Allan Heinberg on "New History"...

Original Airdate: 11-12-09

Tonight’s episode, “New History,” is named after a song by Andy Davis, a sly and soulful singer/songwriter, whose protagonist has barely survived a bad breakup and now finds himself unsure whether or not he should embark on a new romance.  He doesn’t know if he’s ready to trust his feelings and create what he calls “new history.”

I love the idea of “new history” because it perfectly captures the relationship so many of us have with the past.  No matter how hard we try to let go of it –– to learn from it and move forward -- all we’re really doing is creating new history, trying to learn from past mistakes, but inevitably making new ones that will haunt us in the future.

The past, it would seem, is inescapable.  Everything we are today is the product of who we were yesterday, last month, last year:  the choices we made, the red lights we ran, the things said and maybe shouldn’t have, the people we loved, and the people we didn’t.  So, how to make peace with the past?  What can be done about the mistakes we made, the lies we told, and the people we hurt to get where we are today?

For Izzie Stevens, the past has never been more present.  Fired from Seattle Grace Mercy West -- and feeling Alex is to blame – Izzie retreated to the Chehalis, WA trailer park where she grew up.  Reconnecting with the man who inspired her to become a surgeon, her high school science teacher, Dr. Adam Singer, Izzie is forced to relive her history as a pregnant 15-year-old who considered dropping out of high school to become a teenage mom.  The irony, of course, is that Izzie’s concern for her mentor forces her to return to Seattle Grace Mercy West to confront her more recent past – her failures as a doctor and a wife -- and the anger and shame she felt as a pregnant 15-year-old is not all that different from the resentment and humiliation she’s experiencing right now.  And the decision she’s facing in the present is exactly the same one she faced in high school. Is she going to let a careless error – and her own hurt feelings and regrets – rob her of her future as a surgeon?  As in the past, Izzie ultimately chooses to confront the issue head-on – to stand up to the Chief and to Alex – and the insight she gains from both encounters – and the encouragement she receives from Dr. Singer – a man who still regrets never having lived his dream – ultimately allows her to take a clear-eyed look at herself, her circumstances, and her options for the future.  There are no easy answers for Izzie at the end of this episode, but you definitely get a sense from Katherine Heigl’s performance that Izzie’s not about to give up on her dream of becoming a surgeon.  Somewhere, somehow, she’s going to be a doctor.

Alex, too, is haunted throughout the episode by his past with Izzie.  He’s obviously still wounded by her having left him – but he’s determined not to allow himself to acknowledge that – to feel it – to reveal himself to Izzie in any way.  And when Alex is finally brave enough to go to the OR gallery and force a confrontation, Izzie throws the entire history of their relationship in his face – all the things she’s had to forgive him for in the past – but in the end, it turns out to be Izzie’s misinterpretation of the past – specifically of Alex’s going to the Chief out of his concern for her – that has created the unbridgeable distance between them.

To one degree or another, all the characters seem a bit paralyzed by the past.  Meredith longs for the moment when George was sill alive, and Izzie was okay, and everyone was happy – a moment she was barely even conscious of when it was happening.  Derek seems to mourn the time when the hospital ran smoothly, and he and Richard were trusted allies.  And by the episode’s end, Bailey acutely feels the loss – not only of her work-husband and husband-husband – but of the time when she had total, unquestioning trust in the Chief.

And then sometimes the past doesn’t stay in the past.  Teddy’s arrival at Seattle Grace unleashes all manner of complications for Owen, Cristina, and herself.  Cristina’s immediately suspicious that Owen and Teddy were more than friends during their time together in Iraq.  Teddy confesses to Owen that she apparently misread their mutual history, and walks away from him, mortified.  And Owen’s left haunted by Teddy’s confession, now forced to re-examine his own history -- and his feelings for both Teddy and Cristina.

Ultimately, however, it’s the Chief’s struggle with the past – specifically with his history of alcoholism – that’s the most devastating.  So far this season, the Chief has behaved in extremely erratic, un-Chief-like ways – crashing his car, alienating his friends, firing Derek, Izzie, April, and Patricia to name a few -- all of which seemed to stem from the stress surrounding his dealings with the board and the subsequent merger.  But the truth turns out to be much darker – and more catastrophic for both the Chief and Seattle Grace Mercy West.  The Chief is drinking again.  And apparently he’s been drinking for a long time.  Right now, only Meredith Grey knows the truth.  And what she’s going to do about it will surprise you.

Tune in next week.  Thanks for watching.  And for reading.

Comments

[Kaitlin]

Loved the episode!! The end was awesome..Keep the drama coming!!

FYI, you misspelled Katherine Heigl.

