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

[TiaMria]

I thought I was the only person who was ok with Denny dying... :-)

[Samantha]

i'm ok with it - but still, it's so SAD

[uyi]

last night was a blast. I couldn't sleep and my sister cried

[j]

Shonda - your turn. I'd like to hear more about why Denny *HAD* to die - 'cause I don't get it.

[Alli]

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

I laughed, I cried, I told myself over and over that this is a ficticious show.
What a great eppisode!

Thank you and the rest of the creators/writers/producers for this show.

Me and my friends are obsessed!
CAN'T WAIT UNTIL SEASON 3

[Lizard]

I feel horrible that Denny died. I felt horrible thinking about it trying to make myself fall asleep. I've felt horrible all day. I hope next season lives up to what you are saying because I am very much on the fence about even watching it.

[vik]

Nope. Denny had to die. Izzie is finally free.

[Erin]

Thank GOODNESS you finally blogged! And I just have to say that even though I was totally crushed and broken to see Denny die, I knew it would happen... and even that it was inevitable. Life doesn't always work out how we want it to. And now I am grieving poor Denny! But it was still a great show and I cannot wait till next season.

[Kim]

I agree. It was inevitable that Denny had to die. It's sad, but it's also life. I think everyone did a fantastic job on this episode and I can't wait until season 3! [even if it's changing to thursdays!]

I love all these characters so much, I'm going to miss them over the summer, but you guys all seriously deserve a break!

I'll look forward to next years blogs :)

[Amy]

Actually, my husband was more upset that the dog had to die than Denny. But I thought that the scene with Izzie in the bed with her beautiful dress spread all over holding the man she wanted to marry and then losing it in Alex's arms was one of the best ever. EVER.

[Alexandra]

I'm not enraged that Denny died. Something about it seemed right, I guess. I didn't want him to die, but I don't know, it just seemed like it had to happen.

I was upset that Doc had to die though. Poor dog.

[ann]

I´m agree too. i didnt love him but he was really so goog, maybe too much

[Tiiiiffffany]

wow... I think you guys did an AMAZING job writting the last 3 episodes. I have never had such a bad night sleep until sunday evening, when i was waiting up all night just to find out whether or not Denny and Preston would make it.
I think that although Denny was hot, cute, and just plain lovable, think about what the story would be with him next season?? like come on!!!! IZZY would be happy! and Alex sad! and that wouldnt fit with there characters at all :P also, i find Meridith to have a great choice in men...i mean Patrick and Chris!!! wow!!! i cant thikn of any male character on the show that ISNT eye candy :)

thats all for now,
Tiff
**go team Mer**

[mab]

You are right we laugh … and cry … and hate your characters one minute … and love them the next. And throw things at our TV and that makes a GREAT SHOW !!

Keep up the good work and always keep us on our toes.

Not sure I like neing moved to Thursdays at 9:00 pm.

[Baylink - http://baylink.pitas.com]

Oh, ghod; the First Posters are out in force. It's ok to not approve those comments, y'know. :-)

I have much to say (as usual), and much more to think...

but I do have to agree a bit with those who've said that the characters seemed more than a bit off-characterization in both parts of the finale.

I'll miss Denny (and I'm straight), but I hope I don't have to miss Izzie more. I see that Katie skated last night when Jimmy Kimmel tried to get her to commit on whether she'd be back next season; I *hope* that bodes well.

Just remember your Nomex longjohns when reading, folks.

[VK]

We love you writers and support you. Thank you for another wonderful year!

[Dr.Misselt]

I get it -- really sad but it had to be.

[Sarah]

I just have to say that by the middle of the episode I was wanting Denny to die. I really don't know why.

Another great episode and season. Okay now you can all take about 2 weeks off and then get back to work how about be unusual and come back giving us new episodes like in August because some of us just don't think they are going to get through the summer without new episodes.

I just wish the Season 2 DVD came out sooner rather than later.

Thanks again for a great season. The last episode was really satisfying and now I just have to hope that you start the 3rd season the way I am picturing it in my head. (with Meredith picking Derek, the details I will leave up to you guys).

[ssirenss]

Firstly, a sincere THANK YOU for the shows these past two nights. Its a gift, what you guys have given us. The talent of the writing staff and the actors.

I was so distraught about Denny dying, I gave a moment of consideration as to whether or not I could even go to work today. (I did, of course. Afterall, actor JDM is still alive and Denny is fiction). I still cant think about it without feeling some sort of real, residual mourning. FICTION! FICTION! Shouldnt be this traumatizing!

[Marni]

Seriously loving the show, the actors all shined last night. The one on ones with the Chief were phenomenal! Cant wait til next season....Thursday nights!

[Alli]

What an amazing show.
CAN'T WAIT UNTIL SEASON 3!!!

[Kim]

I'm okay with Denny's death. Well, 'okay' is a stretch. I'm sad. Denny was...Dennyish as you said. He was fabu;ous. But I agree with you: It felt right. Even seeing Izzie admit in the end and walk off... that felt right too.

The whole rollercoaster felt real, honest. That's one of the things I love about this show. The characters are real and the answers aren't 'TV' fake answers. These are great stories with great people told by great writers. It's good, amazing stuff. So keep it up you all! Go team!

[Miranda]

Well, I'm still looking forward to Shonda's blog entry but thank you for writing one as well.

Well, I am pretty bummed that Denny died b/c he was quite charming and I thought he was going to make it but I wasn't shocked that he did. As I said before, he and Izzie didn't work for me but that doesn't mean I wanted him to die or Izzie to leave. I don't want Izzie to leave, although she checked out mentally big time - helloooo.

I am not happy about Meredith and Derek getting it on (and I can't believe I am saying that b/c I like them together) b/c the timing is WRONG WRONG WRONG and that was BAD BAD NAUGHTY!!! First you strung us along with that story and make us like Addison and become irritated with Derek and then get excited about Finn and Meredith. I don't want Finn to get trampled on - he's way too nice. Derek should have had to be sick to his stomach a little longer - much longer, actually. I thought Meredith was stronger!

George is GREAT!!

I'll write more after Shonda's blog comes up.

P.S. Some of these blog entries can be toxic. Don't listen too much to the haters, especially the wannabe, so-called "writers" who think that since they have taken one writing class they know more than you - YAWN...

See ya next fall and thanks...

[Amy Nora]

Oh Shonda. Shonda, Shonda, Shonda. I can't remember the last time I loved and hated someone so much at the same time.

Let's get the hating part over with first. Just when I finally got over you turning Dylan into chunks, you kill Denny. I loved Denny. LOVED him. I feel like I'm the one who needs a heart transplant because mine is just broken. Even the Mer/Der sex can't make up for the loss of Denny. So today I'm hating you for that. I can't even talk about last night's episode today without bawling.

At the same time, I want to thank you for perhaps the best two hours of television ever. EVER. So many brilliant and powerful moments in one episode:

The humanizing of Cristina. The humanizing of Alex, for that matter.

Burke realizing and accepting Cristina's limitations.

The individual interrogations of the interns by Webber going totally on tangents.

Bailey taking over prom planning.

George apologizing to Meredith for having sex with her.

Izzy curled up next to Denny's lifeless body decked out in her prom dress (Katherine Heigl was amazing in this episode, btw).

Bailey in Burke's room wondering about the location of her "suckups".

Said suckups walking into the prom after Denny's death looking like the Breakfast Club.

So, I'll be mourning Denny for quite some time (seriously - did you HAVE to kill Denny???), but I can't wait until the first new episode in the fall.

[Costy]

no u're not!! :P