Grey's Anatomy: Grey Matter

Zoanne Clack on "The Time Warp"...

Original Airdate: 2-18-10

Lectures. Shonda told me at the beginning of the season that she wanted an episode on lectures, and I was the one to do it. Since my life was spent in lectures. The first two years of med school I practically lived in a lecture hall. Or the library. (Or at least that’s the story I like to tell, really I spent a lot of that time reading scribed notes from the lecture hall ‘cause I just couldn’t take all those lectures!) But even so, I felt well equipped for the job. But considering I had a problem making lectures interesting in my own life, how the heck would I make them interesting for millions of people? This was my dilemma. Then came a big break. RICHARD!!! I admit, I have a bit of an obsession with Richard… an addiction, if you will. He’s always suave, always collected, and always, coool. Even when he’s drunk in a bar doing the electric slide, he’s cooool. And SO MANY people have asked me what is to become of him now that he’s drinking again. I only hope this episode serves to address at least some of your many concerns. In the writers’ room in previous seasons we had talked about someone giving a “last lecture,” a la Randy Pausch’s last lecture. The thing I loved about Randy’s last lecture (you can look it up on youtube, he was a Carnegie Mellon professor who was dying of cancer) was not the fact that he talked about how to achieve your childhood dreams. That was great, but the thing that resonated most with me was the fact that at the end of it, he revealed that the lecture was not for the students, not for faculty… but for his kids, his family. It was for his legacy. I figured Richard should have that same opportunity: a chance to make his legacy great, to reignite his fervor for medicine. Two episodes ago, he was disillusioned, sad… ready to chuck it all. If he was going to give a last lecture, it was important that he give it on a topic that was heartfelt – something that was not just about teaching the residents, it had to be something that was all about “getting his groove back” (and not in Stella’s kind of way). Here at Grey’s Anatomy, we had our own lecture series at the beginning of season six (which other writers have talked about in past blogs) to give creative presentations of season six ideas. Krista Vernoff’s presentation concluded with a motivational speech that called for us to stand and repeat her call to glory over a rousing rendition of “Gonna Fly now,” the theme from the movie “Rocky” (which apparently came on completely by accident because it happened to be the next song on her ipod). We left re-energized, ready for our upcoming season of work. I wanted our residents to have that feeling coming out of Richard’s speech, which immediately led me to the Hippocratic Oath which all new doctors say upon graduation from med school. But when I was looking for it on the internet, I realized it’s actually a bunch of latin words and weird oaths swearing to healing gods and stuff. Not at all what I remember saying at my own med school graduation. Even the modern version seemed dry and out of touch. I had to keep looking for something that resembled what (I think) I said, and finally found “the Physician’s Oath,” which was adopted by the World Medical Association in 1948. THAT sounded right. And THAT is what Richard says. But what case would he talk about? We’d always talked about doing a flashback episode, and from day one, season 1, Shonda had always emphasized that Richard and Ellis got together at least partially because of the fact that they were the only Black and the only Woman surgical resident in their class. Being the outcasts, they were naturally drawn to each other (and passion did the rest). They were residents in the early 80’s and of course the BIG thing about the early 80’s was that weird new disease they eventually called AIDS - I think one of the most chilling lines in the episode is when Young Richard says, “They could find a cure for this tomorrow, or next week,” because you know he probably really believed it… and here we sit 18 years later with no cure… (but at least it’s manageable now). What better case to highlight Richard and Ellis and their irresistible draw to each other. There was nothing that could keep them apart, and a patient like this, an outcast himself, could only pull them even closer together. And, as one of the crew members put it, what a cool way to tackle racism, sexism, and homophobia in one fell swoop! Side-note: It was so fun to recreate 1982!!! The crew worked SO HARD to make this happen and did an AMAZING job. We COMPLETELY RE-DID our whole set. Walking onto the stage was like walking into our very own time warp. Everybody’s clothes were different (though a lot of those styles are coming back!), hair (hopefully not coming back), decorations, charts, tv’s