Mark Wilding on "Let The Truth Sting"...

The truth.  We like to think there’s only one version of it.  Namely, our own.  But then someone else comes along and they insist on giving you their (generally wrongheaded) version of the truth.  The truth is…there’s all sorts of truths.  The varnished truth.  The unvarnished truth.  The naked truth.  Half-truths.  Whole truths.  And what we finally addressed in this episode.  THE PAINFUL TRUTH.  The kind of truth we don’t always want to hear. 

We all have these ideas of ourselves – of how we are – so when somebody else actually weighs in about us, well, it can be a shock.  I’m going to quote the Scottish poet Robert Burns right now because I’ve always wanted to quote him and I couldn’t really figure how to cram this quote into a birthday toast or a Thanksgiving speech or a piece of wisdom I might pass on to my kids – who wouldn’t want to hear it anyway (that’s my painful truth).  Also it might lend this blog a little more class.  “If only God, the gift he gee us/To see ourselves as others see us.”  Yes, even famous Scottish poets wrote about the painful truth.

Anyway, just about everyone at Seattle Grace has to face the painful truth about themselves in this episode.  Bailey when she has to stand in front of Callie and admit that she’s been having trouble with the pecking order of things.  Callie, who is, my God, hiding from the truth because she can’t bear to hear what she just KNOWS is coming.  Okay, she doesn’t know one hundred percent KNOW, KNOW but she suspects and that’s enough to drive her underground – into the Residents Lounge.  Anything to avoid her cheating husband…

How about Lexie and Meredith?  Meredith’s served a painful, unwelcome dollop of the truth when Bailey tells her that she hasn’t said a kind word to her sister since she arrived at Seattle Grace.  And after that fact settles on Meredith, she decides she has to give Lexie the painful truth about her mother.  Meredith has been so cold to Lexie – in Lexie’s mind at least – that it’s even got her to wondering about the level of care that Susan may have received on the last day of her life.  And that scene where Meredith sits down with Lexie and starts to lay out the facts of her mom’s death – where we see Lexie finally getting the painful truth – well, let’s just say it’s one of my favorite scenes in the show.

A couple of my other favorite scenes involve Izzie and Charlie.  Shonda said she wanted Grey’s to go in a happier, lighter direction this year.  And I think this story was the kind of thing she had in mind.  A patient who wants to die, is in fact DETERMINED to die and…it’s funny and kinda heartbreaking.  And here’s a behind the scenes tidbit.  We hired the actor Jack Axelrod to be Old Guy last year.  The idea was that his room would be the place where our interns could occasionally go to study or eat.  We put Jack in a semi-coma so our gang would essentially have their own private lunch room/study hall. 

During the course of last season, we used Jack to lie in the bed and, well…just lie in the bed.  And he closed his eyes and he would shift in bed, make an occasional mouth sound and he was very good at it.  When we decided to wake him up from his year long sleep, we knew Jack was a professional actor, we just weren’t sure how good a professional actor he’d be.  At least I wasn’t.  But, my God, he was a TERRIFIC actor.  I LOVED him sparring with Izzie.  He was funny and ornery and straightforward and yet compassionate as Charlie.  Especially when it came to telling Izzie the painful truth.  That married men will string you along.  That they’re not always in the habit of telling you the truth.  And as much as Izzie didn’t want to hear what Charlie had to say, she came to appreciate him, even seek him out.  He became her friend.  And frankly, Jack was so good in the part that for a brief, fleeting moment, we even thought maybe we should keep him around.  But in the interest of good storytelling, we just couldn’t.  Which really kinda hurt…

Then there’s the subject of their sparring.  George.  Who starts out determined to tell Callie the painful truth about himself and Izzie but his interaction with Connie and her friends – sometimes the truth can be TOO painful – makes him reconsider, then finally dive in and tell Callie that he slept with Izzie.  Wait until you see him deal with the consequences of that next week.  Allan Heinberg wrote a very funny, very moving episode.  So even if you missed this episode, tune in to that one!  It’s great!

Mark and Derek also trade truths with each other.  Mark has to remind Derek about the truth of his relationship with Meredith.  That maybe he’s fooling himself and she won’t ever be all whole.  And Derek returns the truth-telling favor when he scolds Mark and the Chief for being foolhardy in trying a way too experimental surgery on Connie.  Although, he softens the blow in that same scene when he reminds the Chief to tell Adele the truth about why he wants to move back in.  That he misses her, that she’s all he can think about, etc.  Which is, truth be told, vintage McDreamy.

Finally, we get to see Bailey give our big truth-teller, Alex, the truth.  That there’s a reason we don’t listen to interns – it’s dangerous.  And then if finally falls to Alex to unload on the world’s oldest intern, Norman.  Ed Hermann is great in the part (wait until you see him next week, he’s hysterical).  Ed plays Norman as nice and avuncular and such a sweet soul.  However, despite his advanced age, the truth is Norman has a lot to learn.  After all, he’s still an intern. 

