Mark Wilding on 'Invasion'...

Original Airdate: 10-15-09

I’m sure most of you have been fired at some point in your life.  I have.  In fact, I’ve been fired at several points.  Mostly from TV shows.  Mostly for a job poorly done.  I’ve been fired over the phone, in person, just before major holidays, a few months after I bought my first house – I’ve been fired a bunch.  The people who fired me all had the usual litany of predictable reasons for letting me go.  Budget considerations, you don’t write the voice of the show, we’re going a different direction.  Every tortured explanation designed to make you feel better about yourself.  And every one pretty much a lie.  Because when they fire you the truth is they just don’t want you.  After it’s done, after the axe has fallen, there’s a predictable process to the whole thing that’s pretty much time-honored.  At least in Hollywood.  First, you make sure the surviving writers don’t see you (it would be like Death coming to call).  Second, you immediately go home to your wife or girlfriend or dog and get their sympathy.  Third, you say the show was never for you anyway.  And fourth, you return on the weekend to gather your things.  It works that way for everyone.  Executives, writers, actors, directors, assistants – if you work in Hollywood you will get fired and go through that humiliating scenario as sure as the sun comes up in the morning.  

My favorite firing (at least of me) took place many years ago on a set made to look like Central Park.  It was the one they used on “Seinfeld”.  I wasn’t on “Seinfeld” at the time.  I was on a different show but I had a view of the park.  A very good view.  A good enough view where I could witness several of the writers of the show I was on being escorted to a little wooden bench in the fake park and told their services were no longer needed.  

I watched this grim scenario unfold over a couple of days from my office in the bungalow on the show where I thought I was still employed (the show shall go nameless, as shall the name of the person who fired me --- good news though, that person was fired from a show recently and it made my heart sing with joy).  A week passed and I believed I’d escaped being fired and so thought nothing of it when I sat on that same wooden bench to have a sandwich one day.  Halfway through my sandwich I looked up to find my boss standing over me and telling me that I didn’t seem very happy on the show.  I took a bite of sandwich and then replied that, no, indeed, I was happy on the show.  And he said no, I don’t think you are happy.  And THAT’S when I realized – in that very moment -- that I WAS SITTING ON THE FIRING BENCH and that maybe he wasn’t out there to have lunch with me.  And I was fired.  All of which brings me to the toughest firing we’ve probably ever seen at Seattle Grace.  That of Izzie Stevens…

Yup, Izzie is gone.  Fired by the Chief who, these days, is looking for the slightest excuse to fire ANYONE.  Maybe she went back home.  Or to visit friends.  Or just took off for points unknown.  But yes, people, Izzie Stevens, third year resident and surgical rising star, no longer works at Seattle Grace/Mercy West.  The hospital, new name and all, is in her rear view mirror.  George’s death, her stage four cancer, coming back to work too soon – it all proved too much – and now she’s headed off to God knows where.  And it was heartbreaking to see her get fired, to see her plead for her job but firings are pretty much always horrible.  And I wanted the scene to convey that sudden sense of loss, of hopelessness, and with the help of Katie Heigl’s fantastic acting, I think it did.  But more on Izzie and the broken-hearted Alex later.   

The theme of the episode was “Invasion”.  It seemed appropriate.  New doctors were coming over from Mercy West.  Callie’s Dad was paying an unwelcome visit to the hospital with the family priest in tow.  Billy the Burglar got beat up after he broke in to or “invaded” a golfer’s house.  And Arizona based her whole speech on the Japanese bombing Pearl Harbor – which was also an invasion of sorts.  All sorts of folks were coming from the outside and invading our people’s space.  The first time we see Jackson Avery, he’s jogging towards the hospital, almost running into Cristina.  And then the next thing you know he’s leaning across Alex in the elevator to choose his floor.  Annoying!  Invasive!  Just plain…rude!  And from her sick bed, where she’s recovering from her liver donation to Thatcher the previous week, an undaunted Meredith has taken charge.  “This is our ship!”  The question is, are our people up for the fight?  Well first, let’s talk about those new residents, the doctors they’re going up against…

Reed, Charles, April and Jackson.  The Mercy West crowd.  Who are just as insecure and uncertain about their new situation as our people.  And our residents are understandably nervous because, like any invader, these MW guys are a threat.  They’re smart, they fight dirty if they have to and, like our residents, they’re not going down without a fight.  Of course, our people don’t know that at the beginning of the episode.  But they sure do by the end.  They’ve been in a helluva dog fight.  When we see Mercy West’s orange-clad foursome at the end of the episode, surveying their surgical domain from the exact same place where our people were at the beginning of the episode, we know that they’re here to stay.  They’re just as determined to make this their new home as our people were when they first came to the hospital.

