Bill Harper On "Rise Up"...

Original Airdate: 11-6-08

Since this week’s episode has much to do with  dead people who won’t stay dead, I thought it might be appropriate to start with a story about some dead people: 

When I was a teenager, I visited my sister at college, where she was studying to be a physical therapist.  She told me to meet her in a lab, and (purposefully, I think) gave me zero advanced warning that what I’d be walking into was a gross anatomy lab -- a room full of dead bodies.  Surprise.  Ha.  Good one.  I went through what must be the Five Stages of Seeing Unexpected Corpses: 1. Shock,  2. Revulsion,  3.  Unease,  4.  Gnawing concern about the fragility of my life,   5.  Worry for this dead stranger in front of me, curiosity about how he got here, why he wasn’t buried, who his family was, how his hands got so calloused...   Anyway, lots and lots of feelings, and all in about four seconds.  Plus, the smell was weird.  But suddenly, I swear, all of it was replaced with one feeling:  Fascination.  As four students worked over the open stomach cavity of a grey-green male cadaver, I was struck by how quickly it became just that to me -- a body, not a person.  I felt like I understood the detachment that doctors must need to do their jobs.  The ability to save lives --  and the daily threat of losing them -- must be enough to paralyze you if you don’t detach a little.   If you don’t de-personalize.

(Sorry, I know I’m already sort of well into this blog, but I feel this weird, nagging impulse to introduce myself, since we haven’t met.  I’m Bill...longtime fan, first-time writer, first episode of Grey’s, first blog.  Ever.  Hi. Very happy to meet you.)

That detachment shows up all over in this episode.  The first Solo Surgery’s about to be awarded, it’s a huge deal, a huge honor, so our doctors are fired up to learn, to prepare, to win it -- and their interns are being neglected by their teachers -- everyone’s getting a little crazed, a little...detached. 

Lexie assembles her league of unclaimed bodies.  But Alex literally body-snatches them and pretty soon all of the residents are using them.  And I mean using them.  They’re so consumed with practicing procedures (and, in some cases, their lunch) they lose track of the fact that these are actual people they’re cutting into.  Of course, it takes Bailey to snap them back, to demand for these bodies the respect they deserve.  Sadly, it all lands on poor Lexie, who, from the beginning was the only person who showed those cadavers anything like respect.  (I love her little speech thanking them for being there).  No wonder she joins her basement band of self-doctoring interns. 

Meanwhile, George works heroically away on his “patient.” Stan (played by iStan -- truly the most amazing, state-of-the-art trauma patient simulator there is out there).  The idea behind these simulators is that they can create a scenario so realistic that doctors actually feel the stress of a real-life trauma.  And by the end Stan becomes more of a person than he has a right to be (thanks partly to the Chief).

The poor beating victim, on the other hand, becomes less than human. Alex and Cristina have turned him into a grab bag of procedures to practice on, losing track of the person to the point where Owen completely snaps.  Owen, ironically, has spent the entire day trying to depersonalize himself.   He’s fighting so hard to not connect, to keep it professional, to keep Cristina at arm’s length.  It must be a reaction to what we learned last week - losing his entire unit, being the sole survivor.  If anyone ever wanted to detach, if anyone wanted to flee from being human, it’s Owen.  And it builds in him all day, until it explodes.

I think my favorite scene might be the one when Cristina finds Owen and realizes maybe the only way to break through, to really communicate, after learning of his tragedy, is to tell him this incredibly intimate story of her own.  Sometimes the most tragic and defining experiences can create a shorthand between people.   They just understand it in a way that no one else would.   (OK.  I’m flat-out fascinated by Owen and Cristina. They seem to skip steps that most of us have to go through when we meet someone.  They’re all surprise kissing and tragic-life-story-trading.  No small talk, really. I can’t wait to see what happens next between them.)

So, the doctors must detach, but as Bailey and Owen point out, you can’t let the Person become nothing but The Patient.  Everybody is “somebody’s somebody.”  This peculiar opportunity that doctors have to cross the line between life and death and back again -- well, it would make me crazy.  For most of us, Death is the finish line.  For surgeons, it can be just another hurdle. 

And death isn’t the end for a lot of people in this episode.  Meredith and Cristina learn that, unearthing all those diaries of Ellis’s, trading them like best-sellers, learning from her brilliant past.

