Krista Vernoff on "Here Comes The Flood"...

Original Airdate: 10-9-08

Absurd. A flood. In a hospital. Those absurd, desperate writers.  I know that’s what some of you are thinking.  But here’s the thing… Back in June, when we were just gathering together to begin early discussions of season five, my sister Jennifer came over for dinner. Jenn is a shrink. I’m sure she has a more official title than that, but I go with shrink cause she’s my sister and she lets me. She works in a psychiatric hospital in the San Fernando Valley and her patients are mostly low functioning schizophrenics. So she came over for dinner and I said “How was your day?” and she said, “You mean aside from the hospital flooding?” And I looked at her like, seriously? And she said, “Yeah, we had to move all the patients to one wing. All the schizophrenic patients, piled on top of each other in one small wing of the hospital. That was my day.” And I said, without skipping a beat, “And that is my episode. Just so you know.”  So as absurd as it may seem? Real. And in real life it was even weirder cause all the patients were CRAZY PEOPLE.  Awesome.   

I think it’s appropriate that Jenn inspired this episode because in a way, this episode is written as a love letter to therapy.  What it all comes down to for me is what Dr. Wyatt says to Meredith in the elevator, “And happiness in the face of horrible is not the goal. Feeling the horrible stuff and knowing that you’re not gonna die from the feelings? That’s goal.” Nothing better than a good shrink. I love therapy and I love what’s it done for Meredith in the short amount of time she’s gone (and I’m bummed she quit before she could get to the really good stuff.) It’s hard – to peel away the layers of the onion that is you and look at all that juice cause it burns your eyes and makes you cry and makes you hurt and makes you feel…but it also makes you better.  (Oh my God, talk about a tortured metaphor. Sorry. I’m tired. We’re in the room breaking episode 12.) 

Point is, I’m proud of Meredith that she got as far as she did. And I love that last scene where she stands up to Derek. She doesn’t get drunk. She doesn’t freak out. She doesn’t walk away. She doesn’t ignore him. She doesn’t leave him. She just stands there and tells him her truth. And that is so so so hard and so so so scary for her (as it is for a lot of us.) And what I love most is the look of shock on her face when it works.  It’s so hard to change.  For everyone I know, change and growth are deeply difficult tasks.   And so it makes me happy for Meredith and Derek that they are taking baby steps toward happiness and function. 

When we were shooting that scene, Ellen expressed concern to me about her question to Derek at the end. “You still love me?” She was concerned that it sent a message to the girls and women who watch our show that a man’s love is the thing that matters most.  (But she didn’t say the girls and women who watch our show. She said “the future Coco’s of the world.” Cause Coco’s my daughter, and Ellen’s no dummy, she knows how to get a writer to listen!) But my feeling is this: I was not trying to say that a man’s love is what matters most. I was trying to say that the ability to know and trust that you (and by you I mean, me, Meredith, all of us) are lovable.   To be willing to stand in your truth, stand in your vulnerability, stand in your fear, stand at your breaking point and hold on to yourself – that’s what matters.  And that’s what surprises Meredith. She’s shocked that she’s allowed to be herself and someone loves her anyway.  Those of us who grew up in the sometimes loving but sometimes terrifying and sometimes cataclysmic way that Meredith grew up? We sometimes need to learn, and need to be reminded, more than once, that we are lovable just as we are.  Ellen got on board – and I thought she delivered the moment beautifully. 

Tell you what else I love in this episode: Alex. On the porch. When he says “Hello” to Izzie. I tell you, that Justin Chambers can do any freaking thing you throw at him. There was some discussion when the script came out of whether or not we should change that “Hello” to “Hi” which sounds more like Alex.  But Justin? He pulled it off so beautifully. He made it sound like Alex and then some. The vulnerability under that one word... The subtlety… I just thought it was exquisite work.

