Debora Cahn on "Wish You Were Here"...

Original Airdate: 1-8-09

Cristina and Meredith are fighting.  I hate it when they fight.  They’re so damn miserable.  You’d think maybe they’d enjoy it.  Worthy opponents, squaring off.  Throw down of the century.  But no.  Not even Cristina, who usually relishes the opportunity to tear anyone a new one, seems like this is just eating away at her soul.  Where’s the sense of fun?  Of sport?  Can’t they try to get into the spirit of it?  No.  They both look kind of oxygen deprived.  And that’s really what it’s like.  You go through something like surgical residency – it’s a program designed to almost kill you.  Like boot camp, but it goes on for years.  How do you get through it?  For Mer and Cristina, you survive by having a person by your side – minute by minute, trauma by trauma.  Someone who will make you laugh when you have part of a dead person’s lymph node in your hair.  Someone who will tell you your attending’s a brainless chinless douche bag when he’s just spent twenty hours explaining why you’re a moron.  Someone who’s in it with you.  And without that someone – it’s just torture.  The days are grueling.  The work is relentless.  The satisfaction is nonexistent.  It’s miserable.  Without your other half… it’s like breathing without the oxygen.  But Mer’s got Derek, shouldn’t that help?  Not really.  It’s not the same kind of other half.   He’s there for her when it’s all over, but he’s not in it.  He may remember what it was like to be a resident, but probably it’s like women who go through labor.  It sucks just badly enough that something in your brain makes you forget.  It’s hazy for Derek, the days in the trenches.  He’s probably grown a little nostalgic about it.  He can’t remember what it was really like. 

And Owen… wouldn’t it be great if Cristina had Owen to turn to?  Sure, he’d be like Derek – not a replacement for Meredith, but still.  He’d be something.  Wouldn’t we all feel a little better?   So why can’t he get his damn act together?  Why is he so damn hot and cold all the time?  Why?  He’s big and strapping and gorgeous and brilliant and capable and strapping and gorgeous, why is he such a basket case?  Cristina doesn’t trust people.  She just doesn’t come to it naturally.  But here he is, holding out a hand, or at least a cup of coffee.  She decided to let him in… and every time she comes to him in a moment of need, he’s totally checked out.  Don’t you want to just smack him upside the head? 

And while we’re smacking people upside the head… CHIEF RICHARD WEBBER.  WHAT THE @#$%?  I think that’s the real problem, for everyone, on this particular day.  The Chief has checked out.  He’s on strike.  Gone.  It’s like the center of gravity stopped pulling, and everyone’s about to slip off the face of the planet.  Bailey, for a change, is the only one who really notices what’s going on.  But there’s not a whole hell of a lot she can do about it.  He’s known his hospital dropped to #12 for weeks.  But he never really looked at it.  Never really felt what it meant.  It was a number somewhere on a chart.  It sucked, but it didn’t change anything.  Right up until Jordan Kenley dropped dead on a patient’s bed (that poor traumatized child) and the Chief discovered no good pediatric surgeon wanted to come here and take his place.  Devastating.  The Chief’s never experienced anything like that.  He never had to ask, never mind beg, surgeons to come to this hospital.  They were clamoring at the door.  And now… people don’t want to work here?  Add him to the list of people who are trying to walk the halls without oxygen.  Except he had the good sense to lie down, in a dark room, and put a Do Not Disturb sign on the door. 

And Derek.  Saving the life of a serial killer.  When all he can do is look in the guy’s eyes and imagine the face of the man who shot his dad. 

And Mark Sloan… Mark Sloan who could always find happiness, or at least some brief gratification, in an on-call room, with pretty much anyone, but certainly with Callie, Mark Sloan is falling, hard, for the Littlest Grey.  And his conscience, which has always been buried pretty deep, won’t let him have her.  He betrayed Derek once.  It was a biggie.  And he can’t do it again.  Despite the fact that Lexie’s trotting around him like a happy puppy.  He can’t go there.  Won’t.  Talk about lack of oxygen…

People are having a really crappy day. 

Except Izzie.  Who couldn’t really be happier.  So she hangs out with a dead guy, it’s a detail.  She’s got the two loves of her life by her side.  And they’re kind of getting in a pissing contest with each other, where the best way to win is to impress her in the sack.  Or in an exam room.  Really anywhere with a horizontal surface.  So she’s a friggin whack job, she’s having a great time.  And Alex, who thankfully has had enough crazy women in his life that Izzie’s confession about seeing dead people strikes him as pretty close to normal… Alex is cool with it.  That’s the nice thing about being raised by a boozer and a junkie, it takes a lot to flip you out. 