computers... and can you believe smoking in the hospital (not even in just designated areas) WAS STILL ALLOWED???!!! How great was it to see the Young Richard/Young Ellis dynamic? Ellis was a force to contend with. Shall we say she was … a “maneater?” (If you don’t get this reference you either didn’t listen closely during the episode or you were born much too far into or after the 80’s.) There were basically two categories that were prevalent among female surgical residents in those days: feminine, or macho. I’ll give you one guess as to which one Ellis was. She was a surgeon first and only incidentally female. She put her defenses up immediately against any challenge to the way she thought the world should be, and lashed out whenever her plan was interrupted. Is it any wonder that Meredith ended up so dark and twisty? But through it all, I feel like her bond with Richard gave her a chance to let her guard down. But it’s not all about 1982. We also get to see Richard as he became Bailey’s mentor, helping to shape little Mandy Bailey into the Miranda Bailey we see today. Remember the episode in season 4 where the bus full of high school students flooded the ER (“Forever Young”) and we saw Bailey crushing on Marcus King? We wanted to answer to question of how Bailey went from “geeky Mandy” to “Bailey the Nazi.” As short-sighted as her nemesis resident Nicole was, I think she taught Bailey a thing or two about how to be tough. And the Richard we saw in 2006 makes Callie shake in her shoes a little bit. Not enough to stop what she’s planning on doing, but enough to maybe think twice about it (although not for too long – she’s bullheaded and headstrong which is why we adore her so). This was the Callie that existed at Seattle Grace as a ghostly figure that didn’t know or interact with our original Fab Five, who were interns at the time. She existed right under our noses as Derek chose Addison, Burke and Cristina were going public, and Alex and Izzie were trying to make things work. But hey, now that we know that Alex had a little “chick on the side,” is it any wonder that he couldn’t really commit? And speaking of Alex, Alex is a man who knows what he wants and somehow figures out a way to get it. He talked and flirted his way onto the coolest of the cool surgeries – a guy with polio. He picked up on the fact that Callie was a little impressed… one might even say, “obsessed,” by the “heart in the elevator guy” (remember when she first met George? That girl had a thing for the “heart in the elevator guy!”). So once Alex weaseled himself onto the case, he could see what a badass she was, and that, I must say, did not fail to turn him on. He had to get on the case because polio is nonexistent these days in all but like 4 countries in the world because of the massive immunization campaign that went on after the vaccine was invented. This would probably be his only chance to be face to face with it. So over a period of months, they were able to untwist Sunder’s legs, straighten them out, lengthen them, and make him actually walk again, like he could when he was a child. And confident Callie was at the helm. Okay, rewind, back up… “confident” Callie? Where was “confident” Callie on that stage? My God, I’ve never seen such a bad case of stagefright in my life. I felt like a little piece of me died up there with her. Didn’t you just want to rush up to her and help? Hold her hand? Push her off the stage? Can you imagine being in that audience? Hello! Breathing salts! I love the dichotomy of how together and badass Callie is but public speaking takes her down. In 2009, public speaking was rated the number one out of American’s top 10 fears. NUMBER ONE. Above heights, enclosed places, planes… way above drowning. Which involves DEATH. Public speaking made Callie it’s bitch… until Alex saved her. Arizona tried to save her, but alas, it was Alex who ended up saving her like she saved him in 2006 when their surgery got harrowing (despite the web of lies he had spun to get himself on the case in the first place). When she started to just have a conversation, mellow out, and talk directly to Alex, she got more comfortable and was able to turn into our 2010 Callie. I think this public speaking fiasco helps to reveal that she has her own doubts and fears, and that even the seemingly insurmountable ones can perhaps be overcome. And so, to all you fans, to all of you loyal followers, I hope you enjoyed the cut away from the traditional Grey’s episode, and that you caught the many references to past seasons that are scattered throughout like fairy dust. And to those of you who did not appreciate this foray in to the lives of the adults (vs. the kids – the residents), we’ll be back to normal with the next new episode. Until then… …Let’s do the Time Warp again! (Rocky Horror fans out there? Anyone? Anyone?)