The new actors – their real names are Nora, Robert, Jesse and Sarah -- were a blast to work with.  I probably should have known all their credits and what shows they’ve been on before we started shooting but I didn’t.  And none of that mattered because they were all so strong.  And then when I saw them on screen, they looked great and were wonderfully believable as real doctors.  Which was a great relief and should make for a fun rest of the season.  So, let’s talk about the pairings.

Lexie and April.  We got to see a new side of Lexie.  One who could fight dirty and be a mean girl if she had to be.  That is until the passive-aggressive April herself is undone when she finds out Lexie has read her notebook with all her little self-help homilies.  That’s when Lexie softened.  Which is what you do when you’ve trumped someone that badly.  When you’ve kicked their obnoxious ass all over the place.  After all, you can only be so gleeful in victory.  When Lexie sees April tear up outside the scrub room, it makes her realize that even though April’s been pretty obnoxious throughout, maybe we’re not who we are in our worst moments.  Maybe we’re, hopefully, something better. 

Charles and Izzie.  Izzie thinks that she’s found someone who maybe just maybe, reminds her a little of George.  Certainly not a complete George replacement but someone who’s as charming and self-deprecating.  And might someday be a good friend.  And it goes to Izzie’s trusting instincts and her need to fill the void left by George that she quickly gloms onto a sympathetic soul like Charles.  But, as the Chief tells her later, it’s a different era.  The old rules don’t apply – be it with friendships or with jobs.  A lesson that Izzie learns not just once in this episode, but twice.  First when Charles brags about her being his surgical bitch and, second, when she makes that terrible medical mistake.

Jackson and Cristina.  I liked them going toe to toe and especially loved Cristina finally deciding to hold up the white flag of surrender.  Throwing in the surgical towel.  We’ve been hinting in the previous episodes that without a Cardio God, she just doesn’t have her heart in it anymore.  And as for Sandra Oh -- in the scene when she’s crying with Meredith (and pining for Burke), well, my God, she was superb. 

Alex and Reed.   As Izzie says in the residents lounge at the start of the episode, Reed is not a big person.  Still, as Alex finds out, she can flat out play this game.  As much as I loved their competitive dynamic, each trying to outmaneuver the other one, I also liked showing our doctors as less than compassionate with their patient.  I’ve visited a number of hospitals in the last few years and I’ve invariably found that our make-believe doctors generally pay much more attention to their patients than the real-life ones.  It IS a struggle to have your voice heard in hospitals, to not be ignored.  Sometimes they treat you less like a patient and more like, well, an invader.  Of course, I might be holding them to a higher standard because my only reference point is a pretend hospital.

Now, back to Izzie and the Chief and Alex.  When you tell the Chief of Surgery that you NEED this job, that you’ve got nothing else in your life, DESPITE the fact you’re married, you are in a very, very bad state indeed.   I understand the part about sneaking off without telling anyone after you’ve been fired (see above) but to just leave your husband a note – that’s brutal.  No wonder Alex has issues.  Every time he puts himself out there, gets close to someone (remember Ava?) the poor guy gets knocked back on his heels. 

By the way, in the firing scene, that beautiful shot when we come around Izzie to see all the emotions playing on her face was designed by the show’s director, Tony Phelan.  His idea was to really get inside her emotionally at that moment.  Tony had a lot of other great ideas for the episode.  Ideas I would never have thought of because I’m not a director and Tony is.  (I mostly just sat there and said “Good idea, Tony.  Hey, they’re making omelettes.  You want me to get you an omelette, Tony?  You sure?  Because they’re really good omelettes.  I’ve already had two but they’re so good I may have a third.  Are you sure you don’t want one, Tony?).  Tony’s also one of the writers on our show.  He is multi-talented.  I am not.  Still, everything you see in this blog was my idea.  NOT Tony’s.  If he does have ideas about it, frankly, he can keep them to himself.  Give him all the credit you want for the episode, but this blog, my blog, is where I draw the line.