There’s poor Mr. Bullard who’s so prepared for his wife’s death after such a long illness, only to find that, when it comes down to it, he’s not prepared at all.  He has to bring her back.  And poor Bailey, who’s obviously working so hard to keep her own marriage alive, and sees the ideal of what she’s after in the Bullards.  To stop trying to save her, to stop working, to give up on the ideal goes against every instinct she has, as a doctor and as a person. 

But come on.  If were going to talk about people coming back from the dead.  If we’re talking resurrections...Come on...

Picture this:  You’re a fan of the show.  Then the dream of a lifetime comes true and you get to  work on the show.  It’s your first episode, and Shonda says to you:  “This is the one where Denny comes back.” 

He is, as Callie says, Seattle Grace Legend. And his re-appearance opens a whole can of worms:  People forget that’s how we met Erica Hahn.  I admit, ever since Erica Hahn showed up for her first day of work I’d wondered, in the back of my mind, how much she knew of what went on here the night of that heart transplant.  I knew if she didn’t know, and she found out, it would blow up.   And it does -- In one day her whole world is rocked.  Her work, this hospital, her relationship, nothing is what it seemed.  Upside-down.  And poor Callie is playing catch-up.  Not knowing where it’s going.  Or where Erica’s going.

And Izzie.  Poor Izzie.  It is, as Meredith says, a lot of Denny for one day.  But she figures there must be a reason that her patient --  Denny’s former rival for the transplant heart -- is here, (played by Tom Verica, an amazing actor, who, you may notice, frequently directs our show as well) and that he’s in Denny’s old room.  And that Denny is wandering the hallways!  And staring at her with his big, sad Denny eyes.  This must be how she can finally, once and for all, can lay him to rest.  Right?   I love how her fear and concern over seeing her dead boyfriend, there...in the room, is replaced with that incredible, final sadness of realizing that he’s not.  That he’s gone.  Gone for good. 

Or is he?  Denny...seems to have other plans.  As for what happens next between them, I can’t say.  I can just say this...

...It’s not over yet. 

Comments

[Lost]

Great Blog and Fantabulous episode. I loved everything about this one.

Izzie getting her strength back and returning to herself. MerDer having a much more normal relationship - I personally enjoy seeing a greater variety of characters and watching these two being explored on their own as well.

I agree with a poster from above - I could sit and watch/listen to Denny and Owen read the phone book or just about anything for any length of time. Those men are awesome. As is Mark - loved him tonight as well, and George and well just about everyone.

This is the first episode in quite sometime that made me cry...a sign that the Grey's I love is here and has not gone anywhere.

My last comment is that all of the writers are doing an excellent job and I certainly hope that you continue to do the wonderful job that you have and don't get too caught up on all of the comments here - you certainly could never please all of the people all of the time. There is a reason that you all are the writers on this show and the rest of us are fans.

~~Loyal Grey's Fan

[joy]

an episode with no mer der and a blog with no mer-der....

I always make it a habit to purchase the original DVD of Grey's anatomy as soon as it comes out in the market and it's kinda expensive here in my country but I have the complete collection from seasons 1 - 4 and all of the soundtrack, and the Calendars too and it cost me a fortune but I really don't mind since I'm really a big fan not only of Grey's but of Ellen and Patrick .

The least SHONDA could do in return is to make us fans happy almost half of Grey's fans here in the Philippines is for Meredith and Derek, because their relationship gives hope to all the woman in the world who are pretty screwed up that they are capable of being loved by someone as Nice and as perfect as Mcdreamy

Based from what Ive been reading and hearing, tonight's episode shows that Mere chooses Cristina over Derek,
IMO there's nothing wrong in Choosing your friend over your boyfriend if your boyfriend is crappy but my god Meredith's boyfriend is Mcdreamy, a very supportive and understanding world class neurosurgeon, who leaves his hot wife to be with the love of his life, who breaths for her? Who can’t keep his hands off of her? who's willing to take baby steps in order to make the relationship work and not to mention the perfect hair! Over a friend Who is Cristina who’s not at all supportive of the relationship, with all her negativity over Mer and Derek. Who keep throwing insults on Meredith over her relationship with Mcdreamy? Who can’t be totally and sincerely be happy for Mere? Really Chooses Cristina? Huh!? that's a big OMG for me! they're making Meredith’s character a Pretty l a me one with her decision making. ( Paging Dr. Wyatt not for Meredith but for the Grey’s writers!)

Its really a waste of Chemistry between PD and EP, the show don't utilize the tandem (mer-der) it's always place in the backburner. I understand that it can’t always be about them but 30 seconds of them together in the beginning and the end? And showing Meredith choosing Cristina over Derek? Seriously?!

