Allan Heinberg on "Testing 1-2-3"

Original airdate: 5-10-07

I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but, sometimes, terrible things happen on GREY’S ANATOMY.  Wonderful things happen, too.  People fall in love.  They have the best sex of their lives.  They have epiphanies about life and love and surgery and so forth.  But mostly on GREY’S ANATOMY people accidentally puncture their surgical gloves with their fingernails during a heart surgery.  Or they sleep with the wrong people -- again and again.  Or they die.  Occasionally they die and come back to life, but for the most part they die, and it’s devastating:  George’s father; Meredith’s mother; Meredith’s step-mother.  It can make for compelling television drama, but it’s not entirely unlike real life, where terrible things happen to us, to our friends, and to the world around us without warning or explanation.  And we’re human beings, most of us, so when terrible things happen, we want to know the reasons why.  We want the suffering to mean something.  And when the meaning isn’t immediately evident, we assign meaning as a way of comprehending, if not controlling, what seem like random acts of terribleness.  When bad things happen, we make sense of them by calling them tests.  Tests we either pass or fail before moving on to the next level of experience, but ones we hopefully learn from either way.

As Season Three hurtles toward its shattering, emotional conclusion, the interns at Seattle Grace face a very real and terrifying test:  a written exam, which will determine whether they become residents next season or whether they’ll be dropped from the surgical program altogether.  The attendings, too, are now just one day away from discovering the results of their season-long test.  Tomorrow they’ll find out whom Richard has recommended to become Chief of Surgery -- the same day Bailey and Callie discover Richard's choice for Chief Resident.

As usual, however, the professional challenges the doctors face are nothing compared to their personal ones.  Cristina and Burke are twenty-four hours from their wedding.  Izzie's bracing herself, about to lose George to Callie and Mercy West.   Alex discovers Ava has been concealing her true identity from him.  Derek feels he's losing Meredith in the wake of Susan's death.  And Meredith feels like she’s already lost everything:  her career, her relationship, and her family.

Meredith’s first test arrives before this episode even begins in that she has to decide whether or not to attend Susan’s funeral.  After the way Susan died, and Thatcher’s physically violent reaction to the news, Meredith would understandably harbor some ambivalence about going.  Especially on the day of the intern exam.  But in a surprising show of strength and resolve, Meredith doesn’t whine or deliberate over her decision.  She simply puts on her black dress and sets off for the funeral.  Even when Cristina gives her the out of asking the Chief to let her take the exam another day, Meredith refuses.  She doesn't need to reschedule the test.  She's ready.

What Meredith isn’t ready for, however, is her father’s showing up drunk and angry at the hospital and publicly humiliating her all over again.  At which point Meredith simply shuts down.  She sinks under the weight of her own life -- and her own perceived failures -- just as she did when she drowned.  Faced with her mother’s dismissing her life as merely “ordinary” -- and her father’s brutal rejection -- Meredith seems to will herself out of existence, failing to complete the intern exam and to communicate with Derek.  That is, until her friends intervene.  Confronted with the prospect of losing one of their own -- a test in and of itself -- the interns set aside their own conflicts and concerns and fight together for Meredith.  In the end, Meredith’s biggest test isn’t whether or not she fails or succeeds as an intern.  It’s whether she can allow herself to be helped -- to be taken care of -- to be loved -- by others.  When her biological family casts her aside, Meredith’s Seattle Grace family is there to support her unconditionally -- and, though it’s obviously painful and difficult, especially where Richard is concerned (“You’re not my father.”), Meredith ultimately lets them.

