Shonda on "Damage Case"

Original Airdate: May 7, 2006

I gotta be honest.

I have no idea what to say in this here, our blog entry for tonight’s episode “Damage Case.”

No.  Freaking.  Idea.

Why?

Because I’m scared I might spill the beans.  About the finale.  The gi-normous two-night, three hour finale the writers and the cast and the crew have been working their butts off on.  I’m usually good with the secrets.  I didn’t tell you about Meredith and George.  I didn’t let it slip that Dylan was gonna explode.  I kept the food-eating contest to myself.

But I’m a tiny bit tired from making 27 episodes of television.  And my mind is all crazy because fourteen days from now, it has become clear that everyone around me thinks I’m going to take time off.  That I’m going to stop thinking about my friends at Seattle Grace.   That I won’t get in the car,  drive to the studio and obsess about Meredith and George and Izzie and Cristina and Derek and everybody.  That I’m going to…I don’t know…SLEEP.  Or see my actual three-dimensional friends who, while lovable,  get kinda cranky when I write dialogue and ask them to say it out loud.  I’m supposed to go on vacation?  Are you serious?

Anyway, my point is, I’m weak.  I’m a weak pathetic shell of my former self so my super-hero-secret-keeping powers are not working so good.  They are broken.  But I will do my best.  I will do my best to just chat calmly and quietly about “Damage Case” and pretend those other future episodes don’t exist.

This episode was originally borne of an idea one of our writers Mimi Schmir had about this amazing damage control surgery.  I think it was Krista Vernoff who suggested that what would be cool is if our interns are all working on patients from a single family.  Which is how I ended up writing “hillbilly” dialogue.  I love the big-haired Southern girl and her family.  I love the Mama who says “good girl” instead of “vagina” and I love Big Jim who screams “Melly!!  MELLY!!!” in a crazy Deliverance way.  But what I got the most joy from is humanizing them.  What starts out as a funny hillybilly picnic story where you kind of mock this family slowly turns into a story about loss, love and forgiveness.  Mama gives that wonderful speech about how a mother should be in on making decisions for her daughter.  Big Jim offers a moment of grace to the boy who killed his daughter.  And Noah breaks my heart every time when I think of him left with a baby but without the love of his life.  I love this family.  And I love even more how in the midst of all of their tragedy and pain,  we watch  our characters struggle through.

“Yeah, yeah,” you’re thinking, “get to that argument with Meredith and Derek!”

I’m getting there.  But first I have to make a detour.  A detour over to the Land of Callie Peeing.  You know I have to go there.  This may be one of my favorite moments of our show EVER.  It’s right up there with George gets the syph for me.  Maybe not for you.  But for me…Callie walking into that bathroom topless and peeing in front of Meredith and Izzie was SO GREAT.  Because it was SO HORRIBLE.  I love that Mer and Izzie respond with all the trauma of having viewed  a car crash.  And I love even more the very sweet moment at the end where Callie says that she did wash her hands but she did it in the kitchen because those girls were looking at her like…

You know who Callie was in high school, right?  You know she was the outsider, the loner rebel chick who didn’t have many friends and wore weird clothes and was just tortured by the cool kids.  Callie, as played with Sara Ramirez …dudes, Sara won a TONY AWARD for Spamalot – I saw her in the show and she ROCKED and then we met for breakfast and discovered that we were like best friends who’d never ever met and talked for hours and hours and hours and…okay, I digress.  My point is that Sara makes Callie so vulnerable in her kickass toughness.  And when I, in near terror, asked her take off her clothes and do a scene where she pees in front of Meredith and Izzie, she was all, “I’m on it” and threw herself into the scene.  I am frankly hoping that the ABC shopping site tells us where we can buy those panties she was wearing because those were the best panties EVER next to Izzie’s Season One Hello Kitty panties and I have to own some.  I think I would be less angry about going on vacation if I had some cool Callie panties.  I would never pee in front of other people but I would be happy.

Once again, I’m losing the point.  The point…the point…the point is Callie pees and Izzie tortures her a tiny bit about the hand washing and that made me overjoyed because that’s the kind of thing people do.

