From Joan Rater, one of the writers of "Deterioration of the Fight or Flight Response" (hour 1 of the 2 hour finale)

Original Airdate: May 15, 2006 (Note: The second hour of the two hour finale, titled "Losing My Religion," was written by Shonda, and she will be sharing her thoughts on that one herself in a bit...)

I know, I know, I KNOW!!!!!!  Denny's dead and it sucks.  More than sucks.  Blows.  Feels awful and empty and seriously, why couldn't Denny have lived?

Well, if you'd been hanging around the Writer's Room in March you would have heard the writers asking that very question, day after day.  Does Denny really have to die?  There was one particular day when most of the writers had decided that Denny couldn't die.  He had to live. Seriously.  Why not?  And when Shonda came into the Writer's Room and Krista said, "Does Denny have to die?", I think Shonda's head almost exploded because it was about the 12th person that day who had asked the very same question.  And here's the thing.  The person who wanted Denny to live the MOST is Shonda.  We all love Denny because he's so charming and Denny-ish and the actor is even more charming and Jeffrey-ish, but let me tell you there was no one more tortured and torn up about it than Shonda.  So you say to yourself, okay, you're the writers, you could have saved him if you wanted to.  But we couldn't.  Denny had to die. And not for plot reasons or anything like that, it's just ... it's hard to explain.  As bad as it felt, it also felt right.  “Right” is so the wrong word, but it felt inevitable.  But since Denny didn't die until hour two, and Tony and I wrote hour one, I'll leave it to Shonda to talk more about Denny ...

What I really want to talk about is you guys.  The fans.  I mean, we all know it was one hell of an emotional roller coaster, these last three episodes.  And a lot of things are still up in the air … Mer/Der/Finn in particular.  I watched last night with my nieces and nephew who literally were begging me for something, anything about next season.  I so wanted to tell them that no matter what happens with Izzie, or who Meredith picks, it's all going to be alright (I'm a mother, I have 2 kids, so I'm inclined to want to make it all better and for there to be band-aids put on skinned knees and happy endings at the end of stories).  But before I became a mother, I was a single woman living in New York City through most of my twenties.  And I know from experience that before the happy ending there's a lot of bad choices, bad luck, one night stands and tequila.  Not to mention amazing, magical times that make all those bad choices and one night stands worth it.  Your twenties are when you figure out who you are, and what matters to you.  You're forming friendships that will sustain you.  You're making plans.  Looking for your soulmate.  Wondering if there is such a thing as a soulmate. These interns are struggling with all that while learning to be surgeons.  I started this paragraph saying I wanted to talk about you guys, the fans, and I ended up talking about myself (something Tony says I do a lot).  I guess it's because when I read your comments, I can relate.  I might not agree, but I usually get and appreciate how you feel and where you're coming from, even if it's an angry rant about how dare we kill Denny.  Seriously, you guys, we feel it too.  All we're trying to do is do right by these characters, and write stuff we'd want to watch.

So I’ll leave you with what I told my nieces and nephew last night about next season:  It’s gonna be great.  You’ll laugh … and cry … and hate our characters one minute … and love them the next.  And throw things at your TV. 

And we'll keep doing our best to bring you stories about the messiness of being human.

Comments

[JJ]

Jamie, you have got to be the only person who is okay with Denny being dead. Didn't it break your heart? Seeing her at her best, in that beautiful gown (very reminicent of Sarah Jessica Parker on SNTS when she was stood up in Paris by the old ballet dancer) lying next to Denny at his very worst, will haunt me until September!

[Meagan]

I love Denny soooooooooo much but I get exactly what you're saying about how you guys felt because it's how I feel. It sucks but it had to happen. But WOW was that a great 3 hours! I wish I were Meredith!!!! lol

[joselyne deras]

why did Meredith sleep with Derek? I was starting to like the idea of Mer with McVet!

[Becky]

No no, as sad as the scene itself was, I've been waiting for it since the moment Denny arrived at Seattle Grace. RIP, Denny.

[Brett]

Just wanted to say a big THANK YOU to the writers for an amazing season. I got my fiancé hooked on the show and he has to say that "Patrick Dempsey is The Man" or "Patrick Dempsey is a badass" at least once during each episode. I think he's got a little man-crush on McDreamy...

PS. I'm glad that Denny died... not that I wanted him to die, but I think that he had to. I truly appreciate all the blood, sweat, and tears that went into this season.

[Angela]

Just wanted to say last night was awesome. I cried and laughed and screamed at the tv but i wouldnt have it any other way. I did really like Denny but I also realized that he was not going to stay on this show so even though i cried I am ok with the decision and I cant wait until next fall. Keep up the awesome job and have a great summer break.

[Joanna]

As right as it was for you to kill Denny and whore Meredith, it's just as right for me to say adios. You took anything I might have felt for the show and stomped it into the ground. You murdered the one character I liked, and degraded the other. My time is at a premium, and I don't waste it on shows that have no respect for my intelligence as a viewer.

