Chris Van Dusen on "My Favorite Mistake"

Original airdate: 3-22-07

By now, you all know that this blog is a pretty scary, intimidating, daunting place for us writers.  Unless your name is Shonda Rhimes.  If your name is Shonda Rhimes, you’re not scared of the fans who are asking for your head because of that whole George and Izzie sleeping together thing.  You’re not intimidated by the millions of people wanting – no, demanding – that Mer-Der sex.  You’re not daunted by the task of getting Cristina Yang to walk down an aisle wearing a big, white, frilly wedding dress…

Of course not.

But, if your name is Shonda Rhimes, you’re able to casually saunter by a guy who’s staring at a blank computer screen, attempting to write his very first writer’s blog for his very first episode of television – his brow furrowed, eyes glassy – and casually whisper the words:  “Just blame me.”

Let me tell you, the day after we see Izzie and George have sex is a pretty frightening time to come on here and try to explain why Izzie and George woke up in that bed next to each other.  Some of you are really, really angry about that.  And, Shonda is insisting that you – yes, all of you – with your scrunched up noses and your crossed arms and your loud, infuriated sighs – you all should blame her for Izzie and George.

“Izzie and George sleep together,” our fearless leader said.  “IZZIE AND GEORGE SLEEP TOGETHER!”

It was pretty amazing.  It’s still pretty amazing.  And, trust us, we’re taking Izzie and George to some pretty amazing places.  Because, just like the theme of this episode, we have a plan.

We know you’re shocked.  We hear you.  Television watchers without pity:  We get it.  But, here’s the thing.  You know who’s even more shocked than you?  Izzie and George.

They didn’t see this coming.  They didn’t mean for this to happen.  I mean, they’re FRIENDS.  They’re BEST friends.  They spend most of their waking hours together.  They have many things in common.  They confide in each other.  They look out for each other.  They stick up for each other.  They worry about each other.  They care very deeply about each other.

Wait a minute.

Izzie and George are already in a freakin’ relationship!  They’ve been in one for a really long time.

Okay, so, up until now, it was a sexless relationship.  But, Izzie’s been mourning Denny all season long.  George has been fighting left and right with the woman he married in the wake of his father’s death.  And, of course, Izzie and George drank a lot of alcohol.  So, the sex happened.

The really, really good sex happened…

The sex that makes Izzie think she has deeper feelings for George?  It happened.

The sex that officially puts Izzie in the Dirty Mistresses Club and classifies George as an adulterer?  IT HAPPENED!

Both Izzie and George are wrong for the sex.  It was a mistake.  It wasn’t part of the plan.  George is married.  To Callie – who, at the moment, I feel so incredibly sad for.  There she is – thinking that she married the perfect husband.  The only man who has ever stood up to her father.  She’s deeply in love with George.  That scene, after lunch, when Mr. Torres comes to the hospital and tells George to protect Callie with his entire being – Wasn’t that scene just heartbreaking?  The look on Callie’s face, so proud of her husband…

George – We torture the hell out of him in this episode.  He kinda deserves it, don’t you think?  You know, for the whole adultery thing.  So, he’s incredibly hung over.  He remembers the sex during lunch with none other than his wife and his father-in law.  And, in the last scene of the episode, he’s horrified, left speechless, just staring at the ceiling.  So, so lost.  He’s not getting any sleep tonight.

And, neither is Izzie.  One of my favorite scenes of this episode is Izzie and George in the linen closet, right after George has remembered the previous night’s transgression.  There are no spoken words, yet it’s almost like you hear what Izzie and George are saying.  It’s painful.  Heart wrenching.  I don’t know about you, but, in that moment – I wanted Izzie and George together.  Without the complications.  Without the mistakes.  Without having to totally destroy Callie.  The sex, it was wrong.  But that last look between Izzie and George in the linen closet?  It was so, so right.

Because…  Izzie and George?  They’ve got some intense feelings for each other, those two.  It’s obvious.  It’s amazing.  There they are, in that linen closet, NOT DRUNK AT ALL, and it’s apparent that the sex – the really, really good sex – it could happen again – right then and right there.  So George rushes out, leaving Izzie all alone.  Neither has a clue what to do.