I'm just venting out my frustration because the main reason I started to watch this show is because of Mer-Der. I'm all for having a screentime for everyone (cast) but for the 2 main characters just having 30 seconds together that's totally pathetic and offensive to us fans who watch this show religiously.

I'm kinda scared of that Sadie character showing up too.rollingeyes

[I miss the magic]

As an avid and committed Grey's watcher I have yet to be enchanted by an episode in well over two seasons. And I don't even know why I'm commenting on the blog, other than I wish there was a return to the magic that used to be Grey's Anatomy. For years my once Sunday and now Thursday nights have been protected time but that is now being reconsidered. It's not about Mer/Der or Izzie and Denny or even Mark Sloan. It just seems like perhaps the magic is gone and all the great writing and controversial topics won't bring it back. I am sad and mourning the loss of my favorite show.

[Laura]

Hi Bill! Nice to meet you! I'm glad you're getting to live your dream and that you've gotten a great opportunity...I would LOVE to write for Grey's.

Anyway, I liked the episode! I thought it was very good. Overall, I thought it was nicely written. I loved the humor. Stan and George were awesome! Mark hitting on Cristina was so great and so funny.

The Izzie/Denny parts were very good. I can't wait to see where all this is going to lead, though I will admit I am a little worried when I think about what it could lead to.

I loved Bailey and Derek and the patient and her husband. That was very emotional and I like what it meant for Bailey about fighting for her marriage. It seemed to me like Derek was definitely thinking of Mer and when she drowned and he was trying to revive her, but I was a little surprised that nothing happened with that. I am hoping that this and Mer talking about her NDE will lead to her bringing it up and talking to Derek about it at some point.

I love Owen and Cristina and I agree with everything you said about how they communicate and everything.I don't know what else to say about them, except that I enjoy watching them interact and love their chemistry.

The thing I didn't like so much was Mer/Der (and Cristina) First, the lack of screen time for MerDer has now become annoying, and I don't necessarily need kissing and all that, but just them spending time together. Two talented actors that could do so much more in terms of having their characters and their relationship evolve and it's kind of wasted. Which leads me to second,I mean I get it, I really do..baby steps and one step forward two steps back, but I just feel like this season started with MerDer's baby steps and even though it was slow they were getting somewhere, and if they took a little step back ok, but now I feel like we stepped all the way back to late Season 3 or something. I mean if all of this is leading to MerDer going to therapy or really working on their issues I think that's good, but I just think that after the house of candles and everything Mer shouldn’t be following Cristina downstairs, while Derek is upstairs. My best friend and I are a lot like Mer and Cristina, but I share an equal amount of time and COMMUNICATION with my friend and my boyfriend. I used to like Cristina and Mer's relationship and I thought it was just as important as MerDer, but now Cristina is just annoying and I think it’s becoming harder and harder to take their friendship seriously…It’s just hard to believe at times. Mer should love and be loyal to Cristina, but she should love Derek even more. Even if the writers will eventually work through everything, I think it’s better to work on the relationships Mer has with Cristina and Der little by little,working through everything more and more each week, and not just throwing it all at us in one climactic episode or in the second half of the season.Just my thought.

Sorry for the long post! Thanks for writing a great blog and episode!

~Laura

[sara]

I hope Danny it's there to saying Izzie she can move on with her life.. then he could leave us alone.. he's dead..

[Miss Kensington]

Some really great moments and some big disappointments. That last moment between Owen and Cristina was amazing, as were all of the Izzie scenes. Sloan trying to flirt with Cristina was hilarious. But calling Mrs Bullard Rose was just gross. None of us EVER want to hear that name again as long as we live, even if it's our favourite flower. Seriously. And Mer going downstairs at the end was just wrong. When are we getting any MerDer development? Do you people really hate them? Are you totally uninterested in the amazing chemistry EP-PD have?

[mamaloa]

Wow!!! One of the best writings I have seen in a long time. Welcome aboard,Bill, you are awesome. I love Denny, and I love Dr. Hunt. I always love McDreamy of course, and McSteamy. I really felt that it was a good lesson to learn, and it's amazing how Derek still refers to Addison as his wife. Thank you for less MerDer screen time. Keep it up, as I can't stand them. Please more Hunt/Christina. I loved the Izzy/Denny scenes too. To bad Denny had to die, but the scenes were amazing. I have no idea what's going to happen next but it's very intriquing.
SHONDA AND BETSY!!! YOU HAVE A GOOD ONE HERE, KEEP HIM!!!!

