Shonda Rhimes on "The Other Side of This Life"

Original airdate: 5/3/07

So I owe you an explanation.  For this episode (for these two episodes, I should say).  I owe you that.  You’ve stuck with me through Season Three and now you want answers, damn it!  You want an explanation.

You are preaching to the proverbial choir.  If you were a preacher and I was a choir.   Which…I’m not a choir cause I can’t sing but maybe you are actually a preacher and…rambling.  The point is, when I watch TV and things happen like the Scooby Gang raises Buffy out of her scary grave or Felicity goes back in time or they take their sweet time telling me what those numbers mean over on Lost...I get a little nutty.  I sometimes get irate.  Because these are my shows.  These are my people.  These are my FRIENDS THESE WRITERS ARE MESSING WITH.

I don’t say this lightly.  I am a hardcore TV watching fanatic.   I was deprived of it as a kid.  So now, as an adult, I am deep into it.   I dig my TV.   So when shows take leaps, I go a little out of my mind.

I go a little out of my mind, I shake my fist to the heavens, I tear at my hair and I ask the writing gods “WHY?!!!!” 

“WHHHYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY?!!!!!!!”

I go all drama on my own ass and then I lie back down on the sofa and keep watching.   Mainly because I’m lazy and shaking one’s fist to the heavens is exhausting.  But also because I’m interested in seeing what happens next.  And because the writers have asked me to leap and so I’m gonna leap with them.

Also because, now?   Now I get it.  I so totally get it.  It’s freakin’ gotten.

Here’s what happened to me:

I was sitting in the editing room one day watching Mer and Burktina and the gang doing all the stuff they do.  I love the editing room – it’s like this cocoon where I’m alone with the characters (and the editor) and it’s where I get a lot of my ideas.  And for the first time ever since working on this show, I got an idea that was Grey’s Anatomy but…not Grey’s Anatomy.  It was something else.  It was Addison driving down the freeway with her hair blowing all over her face.  So I started writing it down, this not Grey’s Anatomy idea.  I started writing it down in secret because I knew Betsy and Shoots With No Script would very gently explain that I had lost my mind and then send in the guys with the strait jackets.  Because we are very busy here at Greys.  We don’t have time for non-Grey’s ideas.  We are a hard-working people.

Except I had this idea and it had already worked its way under my skin and I had to write it down.   Or else I’d get in one of those moods.  Things happen when I’m in those moods.  Things like Meredith drowning.  And I love Mer and wanted to keep her away from the water.  So I wrote it down.   And I gave it to the studio and the network.

It became something.  A script that was part-Grey’s, part something else.  And then it became news around town and suddenly my tiny little written down something was being paid a lot of attention by the outside world.  Next thing you know, they’re calling it a spinoff.

This episode, it’s NOT a spinoff.  It’s Addison going down to LA to complete the story we’ve been laying out for her for two seasons.  It’s the culmination of Meredith’s family story.  It’s Burktina and the wedding and Izzie, Callie and George and that hideous triangle they are stuck in.  It’s the beginning of the end of Season Three.

And I’m warning you now: the ride to the end of the season?  You may want to buckle up and store your luggage in the overhead compartment because this ride is gonna be bumpy.  I’ll explain more after the finale.  I’ll talk about where we are headed in Season Four.   Because I think Season Four is gonna rock.  The fun is back in Season Four.   But for right now, I guess I’ll just talk about the here and the now.  About what is right in front of us.

So.  Even though we took this detour down to Los Angeles, what I want to talk about is what happened in Seattle.  To Meredith.  To Cristina.  To Izzie.  Because things are not working out the way they planned.  George is leaving for Mercy West and Izzie feels responsible.  Cristina’s facing the fact that she’s going to have to compromise what she wants yet again for Burke.  And Meredith…well, Meredith is losing another mother.  Worse, she’s losing her father.  And even worse than that, she may be losing Derek.

But my favorite moment is Alex.  Who, when Ava asks him what happened to him that has made it so hard for him to connect, simply shrugs and says “Maybe I don’t remember.”  He remembers.  But he can’t face up to it.  Not yet.  Alex is the guy we know the least about and the one struggling the most.  And I kinda love him for it.  Because he wants to be a better guy – he’s just not sure he IS a better guy.

