Joan Rater On "In The Midnight Hour"...

Original Airdate: 11-20-08

Okay, it’s a little crazy to try to take out an appendix.  I get that.  I think Lexie and Sadie and all the interns get that.  IT’S CRAZY TO TAKE OUT AN APPENDIX!  But here’s the thing – it’s the middle of the night.  And an appendectomy is the easiest surgery you can do.  And they’ve seen them done a lot.  And they’ve done them on the practice dummy guy, IStan. And they’re competitive and feel like their residents aren’t letting them do anything and, I think it bears repeating … it’s the middle of the night.  When all things are possible.  It’s not the middle of the night as I write this, but it’s late, 11 pm, and I’m feeling like maybe I’ll wake up early and exercise before work.  I probably won’t, cause like … um … I never have … but it’s late and under cover of darkness … all things feel possible.

Which brings me to Izzie.  I’ll get back to the interns because more needs to be said – THEY TOOK OUT SADIE’S APPENDIX!- but Izzie … Izzie just touched Denny -- talking, breathing, right here in her bedroom Denny – and she’s just sitting there at the beginning of the episode wondering what’s going on, it’s not possible that he’s here, because he died, but he’s here and he’s talking and now he’s walking toward her and now he’s unbuckling his belt and ….  Crazy.  Unreal.  Impossible.  But ….  I think Izzie is thinking that tonight she’s going to let this be possible.  In the confines of her room she’s going to let this be real. But it’s complicated and scary.  She and Alex are finally good, really good and so what is this, why is Denny here, why can’t she just move on?  And I think she thinks she will -- tomorrow, in the morning, as I’m exercising, she’ll be all moving on and stuff, but tonight …. Tonight why can’t she just let miracles happen, turn off her scientist brain and just be in that moment, the two of them, finally alone together?  And by the way, I don’t think she thinks it’s cheating on Alex.  I really don’t.  Because Denny’s dead.  Whatever this is, whatever he is, Izzie knows this isn’t real, she KNOWS that, but it feels real and she just … closes her eyes and, you heard the sounds coming from the room, as Meredith said, it sounded kinda porny, so whatever’s going on with the dead guy, the sex is good at least …  But by morning, in the light of day, when appendixes have been removed and you realize you can’t stay in your room with your dead ex-boyfriend forever, she chooses Alex and it’s sad as she looks at Denny who seems sad, but he gets it, after all he’s “here for her …”

Back to the appendix.  Sadie’s appendix.  Did you hear Sadie say to Lexie that Meredith is wrong about her, maybe Lexie isn’t such a priss?  And the look on Lexie’s face, “Meredith thinks I’m a priss?”  And that is what takes Lexie over the edge in the middle of the night and makes her go, yeah, we can do this, why not?  How hard can it be to take out an appendix? 

Sidenote-  I had these hedges, really overgrown.  And my husband, who usually trims the hedges wasn’t home, so I said to myself, how hard can it be to trim hedges?  I trimmed one side and then the other, and then I had to even out the first side and then I cut too much and had to go back and then the whole thing looked like CRAP but I had to fix it and then I just started whacking away like a crazy person and then my husband came home and said in a voice that he usually reserves for our 5 year old.  “Honey, put down the hedge clippers and step away from the hedge.” 

I think that’s what happened a little.  In the OR as opposed to my front yard.  Things were fine and then they weren’t and when Meredith and Cristina walked into that horrible scene and saw Sadie on the table and intern Ryan and Lexie just looking shellshocked and horrified, it was like, “Put down the scalpel and step away from the table”. 