George.  Is.  Married.  We see George banging the linen closet shelves, Izzie looking so confused, both of them pacing around like caged animals.  Izzie and George are so incredibly flawed.  But that’s what makes them interesting.  That’s what makes them human.  That’s why, even though they did a terrible thing, we still love them.  And we want to see them get out of this okay.  I’m talking about all parties involved:  Izzie, George, and Callie.

Okay, some of you will remain angry about this Izzie-George thing.  Go ahead.  Be that way.  But, HOPEFULLY you found some joy in the MER-DER SEX you saw at the end of tonight’s episode…

It’s been a long time for those two.  Cut Mer-Der some slack.  I mean, Meredith was dead for an afternoon and Derek has been busy running around the halls of Seattle Grace making sure there are no large bodies of water left for his woman to fall into.  Which, according to Meredith, is a big problem.

Meredith doesn’t want anyone looking out for her right now.  Her mom died.  She’s fine.  She’s ready to move on.  But, everyone around her – namely, Derek – won’t let her.  He’s going around trying to protect her, but it’s coming off as extremely manipulative.  Meredith wants to fight her own battles.  She’s wants to be a surgical machine.  She has a new plan.  So, it really pissed her off when Derek talked to Mark about the Jane Doe surgery.  The troubled look on Derek’s face when Meredith tells him to shut the door on his way out – he just wants what’s best for his girlfriend.  Maybe what’s best for his girlfriend, though, is a little space.

We see how much this affects Derek when he’s unable to give his board interview the focus and attention it deserves.  Burke is doing Power Point.  Addison is rehearsing her introduction.  Mark…  Well, Mark is being Mark.  And, to everyone’s dismay – particularly Bailey’s – Mark ends up winning the race for Chief (for today, at least).  And, what’s Derek doing?  Not concentrating on his board interview.  Instead, he’s worried about Meredith.  Hovering.  Pacing.  Which is starting to affect his job.  Which can’t be good.  Now, I’m worried.

But, in the end, Meredith and Derek put their differences aside for a moment and finally go back to being the couple we all want to see.  It looked like all of that fighting led to a pretty passionate night…

Let’s not forget about Burke and Cristina.  Tonight, we got a glimpse of Cristina’s first ever musings on her upcoming wedding.  Hey, at least it’s good to know that the wedding is still on.  Because when Colin Marlowe showed up in the last episode, things got pretty intense in Burktina-land.

Colin’s arrival threw a serious wrench in Cristina’s plans.  And, over the course of this episode, no matter how bad Cristina wanted things with Burke to go back to normal, she realized that they can’t.  Because Burke isn’t interested in that.  He wants to move forward.  He wants Cristina to commit to this wedding.  He basically wants Cristina to change her ways.  And, she does.  A little.  Because, much like Cristina’s diabetes patient, Doug, she doesn’t have much of a choice.

When Cristina tells Doug that, even though he lost his foot, he still has a lot left to lose – she’s talking about herself.  She realizes she’s got to give Burke something, because she’s in grave danger of losing him if she doesn’t.  So, that’s what Cristina’s doing with all of that talk about City Hall and mosquito netting…

There’s another scene in tonight’s episode that’s worth talking about.  It’s when Alex presents the different faces to our Jane Doe.  Wasn’t it nice to see Alex in a new light?  It’s interesting to see him have a real relationship with a woman that isn’t based on sex.  This is a real connection with someone Alex isn’t linked to romantically.  And, finally, Jane Doe gets a real name and a new face.  Ava.  All thanks to Alex.

Well, there’s so much more to say, but that’s all the time I’m going to take away from you.  I’m just as excited as you to see what lies ahead for our characters.  I hope you enjoyed tonight’s episode!

Comments

[Cindy]

Ahhh I'm so scared Callie is gonna leave the show and I don't want her to! Please keep her on!

[Jacquline]

FINALLY! A writer's blog that acutally talks about the episode it pertains to... and not just the most obvious shocker of the show.