Speaking of psychology, which I wasn’t just now, I was speaking of Justin but I’ve learned that when you say “speaking of” something, people usually go with you. It’s lazy, but I’m tired so… Speaking of psychology, how ‘bout Cristina? (I’ve never sat around with my sister Jenn and diagnosed the characters on this show the way I’ve sat around with her diagnosing every member of my own family, but I bet that would be a fascinating conversation.)   Cause we know there’s actually a good and caring person somewhere inside Cristina. I mean, she cares enough about Meredith to storm Wyatt’s office, right? And Wyatt gets right away how vulnerable she is. How scared she is. (Even if she can’t admit it) But still – she totally stole Izzie’s apartment! And she didn’t even  mean to! Izzie thinks she’s being evicted, and Cristina somehow convinces herself that Izzie pulled that flyer off the wall for her! I love it.  We’re currently breaking episode 12 of season 5 and I’ve been here since episode 1 of season 1 – and I never get tired of writing these characters. And you know why? It’s cause so many of them so badly need a good shrink!

Derek, who’s generally a pretty great guy and who just promised Mer he’d take baby steps, assumes her roommates are moving out. Just assumes it – without even a discussion. I mean, seriously, entitled much???   

Alex, who clearly still has feelings for Izzie, is as mean as he can be to her until the very end – when maybe he’s thinking his luck’s gonna turn.  And even then, all he can say is hello.   

Mark Sloan, a double board certified ENT and plastic surgeon who normally doesn’t give the time of day to an intern, stops to listen to Lexie’s diagnosis. Which either makes him a better teacher than we thought or a guy who simply, physically cannot walk away when a pretty girl is talking (I’m still not sure which.)

George is about to have some kind of actual breakdown in anticipation of his test (and it makes me giggle that the proctor finds him “a nice quiet room up in psych.”)

Lexie is codependent to an almost pathological degree – turning down Sloan’s surgery so she can help George with the Chief’s scut.

Izzie who is generally the happiest person we know, has ended up somehow all alone.
Callie and Erica seem to be discovering some real truths about themselves pretty late in life.

And the Chief? The Chief is basically watching while the hospital crumbles around him because his fear and pride won’t let him acknowledge that the hospital is  crumbling around him!

And Bailey – her lack of power is TORTURING HER.   I love that little moment when she goes to the gallery to get a quiet moment and you can see her giving herself a tiny little talking to… I imagine her saying, “Do not quit! Do not tell the Chief to go screw himself! Do not say out loud ANY of what you’re thinking, Miranda Bailey!” And then of course the ceiling caves in giving her the ultimate vindication.  I love these characters. I love the messiness and the layers and the fact that they absolutely refuse to behave or to “get all whole and healed,” as Meredith would say.   I think if I wasn’t a writer, I’d be a shrink. Jenn and I could open a practice together and then sit around every night and laugh about how crazy we all are. That would be fun.   

I have to add before I go how much I loved the guest stars in this episode. The actor Jim Ortlieb who played Jack O’Brien (get it? Jack O Brien. J.O.B. Job. Biblical. Whatever.) was so funny and subtle and heartbreaking and that lovely actress Samantha Quan who played Shelley… I watched them shoot that scene plus I’ve seen this episode 3 or 4 times now plus I wrote it and I still cry every time she breaks down at the unfairness of getting terminal cancer in your 20’s.   And Daniel Travanti who played Mr. Patmore? His breakdown? Kills me every time. I did not expect that performance. I did not script that he would cry. I pictured something totally different. And then I got the dailies of that scene and it just wrecked me with it’s awesomeness.  I love good actors. Yay, good actors!

I am rambling. I get that. I’m tired, like I said.  But I hope you liked this episode and I hope more than that that you had a lovely summer. Because life is weird and hard and scary sometimes. People are diagnosed with terminal cancer in their twenties and people get debilitating pain for reasons no one can diagnose and hospitals flood and ceilings collapse and lives fall apart, sometimes out of nowhere…  So I hope very much that you are all enjoying the quieter moments, the moments in between the breaking points. I hope you kiss your kids a lot and tell your spouses and parents that you love them a lot and buy yourself flowers a lot for no good reason. I hope you love your life.  And if for some reason you don’t or can’t – I hope you find a really good shrink like my sister Jenn or Dr. Wyatt. Cause therapy rocks.

End of love letter. 

Comments

[PamelaJaye]

let me be (possibly) the first to say Go Krista! and Go Shonda!

loved the ep and especially the Chief's new resolve and plans.

Please don't forget these new plans!

There is hope here yet.
(and I still love Mer and Der, and Mer and her surrogate family)

and I haven't read the blog yet, but I'm going to violate bedtime and do that now.

