Pete Nowalk on "An Honest Mistake"...

Original Airdate: 2-19-09

When you’re writing an episode about God-like doctors it helps to have God-like actors playing them.  Which is pretty much what happens every week when you work on Grey’s Anatomy.  Sometimes though you get an extra dose of God, or as was the case in this episode, many extra doses.  Kate Walsh visiting from Private Practice?  Check.  Jennifer Westfeldt and Ben Shenkman playing a husband and wife suffering through round after round of nailbiting surgery?  Double check.  A certain Oscar-winning actress who is as close to God as one can get in Hollywood? 

Yup, I’m talking about Faye Dunaway.  Faye Dunaway who was in some movies called Bonnie & Clyde, Chinatown, and Network.  Faye Dunaway who was nominated for 3 Academy Awards.  Faye Dunaway who was kind enough to lend her genius to Grey’s and, by doing so, make me one giddy writer.

When we come up with characters in the writers’ room we usually have hoop dreams about the actors who could play them.  A beautiful model whose face was scarred in a terrible motorcycle wreck?  Let’s call her Angelina.  An ex-President in need of a quadruple bypass?  Call Bill Clinton’s agent.   A legendary surgeon who can both inspire and scare the crap at of us with just one look?  We need someone like Faye Dunaway.  Not that she’d ever agree to do it… 

“She agreed to do it?  Are you FOR REALS SHONDA??!!”  That was me when I found out Faye had signed on to play Dr. Campbell, Seattle Grace’s first female surgeon.   Actually I’m still pinching myself from the whole experience.   Watching Faye transform herself into this character was a gift.  Not only was she fun to watch, but she was also so lovely, generous, and prepared through the process.  And when I say prepared I mean that Faye did so much research for her surgery scene that I now personally trust her take out my gallbladder.  I’m not kidding.  Faye Dunaway knows how to do a cholecystectomy.  That is dedication, people.   

So that’s my love letter to Faye Dunaway.  I guess you could say my adoration is not so different from the way patients come to feel about their doctors.  When you allow someone to cut into you and poke around in your very delicate, very fine-tuned insides you have to trust that they’re an extra special breed of human.  It’s like what Addison told Derek in last week’s episode – that she needed him to be a God in order to trust him to save her brother’s life.  And Derek, as usual, was up to the task.  Even better, as Mark Sloan told him this week, he looks good doing it.  The dude’s a God, no doubt about it…

Now at this point I imagine some of you are about to yell at your computer.  Or at me.  Yell something in the vein of “THEN WHY THE HELL DID YOU LET HIM CUT OUT THAT WOMAN’S FRONTAL LOBE AND MURDER HER?!!  YOU’RE THE MURDERER.  A DEREK SHEPHERD MURDERER!!”  Or maybe that’s just what I yelled at myself when we were breaking this story in the writers’ room.  A lot of the writers felt the same way.  We were nervous to have Derek make a mistake that could possibly be attributed to a patient’s death.  But after much discussion – and real life research with real life surgeons – we agreed that this was a story we had to tell.  Doctors, like the rest of us, mess up.  And when they do, well… 

Okay, I get it, this whole doctors making mistakes thing is not the most uplifting topic for a blog.  Debbie Downer is not who I’m trying to be (even if, deep down, that’s exactly who I be).  I guess all I really want to say is that you need to keep watching in order to understand why we chose to tell this story with Derek.  It might not be the easiest thing to watch – seeing one of your heroes become human – but it will pay off.  Besides, we have to give every person bold enough to work in medicine credit.  Frankly it’s why I’m very happy that my job right now is to write this blog and not, say, cut an aneurysm out of a pregnant woman’s brain.  When I think about this – the frigging pressure doctors are under everyday – it doesn’t surprise me that they’d have some issues to deal with.  Or how they might need to punch the crap out of each other every once in awhile.