There are other things going on in this show besides Izzy and George sleeping together. We want to know about the others, too!

Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!

[Liz]

You are the best blog writer ever!! I loved how you explained about all the characters:) awesome job and awesome episode!

[Mitch]

You're going to get a lot of people hating you, not only for Gizzie, but also for George's decision not to confess to Callie.

I just wanted you to know, I get it. He's right; he would only be unburdening his conscience on her for his own benefit. It's his mess to carry. Yeah, they were drunk; no, there has never been so much as a clue that they have any kind of romantic feelings for each other, these things do happen. That's why they're called "Uh-oh Mornings".

But George.....he has to carry it to protect Callie. What can he say? "I'm sorry I went and had great sex with the worst possible person in the world"? How to make her believe that it was just drunk sex and that if he has anything to say about it, it will never happen again? She won't believe it; she'll think he did it on purpose to see if the "blonde, stacked model" actually has feelings for him.

That will only hurt Callie and make George feel a little better. Less guilty, anyway - and he doesn't deserve that. Because even though it was drunken sex, even though it wasn't planned, there is always a moment when you can back out...and he didn't. So he can carry his guilt to his grave.

O/T - was that comment in your blog a shout-out to Television Without Pity? Because we were hoping that you writers are reading; we aren't all mean, you know.
:-)

[mkim]

Okay...George and Izzy feel really terrible...that's good.

Izzy has been one of my favorite characters but I cant get my head around her doing this. I'm sure Shonda knows where she's going, its her show, but I dont get 'the point' yet.
There has to be one, please tell me it will be obvious before the season is over.

I do feel sorry for Callie, its painful to see anyone humiliated like that, and she has been, she just doesnt know it yet. And again, there's got to be a point, a reason a lesson...please. I'm sick of pointless sex and pointless pain, at least on TV.

Cant the good people...be good and not screw each other over???

I just reread this, I sound awful, you'd never think I was absollutely crazy about this show...but I have been.

I just hope there was a point to YOUR favorite mistake.

[KatielovesMeredith]

Is this really your first Grey's episode? Because it was definitely CLASSIC Grey's. Which in case you didn't know, that is a good thing. Meredith seemed so Meredith, for which I thank you. Because I [obviously] love her. But not only that everybody was everybody. Derek was McDreamy, Mark was cocky but still very steamy and Alex grew up and...Well it was all just very good. I really have no other way to describe it.

I never had much feelings one way or the other for George and Izzie... but that episode made me think that [had George not been married] it MIGHT not have been such a bad thing.

Thank you for giving me my show back.-Katie.

Oh, and I'm glad that you gave Meredith a chance to do good in surgery. To 'make dead mommy proud' as well as me.

[Vanessa]

For the first time in weeks, I have actually felt happy after watching Grey's. Thank you so much for actually portraying Meredith and Derek's relationship on screen rather than Joe's blog. I was skeptical in regard to George and Izzie and as sorry as I feel for Callie, I would much rather see George and Izzie than Callie, although Alex and Izzie are much better than any of the rest. My only complaint in the episode was the adultery/magic line, seriously? So we get that this is a very secular, Godless society, but it really is not necessary. Thanks for a wonderful episode!

[No_Gizzie]

Seriously? Again. Seriously? George and Izzie. Wow, let me just say I almost vomitted watching the sex. I mean come on they're like brother and sister and you're "taking them places." Why can't they be just friends? Not everyone has to sleep with everyone. Not everyone has to have secret feelings for one another. And George he has this really great girl that loves him and it seemed like you kept pushing George to Callie and then you go and ruin it. I'm really trying here to see where you're going with this Gizzie thing, but I can't. I just can't. Shonda says to blame her for it so fine I blame Shonda for the horrible George and Izzie sex and I'll blame her for her apparent "plan" for them.

And if you do break up Callie and George please give her someone. Don't just throw her away like garbage. She doesn't deserve that.

[Kay]

Shonda, you are delusional to think that Izzie and George are some fated meant-to-be thing. Best friends of the opposite sex can have a normal, platonic relationship that has nothing to do with INTENSE!!111 feelings for one another. George and Izzie (GAG) is plain awful.

