taking their seats at the big round table.  None of us, including me, had any idea if what I’d written would even work.   I was nervous and wishing I was still sick.  Because you never know.  I love my actors and my actors like me well enough.  But still…

Perhaps they would chase me with torches and stone me to death with rage at my idiocy.  Perhaps they’d smile politely but coldly at me and run to call their agents so that they could beg to get off this show.  Or, you know, perhaps they would raise me on their shoulders and carry me around singing showtunes in my honor.

They did nothing of the sort.  What they did do was gasp, yell, hoot with laughter, applaud and openly weep as they read the pages aloud.   Ellen Pompeo shrieked “HOLY CRAP!” right in the middle of the reading.  Katie Heigl started to cry somewhere around page 20.  Sandra Oh just kept whispering “oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh, oh, OH MY GOSH.”  And after I got hugs.  I am not the hugging kind but still…if you stand very still and hug back, it is nice.  The director, Peter Horton, was thrilled.  The writers were thrilled.  The studio and the network were thrilled.

Thrilled.  It’s good, that word.  Thrilled.

So please watch.

I hope you like it.  A lot of work by the cast and crew went into this episode.  Work I’ll be able to explain to you after the episode airs and it stops being the big giant secret episode that we don’t talk about…

Comments

[Ali]

Shonda--

You're seriously my hero. Seriously. Love your writing, love this show, and I love the whole freakin' cast (especially Patrick Dempsey--but that's a given, considering I'm a 23 year old female, with eyes and a pulse).

There's no doubt we (everyone at the message boards...and everyone else I know) all will be watching this episode with bated breathed (that always struck me as a vaguely odd phrase).

This is a rather short post for me...but all I wanted to say is thank you. And to the other writers. And to the cast. Each person who works on this show has to be amazing--because Grey's is just that good.

That said, I'm so ridiculous excited for the superbowl episode, that I can't wait for Sunday. Then again, I suddenly love Sundays...gee, I wonder why. *grin*

[Kelsie]

What the Hell is a Code Black?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?

[bethp]

Holy Crap,cant wait for Sunday!!!Oh my gosh ,i hope we the audience will get the same reaction as what the actors did when they read your script!

[kdfan123]

YIPPEEE! WAY TO GO SHONDA! We are strapping on our seatbelts and are ready for this ride!

[Joanna]

Hi Shonda,

I can't wait to watch your SB episode (the one that has been kept secret all this time and that devoted GA fans are trying to figure out). The suspense is killing me and millions of other fans. Sunday night has never been the same since GA. I love it, I love it, I love it.

-:)

[Trisha in Texas]

After seeing a peek of next's week episode, I had to come to the website (first time) to see if I could find anything else. I can't wait .. Superbowl.. who cares!! What is going to happen on Grey's Anatomy!! Loved the show since episode one!

[Simone]

Thank you so much, for this great Show, the great writing and the adorable Cast. I love everything about it ..... and for the Super Bowl Ep...... I can´t wait and all I say is .... bring it on!!!
Greetings Simone

[Kevin]

Oh, we're watching. I was thrilled to hear the GA would be the post-SB show. That's a huge deal.

Congrats, and I'm looking forward to it.

[Elissa]

Shonda:
We cannot live without Grey's Anatomy. Don't ever go away. You can read our love every Saturday at www.theday.com. Search for The Remote.
Good luck with the Super Bowl episode: Don't worry about "The Curse."

[Lacy]

Wow. I didn't think I could get any more excited about Grey's A. Then I heard they were airing after the Super Bowl, which is HUGE for the show and for us fans. And then last Sunday's episode just blew my mind, and I've been in a perpetual state of frenzied fandom ever since the teaser for next week.

But then...just when I thought it couldn't get any worse, I read that Shonda is writting the Super Bowl episode! HOLY CRAP! And then reading this blog and hearing about the cast's reactions....I'm just beside myself! I don't even care that the Colts got knocked out of the playoffs anymore.

[Crystal]

I am so looking forward to the SuperBowl episode, I can hardly contain myself.

[Callie]

You are totally OH MY GOD freaking hilarious.

[ariella]

I hope the Superbowl ends perfectly on time, because if they make me wait for my Grey's I'll be one unhappy camper!!! :-)

Thank you for creating this wonderful world that we all get to visit. I suddenly find myself wishing Sundays would come a little more frequently!