Pam on the east coast

[Alexa]

oh my god thank you for this episode!!
the writing... the acting... everything was just incredible!
i'm still screaming happily inside!
and all the characters, omg especially mer, and cristina going to wyatt ahh it was awesome! you're a great writer :)
can't wait for next week!

[ml]

Loved any of the scenes with Christina. Please bring back Owen Hunt soon. I can see him getting Christina to bring out that good and caring person in her out more.

[First?]

Loved Loved Loved the episode. So well done. Even if it was about a flood. In a hospital.

So well done.

I like your rambles. Well put and very thorough;)

Please let Meredith and Cristina remain best friends though. I don't think I could handle them not being best friends!

And please let Izzie be included more. She looked so sad sitting on the swing, and I loved how Meredith told her she's not alone.

[Michelle]

I love George and Lexie. Why are you runing them? Can't you write a normal lovely love story for them? I haven't forgiven you for ending my Gizzie and I am this close to quitting. If you don't make Gexie happen, I will.

I want George to have love and happiness.

[ali]

I love love love loved this episode.

to be brief(ish):
I so appreciated seeing Meredith and Derek work through an issue. I really enjoyed seeing the return of the porch swing (I've been waiting for it!), Dr. Wyatt... and Alex and Izzie. It was great, too, to watch new relationships form--between Callie and Hahn, George and Lexie, yes; but also between Lexie and Mark, and Cristinia and Derek.

The characters struggle every issue... but here I really feel like here we see them in a flux of growth. It's the second episode of the fifth season, and the gang is still struggling--but what I loved most about this hour was that the characters also demonstrates growth from past struggles.

Thanks for a fantastic episode--can't wait for next week.

[famousArtist]

i just want to say that i am settling into this season with great volumes of comfiness. it was such a fun episode to watch, and a good blog, too. though i hope you get it that we are all taking this walk and that you and jenn... well, you are a little crazy, too. isn't that cool?

[Finally.]

This is the Grey's I remember..the Grey's that would make me uncontrollably start crying and really touch me, really touch reality. I also love your ramblings, there is so much truth in them, so keep rambling. Thank you.

[Monica33]

I had a breast Cancer scare this past month and got the all clear sign yesterday. Amazing what it takes for us to realize how much the small things matter. How wonderful it is to drive down the freeway listening to music on a beautiful day. I got this episode - the writing was AMAZING. I know it is only the second episode of the season but I think this is going to be the best season ever of Grey's, I can feel it :-) My husband agrees!
Thanks so much.

[Jessica]

Krista

With all the Meredith and Derek dismay and negativity (towards our girl Meredith) spread on the various related GA boards tonight for no real reason, I want to thank you. Thank you for standing up for Meredith. Standing up for Meredith and Derek. The way you explained it is the way I wish some of the negative so called fans of this lead character and the couple (Mer/Der) would think. Rather, I wish they would just think period before posting. I love the steps they are taking. I love that she's a bit fearful. And I love the Mer/Der relationship that is finally becoming. Thank you so much. Great episode.

[B]

Krista - you're a really good writer, and I liked this episode a lot. There were some wonderful moments and interactions and emotions, and your description of the scene between Meredith and Derek, and her discovering how she can be herself and still be loved ... also wonderful. However, I'm very glad you're a writer and not a shrink because these two statements:

"Callie and Erica seem to be discovering some real truths about themselves pretty late in life."

and

"Jenn and I could open a practice together and then sit around every night and laugh about how crazy everyone is. That would be fun."

-- are disturbing! Callie and Erica are anything but 'pretty late in life,' and such a view of women at their ages would not be helpful to patients. And you would sit around and *laugh* at your patients? Really? Not even funny as a joke, I'm afraid.

[Mary from Washington]

Hey Krista,

First of all I just want you to know that you are my absolute favorite writer on the show. I've been following your work ever since "Into You Like a Train."

I check early to see what episodes you write for the show and then I tell everyone around me that they have to watch it because Krista Vernoff wrote it. All of my friends know that you are my favorite writer.

Now, I just want to thank you for being the amazing writer that you are. This episode was so fantastic. You made me laugh hysterically and weep openly. The scene where Shelley first realizes that she's going to die just killed me. Meredith says, "I'm so sorry Shelley" and it just brought me back to the days when my mom was diagnosed with cancer.