In this episode, our people in Seattle all hit a crossroads while our girl in Los Angeles finds a new road altogether.  I’m hoping you like the new road.  I’m hoping I get a chance to show you how good this road can be. 

But for now, the detour is over.  Now, we’ve got the last two episodes of this season to bring to you.  Where we are going might make you shake your fists to the heavens and scream.  But we are leaping.  So, if your sofa is comfy, maybe you could lie back down and leap with us?

Comments

[DrLA]

I saw 30 minutes of Greys, 45 minutes of Addison Does LA and 45 minutes of commercials. In the words of the late Florida Evans "Damn damn damn!"

I feel cheated. AND I watched the show again just so I could get a glimsp of what I'm missing.

Derek is a jerk... so is George... Preston's a punk and a mama's boy and the dad... somebody really needs to slap him. MAN yall better make up for it over the next two episodes.

It's just not fair! It's just not fair.... okay now somebody kiss me like George kissed Izzie in the elevator!!!!

[Kathleen]

Shonda,

Thank you for taking your time with this - I appreciate your concern for us. You were able to step back and figure out what you needed to say and how.
So, thanks for that.

I trust you almost explicitly(sp?) with Grey's, but upon first viewing of the spinoff pilot, I was disappointed.

There were some odd parts (i.e., so much crying, too much drama w/ the patients, etc.) and I thought it needed to be toned down a tad, even if it's supposed to be lighter than Grey's.

But, I watched again tonight sans commercials (too many by the way - I'm in advertising, so I get it, but still...)and found that there were also some very endearing parts of the storyline (Addi being serious and semi-clever, Addi and Naomi, Sam, Pete).
You kind of lost me with Cooper and Violet and Beach Boy.

My suggestions -
Cut back just a little on the cheese (I know you know what I mean).

Get a new Beach Boy (a tad older).

Better patients (less dramatic).

It could still work, but you'll need to reign your troops in majorly - I'm thinking media tour, girl!

Still love ya!

[mowhit25]

First let me start by saying the scene with Cristina and the 2 moms and Callie was classic. I was dying laughing, but from there it was a total disaster. The issue was not with the going back and forth from LA to SGH, it was that the LA show was not very good. The people were not very interesting, the plot was not very interesting, and we were given no reason to care for any of these people. Speaking of the people, there were way too many people being thrown at us at one time. I was lost. I think overall the LA stuff could have been saved until Grey's was finished.

I guess there is nothing we can do to get you guys to kill this Gizzie thing. It is so disgusting and the elevator scene made me gag back to back. For once can Izzie be called out on her sh*t? I mean really. It is always about her. People call her Izzme now. She gets away with so much stuff it is not even funny. They way she comes out of her mouth to Callie and she has not gotten her ass beat yet is a mystery to me. And the line from George about can he love 2 people. We have not even see him have any physical contact with his wife in weeks. That line makes no sense. I hope in the coming weeks we finally get a reason as to why a woman would hang on to a guy a wack as George. So far you guys are just making her look ridicolous and that is sad because she was a role model to so many.

[Austin]

Seriously? What was that? Seriously!

[Star]

Dear Shonda,

So I must admit, I was nervous. Nervous because I had a feeling you would write an amazing spinoff show and we would lose Addison. The show was so good-- the actors and the writing phenomenal. So... my last comment is about Grey's Anatomy. Please slow it down. I was watching Season One two days ago...remember when Izzie's biggest problem coconut extract? You say next season is going to be more fun, please stick to your word. What I loved about Grey's was that each storyline worked its way into the patient's and character's problems-- and we are slowly losing that part of the show. Just fix it-- and I KNOW YOU can do it because you are Shonda Rhimes (the person who I refer to as the GOD of television programs). Just please remember the coconut extract. Thank you.

[Hafsa]

Thank you very much Shonda for clearing up so many issues that are bothering me, you should have been the one writing all those blogs all along and reassuring fans! Now down to business, what do you mean by meredith may be losing Derek as well? i do respect you and your instinct 100% but dont even go there. You may be suprised how fans have personally build and invested emotionally on these frictional characters you have created especially merder. There relationship is what captivated majority of your fans base in the first place. However, you made us suffer the whole of season three and now you are saying she might be losing derek as well? come on Shonda seriously i am becoming very angry and depressed by all this unhealthy anxiety. The next promo is also one hell of a heart stopper!!! i keep telling you its not good for our blood pressure, who is that brunett talking to der? once more dont even go there, some lines are just too dangerous to cross. I have never in my peaceful life before Grey's had sleepless nights because of a TV show, now i have become this anxious freak that checks the internet all the time and kept worrying what will happen next!! it not fair at all!!! so get real SERIOUSLY!!!.