I will never understand your obsession with having the men commit adultery and get away with it, yet Addison was punished for an entire season for reaching out for some comfort when her husband, SUPPOSEDLY MCDREAMY, became absent.

I call bullshit. Jeez, this show has gone down from what it once was.

[No_Gizzie]

Seriously? Again. Seriously? George and Izzie. Wow, let me just say I almost vomitted watching the sex. I mean come on they're like brother and sister and you're "taking them places." Why can't they be just friends? Not everyone has to sleep with everyone. Not everyone has to have secret feelings for one another. And George he has this really great girl that loves him and it seemed like you kept pushing George to Callie and then you go and ruin it. I'm really trying here to see where you're going with this Gizzie thing, but I can't. I just can't. Shonda says to blame her for it so fine I blame Shonda for the horrible George and Izzie sex and I'll blame her for her apparent "plan" for them.

And if you do break up Callie and George please give her someone. Don't just throw her away like garbage. She doesn't deserve that.

[alfonse]

Nice blog! Very satisfying for us fans and very Shonda-like (we all love her blogs!).

[greys fan]

I love the Burke/Cristina scene at the end!!!!!!!! Thank you so much for keeping them together after everything they've been through and for helping them to communicate a little more! Awesome episode!

[Anna]

Amazing episode and I mean it. Izzy and George in the closet was hands down the best scene of the show, no words were necessary and it was perfect.

Meredith and Derek actually sharing screen time and dealing with things, having sex and being the sexy flirty couple they are (#1 Sexiest according to TVGuide) is what has been lacking on this show. I have such a smile on my face after watching them this episode. He loves her so much and he's so scared he'll lose her again.

[Theresa]

Thanks for the MerDer finally! That made me super happy! My DVR is officially broke from rewinding the final scene so many times. I will hold my tongue about George and Izzie till it pans out more. An.....interesting choice I guess, but I will hold my judgement until it develops more. It was a really great episode all around!

[Caroline]

Loved tonight's episode! I saw Izzie and George coming from a long, long time ago, and I had mixed feelings until tonight. The connection between them - all throughout, but especially the scene in the linen closet - the love was palpable! The sex was the hottest sex George has had so far, and the tension and looks in that room... oh, how we all felt it in the living room watching tonight. So beautifully written, and so beautifully acted.

Loved the Mer-Der sex too! And I loved how Ava talked to Alex about Addison, and is just like "so what??" about how she's his boss. I have been so invested in that relationship, I hope it gets taken somewhere before the spinoff - I need CLOSURE. I love the connection between Ava and Alex, too, though if it goes the route of doctor/patient romance I WILL stop watching.

One last note - I really loved the blog, and how well you covered so many of the characters tonight. That's the first in awhile that covered more than one story from the show, nicely done!!

[katie]

as shocking as the izzie george thing is, i'm interested to see where it goes... i don't want to see anyone get hurt. But i think they just both have lust for each other that is it.

[Sara]

Why God? Why? Why did you have to go there? No, I don't want to see George and Izzie having sex. I don't want to think about. No, there was NOTHING there between them in the linen closet. When Izzie held George's face, it was like she felt sorry for her pudgy-little-friend. I'm so disgusted that the writers get bullied around by the MerDer fans. They want a reunion, they get a reunion. They want sex. They get sex. But us Izzie and Alex fans who have held on through Ho-livia, Denny Baguette, and Addi-slut now have to watch THIS? When will WE get a happy ending with Alex and Izzie. Why are you torchuring us?

[ss]

Good blog!!!!! finally... Izze and George kinda makes me nervous. I never saw it coming, Izze having feelings for George. I mean doesn't it just say that two people from opposite sex cannot remains friends? I have been trying to fight this taboo my entire life.
Meredith and Derek, I am torn. I love this couple. I really do. I feel sorry for Derek. I like Meredith, but I want her to give Derek some slack. You know, it was SOO good to finally, she that part of her that we saw in season 1; the capable doctor.
I know it is not realistic to have everything bright and shinny for them. However, before you all decide to drop a bomb and tear them apart, please think. You all have built them to be the best couple in television. Be careful what you do to them. It was finally good to see them happy even though it came after some friction,
Christina is a very interesting character, I love here sometime and I hate her sometime. But, it will be interesting to see how it the wedding thing will play out.