Here’s what I love – Meredith and Cristina rocked that surgery.  They stayed calm, they did it, and in doing so they showed everyone – the Chief, Bailey, themselves -- how far they’ve come as doctors.  And Bailey was there to see it and take a little bit of pride in the fact that she raised her babies, she taught them right from wrong, now it’s their turn to do the same thing to their interns …

Speaking of Bailey, how about the scene with her and Callie where she talks about how she’s come to resent the appendix for getting infected and needing to removed?  She resents a surgery that our residents are so excited to perform.  And that gives her pause.  Seeing their passion, missing that passion in herself, makes her wonder if maybe she needs a change …

And Mark and Derek.  I love their friendship. And I think Mark does too, which is why he doesn’t want to mess it up.  But seriously – he didn’t think of Lexie in THAT WAY until Derek mentioned it.  It is Derek’s fault.  But when we find out how Derek’s mom took Mark in, took in a stray, we see a new side of Mark and I’ve got to say, I love it.  That he sees how in distress Lexie is and tells Derek to take her home … or he will …

Meredith and Cristina’s fight.  Cristina lost the solo surgery and feels that it’s unfair that she should take the hit for this, that Meredith should have stood up for her more, but I get when Meredith asks, “what did you want me to say?”  Meredith’s friend almost died, Meredith’s “sort of but not really” sister is probably going to get kicked out of the program … and Cristina knew intern fight club was going on?!! I like that they are both right and that there are no easy answers and that it’s complicated and messy. 

Speaking of complicated … um … Major Dr. Owen Hunt.  Complicated.  And tortured.  Words fail him all night, so that when he finally finds his words and tells Cristina he thinks she’s beautiful … it’s so surprising and nice and she gets this look on her face.  It’s like she softens for just a split second. It’s not what she was expecting to hear, he’s not who she thought he was, and I like that they are both complicated and they sit on the stoop as the sun comes up on a new day and they can just be quiet together.

Because that’s the thing about morning.  It eventually comes and when it does, your life and the people in it, who you’ve become, decisions you’ve made either look good by the light of day or just illuminate how far off course you’ve gone.

Izzie realizes she can’t stay holed up in her room, Ggeorge opens his eyes to the fact that Lexie has been in love with him and he’s been so preoccupied he hasn’t seen it, Derek realizes that he needs to “bring home a stray” and when he does, Meredith is grateful.  Alex tells Izzie, I can handle your crazy, if you want to break up with me, that’s on you.  It’s like the residents are growing up, especially in comparison to the interns who probably just wish they could take it all back. 

So … it’s morning as I finish this.  And I didn’t get up early.  The alarm went off and I decided I’d sleep in.  But tonight’s another night, filled with possibilities, and I bet I’ll set that alarm again and one of these days, maybe, it’s possible, I’ll get to the gym and work out.  How hard can it be?   

Comments

[madison]

I loved Owen's and Cristina's scenes! their scenes are amazing and are the only ones that keep me coming back each week.

[jessicafreels]

I did like this. Cause you know I love me some Denny. And I liked that she finally let it go that she thinks she killed him. I think that was something she needed to say out loud.

Loved Mark and the little girl...and they way he urges Derek to take LExie home. To be the family MEredith can't be naturally. To show her how its done.

I loved Alex with the poop couple. THat was wonderful and Joshua Molina is so good.
I have to say...the Sadie thing leaves me cold. I don't care about her and her stirring the pot kind of ways. I think as a charachter I don't care about her and so when she screws with charachters I do care about...well it just annoys me.

Lastly the scene between Owen adn Cristina in the end was lovely and classic Grey's.
Well done all in all.

[Sarah]

I have to say, I am getting really confused and bored with this whole Denny thing. Is she crazy? brain tumor? dying any minute? what is going on??

Other than that, I loved this episode. I love seeing the soft side of Mark, I love seeing Mer and Der in love and doing the thing and not fighing or whining or breaking up.

And how lucky for you, you got to write about poop transplants! So disgusting, more disgusting because it's a real thing.

I'm tired begging for MerDer.

I'm done.

Done and dead to the show.

Real dead, not like Denny.

[Meg]

Amazing show. I just love Denny so much. And my heart breaks when Izzie walks away to Alex's room. I love your guys' blog! I get much more understanding when I read your blogs! Thanks again for Denny!

[PamelaJaye]

I've only seen the ep once.