Finally, I want to talk about Callie and Arizona.  Shonda came up with the idea of Mr. Torres showing up with the family priest.  I immediately said YES because anytime I can see Hector Alizondo on my TV screen, I’m all for it.  In the scene where he’s quoting the Bible at Callie, he really is afraid he’s going to lose her.  He’s desperate, yanking out those index cards like her very life depends on it.  It was Hector’s idea to use the cards.  He didn’t think his character would know that stuff of the top of his head, which is how I originally wrote it.  And he was right.  And it worked beautifully.  And that final scene when he and Callie are outside the hospital and he’s asking her if she’ll still get married, still have kids… I really, really liked that scene.  And I really, really liked their whole story.  All told, I thought the episode came out pretty well.  At least well enough for me not to worry about having to clean out my desk for another couple of weekends…

Comments

[Maya]

Sandra Oh made this episode for me, I am reminded of why she is nominated for Emmys someone please give her one already!

Other things, I am disappointed in the lack of OC time, I think the story is digressing rapidly, not much to keep me hanging on these days when I can be watching 30 Rock . We need more than a minute of screen time between them. Sorry its not enough to keep me watching this show.

[Carrie]

I think this episode was even worse than the Dead Denny episodes. I never thought anything could be worse than those but boy I was wrong.

[Jay]

By far, the most powerful scenes tonight came from Sara Ramirez and Jessica Capshaw. I cried through all of them. It was incredible to see their relationship so beautifully written. Now if only you guys would write them talking to one another about how they feel. It seems that they only talk to others about how much they care. The scene with Callie crying and Arizona comforting her has been the only real physical contact they have had for a while and it was wonderful. They are by far my favorite couple on the show and I pray, hope, beg that they will continue through till the end as there is so much more that can be written about them. Thank you so much for writing such beautiful scenes and I hope that you will pass my thanks along to the actresses who completely blew me away with their skill.

[tld]

loved it - sara, hector, jessica rocked and you wrote it so so so perfectly! thank you

[Donna]

I really hope next week is better. I really was loving season 6 until tonight. :(

[Amy]

I hate the new people. You already have a large cast you don't properly utilize. I hate what you've done to Cristina. Don't tell us to take a leap of faith, you lost our trust a long time ago, with good reason.

[Sbehnke]

I hated tonight's show. This is not the Grey's Anatomy that I have been excited to watch every week since the beginning. Yes, Izzy was fired, but it's not an Izzy thing to just leave someone she cares about, especially after she grew up with the life she had. This season just doesn't make a lot of sense and just isn't the good interesting show it used to be. You are getting rid of all of the characters that made this show what it is.

[nyla]

Great epi. I loved seeing vulnerable Cristina and Mer pretty much being the glue and trying to keep her people together. (love her growth!) My heart breaks for Alex and I hope him and Iz get through this. Btw, how can Chief fire her when she supplied the clinic? Let her go work there! LOVE LOVE LOVE Attending Callie :) As for the MW's, Jackson is hot and I'm feeling his vibe. The other 3 are "blah!" and you make me a little nervous having referenced them with "the season". Sounds too long term for this viewers liking. (Charles is a poor man's George. Boo to him!)

[Holly]

Another memorable GA episode...thanks. It will be interesting seeing the new personalities play out and watching all of them learn to "play nice".

[turner]

I loved this episode. Well, the Callie/Arizona part of this episode. Before I explain that part, I want to say that I understand that we are not suppose to like the Mercy West kids. At least I hope we aren't, because if we are suppose to like them, well, then that would be an epic fail.

Anyways... Callie and Arizona.

I've loved Callie since the beginning even though I've always thought, up until recently, that her character has been written rather weakly. Not necessarily written weakly, but written as a weak character (pawning after a man who didn't want/love her, not being able to excel at being cheif resident, sexing up with Mark, and so on). But I've still LOVED the character, and that probably has a lot to do with Sara Ramirez and her portrayl of Callie. That woman deserves an Emmy. I've also been a big fan of Jessica Capshaw since the beginning too, and to see them together, which I wasn't expecting at all until that bathroom scene, has been a joy.