And, as we’ve discovered over the last three seasons, what can be more painful than that?

Comments

[Aliza]

Thank you, Mark! I thought this episode was another step in the right direction. At first, like others, I was hoping for some more meredith/dereck interactions but now that I think about it, what meredith really needs to do is heal, and she can't do that with derek in her face all the time (or with us watching them face to face, which would probably not be completely pleasant and lead to more irate fans). To make a long story short, I'm looking forward to the rest of the season.

[Hannah]

Although an overall good episode, in my opinion there was too much George and Izzie and should have been more Meredith and Derek. just like last season we only get 5 minutes of them together when they need about 5 whole episodes to talk about everything you haven't had them discuss. Love the Mark and Derek friendship, Alex was a jerk tonight, and Bailey is just awesome.

Seriously...we need more Meredith and Derek!

[Cortney]

I hope the rumors are wrong and Derek is not getting a new love interest- I mean he couldn't even leave Meredith for his wife, how would he leave her for some random person? They love each other, FACE IT, you created it! Hate you guys for making me fall for a couple that all the writers take lightly- takes the enjoyment out of the show knowing that this rumor could be killing my show!

[Laila]

Allow Mer to grow, allow her to be with Derek in a relationship. We are all tristed and damgaed in our own ways, that shouldn't mean by any means that we don't deserve happiness. They love each other, Most of the fans love them, I don't understand what the problem is.

In Us Weekly I saw 87% of teh people polled want Meredith and Derek together, that's a large number not to take seriously.

[Tiffany]

So this week's episode felt like real Grey's to me. I've been watching since day one and it was kind of nice to see them acting the same. Anyway, Kinda of sad that "Really Old Guy" die, but his scenes with Izzie were great. George FINALLY told Callie, which is going to cause all kinds of weirdness between everyone.

Mer talking to Lexie was probably one of my favorite scenes of the episode. And seeing Cristina almost come to terms with the fact that she's not okay with Burke being gone. I still kinda wish that someone would acknowledge the fact that not just he is gone, but Addison is too. Yes, she's got a new show. But Alex? Mark?

And how Alex made George admit the truth that he was a repeater-he was kind of a jerk there, in my opinion. I still love Alex though...Is it Thursday yet?

[Happy]

Thanks for a good episode and blog!!

Happy to see that Mer and Cris were able to communicate. Also, Mer was able to communicate with Lexie. When will Mer communicate with Der??? I am still holding out hope that MerDer will work things out.

Question/Observation: Where do all the new interns disappear to? It seems there are a lot of unsupervised interns floating around SGH.

[Shannon]

I'm here sitting in my home office, paperwork, bills and anything else I can find to avoid the truth. I avoided watching the show last night because of last week. But, as we all know, the truth will come out! So, pushing my mundane but busy paperwork aside, I came here. A transitional truth, have you will. Metaphorically, I'm sitting on the bed wating for the truth to walk in the door, just as Callie was last night. I'm reading the comments. I read your blog. Honestly, I feel a bit better. I think the truth may sting, but at least it won't kill. I'm going to head over to ABC.COM now and watch the episode because the painful truth is, I missed watching Greys Anatomy last night. Much like Derek's comparison, it was all I could think about. Whew! I feel better already. The truth is also one more thing you did not put down. The truth is freeing.
Just as the lies kept George and Callie and Izzie in limbo, the truth will set them free to possibly start new paths. Free them of their imprisonment. Ah yes, the truth shall set you FREE.
I can only hope Meredith becomes strong enough to own her truth. Sift through the pain and let Derek turn the light off and go to sleep.
Their love is the truth [not an addiction as was stated last week]. Why do we enjoy the pain? Because it feels so good when it stops hurting. Let Meredith let Derek love her. Please...

[Sharon]

Please give us more Mer/Der. that is why we started watching the show and is what makes the show so great. They were on very little on this episode and we want more. Of course I need to be careful what I ask for, because you could give us more of them, but with other people. We want these 2 characters to be together and be happy. Please give us fans that. I truly loved this episode, minus the lack of Mer/Der. Loved the Really Old Guy Scenes, was sad that he died, but understand the reason. I am addicted to this show.

Watched-->liked-->much better episode. Hate George and Izzy as lovers. Alex--back to being Alex. Mer/Der--???? Why can't they have a relationship instead of just sex. Get them a dog--get them out at the trailor--or building a house together--then let them have REAL fights about that..A REAL RELATIONSHIP is all we ask! CONVERSATION!! Love Bailey--hope she and Callie kick ass at that hospital! Love that "Mr. Gilmore" is now on Grey's--congrats Ed Hermann.