Anyway, I'm not even sure if you read any of these comments, but I just want you to know that I respect you so much. I know writers often don't get respect or notoriety for the work they do, but I actually look forward to your episodes more than any others. I know I can count on you to create dialog I will want to memorize and watch over and over again.

Thank you so much for the incredible work that you do.

---Mary

[Jasmin - Miami]

Krista, thank you!!

Finally, a Grey's that was flawless. It's been a long time coming. This should have been the season premiere.

Everything you've written on this blog was a true reflection of your exceptional talent.

When Meredith said, do you still love me, it felt like we were watching the culmination of the
therapy she's had...she stood up to him...she spoke her truth and neither of them turned away. Thank you! What you gave us and Coco...was hope...that yes...we all can be lovable in spite of
dark and twisty...and all and any other issues we may have.

Ellen as always is perfect in her interpretation of Meredith.

The roommates staying so perfect, they are her family. Derek got it. McDreamy was back.
Though... really he's been in a trailer for a long while and suddenly he needs an office without talking to her?

Dr. Wyatt's words to Cristina, FINALLY... a truth is spoken, and here though, I disliked Cristina's character even more. She is not a friend in my book. Derek got Meredith...totally in that last scene, unlike Cristina's opinion.

Alex's "hello" - doesn't get any better. Alex & Izzie had chemistry long before Denny...

Mark is too old for Lexie...yet...there is chemistry there....

Bailey...CW as always priceless!

Guest stars...phenomenal

Chief Webber needs to take a good look at how effective his method are.
Cannot stand that he blamed Meredith for the failures last episode.

Hope Meredith/writers will reconsider Dr. Wyatt's return later, she is phenomenal.

Now...if we could only find out what happened after the candle scene?
Is it really October...a year went by since Halloween...throw us a bone... please... clarify if broadly the timeline.
They said 6 months today...that would not make it possible to be Fall...again...

Krista, this is the first time since season 3, I've felt we had a blog when the show and the blog were exceptional.

The first time I've felt it was worth my time to write this long a comment.
Your writing and this episode were worth every minute, and have been worth the year plus we have waited to see an episode like tonight.

[Lindsay]

Please stop underutilizing Sara Ramirez. She had about four minutes of screen time tonight. There were about forty minutes where I was waiting for Callie to come on my screen, and it didn't happen until the very end.

[Liz]

Everytime I see an episode written by you I get excited. And I haven't been let down once. (Well, maybe just in the Crash Into Me arc). But still, your episodes rock!!!

Best part: Meredith comunicating. Meredith talking to Derek. Meredith telling Derek he is her family (Yay! She's finally acknowledging him). Derek moving at Meredith's pace, and not getting mad about it.

The next best thing: Alex saying Hello.

And finally, Dr. Wyatt putting Cristina in her place. With every episode I get more impressed at how selfish she is. Glad someone won't taker her crap.

Is it too much to ask to make a couple out of Mark and Lexie?

Keep the good episodes coming, you took out the bitter taste I had in my mouth after the SP.

Can you please write all the episodes?

Thank you for a great episode.

[maddie]

AMAZING EPISODE.

Keep it up!

[Sheri]

I LOVED this episode SO MUCH! And now I LOVE this blog, too! Thank you, Krista - for both! You Rock!

Honestly, I loved every moment of this episode but I'll share my favorites!

1. Cristina barging into Wyatt's office and going off the way she did. Then having Wyatt call her on her own insecurities. It was so fabulous!

2. All of the patients (like you mentioned) were SO real and s heart breaking. Oh my goodness. Shelly crying about how unfair it all was. And Mr. Patmore crying about finally being able to feel the pain of his wife's death. I needed tissue for my own crying!

3. Alex can be such a jerk but then the beauty of who he is shines through in such a great way. The way he finally showed compassion and humanity for his patient was so awesome. And then of course, 'Hello.'

4. Finally, of course, my favorite stuff was the Meredith and Derek scene at the end. I LOVE that Meredith didn't run from the conflict with Derek. I LOVE that she told him how she feels and that her roommates AND him are her family! And Derek saying, 'Okay.' He'll probably want to talk about it at a later time but okay for now. he's taking the patient baby steps he promised her. they're communicating and building trust! I'm so happy and proud fro them!

THANK YOU again Krista for this most incredible and amazing episode!

[Sam]

Awesome blog Krista and a great episode!