We watched it fast and went out to do karaoke. They are still out there. I came back at 12:30 to watch again -but got stuck in the emails from grey's fans who are sick of denny.

me too.

i'm going to watch it again now (1am) and read this in the morning.

many good things. denny and sadie are not either of them

Alex, however, is a mensch. as is derek for once.
And Cristina has some issues with mer than she needs to sort out.

almost a good ep - excepting Denny and Sadie (though Sadie-less, it would have lost a whole plot)

[Nice work!]

Damn, what a great episode! You *almost* made up for last week & bringing back a dead guy :)

I love that Sloan is finally getting a story. I love that the residents are growing up. I'm actually starting to like Hunt- especially now that he's slowly bringing his personal life into the OR and hasn't even realized it! Also, I'm happy to finally get to know the interns and to see them as individuals/new characters instead of just "the interns." Overall, you really captured some great moments for all of the characters. My one complaint: I wish Sadie had died on the table (I really don't see a point to her character at all).

Great episode!

[Krista]

Denny died can he not rest in peace please? How much more of this are we gonna have to suffer through? Im bored and annoyed. I want Mer-Der not dead guys sex. Not strange interns i dunno or care to see. Not Die. Where is my Grey's?

[Mark Ruled]

FINALLY some screen time for Mark. Appreciate and loved that. Also loved the 2 Cristina & Owen scenes.

The rest? Hated it. Denny is dead. Above you said "Izzie knows this isn’t real". Denny isn't real. There is no sex with Dead Denny because he's not real. There is not Dead Denny looking sad because he's not real. Enough of Dead Denny.

The interns story bores me, I don't care about these people. Nothing is said to the residents for not teaching their interns? They may be number 12 now but by the time these residents are done they will be 200.

Didn't care at all for the poop patient. Seemed like it was there just to be "look! we have a weird case!".

Please bring back Grey's Anatomy and ditch Touched By a Denny.

SOOOOO um whats going on with the whole denny thing? dont get me wrong, I love that he's back but can some one please tell me what the heck is going on with Izzy?

[Sum]

I bet Alex thinks it's cheating. I also bet (and I can give him independent thoughts, even if he is fictional, because, after all, you writers allowed a woman to have sex with a dead man) he won't like that it's "sad" that his girlfriend is choosing him over a dead dude for the mere fact that he is alive. Always second best, that poor Alex. I bet he's going to end up raising Denny's ghost spawn, too.

[leslie]

I love Alex! He really is in love with Izzie. I feel bad fro hi, since Izzie does not love him back. Hopefully you will write him a real love story. Not one with crazy chicks. I want to know more about his past and why he is so hard to open up, eventhough he is showing his good side lately.

[big fan]

Ditto about the interns bore me. I don't care about them, they are uninteresting, especially that new Sadie character - "edgy" friend of meredith's. wild and pushing the limits. snore. take her away. and i really liked denny before, but this alive-again thing doesn't appeal to me at all. Best scenes? mark being so sweet with that little girl and talking about how he grew up. Also loved that last Hunt/Cristina scene. So much expressed in so little screen-time.

[Amber]

Joan, thanks for the detailed blog. This would've been a great episode if it weren't for the Denny crap. Gawd, please end the madness! I have such a hard time watching the Denny/Izzie scenes especially the sex and moaning. *shudders* The storyline is just too ridiculous and I thought Grey's was above this.

Izzie may want to think she's not cheating on Alex, but she is. She may know that Denny is dead but she sees him standing there, they have conversations and she can "feel" him. She had a choice to make - she either accepted Denny's proposition for sex or told him 'no' because she has a boyfriend. She chose sex with Denny therefore she cheated (even if she wasn't actually having sex with a human being).

One thing Izzie was right about though, Alex deserves a lot better. Please, please, please give Alex a storyline instead of making everything revolve around Izzie. Alex is such a great and intriguing character. Justin Chambers is an incredibly talented actor. But you've been wasting all that for 5 seasons! I was hoping this season we would explore his deep dark secret past more and up until now -- nothing. It's been all about Izzie... *sigh*

The Secret Intern Society is eating up screentime that would be better used on other main characters. Sadie is annoying. I was sort of hoping she actually died in surgery.