[Karen]

Thank goodness for a more realistic episode this week. And thanks for actually writing a blog worth reading, did not agree with Deborah comparing meth to love.

Truth be told- although a fairly good episode, I miss Meredith and Derek. Their screen time is right back to what it was in season 3, 5 minutes. That's why I enjoy your show, and without them together I am missing something while watching it. I hope you guys don't choose to end them, and let Derek walk away, I don't want to stop watching this show, but will have to because all my enjoyment will be gone.

[Joseba]

I don't like Alex at all. I'm so pissed at him for revealing George's secret. It's none of his bussiness, he's just confirmed what I was thinking: that he's still a very disgusting person.

I liked that George told Callie the truth, hope they break up so George finally can start a relationship with Izzie. I love Gizzie!

[Brianna]

We need Meredith and Derek! If you have watched the series from the beginning, you know tehse two love EACH OTHER! Give them some good conversation, some coversation that will put both of them at ease. There is no way Meredith could have gone through all that she did and not be dark, he fell in love with her even though she was dark, she remained in love with him even though he was married. Sit down and think of all the scenes between them and you will realize that they are MEANT TO BE OTGETHER!

[Grey_mike]

I see Callie pulling a "Scarlet Letter" routine on Izzie. Public denouncement and humiliation in the Cafeteria. Izzie will now officially be the newest member of the 'dirty mistress club'.

I can't even imagine what's going to happen to George but it'll hurt and it'll probably be funny.

[Amy]

Do you see how you have turned some people against meredith and derek as a couple? that makes me SO sad, give us back the merder that we enjoyed watching, not the painful one you have now. people don't like it. this epi, honestly, most of the time bored me. i felt like i was watching steven's anatomy. but, i did see some of the old spark that was the grey's i love, so there is hope. the whole izzie/callie/george thing is getting really old, that is what bored me. just kill it either way already. i miss my fun merder, the angst really is dragging the show down. just put them back together in an adult relationship, don't bring in a new love interest because that will just add more angst and more dragging the show down. merder used to be the BEST thing to watch on this show, but what you are doing with them now is painful. please fix them so the show is not painful to watch. if they weren't together and seeing other people, it wouldn't be worth it for me to watch. honestly, i could even handle gizzie if we just got our merder back. with this painful stuff you are actually starting to create merder haters in former merder lovers, is that your goal? to kill the main couple? i surely hope not, because them my greys would be gone.

[Miami Fan]

Excellent episode, excellent acting excellent blog. Thank you Mark for both and for always posting so quickly after episode. How can we forget you wrote Where the Boys are & desire. There's really nothing I disagree with in what you wrote in the blog. Loved pretty much all the scenes you wrote.

Going in to watch last night certainly had a lot of mixed feelings given the rumor mill, especially the new potential love interest for Derek, for me, it's a deal breaker. Think you get that we love mer/der and don't take lightly Dempsey's & Pompeo's starring role and our expectation of their character's development. . Having said that loved what you did with the show tonight. Your episode willl be a hard one to follow. Epi 1/2 were good, much better than last season, but left us feeling a bit unsettled.

Now, it would not be me, if I did not mention what I did not like, as well as many of us that chatted immediately after the show last night. This, has also been mentioned by others already, the fact that apparently ABC/Shonda feel that promos with mer/der will get us to tune in, and yes they do. However, what a shame that once we watch the promos, we've pretty much seen of all of mer/der that there is to see during the 43 minutes of a show. Last night we saw in the opening scenes of the show, exactly all we had seen all week with Derek & Meredith, someone even said, last night, better to have no interaction than bad one. We are having the proverbial carrot dangled in front of us all week long & then when we tune in, there was no more. We did, however, get horrible amount of screen time of Gizzie & old guy, which could have been cut 40 seconds for one more mer/der scene that shows the potential growth in their relationship, which is where we want it to go. I HATED that Mer thinks about being there for Cristina, and tells Derek in fact, but why does she not consider that she needs to be there for him. Does he not even merit the same sensitivity and consideration as Cristina? THANK YOU for not mentioning S & M, hate that mocking phrase. Doe

In your blog of Nov 6, you said " Meredith and Derek. Who wind up together at the end of the episode. And as much as he thought he needed space, at the end, he’s where he’s always wanted to be. Pressed up against Meredith. With next to no space between them"

That statement was exactly how we, what I believe is the major fan base, felt at the time & guess what? We still do. I hope the rest of the writing team & Shonda are going to live up to that and so many other comments, about Mer/Der, and show us on screen time of their relationship growing and being nurtured by each other.