Thanks for giving Justin Chambers a shout out. I think he's so underappreciated and he's always been outstanding in playing Alex which I find to be the most complex and difficult character to portray. On the subject of Alex, I loved his moments with his patient and that he sees Izzie as his possiblity of something to live for. The writers need to start easing up on him though. Let him show a bit more of the good side to Izzie instead of always playing the tough guy with her. I undestand that he doesn't want her to see him as weak, in pain, less than a man but seeing him always opening up to patients and not to someone who matters (Izzie or one of the other friends) gets to be a little tiring. I'm really hoping we get a lot more development and backstory on Alex this season.

I hope Izzie sees that the reason she doesn't really have anybody right now is because of what she's done and how she's treated people in the past. She has no right to be feeling sorry for herself now and wallowing in her little pity party.

I'm also really enjoying this plotline of new teaching policies and everyone having to step up and become better teachers and doctors. Interesting enough, the Chief is the one who's failing the most at that right now.

The Lexie and Mark scenes were really good. Lexie really is acting like Lassie and pathetic is an understatement for the way she's bending backwards to do everything for George. She needs to tell him how she feels instead of hoping that one day he'll notice. I don't think he's bright enough for that.

Derek was an ass to assume Meredith would kick out her friends and he didn't even wait till they were out the door to start measuring Izzie's room. Not only that he bribes Cristina to say Mer should kick Alex and Izzie out. The guy is not McDreamy. He stopped being that in season 1. It annoys me how he tries to force his wishes on Meredith instead of trying to see her side of things, discussing matters and trying to reach a compromise.

The episode was definitely better than last week's. Good job!

[Ephraim]

Flood? Prom? Those are freaky, but this business with George, however, is repulsive. Meredith failed her exam because she was a complete basket case, and still is - and thus not fit to practice medicine - and got to retake her exam? No questions asked?

George missed by one point and had to ask to retake it? Webber didn't even tell him?

Sure, it's a TV show. Fiction is fiction, but that disparity is almost insulting. Not to men, but to any living person's sensibilities.

Fiction can be entertaining
I am so close to saying good bye.

[Jackie]

Well, I loved it. I want Mer to stand up for Alex and Izzie. I love Alex and want him to be able to MOVE forward. JC ( God bless him ) has been bringing us to this moment.

On the other hand....Derek is getting on my last nerve. He has more money than Moses.....but was living in a trailer. Build your darn house if you want to be the boss...until then Mer is the boss.........hehe.

Alex and Izzie ....please.

J

[applebug20]

This was a wonderful episode to watch! Sometimes on Grey's the episodes, the medical dramas, even the internal conflicts can be so intense and nailbiting, and very overwhelming in everything. This episode again was wonderful because while the flood was going on it wasn't this intense overwhelming thing, and things were funny (I always love when the intern/residents/family get together to do something like Alex slapping everyone of them!) So thank you so much for making a lovely episode that I really enjoyed watching and reminds me again and again why I love this show. Even though it's a drama, you have the humor, the love (family, romantic etc) and for the most part everything can end on a good happy note at the end of the episode!

Oh and I did not believe that Meredith asking if Derek still loved her was a sign of a women saying that all that mattered was a man's love. It was a very common question, that new relationship people ask, that even happily married people will still ask of their spouses even after years of being married. It's just a reasurance, that everything is okay.

1 Quick question, whatever happened with/to the results of Der/Mer's clinical trial? I mean they made medical history right? Aren't there articles to be published, interviews to be given and possible more patients on a regular basis to be treated? 1 More, is Christina going to head into therapy herself to help crack her own shell?

Thank you so much, you did a lovely job!

[Megan]

I loved this episode. The Hello at the end. Ah, wonderful I can't wait for next week.

[McSteamy]

Thank alot for the great episode..i just want to know who's gonna be with McSteamy this season....

[merder4ever]

one of the best episodes...

I just loved every minute of this episode! PLEASE keep this going Shonda! I can't wait for the next epi..

Chris and Dr. Wyatt scenes! Priceless!

Izzie and Mer scene at the end .....so sweet!

Mer and Dr. Wyatt.....Great scene! i always love their conversation...

!

Mer's compassion with the patient.

Fab 5 @ lunch together.

Fun elevator stuff.

Chris and Der talking!

Mer standing up to Der and Der respecting Mer.

i love merder scene !