William Harper on "St. Valentine's Day Massacre"...

Original Airdate: 2-11-10

Valentine’s Day! A time for romance, roses, candy, candlelit dinners, roof collapses and heart-shaped boxes of chocolates stolen from comatose patients.  

I know.  The romance can get a little dark and twisty around Seattle Grace.  It’s never going to be candlelight and roses.  Derek can’t get three blocks on a date with his wife without being paged back for a mass casualty.   But honestly, that was the fun of writing this episode; finding all the ways of illuminating romance.  

There’s the tale of unrequited love between Emile and Mrs. Banks, for one.  And Meredith and Alex get sucked in like it’s a chick flick.  Will he?  Won’t he?  Will she?  I think the romance is not just in Emile’s unrequited pining, but in the warmth and comfort that Mrs. Banks has found in decades of marriage to her husband.  I think everything she says to Meredith is true.  Finding the right person, being with them, knowing them so well – and being known -- is romantic.  That’s what Meredith has signed up for, on that post-it note.  But it’s still a scary proposition.  And with the new pressures Derek is facing as Chief, Meredith’s suddenly faced with the question of how she’s reinvented herself in this marriage.  Will it limit her going after her passion, the thing that makes her HER?  And she’s faced with deciding how much she’ll commit to the role, how she’ll allow herself to be defined by it.  In the end, she learns that a marriage, like life, is a constant reinvention.  You choose, over and over again to adapt to each other and with each other, always being clear on what you will and won’t give up to accommodate the other.   Change, adaptation, is what keeps a marriage stable in an unstable world.  

What I love about this story is that, even separately, Derek and Meredith are going through the same struggle.   Being Chief apparently means denying himself his passion – surgery -- as he’s kept from the O.R. all night for a series of more mundane administrative tasks.  I think Derek’s scene in the scrub room with April may be my favorite example of reinvention in the episode, because, to me, it’s the point when Derek becomes the Chief he would want to be, bringing all his compassion and experience to lead and teach.  Despite that, this transition to Chief isn’t going to be easy, professionally or personally.  In the end, they’ll face the struggle together.  Move forward, find a new shape.  That in itself is pretty romantic.  

You know what else is romantic?  The First Date. There’s nothing quite like the crazy, flustered anticipation of the First Date, right?  And how awesome is it that it’s Bailey’s?  It’s sort of shocking how coolly and cruelly Bailey shuts Ben down when he asks her out.  And delightful when we realize its because this nice, attractive, eligible man just dismantles poor Miranda Bailey.  And in the true spirit of Valentine’s Day, Arizona decides to play Cupid and get the ball rolling.  And despite Bailey wanting to KILL her, it works, she gets it together to cough out an acceptance to dinner.  It’s about time Bailey gets to cut loose.  As Lexie says, change is a good thing.   And in this episode, everyone is reinventing themselves.  

Two reinventions I particularly like, because they’re so different, are Lexie’s and Mark’s.  Lexie’s is blatant, and sudden and shocking:  NEW HAIR.  I shaved my head once.  I’m not endorsing this.  But I’d always wanted to know what I’d look like with my hair very VERY short, and I wondered aloud about it one night and my wife said “Let’s do it RIGHT NOW!” and in minutes, clippers were buzzing, clumps of hair were flying, and even halfway through cutting it, she and I both could tell...this was a terrible idea.  Turns out, my head has a shape that is flattered by hair.  Without it, I look like an overturned mixing bowl. “It’ll grow back, ” my wife said, supportively.  And it’s true.  It did.  But that’s essentially what Jackson is saying to Lexie:  New hair is a safe change, because it’s just gonna grow back.  Lexie’s not really committed.  She didn’t do something bold and permanent, like a neck tattoo (I’m not endorsing this, either).  She made the safe change. She’s made a change that’s only skin deep, and temporary. And Jackson calls her on it.  (I love that Jackson reveals this by admitting he was treated as the pretty, dumb one.  And had to reinvent himself).  