[Kimberly]

This episode was pretty good, I enjoyed Really Old Guy and how they said goodbye to him. I loved how Cristina had her pretend emotion. I was pissed to see Alex was still being "Alex" (but still drop dead GOURGEOUS!) and busted out O'Malley in front of the Interns, but he did do his job even if it meant he had to yell at Norman. Maybe Alex might finally learn something from him...about Life.

I can't wait to see the Gizzie/Callie story unfold next week...it's gonna be a THROWDOWN!

[Noel]

Tonight's show ROCKED! Loved all of it...even the end when Alex called out George. It's typical Alex.

I know everyone wants more Mer/Der... but I'm loving the entire cast and all the different angles. I can't wait until next week! HOLY AFTERMATH GEORGE!

Great job guys! FABULOUS!

[Melisa]

I know what the fans say doesn't matter much, I mean if it did, season 3 could have turned around before it burned to the ground, but seriously need Meredith and Derek to be together. REally, their chemistry is a HUGE dynamic of why we love Grey's, with that missing, you are just ordinary

[Christina]

Derek doens't need a love interest, he has the love of his life. Wasn't it just two days ago that he was defending her and why relationships are hard for her to Mark? i thought so, so although the scene was nice between him and Mark, if Meredith can't be in arelationship, her character is going to be this way all season? not something I look forward to. You need Meredith and Derek to survive, just as much as we need it

[BeachFan]

Thanks for the early post. Still loving this season's Grey's and looking to more on screen time between DerMer; but for the moment, what we have is not so bad. SO much better than last season!!! Loved the really old guy story line and all the original interns at his bedside at the end. Great 'first season Grey's touch!! Also loved Derek standing up to the Chief and Mark. Every line - perfect McDreamy. I believe you, the writers, will give us what we are looking for this season with a happier, more committed Mer/Der. Will keep watching for it for sure!! Bailey - still love Bailey!! There is no one that makes me laugh more than her. Thanks for her dialogue with Callie. Feel sorry for Callie and certainly know this is not going to end well. By the way, the promo of Izzie in the cafeteria. Oops. Hair was down then up in a ponytail? Maybe there is somthing we haven't seen yet. Christina - looking more like herself. Alex - he has been doing so well. But being mean to George - I think he will have to get his own for tha one. Don't think Lexie will think too much of him after the elevator scene either. Happy that Meredith ended the evening talking with Lexie. I do look to seeing them in a good relationship. Afterall, Meredith so needs a good, normal family relationship. Great music as always!!Thanks again for the early post!!! So far - Grey's BACK!!!!

[Day1Fan]

Thank you for showing a little light at the end of the tunnel for Meredith. I know Ms. Rhimes wanted her to be flawed, but I am pretty sure she didn't want her to be pathetic!! I was a huge Mer fan at the beginning, now I ALMOST don't care if she is given any screen time. I'm not in "the business" but I think that's a bad sign for the show's title character.
And for the love of you know who let's stop the MERDER on again off again. Put em together, give the other really HOT guys a chance to get a girl.

[Christa]

Thank you for bringing back ALEX. Thank you so so so much. Who ever wrote that scene with Alex and George in the elevator deserves an Emmy and a Golden Globe. :) I have been waiting for the return of my favorite character for quite some time now.

I am an Alex/Cristina/Mere lover and seriously...they were great tonight. The LVAD comment from Cristina was FREAKING awesome. I loved the Mer/Lexie scenes too.

I am DVR'ing this show now so that I can FF anytime I see Gizzie together. It saves me from getting a bit ill. I am glad that Callie knows, and I hope she makes Izzie look like an idiot in the cafeteria next week.

Oh, Mark and Derek in the same room together....so delicious. :)

[Krista]

Your promos were for Mer/Der, yet, I saw very little of them last night, they are what I tune in for. Way too much Callie/George/Izzie, Not very much Christine at all, Christine is another character I tune in for. All and all not much for me to watch last night.

[Tania]

I found myself getting easily distracted while watching this episode. That never use to happen when I watched Greys, I would be glued to the television and impatient when it came to commercials. There were some good scenes in the episode but I'm afraid Greys still needs some work.

[anatomylover5]

I felt it again! That feeling I got the day of Grey's Anatomy waiting for 9 pm for the start of my favorite show. I missed that feeling last year. This year it is back. Loved last night's episode. Really Old Guy brought back the humor and light-heartedness that was missing. I really liked Izzie's interactions with him. She needed a person to talked to, and he was it.
I especially liked all conversation between Mark and Derek. With Addison and Meredith out of the picture, their relationship is growing back to best buds. You can really see that they were good friends before, and both of them want to be again. I liked how Derek had to "save" Mark and the Chief. It's his MO.
Callie needs to ask for a divorce before George does. She needs to save face. Fighting Izzie would not solve anything. She should take George out into the parking lot and beat him up. She is married to him, not Izzie.

Can't wait for the excited feeling of next Thursday!