Back to the writing... My favorite line of the ENTIRE SERIES was said by Arizona tonight: "I am a good man in a storm." That line blew me away. I've watched that scene several times and it literally gives me chills every time. Excellent job on that one. The whole scene, but especially that line.

And like I said before, I love Jessica Capshaw. She is an extraordinary actress. They way she shifts from her perky peds self, to her stern, not-going-to-take-any-crap self is simply amazing. Her character from the beginning of this episode to the end was so different in each scene. I love that she not only has different sides, but that we actually get to see them. I can't comment enough on these two actresses capabilities.

And I also like the scene with Callie and her dad quoting the Bible. That Callie could throw back everything that was being thrown at her, was great. That is a big thing for opponents of the gay community, to use the Bible as a weapon against gays. I was glad to see that thrown in there. And I too like the index cards. Mr. Torres isn't perfect either, and that little part kind of shows it. He needs cards to recite the Bible, which he claims is the way of life, but he doesn't actually know it of the top of his head. It was a nice touch.

My other favorite part of the episode was at the end with Callie and her dad. The part that stood out the most to me was when Callie's dad asked about her and Arizona getting married. "If Arizona wants to spend the rest of her life with me, than yeah, I'll wear a white dress and dance down the aisle." I took that to mean that Callie is already ready to spend the rest of her life with Arizona. She didn't say when "we're" ready or when "we" want to spend the rest of our lives, she said Arizona, meaning, to me, that she is already ready or at least is completely devoted to this women. I felt like the way that line was written was very, very thought out, but I could be taking wrong... I think if it WASN'T meant to mean that Callie was ready to marry Arizona, then she could have answered that question ANY other way.

Lesbian (or gay) couples are never given any story, or depth, in primetime television, or really television period. To finally see them as just another couple, with problems just like everyone else, is such a nice change. And it's not just about them being a gay couple, but about them being a couple, and being excepted for that, and not the fact that they're two women.

Very well done.

(I actually had more to say but thought I'd just cut it down to this.)

And thank you for not naming Arizona after the state.

[Daniel]

Wow, first comment, cool! I just loved that scene with Christina. It felt like something that has been building and coming since Burke left her at the alter. Because the effects of that were so much more just her losing a fiance. She lost her teacher, and she has not been the same surgeon since. Here's hoping that this is the turning point for her as a surgeon. Also, please don't tell me that Katerine Heigl is leaving the show. She is an amazing actress, and to lose her and T.R. in the same season would be devastating. Please tell me she'll still be involved with the show somehow, outside of the hospital.

[NKey]

Yes, the episode was good. Please pardon the rant here, but one main (and pretty important) question: do you guys REMEMBER that Cristina & Owen are supposed to be in a relationship??? I understand that he's all business when he's working, but normally, when his girlfriend, the woman he loves, the woman who brought him back from his dark and twisty places is upset, you'd think he'd maybe make an attempt to go look for her to comfort her? Be there for her? At least tell her he understands. Something? I find it interesting that their relationship is built up and then completely ignored by all the writers for the past 3 episodes. What gives? Yes, and we all know that some new past love interest of Owen's is going to show up. One word for that particularly used up plot line: groan.

** End of rant.

[Masoud]

Super episode! I LOVED it so much. The whole Callie storyline was heartbreaking and so strong. Great way to kick off the episode and it played out amazingly throughout. I liked everything about the episode, but not sure where it will take us in the next few weeks, but we just have to wait and see!

[Izzie-At-Heart]

Memories of Catholic school passed through my mind when Callie and her father went toe to toe. I really really enjoyed the story between Callie, her father, and Arizona. Beautifully told.

Well done. And yes, you shouldn't be clearing out your office for many many many more weekends.

P.S. I miss Izzie already.

[duchovlet]

Mark, can you blog more often? Because I loved reading what came out of your brain.

And, if and when, you get fired again (not that I think that is happening!) I'll sit on that park bench and commiserate with you. Your stories sound peachy compared to mine.