Everything else I enjoyed. Now please make Denny go away and never come back because he is ruining the show.

[MoftheC]

Still hated Denny. The getting freaky with the ghost was cringeworthy. However, despite the Denny sections of the episode, it was a good episode overall.

[CC]

Great blog post!!

I LOVE Mark and Lexie. Almost as much as I love Derek and Meredith, and really, they are why I watch this show. I am looking forward to seeing where things go, but I really hope that it goes to Mark and Lexie as a couple - and NOT as just a hook up!!!!

[no more Denny please]

i know GA fans and writers love Denny. but do you really have to go to this extent to bring him back? i think you've went too far and it's annoying. i've never missed an episode so far, but i want to stop watching now...but you have Owen and Kristina...so i can't stop watching. so please stop the Denny madness.

[NuCo]

ok. i really think izzy's schizo. i mean...seriously. that's ..IT. izzy doesn't have brain tumor but she's got schizophrenia.. ..

seriously. quote me on this...

[Ashley]

What in the...

Ok, I love Denny. LOVE HIM. Adore him. He's what made me fall in love with Grey's during Season 2. He's beautiful and I love to look at him. But sadly, I cannot enjoy the beautiful image on my TV screen, because I am too confused!! What is going on?!

This is weird. Just weird. Please tell me you have some really intelligent way to finish this story line, because if you guys mess up the way we remember Denny/Izzy from Season 2... I may never forgive you.

Yes, we finally got the Denny love scene we never thought we'd get. Because he was, you know, dead and all... and we all know it is very much impossible to kiss a dead guy, let alone sleep with him. I’m so confused.

[cmg]

Loved Bailey in this episode, and am interested to see what develops between Cristina and Hunt. But I really, really miss Hahn.

[Jamie]

I'm like a broken record Joan when I say though I loved Mer/Der, I need just a little more Mer/Der, but ever so thankful that they are now talking, healthy and in a growing relationship. It's simply wonderful! But my heart went out to Mer/Christina. Christina is Mer's family, and though she has spent entirely too much time in Mer/Der's bed, that doesn't mean I don't want them to be friends. Such a lovely episode. I really enjoyed it! Thank you:)

[The Lullaby League]

If you take all the Denny scenes out of this episode, the rest of it was pretty enjoyable.

Absolutely loved Mark tonight. Keep the Mark/Derek scenes coming. Those two are my favorite bromance on television. Really enjoyed seeing Mark, Derek, and Owen working together as a team. Awesome!

The things that worked best in this episode were the scenes that involved the main cast: Callie/Bailey, Mark/Callie, Meredith/Cristina, the Fab Five, Mark/Derek, Izzie/Alex (minus Denny), and Lexie/Meredith. Owen is growing on me a little each week, so he is working to.

Don't think I will ever warm up to Sadie, so I hope she disappears sometime later this season. Hoping Denny disappears even quicker.

Enjoyed your blog, Joan. Sorry that you were the one who got stuck writing Izzie/Dead Denny sex and then having the impossible task of having to rationalize it to us. I know it wasn't your awful idea. You have my sympathy.

[More Mer/Der]

I liked it, but for it to be perfect, there should be more Mer/Der. I only watch this show and put up with stories I don't like (like Denny) because of them. Last week was great, this week, not so much. Don't get me wrong, I like what I see, I love seeing them being happy and a couple but I want MORE!!! :) It's your fault after all, you made me love them.

[Leslie]

I liked alot of this episode, esp. Mark, Callie, & Owen & Christina. But I do NOT like the DEnny storyline, or Sadie. You don't have enough screen time to give to the characters you currently have, why do you keep adding people like a dead guy who needs to just stay dead, & some random friend of Mer's that seems to serve no purpose besides causing trouble? I can see adding Owen, b/c Christina needed a love interest, & having anothing attending is good since you wrote out Hahn, but Denny & Sadie need to leave. There's no more room at Seattle Grace.

[JackieS]

It was better .....................
not fantastic....not yet...........

My daughter says, Denny has to go.

I agree.