[GreyCat]

Another fine episode. Writers are really cooking this season.

Must say I was stunned by Izzie having the nerve to complain about all the things she's had to forgive Alex for. Seems like, since the moment he swept her into his arms after Denny's death, she's the one whose been dumping on him and he's the one whose forgiven it all. Getting us ready to not miss her too much?

The merger, the Chief's drinking, a chance for Christina to return to cardio even with all the interpersonal complications, a real story line for Sloan coming up! All these elements are reviving Grey's to an extent I would have thought impossible in the midst of the annoying, dull dead Denny era. Keep up the great work.

And please ignore all those who are complaining about Owen not having chemistry with Christina anymore. Still love them and hope Teddy will be a bump, not a deal breaker.

And just thought...I know very few doctors who are married to or in a relationship with other doctors compared to those with people who have nothing to do with medicine. Couldn't any of your characters (beside the ones who started the series with spouse, such as Richard's Adelle, already in place) have an extra-hospital romance for a change? And not with a psycho like Ava? Whatever you do with Izzie, please don't bring back Ava. Never was any chemistry there.

Also it would be very interesting if, one of these days, you writers could blog on whether or not you and Shondra are ever at all influenced by fan comments in the decisions that are made about where to take plots, what to do with characters, etc.

[Diana]

Ok.. All i have to say is i love the way you write! It´s amazing to complement the episode reading what you have to say about what were you thinking at writing it, it´s just amazing! I love the episode and i love the way it all makes sense when you witers give us some explanation about the way the episode was supposed to lead us to. I can say that Izzie is haunted not only by her past but by the uncertain future she has. I really feel sorry about Alex, so brave putting his past aside and taking a chance with Izzie, but things are never as we expect. And now that you explain to us the history of the song that inspired you to write this episode, i just realize how you witers think about every detail and the way you connect the past, the present and the future in the life of all our loved characters!! I just hope that you bring back Izzie to Alex.. love them together!! Thank you and sorry for my english.. not my first language!
Cheers from Ecuador!!

[Andy]

What annoys me is how short people's memories are. Izzie is painted as being so selfish etc...ok...what about Alex. He wouldn't even be affectionate with her for weeks after she battled and survived her surgery. The woman has cancer for crying out loud - she has a right to be a little bit emotional. In the past Alex has slept with another woman whilst he was supposedly with Izzie and generally treated her like crap. He is no angel himself. Does it make what Izzie did right? No, of course not..but Alex is not whiter then white.

[Tammie]

Bravo fot this episode! I am so excited to see how this season unfolds!! The montage at the end with the chief was so heartbreaking!! I can't believe he is drinking again. But looking back at what he has been through in the past couple of years, how could he not be drinking again!! Poor Alex.... his heart is broken!! Izzie is so angry!! But according to her perception of the events.... she has a reason to be angry. Still love this show!!!

[Catherine]

Whoa, whoa, whoa, backup! The chief fired Patricia? When?! Why wasn't this discussed?! I had a feeling this was coming and it helps me forgive the chief for his behavior. He is a man struggling with a disease who needs to get help.

I love Christina. I cannot say this enough. And I love the mentorship Teddy gives her. I'm sort of ambivalent about her relationship with Owen because he's treated her like crap this season. So do what you have to, but Christina deserves some happiness.

[Jess]

I wish Izzie hadn't come back. I get that some people love her. But I didn't miss her at all during her absence and I find myself excited that she will be absent again. Her presence brought down this episode for me.
Kim Raver was wonderful. Bailey was brilliant. Even Arizona's short amount of screen time was perfectly written and delivered. Callie and Mark were back to being the cheeky school kid buddies which was great. Meredith and Derek had their moment. Then Izzie appeared on screen and I fond myself wishing she would go away. Far away. Hell I would even tolerate that evil pixie Reed over Izzie. Izzie blames everyone but herself for the stuff she does and it is sickening to watch. I never thought I would say this as I have loved every episode of Greys. But last night I wanted to hit record on the DVD so that I could watch it later and skip the Izzie parts. I was tempted to flip over to CSI just for something to do so I didn't have to see her. That saddens me as I hate CSI....

[Amy]

Loved Izzie. I hear she'll be on and off til 2010. I hope that this isn't going to be the same disappearing act that happened with George which eventually meant his was gone for good.
Nice work with the chief.

[KristanH]

Without going into details, I wanted to say that the last few min of the episode, with the Chief and the revelation about his drinking, totally broke my heart. It was fiction, but then again, for me it wasn't.

Overall a decent episode, although Izzie's role lately has been erratic and not entirely believable. She's never been someone who ran from tough situations, nor someone who was so pessimistic as to think that being a surgeon was all she had.