So… to the skeptics… to those who wonder why we let this woman spend her time with a dead guy,  A DEAD MAN, WE SAW HIM DIE, WE’RE REALLY QUITE SURE HE’S NOT THE KIND OF PERSON YOU SPEND TIME WITH… It makes her happy.  And she’s the only one who is.  She wished he were here.  And her wish came true.  That’s supposed to make you happy.  It often doesn’t.  Be careful what you wish for, and all that.  But sometimes it does.  Sometimes it makes you really happy.  So he’s dead.  Why get bogged down in the details?

Comments

[plum]

My heart is so heavy. I hope that Grey finds its footing in 09. Its no longer the watercooler talk any more. The magic is gone....As you can see from the lack of interest of this blog. You know what people are talking about this day and time around the watercooler...Strong black men.... its a new day in time... "S" you know what people are talking about ...where is the BURKE? Why do you make the Chief look so weak. "S"...Its a new day and time, its a new era. Well until that time comes you're going to see more and people leave you for the strong, powerful Lawrence Fishburne @CSI.

YES YOU CAN "S"
plum

[Sam]

Awesome epi seriously awesome. Love love love MerDer PD and EP have such great chemistry nice to see some of that. Loved Cristina and Hunt, love the way she stood up to him Loved Callia and Mark so funny. Excellent epi.

[Traci]

"So… to the skeptics… to those who wonder why we let this woman spend her time with a dead guy, A DEAD MAN, WE SAW HIM DIE, WE’RE REALLY QUITE SURE HE’S NOT THE KIND OF PERSON YOU SPEND TIME WITH… It makes her happy. And she’s the only one who is. She wished he were here. And her wish came true. That’s supposed to make you happy. It often doesn’t. Be careful what you wish for, and all that. But sometimes it does. Sometimes it makes you really happy. So he’s dead. Why get bogged down in the details?"

Nice try. This is a ridiculously stupid and insulting storyline. One that has ruined Izzie's character and is threatening to ruin the Alex and Izzie relationship that many have been waiting for for years. It makes no sense and is beyond distracting. There are no other symptoms and Izzie is a DOCTOR for God's sake not some stupid lovesick girl. I hope this storyline makes you guys happy because it has made your show a laughingstock.

[Ritz]

I think this blogs amazing... and i thank grey's writers for giving us a meaning to our lives.. its a big hit in India! Thanks a ton and keep up the good work

[Nell]

Thanks for the Mer/Der stuff. There could be so much more though and I still don't get it.

[Cassie]

Great blog. Also would like to thank you for the Meredith and Derek scenes. Love Sloan and Little Grey. Izzie not so much!

[mcc]

Loved the mer/der dancing scene. We need more of that! Still not loving the Denny scenes but I trust you guys know where you are going with the storyline.

[Amanda]

Loved the Mer/Der scenes! Thanks for that.....finally. Love the fighting between Mer and Christina; It's very refreshing and real. Love that McSteamy is "falling" for little Grey. I can't wait for Owen to get his act together because, as you say, he is gorgeous. Wish there was more of George. Oh, and nice try with The Dead Denny convincing....didn't fall for it and that storyline is still ridiculous and crappy.

[Jaslyne]

Well it only took 5 seasons to FINALLY get some backstory on Derek and then you barely even mention it in the blog. Booooo
Christina/Meredith fight? Bleh. If you let Mer apologize I'm gonna hate it even more. Christina needs to get her act together. Christina has been a stupid b**tch this year.
And I have said it many many times, so here we go again: GET RID OF DENNY AND IZZIE.
I enjoyed this episode, I honestly did, but stuff like that ruins it for me!
Can't wait for Mama Shepeherd though.

And oh: NO MARK/Lexie please!!!! It's disturbing!

[Sassi1972]

Well....its getting there! I still love my GA but at times I still long for the good 'ole days. I would like to see some of that fire that GA once had.

Back to show at hand! I hate that Mer/Cristina are not speaking and you can see that they are so lonely for their friendship but each one is a MULE and I guess its hard to get passed that. However, I did enjoy watching Derek really try to "dance it out" (OMG, no wonder he said he never dances in public (LOL)! But it was still a kind and sweet moment.

Until next week....

[Marcia]

My kids and husband hog the TV set, and I only get to watch an hour of TV per week: Grey's Anatomy. The show used to be so great; it was totally worth it. What is going on? You're destroying all the good characters! When did Izzie become such a nut job? If you liked the chemistry between Izzie and Denny, you shouldn't have killed him so soon. Having sex with a dead guy is not sweet, romantic, endearing or sexy (and I love Jeffrey Dean Morgan). George seems not to exist anymore, which totally sucks. He was an important part of the dynamic between the original interns. When did Alex become such a pussy cat? Is there estrogen in the water at Seattle Grace? The Chief has turned into a wimp. Bailey isn't delivering her amazing speeches. It's as if she's not Baily anymore. Derek and Meredith are a weird couple. If they love each other so much, why can't they be just be a healthy couple? Last but not least, Sloane and Lexie? Really? There is NO chemistry between them. Chyler Leigh is very pretty, but he doesn't seem into her at all. Lips seems to be moving, but the emotion isn't there. I don't think Eric Dane is to blame. He's an awesome actor, and he made the one dimensional character of Mark Sloane come alive, and become likeable. Remember this guy was in love with Addison. Madly in love with her, to the point of betraying his best friend because he was so crazy about her. Does anyone remember how incredible Addison was? It's hard to buy he would think Lexie is exquisite now. He was telling Derek that Meredith was a baby (he used to be the voice of reason on the show), and he goes for someone even younger. Come on!