How’d you feel about that fight?  Personally I found it hard to watch.   Don’t get me wrong.  I love a good argument.  But with words.  Verbal sparring is more my style than some bloody, violent, broken face brawl.  I didn’t even know what to write for this scene so I think I put some line in the action that said “Mark and Derek kick the crap out of each other, etc., etc…” and left it up to the director and crew and actors and to figure out the rest.  Choreographing a fistfight on a tiny catwalk that hovers 200 feet in the air (in a real hospital by the way) is not an easy feat.  And for that I’d like to give major props to Randy Zisk and Herb Davis and everyone on the crew who made the fight look so freaking real.   Meanwhile I stayed back by the craft service table and watched the whole thing through my fingers.  And just wait till you see the fallout from the fight in future episodes.  Again, it’s not going where you think…

Know what else isn’t?  Meredith and Derek.  And that’s all I’m going to say.  Because saying anything else would get me fired.  Besides, you actually don’t want to know.  If you’re like me you watch TV because it’s enjoyable and surprising.  Telling you anything more will just take away from your own personal enjoyment of a story.  (How’s that for playing coy?)

Onward.  How about that gnarly wound Dr. Campbell left her patient with?  Dissssssssgusting.  Cristina, being Cristina, felt this mistake was unacceptable.  Owen, being Owen, thought it simply proved that surgeons are human.  No need to judge there, missy.  Owen’s take of course is informed by the fact that he has made a few mistakes himself.  A secret ex-fiance who appeared in last week’s episode, for example.  And now he’s finding himself involved in a relationship with someone who, for better or worse, holds people to very high standards.  Still, what I love about these two is that their professional disagreement didn’t get in the way of their sexy sexiness.  At the end of the day they can still sit down, have a drink, and say things like, “I want to be around 40 years from now.”  Hot damn.

Back to the depressing stuff.  Namely, Izzie.  Who is not anemic.  Sadie mixed up the blood samples (as many of you guessed, gold stars all around).  Now by the end of this episode Izzie has her correct test results in a folder.  We debated back and forth about this moment in the writers’ room.  Should we know what’s in that folder before Izzie goes to teach her interns?  Or should we delay it, revealing what Izzie knows only as her interns figure it out?  Having watched the episode, and knowing what happens in the next, I think we made the right decision.  Shonda’s been pitching this scene of Izzie putting her scans up for the interns since the start of the season so it was exciting to finally to watch it come to life.  Regardless of what’s going on with Izzie – be it nothing or some dire diagnosis that might or might not explain the Denny of it all – a day like the day Izzie’s had in this episode could break a lot of people.  I wouldn’t blame her for just wanting to go to Joe’s and get wasted.  Instead Izzie chose to use this very difficult moment in her life as a teaching moment.  It’s selfless.  And admirable.  And I love her for it.  Just wait till the next episode where we find out more about Patient X. 

Are you annoyed with all this “wait and see” stuff??  I know, I’m actually annoyed at myself.  Which is why I won’t do the same thing with Callie and Arizona.  I will say this though.  I totally understand why Arizona wouldn’t want to date a newborn.  It’s like getting a Freshman as your Physics lab partner even though you’re a Senior who not only knows the Laws of Motion but has mastered them in ways that would rock that Freshman’s world.  Which is not to say the Freshman won’t grow to be really good at Physics, or that Callie won’t catch up to Arizona on the lesbian front, it’s simply that Arizona might not have the patience to wait that long.  You, however, should.  Have the patience.  Because this story man…

I am officially stopping with the teasers.  No more carrots dangled.  Really.  Not about George.  Or Bailey and her Peds fellowship.  Or Alex and his secret love child with the Chief’s secretary Patricia.  Okay, made that last one up.  But to be honest there’s a small part of me that’s jealous I don’t get to watch the show from my couch along with the rest of you every week…  I’m lying.  Because I’m about to go into the writers’ room to work with the rest of the staff on episode 521.  That’s only 3 episodes from the end of the season, people.  3.  And boy are you gonna be floored.  Okay, last time I do that.  Really…

Comments

[Deanne]

Pleeeease just let Addison begone. FOR GOOD!

[Kelly]

I love that Callie is going for it. Callie and Arizona have a nice vibe. I love team Addison/Karev. As much as I adore Alex&Izzie, I still have a longing for Addison&Alex.

