Meg Marinis on "Hook, Line and Sinner"...

Original Airdate: 04-29-10

BABIES. 

LOTS of babies all the time. Real ones. Fake ones. Crying ones. Sleeping ones. Babies and baby paraphernalia everywhere. People telling you to shush, whispering, “Baby on the stage.” Actors having babies, writers having babies, Facebook babies, Tweets about babies… That’s how it was on the set during the filming of this episode. Not only were we filming the story of Sloan-Cubed (That’s what we called Mark Sloan’s grandson), but the night before we began shooting, Eric Dane and his lovely wife Rebecca welcomed their baby into the world. And when we were prepping this episode, writer-producer Stacy McKee gave birth to her beautiful daughter Sabrina.  Like I said, babies, babies everywhere. 

First off, I have to let y’all (Yes, I will be using y’all – I am from Texas, and I just can’t stop) in on an interesting tidbit of production -- filming with live babies? Is INSANE. I mean, insane in a good way, they’re cute and do funny things for the camera, like stick out their tongues and yawn, but also insane, as in their schedules to be allowed on the set? Insane. Babies are allowed to be on the shooting stage for a maximum of twenty minutes per day, and that time must fall within a two hour window. We were lucky in that we had the amazing Spencer and Elijah, the cutest twin baby boys that served as our Sloan-Cubed; therefore, we actually had forty minutes of available shooting time for those scenes. And no offense to Spencer and Elijah or all of baby-kind, but when you want the baby actor to sleep peacefully? He cries. When you want them to cry their guts out in a massive fit of tears? They sleep like angels. So when we were stealing the bottle from a napping Spencer or Elijah in order to induce tears, I’m pretty sure I felt like the worst human being in the world. 

So, Sloan Sloan’s baby was delivered on Mark’s living room floor. While Teddy was pantless in Mark’s dress shirt. While Owen was awkwardly noticing a pantless Teddy in Mark’s dress shirt (More to come on the Teddy/Owen angst later). While breaking this episode in the writers’ room, we talked about a bunch of different ways we could show Sloan-Cubed’s arrival – do we rush a laboring Sloan to Seattle Grace and have her give birth in the ER? Do we give the birth some serious medical medical and save both the lives of Sloan and her baby by an awesome risky surgery? Does Addison hop on a helicopter in her trendy heels and chopper down from LA? Do we show the ACTUAL birth? 

We went with the version that aired because we really thought we wanted a super-charged, fun, dynamic opening to the show – I LOVE this opening. Director Tony Phelan did an amazing job of setting up the sequence that went from the Callie/Arizona fight to Mark screaming for suture kits, to everyone running across the hallway and standing in the doorway as Teddy just looks at them while holding this newborn covered in goo. 

Wait. Pause. Hi, I’m Meg, and I’m the Director of Medical Research, and this is my very first time at writing an episode.  And I’m writing to you like you know me. Because I know you. Or, most of y’all. Or, at least the die-hard ones that have been around for years. The bloggers. When I first started at GREY’S, in Season 3, I was the Writers’ PA, and one of my main jobs was to read all of your comments and post them, so that the writers could then read all of your thoughts. So every Thursday night, after the show aired on the West coast, I would log on to this blog and read what y’all had to say. Or type. I read and posted everything. The good things AND the bad things. And it may sound totally weird, and I hope I don’t creep anyone out, but it really makes me happy when three years later, I see a lot of my familiar blogging friends with their same author names, still writing to us. So thank you, blogging-fans. For watching, for reading, and for writing. We really appreciate it and please keep at it. But anyway, I’m Meg, and it’s nice to finally and officially meet all of you.  

So while Mark is learning how to be a dad and supporting Sloan in making the right decision for her son’s future… Callie and Arizona are finally talking about the “baby” in the room. And literally are interrupted by an actual baby being delivered in the other room… does anyone else find that as funny as I do? Anyway… When Shonda told us that this would be the episode where Callie and Arizona have the all-out FIGHT, my first question was, well, who wins? Is it going to be baby… or no baby? And really, how does Arizona, a PEDIATRIC surgeon really not want kids? She obviously likes them, she’s obviously great with them, I mean, why else put herself through one of the hardest specialties in medicine, if not? And that’s what Callie doesn’t understand. Callie watches her girlfriend help deliver a baby, watches her girlfriend calm a baby down, and watches her girlfriend insert a central line into another baby in the NICU. All in one day. Arizona never flinches when dealing with babies that are her patients. So in Callie’s mind, there must be a reason why Arizona doesn’t want one of her own. And she assumes it’s because her brother died. And yikes, does she assume wrong. That scene in the residents’ lounge? Jessica and Sara were freaking genius in that scene. Arizona cannot even believe Callie went to the brother place. And we see that, Arizona really just doesn’t want kids. There is no THING that happened. There is no dark hidden story that she can’t bear to talk about. She just DOESN’T want them. 

It’s heartbreaking because they love each other, and they want this relationship to work. Badly. It’s heartbreaking because they want to make each other happy, they want to meet in the middle, they want to compromise. But what’s the compromise when it comes to babies? I get it when it’s Friday night, and I’m exhausted from researching medical medical all day, and I want to watch “Smallville” (Yes, I watch “Smallville, I love “Smallville,” and I love it proudly) but my fiancé obviously wants to watch some five-hour sporting event (between two teams that have nothing to do with the state we’re from OR the city we live in). But we love each other, so we do what every bickering couple would do… we watch “Friday Night Lights” instead. Compromise. Both of us happy. But with Callie and Arizona? Isn’t it, baby… or no baby? Can their relationship survive if they keep having this fight? 