[KEEP KATE ON GREYS!!!]

SHONDA,
PLEASE DON'T LET THEM DO THE SPINOFF. I LOVE KATE WALSH IN SEATTLE. I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND THE TRIP TO LA, BUT PLEASE DO NOT LET THE NETWORK GO WITH THE SPINOFF. I DIDN'T EVEN RECOGNIZE LAST NIGHT'S ADDISON. WHERE WAS OUR SMART, SHARP-WITTED ADDISON? INSTEAD WE GET THIS SILLY DUMMIED DOWN CHARACTER WHO SAYS THINGS LIKE 'FART LOGIC'? SERIOUSLY? ADDISON WOULD NEVER USE THAT AWFUL WORD!
WILL YOU PLEASE LISTEN TO ALL THE THINGS THEY ARE SAYING ABOUT LAST NIGHT'S EPISODE. EVERYONE IS MAKING FUN OF IT. THE WRITING WAS AWFUL! IT WAS PAINFUL. I ADMIT TO HAVING A STRAIGHT GIRL CRUSH ON KATE WALSH, BUT LAST NIGHT I HAD TO FORCE MYSELF TO WATCH HER SCENES. THAT'S WHEN YOU KNOW SOMETHING IS NOT RIGHT. ADDIE BELONGS AT SEATTLE GRACE: ALEX NEEDS HER. RICHARD NEEDS HER. CALLIE NEEDS HER. BAILLY NEEDS HER. ALL THE PREGNANT WOMEN IN SEATTLE NEED HER.
PLEASE NO SPINOFF. I DON'T WANT TO INSULT YOU, BUT IT WAS JUST BAD,BAD WRITING! WHILE I WAS WATCHING, I THOUGHT 'SHONDA RIMES MUST WANT THIS TO FAIL'. I'M SORRY, BUT IT WAS JUST BAD. WHY DO YOU WANT TO RUIN KATE WALSH'S CAREER? ON THE PODCAST YOU SAID YOU WANTED OUR OPINIONS. WELL NOW YOU HAVE MINE.
LOSE THE SPINOFF, KEEP KATE ON GREY'S ANATOMY

[dr.burke'swife]

The spinoff has potential although I think the weakest links are Taye's character and the receptionist/surfer dude. I definently liked Coop, Violet, Naomi, and Pete. I hate that Susan got killed off! My question is why is poor Mer getting so much grief this season, and what on earth is the matter with Adele?

[Katie]

I can't take anymore angst, pain and the misery. I just can't.

It's made this show so painful to watch this year and it makes me cry when I used to have so much fun and love watching it.

I keep telling myself it'll get better next week and it doesn't. I just wanted my Merder back and they're gone now.

[Liz]

You are a little late asking us to take a leap of faith with you. We stayed faithful through some rough episodes and now you should be begging us to stay around while you retool.

We have ask politely to get back to the show we loved, we have asked not so politely to get back to the show we love and all that is left to do is walk away.

You never understood OUR WORDS but you expect us to understand yours and take them to faith. We told you that you as writers were unfaithful to your characters. We told you as writers that you were unfaithful to the writing that hooked us to this show. We built this show on word of mouth and this season is terrible.

So now Faith. You have patted yourself on the back and squealed about being a great writer for 3 seasons but now when you put out cr*p, we are supposed to hang around and have faith.

Don't know if I have any faith left in you.

[Leslie]

I'm going to give the spinoff a chance; I love Amy Brenneman from Judging Amy (still watch the reruns on TNT :) ) & I think the spinoff has potential.

As for the Seattle part in this episode, I can't wait to FINALLY learn more about Alex & see what makes him dark & twisty. I still don't like George and Izzie, their chemistry just isn't believeable to me & I like Callie alot. I think Mer is at least making progress; she was drinking tequila with her friends instead of at Joe's with a random man, & Derek needs to learn to communicate better too.

Can't wait to see the Burktina wedding (if it happens) I think it will be hilarious.

