Debora Cahn on "Scars and Souvenirs"...

Original airdate: 3-15-07

Izzie and George sleep together.

Izzie and George sleep together.

And what does sleep mean, really, it could mean anything, which is what you figure’s going through Izzie’s head when she pulls up the sheet to check if she’s wearing anything, and the answer is, “No.  Nothing at all.  You’re naked in a bed with your best friend, and it sure as hell looks like he’s naked too.  Everybody’s naked and in the bed and have been for a while and they have bed head and are naked.”   So sleep could just mean sleep, but probably doesn’t.

The moments you wait for, in a job like this, are ones like when Shonda calls you into the writer’s room and says, “You know how we talked about how maybe George and Izzie sleep together?  Put that in your episode.”  That’s when you smile, and try to be cool, and say, “Oh, sure, I can find room for that.” And then you leave the writer’s room and do the biggest happy dance you’ve ever done, and it goes on for a while, until you realize somebody from the script department is standing nearby and watching and now thinks you’re epileptic. 

Izzie and George sleep together.

Well it was bound to happen, right?  Best friends.  They get each other like nobody else gets them.  They share everything.  It’s easy.  It’s natural.  It’s like gravity, how can you fight it?  How can you not fall?  Okay, there’s a way to not fall.  Lots of people don’t sleep with their best friend.  In fact, I’d like to take this opportunity to assure my husband that I’ve never slept with any of my best friends, and I don’t plan to start any time soon.  But it makes sense, in a way, right?  Isn’t that the fantasy?  That the guy and the best friend can be the same person?  That Izzie and George, who have shared every minute of the most intense time in their lives, turned to each other in every success and every failure and every breakup and every triumph, with every piece of gossip and every bit of pain, should share…everything?  Share their hearts and their souls and… all their other parts?  It makes sense, right?  Right up to the “he’s married” part.  That’s where it all kind of falls apart.

Oh Callie.  Callie gets a pretty raw deal around here.  She’s tough.  Which is good.  She needs to be.  But she gets a pretty raw deal.  More on that later.

Back to sleeping with your best friend… We’ve spent some time here today wondering if this is going to encourage a whole bunch of people deciding to sleep with their best friends.  And who knows what would come of that.  All I’ll say is, if your best friend’s married, I don’t recommend it.  But if your best friend’s single, and so are you, and you always kind of thought of them as the guy you go to for advice about guys, maybe you should tilt your head to the side and see if they look a little different.  Roll the dice.  Who knows?  Maybe the best relationship you’ll ever have…you’re already having.  Let us know how that works out. 

But George is married.  So there’s not really a way this can work out well.

Oh Callie. 

Now, to be fair, Callie is not some innocent, trod-upon martyr.  She lied.  About something kind of big.  And then flew off the handle when she found out George told his friends.  And she flies off the handle at George a lot.  The whole, “Why am I always the dog getting whopped on the nose with the newspaper” thing?  I think he’s really got a point there.  Callie was into the relationship first, and pissed that George wasn’t there faster.  Callie was in love first, and pissed that George wasn’t there faster.  There’s a lot of Callie being pissed for George having feelings different than hers, and he’s allowed to have his own feelings.  She doesn’t have to enjoy it, but she can’t really blame him for it, and she does.  A lot.  He’s apologizing, a lot.  And that’s just got to be exhausting.

Still shouldn’t turn around and sleep with his best friend, though.  That’s not cool either.

Izzie and George. 

I’m not going to get into the Meredith, and the Derek, and the dinner, and the father, and Cristina and Burke and Colin, who we love, not just for his dashing British accent, but it certainly doesn’t hurt, and Alex, and the tragically deformed Jane Doe, because I rambled endlessly about all that on the podcast I did with Betsy yesterday and I don’t want to repeat myself. (My first podcast.  Very intimidating.  Kind of horrifying, really, though Betsy is just masterful, and I think in a few years will have her own talk show.)  And because I’ve now taken up about all the real estate they want to give me on the Izzie and George.  But I’m okay with that, in the end.  I think I am.  Because… you know… Izzie slept with George.

Comments

[McDark&Twisty]

Nice, man.

I can barely believe you guys actually did that. Big “Seriously??!!” moment you made there.

Of course, you know what I’m talking about. The ending. That crazy ending, man. I mean, yeah, I had my suspicions. Everyone knew that it would happen eventually. But I mean, this GEORGE and IZZIE we’re talking about!!! OMG.

How this is going to play out, I am VERY interested in. Even more than if Meredith would live or not, which is saying a lot.