[mamaloa]

Oh one more thing I want to add. I thought it was interesting how Derek still refers to Addison as his wife.

[Lo]

I agree with others that the Cristina not teaching story is tired. Ironically, Cristina is the only one that I remember actually seeing teaching skills (Mer, Lexie).

I love, love, love the Owen/Cristina relationship and its the story line that has pulled me back into the show. Grey's is back on my have to watch list because of them.

I do think that the MerDer story line has been a bit disappointing. Don't writers know how to write interesting happy relationships? They do exist in the real world. How come they seem so rare on TV?

[Phoebe]

great episode. but we need to get back to basics just like the chief is doing! that means more mer and der!!! love denny can't ever get enough of him even if he is dead bring him back to life for all i care. but this will be interesting to see what happens with alex through this. i think its time for him to open up already. and im glad hahn is gone but i'm pretty mad about the way it happened. BTW she totally knew her heart was stolen when it was happening thats what the whole 17 seconds thing was about so why was she acting surprised all of a sudden???? she told alex all the way back then that he had a family and everything so yes her learning that izzie cut the lvad and she was engaged to him was surprising but in all reality she would have found out when it was actually happening since the heart had just been stolen, so that story line doesn't make a whole lot of sense. but glad shes gone. just she needed a better exit, even if it wasn't your decision to make about that.

[busby seo test]

Excellent first episode!! Really, really well done and well written.

[judith]

Good episode.
But I would like to see more of MerDEr. A happy MerDer.

And Denny back? The guy is dead. It's not normal to see dead people.

I guess I can live with it as long Izzie and Alex stay together!!!!!! And that Izzie doesn't choose a dead men who she knew for three weeks, over Alex.

So keep the stories going, but don't have Denny back. Let him rest in peace.

[I give up]

Ok, I give up on MerDer, you win Shonda.
I have tried to be patient, to see the relationship you promised but you obviously have no interest in writing about Meredith and Derek. Thanks for creating such great characters but this season I have had enough. I wanted to see a beatiful relationship between two adults that love each other and frankly, you have disappointed. i will wait till the end of the season to see the whole 20 minutes of Merder developpment on youtube.

[Karen]

Such foreboding that Izzy's going to kick it by the end of this season. But, I'll take it if that means we get more Denny.

[jill]

Bill
Sorry to be hard on you for your first episode, but that was pretty blah.

First off, I HATE DENNY. Seriously guys, it's done, let him go. Please don't bring him back anymore. I fast forward through his scenes. Yuck. Please don't bring him back. He was tolerable in season 2, but this is silly.

Second, I agree with everyone that I don't know what you are doing with mer/der. Such a waste. So disappointing. So disappointing.

Third, I love Bailey and Derek together. They are the best.

Fourth, I'm over Christina not teaching. I agree with other posters, it is getting old.

Fifth, Hunt is okay, but man that guy is messed up. It will be interesting to see where this goes. So, he's dark and twisty eh?

Sixth, I'm sorry to lose Hahn. I think that character will be missed. I didn't love her, but I thought she brought something to the show. Plus, Brooke is a terrific actress. On the other hand, the show is too crowded as it is.

I really miss season 1. It had all the good stuff --lots of fab 5, lots of mer/der, lots of Bailey. It was just good.

P.S. I find Lexie annoying. She has too much screen time. Way too much. Please put her on the back burner.

P.S.S. Give Mark Sloan a real storyline.

P.S.S.S More naked Derek please.

[Anon]

Boring episode. I hate Denny and hope he never returns again. Not all of us are swooning over dead Denny. Don't kid yourself. Also, the lack of mer/derness is absurd. Why are you guys so afraid to write for them. Why are you so afraid to tell a good story. They don't have to have conflict every episode or fight or even kiss. They can just work together like two colleagues. I'd pay to see that.

[Matilda]

The lack of MerDer screentime is getting absurd. Really, you can't come up with a decent storyline? So they only interact when there's drama all around them, otherwise they have nothing to talk about? And the whole Derek problem "She opens up to Christina, not to me".... what is this, High School? Come on!!!

[Laurie]

Oh my gosh, where is Meredith and Derek? I am just so NOT liking the whole Christina thing now..It's silly how this is being written. Can we please see the relationship of Meredith and Derek...We've been here for them for 5 season. I think that's worth at least a few minutes NOT bookended every episode dont' you?