"It was worth it." Yes, it was Mark. Lexie and Mark have quickly become my favorite characters and couple. Chyler Leigh and Eric Dane have electric chemistry together. They are sexy together and sweet. They balance each other out. I love their banter and flirting. Mark bringing her coffee and her wanting to go downstairs and say kiss my butt was awesome. I hope we get more talking and bonding scenes between Mark and Lexie. I love them talking about each other but want more Mark and Lexie scenes. I love how smart,sexy,sweet and strong Lexie is. I also love that this year Mark has really come into his own. He is no longer a side character but a character that stands on his own. I love that Mark remains arrogant, cocky, and sarcastic while growing into a multi dimensional leading man. Here's hoping for more Mark and Lexie for a long time to come. Oh and the looks between them at the end was so hot.

Patrick Dempsey did a phenomenal job tonight. Although I don't think Derek should ever throw a punch nor do I buy he can beat up Mark. I felt for Derek so much in this episode. He really lost it and it was gut wrenching hearing the husband call him a murder. I think it's great that the show deals with so much internal angst lately. Last week I thought Derek was a lousy friend to Mark and Sam and this week didn't help either. He is so big on friendship and family but he seems clueless. I was glad Mark said he is happy and didn't deserve the punch. I use to think Derek and Mark are each other's best friend/person but Mark and Derek are like estranged brothers, just like Lexie&Meredith are estranged sisters and Callie is Mark's Cristina. Meredith and Lexie have taken that step to bridge their gap. I hope to see Derek and Mark take that step and be family/best buds again.

I love Chief and Bailey interaction. They are so each other's person.

[kathy]

Nobodys gonna be floored cause this show sux. Izzies sickness dragged for months does anyone care, just kill her already!

[LW]

Is this season a complete dream sequence?

[Claire]

Why Pete? Why did you just to Mer/Der in your blog what Shonda does all the time? Use them as bait to sell the show. I have simply LOVED their growth this season, loved their story, but what I don't like at all is this attempt to string them along to keep up the buzz. And on top of that, I am so tired of the less-than-a-minute screen time followed by Mer/Der's story explained in a blog. These two actors are lovely and not to utilize them and their love story which has been such a joy to watch this season is beyond my comprehension. Give them a story TOGETHER and stop telling us their story or playing us with a possible story on the blogs PLEASE. After nearly five full seasons, don't we fans of Mer/Der who have remained so loyal deserve more?

God that fight scene was SOOOO hard to watch. And I felt bad for MArk and then good. cause he was sure. And that made me feel really good about the prospects of him and LExie succeeding.
Alex seems abit clueless. And I was not digging his little, "Shepherd should hgang it up" crap. It wasn't that long ago he was screwing up with Rebecca..
And Ben Shenkman needs an EMMY. Work on that for him...cause he was AMAZING.

[Caroline]

Loved the episode! I love Owen Hunt - he makes me like Cristina, because generally, I just don't. I absolutely adore Mark and Lexie and I'm glad that he chose to tell Derek so he could continue their relationship and be happy. The coffee scene and the scene at the end were such cute scenes, that's why this show is appointment tv. I just hope that all you writers do the right thing and keep them happy!! It is possible to make good television with happy couples, you guys have been doing it all season and it's been fantastic!!!!

Can't wait to see what happens, even if I do like spoilers sometimes :)

[Jhoy]

You redeemed yourself once again after the Addison's Anatomy last time, Great episode! Loved DEREK! Intense TV drama at it's best.

Your blog though kinda' worries me, Don't do anything bad with Meredith and Derek.

We need the proposal!

anyways great episode. Keep it UP and again don't do anything that will break my MERDER supporting heart. Pleasssseee.....

[Jessicafreels]

Ben Shenkman was AMAZing. He needs an EMMY. And that fight was hard to watch. I am really glad though because it did not stop Mark from feeling good about telling him.

I like Alex...But I was a little ticked off at his smarmy comments about Derek. It wasn't that long ago he was acting like an idiot with Rebecca.

I LOVE OWEN. He is wonderful for Cristina.

[Gem]

Hey! I hope Mark and Lexie are going somewhere good. The coffee thing was really cute, especially like the "Huh" from Mark (when Lexie initially rejects the coffee) and the Ann Frank comment. The "It was worth it" at the end was adorable. It's good to see Mark in a good place. I hope you don't break them up!