[Tracy]

It's true...deep down it's not a surprise, but it still "smarts" all the same. It just goes to show what great writing and acting has been accomplished to invoke such strong passionate responses from the fans. I for one, can't wait for next season and as a mother of four will try to be the "grown-up one" and know if will all be great in the end.

[Morgan]

Im ok with Denny dying.. but is Izzie really going to leave?? she cant.

[anonymous]

I know this is the second hour ... but holy s***, Derek and Meredith had sex!! I don't know what that means for them, but I'm glad SOMETHING happened. It had been building for so long.

[Alli]

This is the best shgow on the face of the planet.

I laughed, I cried, I told myself over and over again that this was a ficticious story.

Thank you for all your hard work. Me and my friends are completly and utterly obseesed with this show.

CAN'T WAIT UNTIL SEASON 3!!!

[Brianna]

Thanks for the awesome writing all season long & especially last night. That first hour was SO emotional & so draining (in the best way possible) it was GREAT!!! And I loved the first hour as much as the second. One good thing about the first hour that's better then the 2nd...I didn't want to throw something at my TV & I knew I'd instantly have more.

Love the show, love the writing, love the actors & everyone else involved. Keep up the awesome work...you guys derserve the break...even if it's going to drive me insane in the mean time.

[stephanie]

great episode last night. so tense my sister and I thought we were going to explode.

i love the fans who claim you've "jumped the shark" and who threaten not to watch if you don't march to their orders. you guys keep doing what you're doing. there are those of us who don't think the show has gone downhill.

in fact, i think it's brilliant. i've never spent half an hour crying about a television show. you obviously know how to cause an emotional response.

[Becky- OK]

no, you're not the only one OK with it - I agree, it had to happen. Even though she doesn't see it now, Izzie will be stronger for it and we got to see Alex step it up - that was such a great, emotional scene. My husband even teared up.

[Karla]

The season finale was sooo emotionally draining for me! I needed to lie down afterward and try to relax so I wouldn't completely flip out! It was amazing! But my Denny! I'm so sad about my Denny! And about Izzie....and omg who is Meredith gonna pick?!?! I'm going to die waiting until next season! You guys are awesome!

[ducky]

I didn't like what Izzie did but I understand it. I admire her for sticking to her conviction and doing whatever it takes to save Denny. Defying everything and everyone. I admire Izzie for doing what it takes for the guy she loves and how Denny allowed her to do it because he would do anything for her/anything to make her stop crying. I want a love like that.

You try to do right by the characters? When are you going to do right by Addison? I think she deserves it after all the crap her hypocrite of a husband put her through.

[brianne]

No I am ok with the fact that Denny died. In fact it was about time. I'm sorry -Shonda and all the writers at Grey's thanks for a fantastic season - can't wait till Season 3!

[Nia]

No, Jamie, you're not.

Who cares about Denny? HOW COULD YOU KILL DOC???

[kathleen]

I am not happy at all about Denny dying. I would have rather you keep him than Sara Ramirez. She is fine actress, but the whole thing is just unbelievable about her living in a basement. For God's sake. Also she looks about twice T.R. Knight's size. Denny and Izzie were great and with the problems with Mer and Der and Christina and Burke, you could have let Denny survive. Nevertheless I love your show and you all do a wonderful job of writing. However losing Denny may make me watch the show less year. It just was not necessary

[Colbi]

Seriously?!? How am I supposed to wait all summer for new episodes of Grey's? I'm not sure that I'll be able to make it through. Sunday's will just not be the same without Grey's. Thank you guys for all your hard work. We, the fans, truly appreciate the people you have brought into our lives. Seriously, we do.

[Emily]

Well, Mer is now officially the Dirty Mistress.

[Adrienne]

I understand the need for Denny to die and I think it was for the best. Now if the line would have gone flat for Burke it would have been an entire different story. You writers are the best I laughed I cried I screamed I loved every minute.

[Teerra]

I am not OK with the fact that Denny died, but I am mature enough to know that it will benefit the show in the long run. Nevertheless, I'm still so upset about it. It feels as if a family member died! I cried so much last night. I've never felt this way over a fictional character before!!! I'll miss Denny and Jeffrey Dean Morgan. I hope he finds success another show that has the room for him and his talent.

Katherine (the whole cast) did an excellent job and the writing was exceptional.

[abby]

I wasn't a big Denny fan either. I thought his death was great story but I'm not that upset that Denny won't be around any more.

[missdramalady]

Jamie at 1:42

Nope. Sometimes nice people die. The people we love most in the world die. Dying is a fact of life. With so many medical advances, we seem to have forgotten that.

Besides, I've always believed that death must happen in order for someone else to be born. I know that sounds weird or spacey or totally New-Agey granola-y. But the day before I was born, my grandmother's brother died.

*shrug*

But that's just what I believe...