[Julia]

Shonda I am five months pregnant...my little girls name is going to be Meredith. I picked the name because you made Meredith a woman who has flaws, but is still a great person. She is someone to believe in.But that isnt the point...anyways what I want to say is Meredith and Derek have to be together...they just have to be!! I love them together...and PD and EP have so much chemistry that it would be horrible to waist on them being apart. So please make them happy!

[Mel]

I really really hope that Season Four has the charm that Season One and Two did.
I understand Season Three was were everything came to a head on and that it all had to happen.
Now that it's happen please let Meredith and Derek fix their issues. Don't let them be the couple that's made for each other but can't be together. They're losing themselves!

[Robyn]

As usual, a fantastic episode of Grey's. A few comments:

Mere - I think Derek will come to his senses eventually, but I remembered watching the group at the end - they are her family. Izzie, George, Alex and Christina. As long as she has them, she'll be ok I think.

Derek - I hope he wakes up and realizes what he's giving up - and listens to what Bailey said. Without family, a job means nothing.

Izzie and George - LOVE them. I hope Callie is not hurt to much (how can that be helped) but I trust you and the writers, Shonda - that they will end up as they should be. Hopefully.

As for the "non spin-off" portion with Addison, I LOVED it. Did not expect to, honestly, messing with my favorite show and all...but I should have known with the writing behind Grey's, and the fantastic casting choices you and your people know how to make, (Paul Adelstein! Merrin Dungey! Amy Brenneman!) it would be fantastic. I really hope it is it's own series soon!

Can't wait to see what's up for the end of the season. Keep up the good work!

[Sandie]

"I think the writers should take a day and watch season 1 straight though. Then watch the last 5 episodes of season 3 - they have a totally different feel. Be true to Grey's and stop trying to thrill your audience because you're in danger of loosing them."

I completely agree with this statement. Stop trying to do everything all at once, one big reveal after another. Stop. Take a breath. Develop the characters, develop their relationships. The best parts of Grey's are the characters' interactions: Mer, George and Izzie just relaxing in bed or hanging around the kitchen or the hospital. Bring back the great patient stories that used to make me cry Every. Single. Episode. The last time I cried on Grey's was a year ago when Denney died. This year has been such a departure. Bring it back, writers!! Bring it back before I depart too!!

[Kim]

Shonda,

Just to let you know, peopel posted comments about this episode under the Desire blog before this one was up...

I love how funny Christina has been lately.. Her lines are hysterical...

I HATE what's going on with Mer/Der. I just don't feel the love anymore and miss the good old times with them...

Looking forward to the finale!

[Brenda]

- George's dad
- Meredith's mom
- Meredith
- Meredith's fake mom

Is ALL you know how to do for a sweeps period is kill off people now? Stunts of killing people or huge location shoots?

Is this Grey's or a bad daytime soap? I'm starting to think the bad daytime soap would be better.

I hope all the cast members rumored to be leaving are true, jumping off this sinking ship as fast as possible is the smartest thing to do.

[Bambi]

I get that this was not a pilot... and I respect that. If this was Derek visitng friends in NY, or Alex going back to Iowa to duke out his demons, everyone would think it was great. People are only short-sighted because we KNOW there's the potential spin-off.

Personally, while it was a very different tone for the "Private Practice" cast, I thought it was great. It is good for different reasons. And I am willing to take this leap with you to see where it goes. I feel like not every GA fan will follow, but by doing a completely different show it will appeal to new viewers. Way to go Shonda and crew!

Now, as for the (way-too-short)time we spent at SGH... Holy cow! While it was shirt, it certainly packed a punch. I'll miss Susan, for sure... and I'm not too convinced she had to die... maybe a prolonged coma instead? You coulda still got the slap in there. lol But I understand some people are plot devices and I'm wondering what this death will be used for. I'm intrigued. =)

Alex rocked. And good for Ava being able to speak four languages and call Alex out about his issues. I hope whatever her life was before it includes her staying around the hospital in some way. Maybe as a interpreter. *wishful thinking*

Now, for the BEST part... O'Stevens. Way to go. This is good. Real good. And really real (that's a lot of reals, huh?). Don't listen to anyone who tells you any different!

[Finished]

I'm tired of leaping. I've been leaping all season. I've got enough things to be depressed about without the help of your show. It's going to be very difficult to come back for another season. There are so many other Thursday night tv options, and at the moment, they are all looking better than this. I'll watch the rest of this season, but only because I've made it this far. Then I'm done...