But for Lexie, the hair color is different.  For one thing, she looks very good as a blonde  (unlike, say, me with a buzz cut).   And for Lexie, it’s an undeniable step forward – a new look can free you up, can release you to act like someone you’re not.  Or, in her case, act like the person you’ve been hiding inside.  Which might be kind of a badass.  I think keeping the new hair is a first step in Lexie’s transformation, and I can’t wait to see where it goes from here. 

The other reinvention – Mark’s – I love because it’s building over time.  It culminates when he steps up to adopt his newborn grandchild.  In an instant. In a blurt.  He’s wanted a child since we met him – Addison’s --  but he’s spent the time since then maturing -- from man-whore to monogamist, to responsible father to Sloan, then committing to adopt and raise a newborn baby -- to the point where we really want one for him:  He’s grown up a lot.   

Teddy (And Owen) are trying to do maybe the most difficult reinvention of all: to go backward.  What I love about her speech to Owen in the scrub room, is that, not only is it an act of forcing him to acknowledge their friendship, but that we learn so much in that speech about the level of camaraderie and intimacy they shared as friends in the Army.  They apparently talked about everything.  That’s a very difficult thing to give up, and she just flat out refuses to do it.  Can they go back to the way things were?  She and Owen both admit it’s hard to do.  Life moves forward, not backward.   

And so do we.  Next week’s episode, in fact, will give you a glimpse of a Seattle Grace you’ve never seen before, and some stories of our doctors that you never knew happened, even if you’ve been watching from the beginning.  It’s an exhilarating, funny and really moving episode.  So see you back here, then. 

Thanks for reading, and thanks for watching!  

Stacy McKee on "State of Love and Trust"...

Original Airdate: 2-4-10

Dear Derek Shepherd, First of all, let me clear something up. I know you are a fictitious character on a television show. I know this because I've been writing for you for six seasons now. That's a long time. That's a lot of episodes. That's more McDreamy monologues than I can count. That said, I just wanted to use my blog this time to say: It's ABOUT the hell time you became Chief. I've been waiting for this moment as long as you have, you know. Six seasons. Richard promised you the chiefship way back in the pilot. It's how he lured you out to Seattle Grace in the first place. And then you found out that he'd also promised the position to Burke. Remember that? You've been waiting for this moment a long long time. As have I. So it was a pleasure to write you this episode. To give you the voice over. To watch you step up to the plate and... Flounder. Because, let’s face it. You were floundering this episode. And I dug it. We saw a new side of you this episode, and it was refreshing. You were not polished. You were not smooth. We all know just how much this moment must have meant to you and yet, you were set back on your heels. You had to use NOTECARDS, dude. When addressing the entire hospital. Note cards? The Chief should NOT be using note cards! And, that tie? Now, ordinarily, when you get the chance to take off your scrubs and get all gussied up, I enjoy the transformation. You usually look very dashing. But somehow, in this episode, seeing you in that button down shirt and tie, topped with a lab coat... You reminded me of you as a geeky teenager. The one you told us about in the Prom episode, the one who had braces and played in the band. No offense, but you looked like a little boy playing dress up. Which, by the way, was the point. Because although you have taken over as Chief, you're not quite up to the task yet. I know you wanted to hit the ground running, but it's pretty clear -- the Chiefship is not going to be easy to take over. Richard Webber has left you a hospital in crisis, and his are big shoes to fill. So I don't care how much you or I have been waiting for this moment... It's clear that it's going to take you more than just one episode to actually shine. Which I love. I love seeing you struggle with the job. I was excited to see you go head to head with Richard in that conference room - to call him out, to actually try and FORCE his hand into signing the rehab forms... Holy crap. And then when you turned around and realized you had an audience, when you had to suddenly put your Chief hat back on and send people back to work -- in that moment, it was like a light bulb went off. You - and we all - got a glimpse into just how difficult balancing the job as Chief actually is – and will continue to be. You weren’t able to waltz in and take over seamlessly. You have your work cut out for you. Awesomeness.