The other detour I wanna make is over to Denny-ville.  I love Denny.  In a dangerous way.  Denny is very real to me.  He’s no character I made up.  He’s DENNY.  He’s human for me in a way that makes the actor Jeffrey Dean Morgan nervous when I get within fifty feet of him.  See, when Denny gets all depressed about being an invalid, I want to climb in bed with him just like Izzie does.  What’s shocking about Denny’s depression is that we are so not used to seeing him angry.  He’s so sweet.  But being an invalid wears down the spirit – that’s what our doctors tell us, that’s  what we all know from seeing it happen to people we know.  And I wanted us to see a little of that.  I wanted us to see that Denny is starting to despair of ever getting a heart.  That Denny is about to give up.  Which breaks my Denny-loving heart because he’s Denny and I just want to watch him play Scrabble and say things in that drawl  of his. 

Okay, last detour:  Alex saving the baby.  I love that we have a character who can do something wonderful but still be a selfish cranky ass about it.  Alex gets to be complex in ways most characters  don’t because even though he’s got a moral code, his moral code is totally twisted  and dark.  But he’s essentially good – deep down inside.

And now, finally, the Mer/Der of it all.  He’s so angry.  And that anger has been kinda building since all the way back when Meredith told him about George.  And it just gets SO much worse when he sees her at Finn’s and assumes she is sleeping with him.  The man is jealous.  McDreamy is jealous.  Beyond all reason or sanity or any rational thought.  He’s just jealous.  And that fight they have in the stairwell…oh, I was proud of Meredith for standing up for herself.  I was a proud, proud Mama.   But my little heart was also breaking.  Because he’s so angry.  And she’s so angry.  And then in the next episode…

Oh, yeah, right.  No talk about the next episode.  But it’s a big one.  That gets bigger.  And then it gets even bigger.  But I can’t talk about it.

I can talk about how cute and hot Finn is and how much I love it when he says “I never said I wasn’t scary and damaged too.”  Because he is like Meredith.  And that gives her a little bit of hope.  It may give you hope too.  Or it may give you a seizure because you want your Mer and your Der BACK TOGETHER and you want them back together NOW.

I could tell you so many things.  So many.  If I could.  Which I can.  But I won’t.

We’ll talk more later.  After you’ve seen the stuff you haven’t seen yet.  I’ll explain everything.  I promise.

Right now,  I have to go and figure out a way to survive the next six weeks without my friends from Seattle Grace in my life.  Maybe I’ll form a support group…

Comments

[candycane5462]

I have to say I love the Denny character too!! I like what Denny brings out in Izzie. I'm glad George is finally moving past what happened with Meredith. It was getting old. I'm not too crazy about Derek right now & I'm not currently rooting for Derek & Meredith. So far, I like what I've seen of Finn. Good casting!! The bathroom scene was both gross & funny! I go back & forth about Callie but tonight I liked the end. Its always good to get more insight into the characters! That includes Alex, who is not one of my favorites. The hillbilly family was funny, sad, touching, human. The mother remembering her daughter at different stages of her life was one of the most touching scenes! Lastly, I hope Denny lives!

[Tom]

Loved the episode (though I really don't like the character of Callie to be honest) but I have a few gripes about the Blog post (Sorry Shonda)

1. No Mention of the George/Meredith moment which was a pretty big deal that just sort of blew by in the episode. I was hoping for more here.

2. Teasing about next week is NOT cool...why ya gotta be like that?

:)

[melanie]

this episode was beyond amazing. it was so amazing, in fact, that i put off my nineteen paragraphs i must finish for language arts tomorrow just to watch it. the exploration of the anatomy of reality is damaging my grades in the most pleasant way ever.

i KNEW grey's anatomy was going to be awesome far before the series started; the postal service music on the trailers won me over.

the thing that captured me the most about this episode was its flirtation with conflict and forgiveness. izzie and denny, meredith and george, the father and man who killed his daughter, and addison and alex. i guess it all comes to show that forgiveness will be the thing that gets us by.

thank you for an emotional sunday night. im eagerly awaiting the season finale.

ohbtw. melanie had my name tonight. (: i liked that.