[Lisa]

While I think I liked the Addison story line, or at least it would have been a show I'd tune into to check out if it had it's own season premier, I'm very disappointed in Grey's. I, like many others, tuned in to Grey's. To see George and Izzy and their hotness in elevator while the doors open to Callie. To see Meredith and her new family bond and then fall flat on their face. To see McSteamy, McDreamy, and Alex all play out in their own stories. What I got was 3/4ths of the show of Addison in LA with flashes of the real show while characters on the maybe show were overdeveloped to lead viewers in, which is very upsetting.

Also, I think the husband who couldn't have sex was passed off as a medical case way to quickly. A psychologist would have spent more time trying to find out why he wanted to have sex with his wife but couldn't as there are many sexual dysfunctions that are purely psychologically based.

[Seattlebecc]

You are making me nervous! Very very nervous, and I don't think I like it. This nervousness I mean.

[disappointed]

I really tried to like the new characters, but not too keen on that one. Addison belongs in Seattle with the man candy. I was so excited for two hours of greys, but not happy you wasted an episode of greys for Private Practice. You should have had it on a different night, and given the real fans who have been there from day 1...our regular greys characters.
How many times can we go back and forth with Derek and Meredith? I hated when they did that on other shows...it's just an excuse to take an easy way out. If writers want a challenge...how about trying to keep things interesting while putting characters together. You seem to do a pretty good job without breaking Burke and Cristina up every five minutes. Seriously, can you tell I am not happy about Derek and Meredith? I could have swore he told her father she was worth it, and now he doesnt want to breathe for her?? Wasn't she the one who saved him when he was drowning? Oh, I really hope you dont decide to have Derek hit on her sister who is supposed to be starting her residency. At this rate...maybe Meredith shouldn't have turned McSteamy down. Maybe they need a real meeting of the dirty mistresses.
George and Izzie, when that storyline started...yuck. Well, at least there are two more episodes to decide whether or not season four is going to be exciting. I still cant believe you let Meredith lose a mom, stepmom, her father yet again, and Derek once more.

[katie]

shonda--i think grey's is an amazing show...and there is potential for loads of excitement as the end of season 3 quickly approaches....however, i must say, i was disappointed with last night's episode...i thought it lacked the real essence of the show....addison's show could certainly work, just not when it's supposed to be 50 mins of life at seattle grace!

thanks for everything you do with the show! i am leaping!

[Courtney]

Well... seems everyone has an opinon on last night's 2 hour episode. But that's a good thing, right? Good because it means, for one, that everyone watched it, and for two because it means everyone actually cares about this show.

I understand because I am one of them. I had heard, like everyone else, about your plans for a 'spin-off', and I am on board for it. I figure since you are in charge of my all-time favorite show, then whatever else you have your hands in will be good as well.

But last night's 2 hour epi was such a disappointment. Why not lead up to Addison leaving one hour and give us a 'pilot' the next. I found myself watching 2 shows within one and sadly within my favorite show... I look forward to Grey's ALL week long. I watch the scenes for the weeks upcoming show and I basically just can't wait for it to start... and sadly this week my show was interupted!

Moving on to the actual epi... I am so sad for Mer. Her world seems to collapse around her week after week after week. She and Derek can't seem to make it through one episode happy. Drives me nuts. And my fists were in the air and I was speechless at the scenes for next week. PLEASE don't let her lose Derek too. Two mothers and her father are enough at one time for anyone. Now she'll really want to drown because life keeps sucking the poor girl down.

This is getting long, sorry. Lastly, we need more Bailey. Missed her last night. One scene doesn't do her justice!

Thanks for the epi. I am going to take a leap of faith and leap with you. I hope the last two episodes this season will be my Grey's though. Save the spin-off for fall! It looks like you have another great show on your plate... I'm there with ya but please just don't weave it into my favorite show!

PS: Tim Daly and Taye Diggs... WOW, can we say HOT??? McSteamy who???

[Oh well....]

You ask us to invest in the complex, funny, irritating characters you created, and yet this is what you do with our trust?

Enough of the A List actors in the LA spinoff (ridiculous to pretend it isn't a spinoff).

Give your main characters, Meredeth and Derek, time, dialogue, and the love they obviously feel for each other. Give us, the viewers, a reason to keep watching next year. I won't if you pull them apart as your season ending cliff hanger.