And while we're on the topic, I would like to state for the record that I side with Meredith here a little bit. I think you did oust Richard from his job in a fairly underhanded way. I mean I get it, I understand that you can't have anyone - let alone your Chief of Surgery - potentially endangering patients because they are a drunk, but... still. You forced Meredith's hand. And she's right, you did it partly because you HAVE been waiting for the chance to be Chief for a long long time. So I applaud the maturity she shows you here in this episode. She doesn't approve of what happened or how it went down, but as your wife, she's setting that aside and simultaneously being supportive of you. She's helping you pick the right tie. She's telling you that you will be a good Chief. That's maturity we haven't always seen between the two of you and it makes me happy you've finally reached that point in your relationship.

Not that Mark Sloan or Owen are showing the same level of maturity in their relationships right now. I get that you guys are all testosteroney and don't really want to talk about your feelings -- but maybe you could talk a little sense into your two buddies? Mark is punishing Lexie for sleeping with Alex, when he TOTALLY did the same thing with Addison. More than once. He has no ground to stand on! The man-boy is acting like an immature hypocrite. Unacceptable!! And yet - strangely human. I'm sure that's what you would say -- that Mark may be a hypocrite, but only because, for the first time since - well, almost ever - he's been hurt. By a LADY. He was ready to take the next step in his relationship with Lexie and she turned him down, so now he's lashing out. Which is valid, I suppose, but…

Still. He's acting like a jerk.

And Owen - Now, I'm not going to say I don't appreciate an episode in which Owen slams Cristiana against walls and kisses her over and over (you may recall, I scripted their very first wall-slamming kiss outside Joe's Bar last season) - but I have to say... What the HELL was Owen thinking? Literally asking Cristina to choose him over surgery? When Teddy was paging Cristina with a big, amazing medical crisis?? Cristina is right when she calls Owen out on trying to control her all day with sex. Only, of course, he wasn't doing it consciously. He was just falling back on the thing he knows he can rely on between the two of them – their undeniable chemistry. That's his solution when what they really need to do is actually talk. 

Thank goodness they finally do talk. And - boy - that scene blows me away. Every time I see it.

Meanwhile, when – if ever – have you met someone who wasn’t intimidated by one of Bailey’s arias? I know you have some interest in this since you were trying to help set Bailey up on a date not too long ago – so, did you notice that Ben, the anesthesiologist Bailey was butting heads with today – did you notice that he was absolutely NOT intimidated by her?

I don’t know. They may have gotten off on the wrong foot here, but I think there’s a little chemistry between those two. Someone not afraid to challenge Bailey. I think I like this Ben guy. And when it comes to challenging authority – I think you might want to keep an eye on Alex. Arizona seems to have taken him under her wing and I have to admit, I like the combination of the two of them. Alex is notorious for challenging patients or their loved ones if necessary, so he may have just discovered the perfect forum in which to do so. Pediatrics is a specialty where, as the doctor, it is part of your job to stand up for you patients, to give them a voice. It might very well be the perfect place for Alex Karev. (Which, by the way, is something we’ve been setting up for a while – even back when Addison was wandering the halls. Remember? Even she noticed that Alex had a way with the kiddos…) My point is – there’s a LOT happening right under your nose at the hospital right now. Yesterday, it didn’t really matter to you. You weren’t the Chief. But today… Today it has to matter to you. It matters if you have a resident bullying a child’s parents. It matters if a patient wakes up on the table. If the hospital is getting sued. If your authority is being undermined by your former boss, the one sitting in a public space, refusing to sign your papers all day. All of it matters to you now. Because you are no longer just Derek Shepherd, neuro-god. That was the easy job. That’s the job that earned you the title McDreamy. But the tables have turned. You are about to start a new journey, and I’m not gonna lie. I know what happens in the next episodes. Your job is only going to get harder. And harder. And harder. Which is why I’m writing you this letter. Mostly I just wanted to wish you good luck. You’re gonna need it. Sincerely, Stacy P.S. – Please. Do take Bailey’s advice and… lose the tie.