For Derek, who’s consigned to having to watch Meredith go through all this from the sidelines, it sometimes seems as if his entire relationship with Meredith has been a test.  And what's the right answer at this point?  To take her at her word that she's fine?  That she needs to go to Susan’s funeral by herself?  Or should he worry and hover -- making sure she’s still breathing -- as he’s been doing since she drowned?  In the end, Derek listens to Meredith -- he gives her the space she’s asked for -- but as a result, the distance between them grows wider than ever.  Derek ends up walking away from Meredith as she re-takes the intern exam -- leaving her in the care of her waiting friends -- but does that mean he’s failed her?  After all, he doesn’t succumb to the temptation of accepting the drink from the girl in the bar.  He remains true to Meredith, even if he remains excluded from her experience.  Again.  But for how long?

As for Cristina, the intern test seems to pose little or no challenge for her.  She has Callie’s cards and… she’s Cristina, she’s going to be fine.  And it’s not even her relationship with Burke that’s testing her at the moment.  It’s her relationship to the wedding itself:  the ceremony, the ritual, the vows -- all of which, in Cristina’s mind, have nothing to do with her and Burke.  But the demands of the wedding itself continue to test her patience and resolve.  And her sense of self.  Is she the sort of person who vows to love and cherish and honor till death do us part?  Burke knows she’s not.  Yet, in spite of himself, he’s expecting her to go through with it anyway.  Burke, too, faces the challenge of not judging Cristina's commitment to their marriage by the way she's participating (or not) in their wedding.  But in his mind, aren’t they one and the same?  Does her reticence to commit herself to him in public betray a deeper reluctance to commit to him at all?  According to Burke, it will all come down to the moment he sees her walking toward him down the aisle.  At which time, he’ll know.  He’ll know the answer to the question, “Do you, Preston, take this woman, Cristina, to be your lawfully wedded wife?”

But with some tests, there are no right answers.

Ava lies to Alex, concealing her true identity, and in doing, she fails him.  She betrays his trust.  But it seems she does so for Alex.  She keeps her identity a secret so that she can remain with him at Seattle Grace, rather than return to the marriage she was trying to escape in the first place.  It’s not the right thing to do, certainly, but it is an act of love.  In the end, even Alex can see that.  But how much will he be able to trust someone who lied to him?  Even if she did so out of love?

Addison's test is played largely for comedy in this episode as she struggles to come to terms with her infertility in the face of a seeming army of pregnant women.  And at no time does she ever put her personal struggle above the needs of her patients or her friendship with Callie.  She passes this test several times over, but she does so, it seems, at the risk of her own long-term happiness.

And it’s far too late for Izzie and George to do the “right” thing with regard to each other and Callie.  George and Callie’s marriage has already been compromised.  And no matter how real or deep Izzie and George’s feelings for each other are, their relationship has been compromised, as well.  And up until this point in his life, George has considered himself a highly moral person.  He’s not a man who cheats on his wife.  So what is the right answer for George, at this point?  Does he remain at Seattle Grace and continue to try to deny his feelings for Izzie?  Or should he tell Callie the truth, even if it means hurting her and ending their marriage?  Or does he stay the course by keeping silent, recommitting to the marriage, and sparing Callie’s feelings?  There is no right answer at this point.  George is a highly moral person doing his utmost to be the best doctor -- the best friend -- the best husband he can be.  But people, no matter how well intentioned, make mistakes.  If life is a series of tests, there is no perfect score.  You do the best you can and try to learn from your mistakes, because before you know it, life has another test in store.  And another.  And then one after that.  Not unlike episodes of series television. 

Speaking of which, we have only one episode left of GREY’S ANATOMY this season, and it’s epic.  And we’re already well into our work on Season Four -- talking about how far the characters have come in three seasons and where they seem to want to go next. 

Thanks for reading,
Allan Heinberg

Comments

[McDark&Twisty]

Guess who's back and commenting?!

Uh-huh. It's me. And I'm not really happy.

The episode was so Burktina-light. I mean, I can understand why. since their wedding is next week, so for now you're forgiven. But, at this time, I'm a bit nervous about whether they will actually go through with the wedding or not.

Nervous is not a good feeling. Not at all.

Season Finale. Those are two of the biggest, most important, most wonderful, most dream-crushing words in the television industry.

Oh, the havoc to come next week.