PS: I know that you won't give us any hints about the future, but may I just put in a plug for true love... we love our Mer/Der, and are praying that they're finally on the way to recovery. In fact, we think it's already begun, and will be watching closely for signs that their love will win out.

It feels very strange to me to be so invested in the romance of two fictitious characters - but then that's why everyone loves and admires you so. Congratulations on creating this world we love so well.

[Jen]

It looks amazing for next week. I'm real excited.

I drew you guys something.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v511/nnyish/sandraohsketch.jpg

[Chantale]

Just reading the blog you have me saying "Oh my Gosh!" repeatedly. This episode is bigger than the Superbowl and I'm sure it will blow us away!

It's been a long time since I've had excited butterflies in my stomach and I count down the number of sleeps until a show airs. It's all very thrilling!

Congrats to Oh on her recent SAG win, and more congrats to you and the whole team for a truly wonderful show.

Can't wait - 5 sleeps left!

[mary4202]

i think code black is a bomb threat. yikes. i won't be able to deal if any grey's actors leave the show. please keep them safe!

[Lisa]

Eep! I don't know if I can wait until Sunday, I'm so excited!

[Judie]

Shonda,

YOU ARE THE BOMB!!!!

I thought your description of your writing style for the Thanksgiving show was hilarious, but this one...there are no words for. Although I am sorry you were so sick.

Like all the others, I am so looking forward to Sunday's episode and since you have the best group of actors on the planet right now as far as I am concerned, I will trust their responses that it will be an episode well worth the wait.

Thank-you for sharing so candidly. The show is incredible.

[Karen]

You sound like me.

I ALWAYS wait to the last minute to do something like that...only not quite like that...more like research papers, and other writing homework...

And yet I seem to get good grades anyways?

Anyways...I am o so most definitly watching. I saw the clip this weekend, and my brain said "Why does the Superbowl have to be on BEFORE it? Why can't it be after? No one really likes the game anyways...it's all about the Grey's people!!

So I know I'll be watching it.

Plus, my mother kept asking what a code black was...witch is code for "watch it and tell me what it is".

Can't wait!

[sophie]

i'm really embarassed but i must confess, i cried reading your post. yes, literally tears were in my eyes. i don't remember the last time i've been so exited and god i can't wait until sunday! thank you for being amazing! seriously.

[Allie]

haha Shonda about writing the script, sounds just like me when I have a big assignment due for school, put it off till the very last minute. Anyways, I was SO happy when I heard your show got picked for the post-Superbowl episode, it's so great and deserves to be in that spot :) I hope more people watch, it's such an awesome show with a great creator, talented writers and wonderful cast. Thanks for making such an awesome show! It's the highlight of my week. I know I'm blabbering but can't wait till Sunday! 5 more days...

[TLee]

What an amazing job yet again and what a great build up to the SB episode. Love ya Shonda. Thanks for this amazing show and thanks for showing us the side of Izzy that you did this last episode. What a great addition to her dimension as a character! Keep up the great work! Seriously!

[Suzy]

I truly love this show, and finding the blog was such a wow moment for me. My hubby and I don't watch much tv...and when we do, well this show is THE one. I'm excited for the Super Bowl sunday show....can't wait...but then again, I love the show so much I'm already waiting on the next one! =) Great writing...keep up the awesome work!

[Gigi Santiago]

I'm from the Philippines and Grey's hasn't hit our shores just yet but I get to watch it thru a friend who tapes episodes. Love your show like crazy! I'll count this as a highlight in my life -- to be able to post a blog in Grey Matters! Too Good! Too Good! Rock on, Shonda! God Bless Ya!

[Mary Anne]

Ms. Shondra:

Thank you for giving all of us a reason to watch television again. You have put together a great team of writers. Each week, they weave another piece of a beautiful tapestry. However, they can only do their job because the threads are strong and solid.

The threads are the characters, of course. You have crafted such a realistic, wonderful, flawed cast of characteres that when the show is over, I write the next episode in my head.

When a show takes on a life of its own in the mind of the viewer, its creator has done a superb job.

I thank you for your work and your vision, and look forward to the Code Black unveiling.

PS:

Of course, down the road, I also anticipate THE REUNION. One wish; Meredith's fall was public, her ascension should be public too. I am a big McDreamy fan, but he's had things his own way for a bit too long. I want him to get Meredith back, but ......I hope he has to crawl a ways before he does!!