Damn. Thursday needs to come sooner.

[ML]

I love Izzie/George! They were so made for each other. I hope you don't listen to all the haters because I know you have a plan. Hopefully that plan involves O'Stevens and lots of love and happiness. I mean, I hope that this wasn't just a one-time drunken fling, because that would be such a waste of two great characters who have excellant chemistry.

More O'Stevens, please! (Please, please.)

[Adam]

THANK YOU SO MUCH for the amazing episode tonight. It was a return to the classic Grey's and it as awesome...even if George did sleep with Izzie. I LOVED THE EPISODE! IT was so good. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. You guys rock!

[famousARTIST]

That episode was so GA. It was fun to watch, and full of greatv stuff!!!!

Great blog, too!!!!

[Tessie]

I love the episode, but Burketina should work this out. I am so depressed for them right now.
Great episode

[Robby]

i loved this episode. best episode in a while.... probably one of my top favorite of the season. and i really like that ALL the interns are sleeping at meredith's house. its fun and funny.

[McDark&Twisty]

Yes, I hate to tell you, there's more to be heard from me.

Poor Callie. She can get pissed about anything and everything she wants, but she still doesn't deserve that. That relationship is down the tubes man.

Sorry. I like to state the obvious sometimes.

And I hope this doesn't go down the exact same path the whole Meredith sleeping with George thing did. Cause that'll just be unoriginal.

So, like I said, I'm VERY interested to see how this plays out.

You crazy, crazy writers...

[blanca]

i love you all to death, that will never change. you people made the best show ever created. but i have a few things to say. meredith and derek are a couple. they should be kissing and hugging and everything else but what you have done to them. truth is if i was to watch the show today, and not know anything else i would think they were just friends. nothing more. and for them to supposedly have this everlasting love its sad. i miss the season one meredith and derek. even season two. where are the elevator moments? please something besides talking would be nice. and oh i don't know...sex. they are a couple after all. sorry i'm just a really really really big meredith derek fan. and i want some elevator moments.

[anna]

well then...no idea what to say. You guys are definitely masters of SHOCK. Love the show, love the plotlines, hate the fact that there's so many reruns!!! keep up the great work!

[J.P. from California]

Izzie and George? This gets me so worried about Grey's Anatomy! I hope that the two of them sleeping together wasn't an attempt to gain more viewers because Grey's has never been enitrely about sex before. Gahh! Be careful! Izzie and George sleeping like that was completely uncalled for. It doesn't make any sense. Izzie and George are best friends forever! Even if they were drunk! This episode was perfectly fine until that! I love Grey's Anatomy. I felt that this show was going a bit downhill a few times this season, but I remained loyal and things ended looking up again, however, I don't see how you guys could recover from this episode. I'm really worried!

[jessicafreels]

Okay i love this show...But I nearly threw up in my mouth a little when i saw George and Izzie together. This is not good. As a woman who looks more like Callie than Izzie showing me once again that the pretty girl usually wins sucks alot. Yes I agree George gets his nose swatted alot and I agree that she is not innocent, but I really hope he gets smacked down for this, cause I don't think this is good. I loved the other stories. Loved the in fighting between the attendings and I loved Alex and Jane Doe. But I HATED the George Izzie Choice. Again...Vomit in my mouth. Seriously.

[K]

Sleeping with your best friend actually is totally liberating somehow. like somehow you knew all along it was coming.lol. great episode... callie just frustrates the crap out of me with the way she's always mad at george for having an opinion, so it was definitely nice to see him stand up for himself. but ya gotta wonder if george knew what he was going to do when he showed up with a 26 of booze to talk to izzie. like maybe he saw it coming to. either way i suppose adultery is adultery. but at least this was fantastic adultery.
word deborah. just word.

[kammommy]

I am so happy to have an episode with happiness, laughter, smiles, craziness...especially since what we have been through the last few episodes. I really enjoy this show - a lot. Even though there are a few jaw dropping moments that left us hanging - I'm with you and cannot wait until the next show. Thanks again.

[Miss M]

FAVORITE. PLOT TWIST. EVER.

Oh God, pleeeeeease let them sort things out and figure out they're right for each other. I love Callie too, but Izzie... Izzie deserves a better hand after Denny. And George needs to know that he IS the kind of guy that gets the "blonde, stacked kind of girl".

Because he SO is. ::swoon::

[Crystal Irizarry]

Ahhhhhh! I hate hate HATE that they slept together! I hate it. Im all for Callie and George! I hate Izzie now.