[PamelaJaye]

I haven't read the blog. I did see the word Teasers, so perhaps I shouldn't read it.
I just finished with Private Practice, after ER after watching Grey's twice in a row.

I don't have a lot to say, just this

You're BACK!
Great episode!
I'm so thrilled
thank you!

maybe more later but it's 1:30am here now. bedtime

[maggie]

amazing! amazing! I am so ridiculously still sitting on the edge of my couch as I type this, just as I was when the episode ended. I cannot wait for more.

[HeavyD]

Loved it, is there any way you writers can convince Shonda to get Kate back on the show as Addison? I mean every time she's guested I loved the episode.

And what is up with the double rejection for Callie? Arizona is not my cup of tea right now. But it was awsome to see the old Callie standing up for herself.

[sue]

whatever happens to izzy,please don't drag it out. let her story be done in a timely manner, so more airtime can be given to living people rather than a dying person. also please no more crossovers with pp.

[NYCWatcher]

I loved it! I haven't watched Grey's since Addison left but this episode was amazing! I love the chemistry btw Addison and Derek - she makes him human...you guys have to bring him back to her. Otherwise you are missing an amazing storytelling opportunity.

[PamelaJaye]

PS - OFFICES for the department heads. Please?

also, the show is better without Dr Dixon. I don't find the portrayal realistic, I find it condescending, and my friends think it's being played for laughs.
So I was glad not to see her tonight. Didn't miss her.

Great ep - more medicine, more teaching, no sex! and people beathing each other up. Hey, it's conflict. Conflict is necessary. I'm so glad no one was thrown off the catwalk! (and btw, Derek needs Dr Wyatt. can she come back?)

[Bella]

I'm glad the crossover is...over. Thanks for the teasers, I think.

It was painful watching Derek fall off the pedestal, and it was also painful watching his fight with Mark. (I sure am glad neither one of them fell over that railing.)

I'd give back the gold star if Izzy wasn't the victim of the mixed up test results. But, turning this into a teaching experience was the right move.

Keep writing; I'll keep watching. Thanks.

[esra]

What does 'meredith and derek isn't going where you think' mean? are you guys breaking up them again? you better not to do that! I swear, if meredith and derek done one more time, I'm done with the show too...

[Differences of opinion]

It's rather amazing how differently (it seems from comments immediately following show) we the viewers react to storylines.

We don't see the "greatness" of the Izzie Denny story and thus far the majority of comments I've read are not impressed with Faye Dunaway's appearance.

Izzie and the scans are the end, I thought were self absorbed.

Writers - Shonda: YOU DO NOT NEED BIG NAME stars...you have everything you need with Grey's cast.

Now for the important comments, and quoting you:

I guess all I really want to say is that you need to keep watching in order to understand why we chose to tell this story with Derek. It might not be the easiest thing to watch – seeing one of your heroes become human – but it will pay off.

And just wait till you see the fallout from the fight in future episodes. Again, it’s not going where you think…

Know what else isn’t? Meredith and Derek. And that’s all I’m going to say. Because saying anything else would get me fired. Besides, you actually don’t want to know. If you’re like me you watch TV because it’s enjoyable and surprising. Telling you anything more will just take away from your own personal enjoyment of a story.

And boy are you gonna be floored. Okay, last time I do that. Really… End of quoting writer.

All I can say... if you lead meredith and derek down a path of darkness and uncertainty about their relationship at the end of the season...just watch and see the fallout... you will indeed be floored when next season the ratings drop another 4 million.

[Sally]

Pete:

First off, WHAT DO YOU MEAN MEREDITH AND DEREK AREN"T GOING WHERE WE THINK IT IS????? WTF? Where i think it is going is somewhere positive. Like an engagement. Like a marriage. What are you saying. I thought Shonda said meredith would be there to support Derek. So that isn't happening now?

Let me tell you something Pete. Meredith and Derek are one of the few things you are getting right on this show. If you want to add all kinds of faux drama and make their relationship a mess again, you can say bye bye to your viewers. we are done with that. Dark and twisty mer/der - not thanks.

Oh, and Faye's old doctor storyline was incredibly stupid and pointless.