[Leah]

I cried too.

This is by far my favourite episode of the season so far. I always love it when Denny is back, but I am very interested in what will happen with Izzie. The storyline was terrific. The debate between Hahn and Callie was the best.

[Elena]

I don't like the whole Denny story....I mean, it was cool on second season but not anymore...Izzie needs to move on...I mean, when someone dies you always have that person in your mind... but, I seems to me Izzie won't never be happy with all that Denny in her mind...

[Shayna]

I think that it's kinda natural for relationships like MerDer (or anybody really) to have ups and downs of how much a person can be infatuated with another. I think that Derek was very graceful in letting Meredith have fun with her best friend, and it is alright if not every episode is focused on that particular pairing. There are so many rich stories going on that it would be a crime not to shift the focus sometimes. Also, if we focus on MerDer constantly that may very well get (Or maybe not) boring. Or not boring per se, but there's only so much drama that can go down to keep people's attention before it gets ridiculous. Mer was all bouncy and happy when she was bonding with Cristina over the journals, give her a break.
I'm worried about the Denny situation. It makes total sense that he would be a returning influence in Izzie's life, they didn't know each other that long but they certainly made an impact on each other. But if his ghost is going to keep stalking her... If another girlfriend of Alex's goes bonkers he'll probably be a philandering manwhore for the rest of his days. Maybe Denny can get put to rest finally, instead of his spirit hanging out in the hospital continually like we saw in the episode where Mer almost died and her mother DID die.
I absolutely love Cristina and Owen together.
And the chief messing with George's head through Stan... I think that everybody in this episode acted a bit like children to some degree or another, except for Bailey and Owen.
I'm intrigued by the Erica/Callie storyline, but Erica is pissing me off with this taking all of her 'discovering her sexuality' hostility and adding it to things that are happening at the hospital. Not to mention, blaming Callie for not jumping on the 'seeing leaves' bandwagon along with her girlfriend. (I did love that speech of Erica's though, and the fact that Callie tends to act a bit more like a guy with commitment issues is something that I absolutely love her for. <3) Has Erica ever heard of bisexuality? I would like to know. Because she is being petulant, and irritating. Not only would she be screwing over the entire hospital by going to UNOS, but she would be messing with her own job as well, because that would be a serious downfall for SGH. Callie is completely right in that Erica wasn't there, (She wasn't even in the hospital) and can't know what exactly happened. She's just so attached to this patient. He's gone through all of this trauma because of his heart and it's not fair and in Izzie she found this perfect bulls eye of a target to take out this feeling of universal injustice on. Erica needs to get a grip.

Sloane hitting on Cristina made my night. It was unexpected and really truly amusing. I love the polar opposites, last week Callie pointed out that Mark isn't just good for sex (<3 I really liked that Callie moment. It's about time that somebody pointed that out to Sloane), and this week his 'best friend' is trying to get him to whore himself out so that Der can get some Mer time. Why didn't Derek just ask for her to talk in another room so that he could sleep? Or for that matter, ask if he could spend some time with just them for the evening. USE YOUR WORDS DEREK. We are all a little oblivious sometimes, and if we're feeling neglected sometimes it helps to just remind the person that you love that you are there and would like to have some serious alone time.

[Shayna]

And everybody needs to get over the fact that it wasn't the MerDer athon as per usual. There is something to be said for having a relationship where there isn't crazy stuff happening constantly, that's what they have been working towards. There were more important things happening in the hospital this week, and it's okay to give them a break.

[Zeli]

Hii Bill! Nice to meet you!

Loved the episode soo thanks! LOVED IT! Really goed job. I think Grey's does get better with each episode....

I love the Owen and Christina moments... And i think the best line of this episode is when Owen after talking with Christina says
"Single malt scotch"
soo good!!

Mark was hilarious, really he was, failing for the first time...

I am very happy that Alex and Izzie are finally back together, so dont make the same mistakes again as in season 2 and let Denny again get between them... Alex deserves more!!

Thank Bill for a great episode!!

[Karen]

Great episode!

I have been with this show from the beginning, and I have to say that I like the focus being on other characters, as opposed to only Mer/Der. They are not as exciting and/or interesting as the years go on. Chemistry really isn't there anymore

[JB]

Get rid of Denny. He was great on Season 2, but he is dead now. I don't want to see him any more. Too much dead Denny. For goodness sakes he's DEAD. I don't like watching zombies. If I did, I'd watch a Romero film.