[Melanie]

I really want to see Meredith and Derek get through this. I can't stand to see the tragic love story happen to them again. They need to talk about it, deal with the situation. (And, as writers, don't you feel a little obligated to follow up on the fact that Meredith gave up on life...not just act like her life is back to normal?)

They are the only reason I watch the show (now anyways, since it doesn't ever really have in depth patient stories) and I would really like to at least here them say that they love each other.

Meredith comes back from the dead because a "whiff" of Derek isn't enough, passing moments aren't enough...and she can't even tell him she loves him? Come ON! Even if you aren't that type of couple I would think that a near death experience would at least get and I love you. (Since they really do love each other)

Also I wish they would quit adding characters. Do you think that you have enough time between all the commercials to actually have character development when you are following at least 11 peoples' lives? Just a thought.

[allie]

A big fat THANK YOU on behalf of Mer-Der fans everywhere. Tonight? Tonight was gooood for our favorite couple. KEEP IT UP!

[sammie]

this episode was amazing!! this week and last week were two of the best in my opinion. the only thing i'm mad about is the fact that there isn't a new one for FOUR WEEKS! hopefully i'll survive. i thought izzie and george were going to kiss or something in the linen closet because that's what people do in there. and i'm glad meredith and derek had their moment...that last scene with them was perfect. i feel so bad for izzie right now. and i loved alex in this episode. and i love jane doe. and bailey needs to hurry up and be chief already (even though she can't yet). this is my favorite show ever and i'm eagerly anticipating the next episode!!! even the recap one :-)

[Maggie]

George and Izzie is soooo wrong. McVomit in my throat. All I want is Alex and Izzie. Are you there God? It's me Maggie!

[ss]

Good blog!!!!! finally... Izze and George kinda makes me nervous. I never saw it coming, Izze having feelings for George. I mean doesn't it just say that two people from opposite sex cannot remains friends? I have been trying to fight this taboo my entire life.
Meredith and Derek, I am torn. I love this couple. I really do. I feel sorry for Derek. I like Meredith, but I want her to give Derek some slack. You know, it was SOO good to finally, she that part of her that we saw in season 1; the capable doctor.
I know it is not realistic to have everything bright and shinny for them. However, before you all decide to drop a bomb and tear them apart, please think. You all have built them to be the best couple in television. Be careful what you do to them. It was finally good to see them happy even though it came after some friction,
Christina is a very interesting character, I love here sometime and I hate her sometime. But, it will be interesting to see how it the wedding thing will play out.

hey i was just wondering...if the interns have only been interns for only a year, and the show started back 2 years ago, why is george singing sexy back? that song just came out like the end of last year... oh by the way, love the mer/der in there this episode

[Layne]

You did an amazing job with the episode and the blog. It was really a nice return to what I love about Grey's Anatomy and that was the interns. I think you couldn't have been more right in the way you phrased things and I hope to every power in existence that you all are NOT paying the haters any attention.

George and Izzie in my eyes has always been something that was going to happen. It was just a matter of when. Katherine and TR had such amazing chemistry in those scenes. I think I could watch the closet scene a million times and not get tired of it.

It's been a hard few weeks trying to argue my case as a O'Stevens fan to some of the more extreme haters. You helped convert a few of them tonight and for that I'm grateful.

You really did a beautiful job with the script. The team did a great job. I loved the Izzie/Addison scene where Addison just knows that it was George. The whole interlude was beautifully crafted.

The ending was great as well.

I sincerely hope Ava/Alex happens. I think someone should date outside the hospital and frankly I've fallen in love with Jane Doe and her unborn child. One point of reference though, did you guys intentionally change the baby's gender. One episode it was a girl and the next Alex refers to it as her son. Clarification could be awesome.

And lastly, please put in a request with Shonda for a drunken 'Sexy Back' bonus feature on the S3 DVD.