[Tracy]

I haven't been enjoying Grey's as much lately, but I really loved this episode. It didn't leave me feeling depressed and empty. Instead, I actually laughed out loud. I'm thinking you need to write more eps!

[WA resident]

How can you not talk about Meredith and Derek or Christina and Burke?! I know that Izzie and George are obviously the bombshell in this episode but seriously, seriously?! I want someone to talk about the lack of Mer/Der goodness we're getting. I want to hear about how she's starting to get over her issues.

I also want Izzie to be better, I'm sad that Izzie is so sad. I hope they didn't have sex cause Izzie, she's not ready to deal with that one. Also I think Callie could beat up Izzie and that would be bad.

I loved loved loved the part where Meredith's dad mixed up the picture. So well done, you could feel the hurt from that. He's spent so much time with the other family and he can't even remember what his first daughter looks like when she was younger, major ouch! Loved it all, just want more insight.
PS Thanks for not posting 'til after it aired on the West coast, would've ruined the surprise.

[Heather]

Izzie and George you just knew something like that had to happen.
I love them both together so much - but - I also feel sorry for Callie, I'm torn.
Fantastic Show -

[Ale]

I am shocked for George and Izzie, but they are too judgemental.
I am worried for Burktina, they are my favorite couple and they are perfect for each other. I am happy they face their issue and I so hope this will bring them closer. Don't ruin them. Their love is great

[Dr Izzie]

Okay...I was in shock! I mean I saw it coming but I was in shock! Izzie and George??? Then again, it`s logical...I always thought something would happen between these two...

Cristina...Now that I wasn`t expecting...I had read the spoilers and kept expecting Finn to show up but he didn`t (and I hope I`m not giving ideas...) So, she slept with the Professor for 3 years and now she`s with another cardiothoracic surgeon...Could it be that Cristina is attracted to men who have power? She seems so sure of herself that she needs that? Anything is possible I guess

And what is happening between Derek and Meredith? They are together of that we know but please, I`m begging, give us an insight on them!

I`m happy that Meredith is trying to mend fences with her father. He is the only family she has left. Blood related that is because the other interns are her family.

I loved the epi, by the way and now we`re up for 3 weeks of reruns (sigh). As always, I`m looking forward to the next episode and I`ll be sure to watch tomorrow! (yes, again! I`m addicted!!)

Keep up the good work all of you...This will sound nuts but I love you guys and thank you for this series...

A true fan from Montreal

[Jerilyn (BangsNurse)]

So what was that with Burke and Cristina? You aren't going to seriously break them up over a past relationship are you? I mean seriously. They've made it through a baby unborn, a hidden apartment, a gunshot, tremors, betrayal, recovery from the tremors and they're finally getting somewhere and you take them 100 steps back?

Seriously?

I thought Shonda's best interest was seeing what happens when couples stay together. Bang is the best couple you have and I will stop watching if you break them up because the show will no longer be worth it for me.

Let Cristina open up. Let Burke listen, and let them be happy for more than 30 seconds of an episode.

[McDark&Twisty]

And something more.

Cause I always have to comment on my Burktina, you know.

Very funny professor-Cristina-slept-with-coming-back stuff. And by funny, I mean laugh my ass off hilarious. And you did give us a few sweet, not terrible Bang moments there. Although I do hate to say I was on the phone for part of the episode (hey, it was an emotional call. I was crying. I think I get a little leway when it comes to missing part of GA that I'm recording anyway to talk on the phone when tears are involved.) So I didn't see much of the later stuff. So if it was bad, prepare yourselfs, because I will come back and cyber-yell at you call, okay?

But until then, you are safe. You have done well, my Grey's writer-friends.

[kortnee elizabeth]

IZZIE SLEPT WITH GEORGE!!!!

My first thought was definately "Atleast she didnt start crying halfway through"

atleast we can assume that since she woke up naked with him :)

[Poet]

This was a well written episode. You did a great job.

But I'm done.

Marriage is constantly ripped apart on this show. I don't know why. Everyone married on the show cheats and that ... well, it's old.

The only thing that can happen now is Sara Ramirez leaves the show. She's the best and most real actress on television right now and you guys should have clutched her with both hands. Instead ... you do this.

So thank you for the ride. It was fun while it lasted.

[Kristin]

I thought this episode was great. I loved how Meredith actually talked to her stepmother. The scence in the beginning with Cristina & the professor from Stanfordwas hilarious. I loved this one.