[dlferriola]

Thank you for a terrific episode. It had you sitting on the edge of your seat for almost the entire hour.It was sad watching Der getting desperate trying to save this dying pregnant patient. I loved how Mer got him to stop and stayed by his side at the end. The fight was so brutal and realistic. It was the best and Sloan really has bad timing. Obviously he did not know what just went down. Owen and Cris were really cute in the bar when he told her he wanted to be with her in forty years to take the scapel out of her hands. Izzy with the interns was really amazing by trying to make a bad thing a teaching experience. A really great episode.

[Lisa]

This episode was.. intense.

Poor Derek! I'm glad Mer is with him, just wished we could see them interact more, it's been two episodes in wich they hardly say a word to each other.

I'm kind of mad at you because you killed Jen, it's been the first patient I really felt for in a long time, but I'll forgive you in advance, because I hope that this will bring some MerDer communication, Mer comforting Der, and them talking about the NDE.

Don't mess up with the Izzie storyline (If that's still possible), I think you're dragging it too much.

While I might be in the minority, I'm not a big Owen and Cristina fan, but I finally found the reason. You give them this super cheesy scenes, when we know Cristina it's not like that (The Victorian novel with the piano music scenes? Urgh!). They just met, and he's already talking about being there 40 years from now. Not believable at all.

Glad to see George around for more than 15 seconds! Maybe we'll get to see him for 90 whole seconds next episode! Yay! Super!

Mark and Derek. I can't wait for this two to work things out. When will Derek learn to NOT take his anger out at the wrong person?

I can't wait for what's to come, hope you don't dissapoint. We're still waiting for the proposal, if Shonda wait until the season finale, she sucks! Dragging viewers by selling them the idea that the engagement is coming.

[Anne]

Well I can safely say this is one of my least favorite episodes of the year. Very depressing. But you did your job to prove Doctors are not gods but make mistakes. But this will be an episode I am unlikely to ever rewatch. It was hard to watch at all.

Mark's timing sucks - seriously like he didn't hear about Derek's surgery and how it went and now you don't console him like a friend you blurt out your news.

Chris/Owen bar scene was good especially about the 40 years thing.

I admire Izzie for using her situation to teach the interns.

And for Mer/Der - I didn't like your vague reference in your blog as to how things won't go as we assume. That doesn't give me any confidence in their relationship as these two deserve some good together screen time. I appreciated Mer's support of Derek in this episode and I'm sure Derek did too - shows they are together for better or worse.

I'm glad you are excited about the upcoming episodes because as a viewer I can't say I am. Maybe by March 12 (seriously? March 12??? ) I'll be more excited.

[K]

This was a great episode to watch! I found the PP cross-over episodes incredibly unsatisfying to watch and this episode redeemed that cross-over. Pete you did such a great job with this one! And so did the actors!

I was sitting at the edge of my seat watching the fight between Derek and Mark. I do hope they'll make up - I hate seeing two people who are great friends and have known each other since they were little fight like that. I'm proud of Mark for taking a stand for Lexie - that was honorable of him.

And please - do not break up Meredith and Derek... if he bails on her... that would be absolutely hearth-breaking to watch. Please have him propose already! It's high time!

[mamaloa]

Good Blog. OMG, the scene between Derek and Addison is award winning. You really need to do more with those two, seriously. Even if it's more cross overs. Personally, I love watching them. Another one that I thought was wonderful was Faye Dunaway. How lucky for you to have her. She's awesome. Always has been. I love the Izzy went on to teach the interns. She's the only one taking an interest in teaching them, and I really feel sorry for what she's going through, and hope they can catch whatever she has on time and cure it. Now back to Derek, poor Derek. It is true, doctor's are human and I'm sure they have a lot of pressures placed on them. It's like they almost have to be God, and I think that is the point you are trying to make in this particular episodes. They almost have to be Godlike but are human, and I can imagine the pressure on them. So, in the character Derek's case, that was proven. OH and I really don't particularly care about MerDer as you may know by now. So, what you said in the blog about them not going anywhere really doesn't make me mad at all. It won't make me scream at you but beware of the many fans that will be yelling like crazy. Oh and the typical I'm never going to watch the show again threat. As you may already know. I don't need to point that out. All I can say is keep writing the powerful episodes that you recently wrote during this cross over. As I've said, one of the best since the bomb episode. I knew you can do it.