[McCrazed]

DAAAHH i really wanted to kill u during this episode, until i saw mer taking the test. i mean i'm to gulable, but i guess that's what u wanted us to do. think that she's failed her internship. well..

[jessicafreels]

Holy crap. Well you pull no punches Allan. This was hard to watch cause it is hard to watch someone go through as much as Mer seems to be going through. And when you see Thatcher and his rage at her. It was just so hard to watch.

I liked the Alex/ AVA scenes. And I liked that when it was his turn to be with Meredith, the fact that he has nothng to say to her says so much. He's had a pretty crappy day too.

I am still pretty....wierded out by Izzies feelings for George. But McDreamys the one that is really disapointing me. He seems unable to see whats going on here is new for her, and that she doesn't know what to do. He doesn't see what Thatcher does. And when he hears that the day has been bad for her, he doesn't want to find out WHY, he just wants to moan to Burke. Im sad he's not being a better partner.

[undecided]

Okay even though in my head I know that you can't write George off..but please don't write George off. We adore George! Especially with the darker hair-do.

I'm hoping the finale is good. I'm hoping season 4 is good. Because so far I feel a bit let down by season 3. It just hasn't been as engaging as season 2 (except for the George/Izzie thing, which is GREAT!). As painful as it's been, I've left other favorite shows before too...ER, Buffy, Alias. I'll stick it out for season 4, because I love you guys. I don't want to have to leave.

[Dark & Bitter]

Don't worry about the last Epi of the season if your just going to toy with me.... I would rather season two rather then this junk of season three you feeding down my mouth.. So help me god if Derek does cheat on Meredith your the one going down for it... HOW could someone write that Derek throws it in her face.. What is this Finn Meredith and Addison all over.. You make me ill.. And you call yourself a writer?? Go back to doing whatever you did before GA becauuse trust me GA doesnt need you

[Tracy]

Wonderful things haven't happened on Grey's Anatomy in quite some time. I'm tired of feeling sad lonely after every episode. Yes, people go through some of these challenges in real life. But most watch tv as a way to escape from the stress and depressing events of their real lives. Thank goodness there is only one episode left this season. I won't be watching next season...I'll try to read the recaps, but I can't do this anymore....I need to be happy.

[McDark&Twisty]

I just realized I do my comments a bit like the whole promo for next week/actual episode thing in TV. I post something really short, and most of the time express my initial feelings about the episode to give you something to look forward too/be nervous about.

I really do watch too much TV.

Anyway... hm... what was that thing I was going to comment on that wasn't Burktina related...?

Oh yeah. The whole episode.

Great one this time. Scale of one to ten... 7. Pretty good. And that ending was all very *gasp!*, hand-to-the-mouth-in-shock worthy.

Of course, when it comes to the storylines... quite a few I didn't like this week. Didn't like at all.

*evil face*

[laura]

i just wanted to say i felt really bad for izzie when she told george she doesn't have feelings for him.

also BABIES DO NOT FIX MARRIAGES!! is callie so stupid she would try to have a baby when their relationship is already on rocky ground?!

work out your problems FIRST. a baby is not the solution at all. i hope george says he's not ready.

[dalkfdjsfkljdsoep]

i hope next season is better than this.

i haven't felt all happy/tingly/excited in months.

rawrrrrrrr.

i'm not even that excited about next week's.

especially if addison's leaving.

i love her.

okay.

i'm done.

and not very happy.

not excited.

please give alex a real storyline soon.

we are all sick of ava or something pope or whatever her name is.

okay.

i'm going to bed.

egh.

[Tima]

I liked this episode so much more than the last one. I'm on the edge of my seat waiting to see what happens next week.

[msmamalove]

Derek cannot REALLY be that much a bastard, right? I realize he's supposed to be flawed and real and all that but..."you SHOULD worry"

McDreamy or not...buh-bye.