[kimm]

Bye show.

I can't watch Yang being treated like dirt for another season.

Sorry

[CS]

Pssst, it's Hector ELizondo. ;)

Fun episode. Poor Izzie. :(

[janey]

Sorry but i really don't like the whole merger story line. You guys should focus on what's already good. Get cardio God, more competition like the intern-bowl that kinda stuff. Orange scrubs story line is not good. Why do we have to wait until the end of the season for all the good stuff?

[Wthfth]

I love the show. You have not lost me. Keep it up. In life.. not everything is soft and pretty. Did not like the the clones there.. but maybe some will be gone.. like the nose girl and the alex look a like. I like alex and there is no replacement for the dude. I hope christina finds her path again, she is a great character. Glad mer and der are married, i hope they stay like that, no need to bring drama there. Sometimes, we people make a good choice and marry someone that can be there for us(I did, of course after making some mistakes). Izzy going away... well the character is sick. she needs to go away and appreciate life again, alex can have her back when she is no longer lost. I like that. I really like the show. Good job.

[Liliana]

I'm taking a page from Izzie Stevens' book, and writing this note to say goodbye. No offense to you, Mr. Wilding, or any writer in particular—I'm simply uninterested in the direction the show is heading.

Thank you Shonda, Krista, Stacy, Tony, Joan, Jenna, Allen, Debra, Mark (and those whose names I've forgotten) for many hours of great television.

[LB]

I can't take 5 episodes without Izzie!! And Alex miserable will not be acceptable. I would be happy if he left and went to find her. Please, when she does return let Alex and Izzie be happy again. I just want them to be happy!! For the love of everything sacred give this to us!!!!!!

[Kelly]

I love the Meredith/Cristina scenes. I like the increase Alex and Lexie have gotten this year. Justin Chambers and Chyler Leigh have been doing a wonderful job. Arizona was great with Callie's dad.

There is not enough Derek. I am starting to dislike the Chief and kinda glad he was getting sued.

I was initially excited about the merger storyline and liked the idea that they had not dropped the Seattle Grace not teaching storyline but here the attendings are still not teaching and the residents are not teaching interns either.

I have zero interest in the new characters from Mercy West. I seriously considered switching stations when they were on. Dull and competition is good but this stuff was just painfully.

Also loved Bailey over on Private Practice. Adore Bailey&Sam together.

[Jelly]

Seriously? Seriously? A/I relationship ruined that way? That was pretty stupid. But the rest of episode? Great I loved that..good job with the newcomers :)

[Sarah in Mpls]

I thought the episode was great - except where was McSteamy??
The writing was impeccable. Many of the conversations gave interesting insights into the characters.
I loved Derek's line "Do you have the dark and twisties?" hysterical.
Callie quoting all of the commandments - Sara Ramirez was amazing. And I loved Arizona's conversation with Callie's dad. Wow-did that tell us a lot! Jessica Capshaw rocks!
And finally, poor Cristina. I raised my eyebrows like Meredith did when she mentions Burke. I was not expecting that!
To summarize, as much as I don't like the Mercy Westers, it was a wonderful episode. In my amateur opinion, the writing was extraordinary

[Famous Artist]

Great episode. At first I thought it was too cacophonous - it was just so full of noise, I could hardly concentrate. But then I realized that was the way it was at Seattle Grace right then and there. case in point, Izzie was so distracted by all that commotion that she boobooed and lost her job. Poor Izzie. Our interns are down to three now.

I loved all the parts. Arizona, whom I did not like at the beginning, has really grown on me. I loved learning more about her. And you are right, she is just filled with goodness, although I doh't really find the chemistry between her an Callie. But I do like it that Arizona and Callie's dad both call her Calliope. She really is a Calliope.

Alex. what is going to happen to that poor guy next. And where has Izzie gone.

in the crossover.... well, Bailey was just award winning in all that. I cried when Taye Diggs was going to kiss her, but I was so glad she didn't let him. Bailey would not have let him. I usually don't watch PP, but I would follow Bailey anywhere. But please don't send her to southern california.

Sarah Drew. She doesn't look like Sarah Drew any more. Maybe she sort of grew up.