[Tracy]

Wow is all I have to say...and where was my box of tissue when I needed it? Very well written and a pleasure to watch!! Thanks so much.

[Chelsea]

Shonda,
I know the season hasn't ended yet, but, thank you. This has been an amazing season and you never fail to make me laugh and cry in a single hour.
As your fan, please take a vacation, after creating the last 27 hours, you deserve it and your fans want you to have it. And we know you can't stop thinking about these characters, because we can't and you're even more attached than we are.
I can't wait for the finale (I'm excited that you wrote the last hour of this season) and I'll miss Seattle Grace over the summer.
Oh, and, b/c I must, please please please, I love Addison. And I love her with her husband because she's trying and he's trying and that has to mean something at the end of the day. And I love Meredith with Finn. Because they're both scary and damaged.
Again, thank you for a great year. Enjoy your summer!
(Oh yeah, Callie rocks!)

[LilCougar]

I just have to say that even though he is a dark character, I LOVE Alex... He's real and it's fun to watch.

Typically, I am bummed after another episode where Mer and Der do nothing together...no spark...no look...no nothing... BUT, tonight I actually enjoyed watching Mer set Der right! That girl kicked some ass and I loved her a bit more for it...I'm actually getting worried that I love Mer more than "real" people that I know...

What am I going to do over the summer?! Can I join your support group?

[Caroline]

Just want to say that Grey's Anatomy actually makes me look forward to the end of the weekend. I love this show. The writing and acting are spectacular.

[Anna]

It's okay Shonda-- we're all freaking out about what we're going to do without GA for weeks and weeks and weeks too!

I have to say, Alex is one of my favorite characters because just when you think you can dislike him again, he does something so freaking noble that you can't. And I love his screwed up moral code of ethics, because it's noble in a jerk-like way.

The fight between Mer and Der was AMAZING! I think we've all been waiting the entire time they've been apart for that. Which has to be longer than 6 months right? Seriously, Bailey throwing back a few during the 'Shake Your Groove Thing' party, knowing she was preggers? Seriously? And Addison's "I slept with Mark a year ago" makes it 6 months since Derek met Meredith? Clarification, please! And yes, I love Finn and COD, I do, but I also DO want Mer and Der back together and I DO want it now! Make it happen, Shonda! Please!

Enjoy your vacation (or try to). Can't wait for Season 3!

[Stacy]

I will be a part of that support group because i have NO idea how i'm going to last until september without greys, thats 4 months!

i absoluetly LOVED this episode. it had an amazing balance of comedy and drama. the hicks starting at being annoying to them each having their own breakthrough moment. and i love how Alex can be so great, yet a complete asshole at the same time. Him saving the baby shows that he really is a good person deep down, and more than that, he is a good doctor.

now denny...i know you love him, but i can't stand him. and he does way to much back and forth. one week he is almost dead, the next seems perfectly healthy, next up and going around all cheery, and now he's all pissed because he's not a "real man". i heard he was dying 2 episodes ago, and i hate to say it, but i'm kinda upset he hasn't yet. i think the actor is great, so don't take it like that, but i'm sick of the character.

the scene in the bathroom was classic, and i think everyone who watched that wants a pair of callie's underwear! i think its good that she lets george know that he has to stand up for her because he needs to learn to stand up for people, especially himself.

and last meredith drama...omg i could go on for days. watching derek's face last episode at the vet's office i knew this would turn out bad, but i had no idea how bad! what meredith said to him on the stairs was AMAZING, i am so happy she got that out and she said it all so well (she really has the best dialogue!) and then to have him say its over... IT BROKE MY HEART! but i know you have more in store with them...

and with Finn...i think that was so cute that he admits to being damaged. everyone is damaged and to find someone else with the same damage really helps to move on.

i really could go on for probably 5 more pages, atleast, but i'm going to stop. loved loved loved the episode and can't wait for 3 hours of grey's within 25 hours, its like christmas!

[lost]

Where do I sign up for the support group? Because after next week - I am going to go into serious withdrawl.

Love Finn - we are all broken with baggage. And this is only a little bit because I love Chris O'Donnell.

Love Denny - enough said.

The whole ep was great. and the preview with the voice over - fantastic.