[Nicola]

Thank you for an amazing episode:) The old Grey's is back and I cannot wait for next week! I am not too sure how I feel about waiting all summer to find out, but so is life! Fabulous job on the blog, very insightful! Keep up the great work, just please keep Meredith and Derek together...I know they have some stuff to work through and its not going to be easy, but they're what happens after the happily ever after all the crap that you don't see coming. But...even they deserve some happiness,don't you think?

[JS]

Put Meredith on some prozac and call it a day.

And get Addison/Alex together. :( When he said 'You're not my girlfriend'...a part of me died.

[mowhit25]

The show was good tonight just please lose the Gizzie story. It is so deplorable. I hope the wedding next week is about the wedding and not Gizzie issues. it just ruins everything. I guess we have to wait until season 4 for Meredith to be happy again. She handles things in a very professional manner I think. I am glad she got to do her test over. It was also interesting when Bailey hung up on her husband. Please do not destroy her marriage. I have no words for Adele's situation. Izzie once again is still deplorable. ME ME ME every week. It would be nice if she could face the music before the end of the season.

[NYGreysFan]

Loved this episode. So many wonderful moments. Beatifully written & fabulously acted. Thank you for a fantasic episode. Please write many of them next year, THAT would get me to return for season 4. Your episodes are just so well done, love the dialog, the pace, everything about them.

Also, love your blogs. They focus on the episodes and the characters.

Thank you for this episode!

[s.cali]

It all comes back in the land of Seattle Grey's. What did Finn say to Meredith? "He'll hurt you again. And when he does, I won't be there." Or something to that effect, no? And besides, if Meredith and Derek stay together...what would the rest of the series be about? Even Ross and Rachel had to endure a few breakups.

[Brandi]

So this is what I know...you can't be horrible TV if it makes you angry and it makes you sad and it makes you cry and it makes you root for both sides. And I did all those things tonight.

I yelled at the TV and at Meredith when she told Derek she had to go to the funeral alone. And I was decidedly Team Derek.

I yelled at the TV and at Derek when he didn't go after her when she went passed him. But I feel like he's getting the short end of the stick on this one...still, I was a tiny bit Team Meredith.

I was sad for Addison. And I laughed at Addi and Callie's silliness. Please take Callie with you to LA Addison.

I cried when Mer told Richard he wasn't her dad and you could just tell that she wished that he was. And Ellen deserves an Emmy. She made me cry! And part of me gets why Mer is like she is and pushes everyone away. And I was Team Meredith.

And I hated George and Izzie "the couple" but I loved George and Izzie trying to help Meredith. And I loved Christina saying she'd go after Mer but not realizing that just pushed Derek away more. Which made me Team Derek

And I got a tiny bit mad at Derek for flirting with McBarSlut (who is sooooo Mer's sister). But I was proud that he walked away.

And I know that I really only cared about one of the storylines tonight and that was Mer and Derek and maybe a tiny bit of Addison and a tiny bit of Bailey.

I just go back and forth. Because I know that Meredith is screwed up and I know that she pushes people away and that she is pushing Derek away. So in that way it is her fault. And I know that Derek isn't seeing all the stuff that has gone on and he didn't see her Dad yell at her again and he doesn't see how it affects her because she's just not letting him in at ALL so in that way it is not his fault. She avoids and he walks away. But they just need to stop and to grow up and just figure it out . Which is why at the end of the day, I'm Team Derek and Meredith...together.

And I know this...they need to figure it out. Because them breaking them at this point is just stupid on their parts. You guys say you wants the character to move forward. Breaking up or creating a new triangle with Mer's sister is unoriginal and backward. It is time for Dramatic Television to grow up and move forward. And I think Grey's should be the one to do it.

And I know that I still care. And that I love this show even if it does infuriate me. And it will be over next week so I'll stop talking about it all the time. And after next week I'll either still love it....or I'll walk away.

Because I don't go backward. It's either Team Meredith and Derek...or I don't watch.

[JS]

Oh, and Meredith and Derek make me want to drink bleach.