[jlh]

Great episode and blog...just one note though. My brother had a wish granted by Make-A-Wish and contrary to popular belief, its NOT for dying children...its also for kids with chronic, life-long illnesses. I know that was a fictionalized wish granting organization, but I wanted to clear that up.

[tvadictmom]

thank you for the blog. Thank you for making Derek smile, even for a moment!

[Melinda]

Gotta be honest...didn't really feel this episode. Callie and Mark were the highlight maybe Izzie and Alex...PLEASE FOR THE 100,000,000,000,000,000,000,000th time let DENNY DIEEEEEEEEE!!!! Sorry had to get that out. And I was expecting something more from the prison patient...something scarier and creepier... I hope next week is better!

[susan]

Seriously??? Derek tells Meredith that his father was shot in cold blood and she offers him not one ounce of comfort or compassion? The moment remained all about her and her fight with Cristina? Is her character (or are the writers) so completely flawed that she must remain the center of her own universe when the man she's supposed to love shares such a personal story? Seriously...

[Heather]

"So he’s dead. Why get bogged down in the details?"

BECAUSE ITS STUPID. This story line is ridiculous. I even hate looking at my GA Calendar right now...because Izzie is featured for the month of January. Great job on making me hate a character, writers.

WHERE THE HELL IS GEORGE?

Man, last season started out soooo good. I guess I will have to start DVR'ing this show and switch to the Office now. How disappointing.

[Jenna]

This by far was the best eppy this season. It almost felt like S1 again. I can't describe how amazing and how I felt again about Grey's. I'm still coming down from my Grey's high. I was so happy to get some backstory on Derek, I've been waiting and waiting and waiting to find something out about his past. Finally we find out something. Thank you btw for that. It was nice to see MerDer have some intimate moments, we haven't gotten much of that. The scene of them dancing it out, brilliant, amazing, and I can't even put it into words right now. The acting was fantastic last night by all the actors. Again thanks for bringing Grey's back in my book to where it needs to be!!

[MrsB]

Deb, you have always been one of my favorite writers. So thanks for the great writing...Unfortunately, it's going to take a miracle to turn GA around...I no longer look forward to Thursday night. I can take it or leave it.. Derrick tells Mer about his dad and she's pining away for Christina???OMG!! They are not going to make it..I am so over Izzie, Denny, Mark and Callie acting like high school teenagers and the Chief too!!! Bailey, as always, is fab!!! Great to see Joe the bartender...George too!! But the show has gone down and so has your fan base. I hope there is a miracle somewhere because if not there won't be a season six.

[Reb]

I loved Meredeth and Derick!! It was nice to see them actually bonding as a couple. Patrick is so cute when he dances:)

[Tia]

Were are my commenters, I am just as excited about reading yor comment as I am about reading the blog. I must agree, I love Sloane and Callie. I miss George. I hope we are not losing viewers like we are losing commenters.

[celine]

The fight between Meredith and Christina is just too contrived for me too take seriously.

Mark and Lexie... are you kidding?
Callie and Sadie... are you kidding?
Izzie and the Ghost.... oh well...

[Over Denny]

Please please please get rid of Denny. I can't it much longer. It is a terribly weird concept and it just doesn't belong in the show. Dead people? Come on, you can write better and smarter than that.

[Jamie]

This was a good episode.. Enough Denny bashing... Personally just looking at him dead or alive makes me happy.. JDM is good for eye candy alone... I know it seems ridiculous to have a dead guy walking around, but remember it's all in her mind and it's what Izzy needs right now.. Brain condition or not she never really dealt with losing Denny and until she does she cant move on.

As far as Mer and Christina.. great blog and episode.. unfortunately life does go this way and friends fight and sometimes its a co worker and it is that uncomfortable..

After Derek explained I understood why he felt that way...

Great Job with Mark, Lexie, Callie and Sadie..

All in all great episode.. this is why I love Grey's...
GREAT JOB... Keep it up..

[Derrick]

Thanks for reminding me why I ever liked Derrick in the first place. The dancing. Enough said.

[foreverfan]

sloan and lexie are the hotness we are used to from your show; christina is fabulous;great stuff with derek but meredith not so much and neither is callie; it feels so forced attempting to pair everyone up..that's just not life some people have to go it alone