Thanks.

[Kat]

As devastating as it was to see that the Chief is drinking again, it was a relief as well, as his behavior has been explained.

As far as Alex and Izzie go, they got married in a grand romantic gesture, with the unspoken assumption that Izzie was going to die. They never dealt with some fairly significant wounds in their relationship, which are now blowing up. I don't get the "I hate Izzie" bandwagon. Yes, she isn't acting rationally, but good LORD people! If you had been through what she has, you'd be a little screwy too!

[Kelly]

LOVED the episode. So nice to have the core cast back front and center, esp Meredith.

Speaking of Meredith, she needs a real storyline. I know she is just getting back in full swing, but I am hoping for something good for her. I'm also dying for a good mer/der storyline. I love their sweet moments, but they need conflict too. Bring it on - just don't break them up.

Liked Teddy, which suprises me. In fact, she can stay if you get rid of Arizona, Lexie and/or Callie.

I did NOT miss Lexie in this episode. She drives me crazy. I also did NOT miss Arizona. Both characters are annoying.

Like the Teddy/Owen/Cris/Jackson storyline. Really curious about how that will turn out.

When you focus on the core cast, I LOVE THIS SHOW.

[Jackie]

Kim Raver was awesome! Loved her scenes with Arizona. Loved when Arizona tells Christina that she really likes her! So funny

[astrobot702]

Allan,
You really captured what change is like,but especially the kind of change that takes place while you weren't looking...

I love Teddy, she's refreshing chacter and you can tell that be her actions (standing in the rain, teaching christina, her not taking herself seriously and being fir when she has to be, a true CT goddess).. there is no way to hate Teddy, she one of the good guys, with references to 'Baghdad Barbie' (Desert Storm Barbie being the correct term I elborated on it...LAWL!!) so with type of imagary it keeps the viewers perception as harmless and more willing to mentally accept Teddy as 'non-threatning.' (I read the viewers posts too....LAWL)

Teddy will work with the audience if the character appeal id there like it was in the OR with christina, in that moment there wasn't drama, or grudges just surgeons and that is what GA has always been about, and it's good that Teddy reintroduces that back in...

I like to Izzy has grown, the cancer toughen her up for better or worse. I'm getting itchy to the inside of Seattle Pres. so Izzy's reference to it gives a taste of that. For all we know April or Izzy are at Seattle Pres. already working, starting over, getting back on the horse, for that is the beauty of writing... I think Izzy should declare Onocology and with her experience she'd more attuned to it. Charles is great he symbolized a catalyst for izzy's 'change' like that charles has potential to be intergrated into a charcter centric arc later on as well of the interaction with him and Izzy.

The alchoholism angle is good too, how many know or have known. Who will be the character to report him for being in violation AND who'd be brave enough to do it. Because there is always someone who has known all along and has refused to admit there menter (Weber) is human and flawed...I liked that Owen has to work through his Iraq stuff but he keeps bringing to work and home so it's a lot of story there too.

In closing I'm a big Teddy fan already and Kim Raver is excellent if the viewers loved her before this is gonna make GA viewing better!!

AWESOME WRITING!!!!!

Allan your my GA god!!!

[Barbra]

I really enjoyed this episode. It was wonderfully written and reminded me a lot of Season 1 & 2 of Greys! I surpringly liked Teddy as I hadn't planned on liking her. The character was well written and brilliantly acted. Thanks for the beautiful Mer/Der scene as it was just what us shippers needed!

[Emily T]

Dear grey anatomy writers,

I think this season is great and im really glad it is not all about sex. Thank you for making it more about the medical stuff because I would have stop watching you, if you kept it as dirty as it use to be. So keep up what you are doing. Not a lot of sex, just a good amount, it was too dirty in the 2 past seasons. So thank you for this season. Ya'll are doing great!

[GIL]

I really liked the episode, thanks!

So glad to have Meredith back.
Izzie and Alex, broke my heart. Stills is a little off that after going through soo much they will end up now, like this?

So heartbroken also with the Chief falling off the wagon, but now makes sense a lot of things. I truly hope this get better for him.

Love the new cardio god, I really like her and I think it fits well with everybody else.

I still don't care for the new intern guy, the one that is not Jackson, the other. Please, get rid of him soon, makes no sense and is taking screen time from some other person!

Thanks for this amazing series and the journey you take us on every week.

[Mari, from Brazil]

Mer is back!!!

I think Jackson would be ok for Cristina. But Teddy would be more than perfect for Owen! I hope Teddy's revelation changes all! Maybe Teddy is Owen's best friend and he think she is out or his league. Beth is beautiful but a naive girl. Teddy is a goddess! And Teddy rocks! Love her immediately! Cristina is really annoying. As Bailey said, she is the problem.