Great job - enjoy your break.

[dancingj]

I guess some people still don't like George + Callie? I ADORE George + Callie... I think she is good for him because she is a cool girl who can stick up for herself, but she's still gonna teach George to be a man and show some backbone and stand up to his friends. No more human doormat.

Derek was pretty annoying. Seriously. HE dumped HER and it was AGES ago... it's none of his business if she wants to sleep with people! Dunno what he's getting so high and might for.

I always watch this show with a huge group of girls and we all were kind of giggling at Denny's outburst cause the dialogue was way too soap-opera. "Virile"?! Come on. No one would SAY that.

Of course later we were all bawling our eyes out when the pregnant girl died and her dad had the moment with that poor sweet doctor who was driving the car... so the episode was saved. :)

[ducklet]

It's nice to read good blog writing here. Thanks, Shonda.
I agree with another poster -- Keep John Cho! He ROCKS on this show!!
Like some other posters, I'm having trouble caring about Mer/Der any more, but I SO love Cristina and Burke together. I am enjoying the McVet character, as well.
Thank you for your beautiful and heartwarming script writing. This is my favorite show on TV.

[Ali Harold]

Excellent episode...I just need to start off saying that! I think that I felt my heart break when the Asian doc apologised and the father just touched his shoulder. That was one of those scenes that I think will stay with me for a long time.

I want to talk about Derek. Before watching tonight ep, I watched the last few minutes of last week's, from the point where Derek sees Mer at McVet's house. I was thinking about this...is it just me, or are we really seeing history repeating itself here? I know that this might be a HUGE stretch, but I think that it's very interesting that after everything that has happened with these =characters, that Derek still hasn't owned up to the fact that he broke Meredith, and he STILL hasn't apologised for it? He didn't acknowledge his part in his marital problems, and Addie got with Mark. He walked out. He moved to Seattle, etc. He barely "acknowledged" (yeah right) his part in the Addison situation just recently, only to use his wife for 'angry revenge sex". King of Passive-Aggresiva? Uh-huh. Mer (the woman he loves) is moving on to someone else who can possibly give her what Derek won't, and he's pissed about that! He's angry because I think that on some level, seeing her at Finn's might have triggered his reaction to seeing Addie and Mark, and that he knows that in this situation he can't do anything about it. He knows that he lost any right to be angry at Mer for anything that she does the minute he chose to stay with Addison. But he's mad anyway. I'd like to know people's opinions about this!

allinator@aol.com

[Tiffany]

Dear Shonda,
THANK YOU! What a wonderful episode. I'm stunned.

P.S.
As of tomorrow I will be buying stock in Kleenex.

[Holly]

Your teasing is killing me!, but I know it will be worth the wait, I have faith in you Shonda. And if you form a support group, please call me, I am going to need it!

[sara]

i love how in every episode you find yourself laughing or choking up on a few tears here and there. you definitely feel like youre sitting there in the hospital feeling everything that the characters are feeling. like youre one of them, just waiting to jump in on all the action. this episode was so well thought out, and fit together so perfectly. it had so many great surprises too. i find out something new each time i tune in.

and im totally with you on the support group! haha.. i mean, what are WE supposed to do with out our GA fix?
looks like my season 1 dvd is going to be a little worn out by the time season 2 gets here.

keep up the amazing work!

[Kodi]

Hi Shonda!

This episode was great!

The things I like: Calie/Izzie/Meredith-the whole washing hands deal, Chistina/Burke-falling asleep during sex, Alex saving the baby, Denny asking if he could feel Izzie up (lmao), George talking to Meredith, finally!

I don't like a jealous McDreamy, not so McDreamy.

Don't kill Denny!

We need a Grey's addicts support group, for the long summer.

Can't wait to see the 2hr season finale!! yay! Enjoy your break!