Night. :)

[Haley]

Wow. This episode was crazy. You worried me a lot last week with the new promo about Derek and the bar slut, but Derek, thank god, didn't fall for her, even though he said "too bad is right" in the end. I love this show and care about all the characters, but I really don't care about what happens to any of them, expect for Meredith and Derek. I am a totally obsessive fan and have been watching the past 10 or so Grey's episodes over and over again trying desperately to figure out what has gone wrong with Meredith and Derek. She takes a step forward; he takes a step back. She puts herself out there; he's not there. He puts himself out there; she's not there. It's a tango between them. They are never in each episode in the same place at the same time. I doubt either of them knows what they want at this time. I do think Derek should have "hoovered" a little more at this point. He didn't even know that she failed the test, or what happened between her and Thatcher. He isn't there for her. They don't communicate.
After all they have been through why can't they be in the same place at the same time? I read that the bar slut is coming back for 13 episodes next season. Seriously? Please don't let Meredith and Derek break up and let Derek go to her. They have been through so much, why can't they just be together and happy.
And the promo for next week even made me more scared. Derek tells Meredith he got hit on in a bar and that she should be threatened. WHAT??? Why would he tell her that. They love each other isn't that enough. Isn't the love conquer all crap true? PLEASE make it be true for them. And don't leave us hanging like you're going to during the season finale, because I cannot spend another summer hoping that Derek and Meredith will be okay. STOP doing this to me!!!

[Leah]

This episode was a little hard to watch because when it felt like Meredith was almost getting her life back on track, we have to watch her return back to her dark and twisty side that we do not like very well. I thought the drunken father bit was a little too much and unrealistic - even under the amount of grief he is going through, there is no way he can really believe that it is Meredith's fault and act the way he does.

I like Izzie and George, but the scenes today were so completely repetitive. It's the same thing every time, Izzie and George have some time alone, Izzie says, "George," George says, "I'm a married man" and there's a shot of Callie looking extremely suspicious. The scenes between them have been basically the same for a few episodes now, and it's getting really hard to watch - you want someone to shout out, "I love you" but I guess you're saving that for the finale. I'm really looking forward to it - I was skeptical at first but I'm becoming a big George and Izzie fan.

And it is possible for a person to love two people at the same time.

[Iwantmerderback]

I won't bother watching your show until Merdith and Derek are back (you remember right? when they loved each other and were meant to be..)
If this is how it is going to be from now on, depressing storylines one after the other and them fighting with each other instead of facing problems together I don't wan't to watch.

[McPleading]

Writers of Grey's Anatomy,

I don't mind if you don't post this. Mainly I wanted to leave some feedback and this seemed like the best place. I understand that you’ve been exploring the other "dark" side of life lately. But I think you've forgotten the point that TV is supposed to be entertaining. I have loved Grey's since day one. And now I don't know if I can bear watch it again. Please, please, give us one, just one, moderately happy character. The fact that not one person out of this large ensemble cast seems to have any real joy in their lives is not realistic and it makes the whole thing painful to watch.

If you don't start spreading some joy soon I think I'll be permanently curled in a ball murmuring "It's sooooo sad," over and over again.

Thank you

[PD/ED FAN]

Great Episode. Tonight was back to normal, yes it wasn’t all happy but very well written. They rock!!! Didn’t feel cheated on the storylines tonight. Everyone had their time. Overall excellent episode. Thanks for the great blog!

[Presley]

I loved tonight's episode even though it was depressing. You scared me for about 2 seconds when I thought Callie was going to say she was pregnant. I just want George and Izzie together very badly.

[joy]

I have waited up way past when I should have been sleeping to read this week's bog...

Next week's previews scare me once again... I am tired of Der not communicating with Mer and the preview of the "I met a girl last night" taunt is not cute...not okay...

Please, PLEASE write them back together! Maybe at the wedding, they will realize what idiots they are not turning to the one they love when they most need...