Mer is back!!! Love her as Alex's best friend.

The "I will tell her" Izzie used to convince that MW guy was completely silly and he agreed? She could just ask Derek. On the other hand with Richard she was perfect.

Mer is back! MerDer kisses at the OR! MerDer kisses anywhere! She light up when she look at him! And they way he looks at her with love! Thank you! More, more!

Poor Richard. Adele is great and beautiful than ever. And Bailey is the best always! Not even a "hey" or kiss to Mark and Lexie? Love the attendings bonding. Love Mark and Callie! The work-wife-and-husband was hilarious! And so make sense!

Mer is back!!! More MerDer scenes!

I understand KH need a leave of absence. I can't understand Izzie's behavior with Alex after all that wedding planning and day. You waste the perfect wedding with a couple that can't survive the first crises. And you left us without a legal MerDer wedding even in the City Hall.

Mer is back. Please make them legally married. :)

[I <3 GA]

Not the very best episode. I am truly beginning to hate Izzy (so selfish and full of assumptions!!!) and some of my favorite characters are just getting lost in the wind (Bailey, Christina, McSteamy). Starting off, they all had such STRONG personalities, but now they're getting a bit soft. Can we do something about this? Can we get Bailey bossing everyone around again and being the mama-bird to everyone in the hospital? Can we pair up Christina with Jackson? He is such a better fit than Owen. Jackson's got the same fire and rougeness as Christina. Owen just has a lot of issues. I could definitely do without Owen on this show.

I am really glad to see however, that there is an explanation for the Chief's behavior. The ending was actually pretty great and reminiscent of earlier seasons why Meredith was going through a lot (with her mother). I was getting really worried about him this season with everything that was going on (Merger, Firing, the drama between him & Derek).

I still love the show very much and will watch- in hopes that they main characters will get their acts together.

Thanks for keeping my Thursday nights buys! And my Friday mornings too (w/the blog)

[Lisa L]

I LOVED it! It was funny, clever, sad and thoughtful.
The cheif drinking makes me angry but I can see how hard it is to fight and how easy it is to fall.
As for Alex and Izzie, I love how nothing is set in stone. Just coz ur married, doesn't mean eveythings going to be smooth and peachy.
Also many, many ppl are angry at the Post it, but I loved that too. Its just as good as a marriage and works for the relationship between Meredith and Derek. Well done to who ever that idea belongs too!
Thank you for giving me something I love and really enjoy watching. (my box sets will be worn out soon!) Well done for being so very good at what u do.
U r all fab! x

[OnTheFence]

Well I really do miss the old Grey's. Knowing the casts names when I talked about him. Now I use names like Frankenstein Alex, Pixie cut Lexi, and blue eyed hottie.. don't mind the blue eyed hottie but come on... I remember last season being so excited about Thursdays... not so much this season. Can we get to the point a little, get rid of the same characters different faces and get back to Grey's. Kinda sad you did not spend much time mourning George. Burke had more non air time. Give us a George flashback or something.
PLEASE!!!!

[Sue]

Ok, here we go.
Izzie/CH is losing her fans. Alex needs a person/friend bad. He is soo alone. I liked him and Mer together at the end. Teddy, umm, Whatever. No Character Development for Teddy. A couple more episodes, that is it. Owen is having feelings for Teddy? Come on. Seriously? Gotta love a love triangle. Drama. Drama. Drama.

Resident's table, Nice. Mer/Der scene, Cute. Adele and Bailey amazing acting. "Work-Husband", "Work-Wife". LOL. The Chief at the end was really powerful but sad. No Calzona alone scene? But, I knew that would happen. Loved what LITTLE I got of Calzona, my favorite couple.

Was the writing of the Teddy/Arizona interaction, Arizona flirting with Teddy?. That is what is being said about those two. Don't want to see that. NOPE.

And last, Cristina:) Finally, happy at work. But, not going to last for long:(

Over all, nice episode. But, I have to say one other thing. There are way too many casts members on this show. Get back to what brought you to six season. The core group with Mer as the center.

[....]

oh my god i loooved the mer/der scene soooo much!

really great epi! nice work!

[cuddy]

Hate Meredith. Funny how she comes back and your show sucks again.

[lisa]

As little Lexie and Mark we had, Mark is HILARIOUS. I loved him as gossip boy. Haha! Can't wait for next week!

[Jill]

Owen and Cristina forever! They are why I restarted watching Grey's in S5 and still our! I don't mind the ups and downs, as long as they are together in the long run! Their magical romance is one for the history books!