[p]

I gotta say I've never been addicted to any television show as I am with Grey's. I find myself desperately finding preview clips in between shows - seriously it's ridiculous. Anyways kudos to Meredith for FINALLY growing some skin and telling Derek (aka douchebag)off. As for Addison and Alex = A for Awesome :)(maybe they should get together. hello have you guys seen the stares she gives him)

Yeah so I watch the show mainly for Addison cuz she ROCks, but Shonda hardly ever even mentions Addison's name in the blogs or podcasts - which makes me nervous after watching the previews for next week. YOU CANNOT KICK ADDISON OFF THE SHOW, EVER. I could care less if Addie stays with douchebag. He chose his wife, so he should make an effort in fixing the marriage (god knows she's trying) or divorce her so the three of them could get on with their lives.

The triangle is getting boring.
Seriously, as long as Addie's happy with her life and ON the show, douchebag can go be mcdreamy with meredith for all I care. The writer's have done a fantastic job of making Addie human and Kate's performances week after week are stellar.

Yes Callie peeing - something we'd only get to see in Grey's. And it was nice to see another side of Denny for a change. I was sick of him being all trying to be happy all the time. And as George put it, it was nice to see Christina "cheerful" this week.

Hold on to your pants cuz the finale is gonna be killer.

[Raquita]

Okay -every time I talk about the big haired momma I cry, so I woun't I'm telling you I love this show, ther is nothing cuold say that hasn't been said previously -

Good job Shonda

p.s if It hasn't been said recently - the fact that you as an African American woman put this show together, gives me so much pride, and hope for the future of black entertainment - the fact that your writers are majority women is just the icing on the cake, or perhaps the icecream cause this is just soooo SWEET!!! I love this sucess for you, maybe you can turn your powers to upgrading BET, if that is humanly possible, I know you can do it. ;)

Thank you again for who you are and what you do

Raquita@gmail.com

[lk]

oh how i get sucked in more and more each week! this is the first time i've commented on the blog (though i always read!), because i felt so compelled after tonight's show.

it's killing me to know that i have to tape the 2nd half of the season finale 2-parter since i don't think i'll quite be home from work yet! grrr.

chris o'donnell = fabulous. that's some fine casting there. he works as finn. and i like finn. i like that he's a bit of damaged goods, too.

i love that every episode finds me crying in one way or another. i get together with my mom for sunday night abc and we always tear up. (well, i tend to full-out cry, she tears up!). it's an amazing ability to have writers and music directors - because the song choices are always amazing and appropriate - that can elicit such a response. and i know it's not me. because all the gals at work watch too. and it's our usual topic of conversation.

lastly, i got one of those adorable dr. mcdreamy t-shirts for my birthday, but i'm thinking he's more dr. mcjealous-jerky tonight. meredith's speech was awesome. i love that she didn't correct him about her knitting/celibacy. she let him assume what he would, but made the point that it didn't matter because she knew who and what she was.

great great great. as always.

[Michelle]

Hi Shonda,

I’m actually a medical intern & ever since GA started, I have spent more time explaining to my family & non-md friends that my life is not that glamorous (no elevator scenes to speak of). EVERYONE also wants me to set them up with the neurologists at my hospital. Too bad 95% of all neuros are old, balding and fat (albeit brilliant), the antithesis of Patrick Dempsey.

I just wanted to thank you for the one hour a week of escape I allow myself, its great entertainment. An average looking doctor could add a little realism though.

[Emily]

Can I join the support group? It is going to be one looooong summer. :(

I love Mer and McVet together-I think they are so cute and good for each other!

It's bittersweet. I know the finale will be good, yet I dont want the season to end!

And please keep Greys on Sunday. I keep hearing that it's moving to Mondays. Nooo-I love starting off my week with Greys!

Thanks again for a wonderful episode! Seriously!!

[Genae]

Addison! I. LOVE. ADDISON. She just continues to get better and better with each episode. You all have found GOLD with Kate Walsh. I was on the Addison/Derek train but, honestly, even if they break up, you cannot write Addison off. Please? Previews are making me nervous and her lack of screen time does the same but I'm holding out hope!

[Emily]

And I agree with P-you CAN NOT let Addy go! She has a huge fan base!! She kicks *ss!!! She belongs!!

[Jennifer]

I so loved tonight's episode. Please, PLEASE don't make Denny die. I love Denny. He has to live, if only to piss off Alex. :)

Can't wait to see what's next. Oh, and Shonda? Can I join your support group?