Mer and Der. There’s a relationship that’s surviving and thriving. And I know they didn’t have a ton of alone time this episode. And I know that y’all don’t like that sometimes, but please remember when you’re expressing yourself on this blog about how much you don’t like it, that we will still understand your passion about the couple and how many minutes they have together in the episode, if you could somehow use the words freak, dang, heck, and shoot rather than their alternatives. We completely get where you’re coming from, but there’s no need to shout at our writers. Or our Writers’ PA Tia, who when posting the comments, tries to keep the language clean and friendly for all ages. And BTW, there’s nothing to shout about here. Even though April may be an adoring young resident who thinks everything out of Derek’s mouth is hilarious, McDreamy doesn’t see that. McDreamy only sees Meredith. And even though Alex tries to break it down for her, Mer’s not really threatened by April. She knows her Post-It’s all good. It sure seemed fine when she went in to see Derek in the conference room at the end of the day… 

But one relationship you’ll want to keep a close eye on in the few remaining episodes of Season 6 is the Cristina/Owen/Teddy triangle. Not only did Owen throw Teddy under the bus with the threat of her losing her job, but he basically lied to Cristina’s face about it. I love how Cristina’s devotion to cardio is so blinding that she doesn’t even fully realize her betrayal of Teddy until that scene at the Nurses’ Station when Teddy tells her Evans is being considered as her replacement. And then when Owen comforts her in the elevator, Teddy just breaks down. That’s such a raw moment for the two of them, and I find it so interesting that we’re really exploring the possibility of Owen maybe being in love with two women. Undoubtedly, he is in love with Cristina. But the fact that being that close to Teddy in that elevator sent him to Derek’s office to tell him he can pass on Teddy? Pretty significant. And keep watching, because what Owen said to Derek will continue to be explored next week… 

… And trust me when I say, don’t change the channel on Thursday nights in the following weeks… And my heart’s even beating faster as I write this because things are happening and finales are approaching…And oh my goodness…

And again, thank you so very much for watching, reading, and writing. 

And thank you especially to Shonda, Krista, Hammer, Pete, Tony, Joan, Zoanne, Debora, Allan, Jenna, Stacy, Bill, Austin, Star, Darren, Chris, Miguel, Seve, Safia, Raamla, Tia, Nancy, Jess, Susan, Betsy, Rob, the cast, and the crew. Thank you all so very, very much for giving me the amazing opportunity to write this episode.

Comments

[Lila]

Teddy is the worst character on the show.

[Amy]

You've destoyed Owen and his realtionship with Cristina.

[Jenny]

What about Teddy's betrayls of Cristina? Those are way worse.

[Michelle]

Nothing about Lexie this week? I loved her speech to Alex at the end of the episode, it's worth mentioning.

[Priya]

I liked that Arizona was the one doing the yelling this time. We need to see more of that! Loved the scene of Callie and Az in the Lounge. Nice work!

[Aya]

No comments about other GA characters like Lexie and Alex? I'm sooo tired of this show being centered around Cristina/Owen/Teddy! Oh and Teddy should be removed from the show. She sucks! Season 6 is definitely the worst season of Grey's ever. Why? Lame story lines: Mark and Teddy hook-up, Lexie and Alex hook-up, Callie giving up her 'baby' dream, MerDer's 'happy' relationship, Chief's alcohol problem, Owen being in love with 2 women, and oh yeah Teddy's presence. Grey Sucks!

[Kiki]

I don't know how much louder we all have to yell, but we aren't buying this lame triangle. We aren't buying that Owen is torn and we aren't buying Teddy. Her character is so pathetic and unbelievable. We don't buy her as a cardio-god, a war vet or a badass. Not convince for one minute that Owen would be attracted to her. And let's talk about Owen for a minute - what the heck have you guys done to him? Where is the Owen we love? Where is badass, confident, sensitive Owen? I love Owen and even I am upset with what he did in this episode. We are all about at our breaking point and I will guarantee, if this "different" triangle continues past the SF, the rating will continue to decline. Maybe there is some grand plan, but it's taking way too long to get there. Why watch something you don't believe in?

You guys made magic for C/O last season and could have told so many more intersting stories for them. They don't need to be happy all the time, but this is ridiculous. Watching this storyline is kind of like banging your head against the wall - after a while you just feel nothing. And you stop caring.

[Anne]

I thought it was a great episode. The only thing that could make it better for me would be more Meredith and Derek but I loved what we got. That boardroom scene was my favorite of the episode - love seeing them playful with each other.

Watching Mark (ERic) in this episode was awesome. What a great job he did. So much for his to deal with - Teddy possibly leaving, keeping the baby or not,and his daughter Sloan. I'm glad Mark is getting more screen time. Favorite scene with him was him talking to his grandson alone. The conversation he had with his daughter after his phone call to her mother was a close second. I wish someone had taken a picture for him with his grandson.

Derek as chief in this episode was great in my opinion. Loved the chat with Dr Evans, Christina and Mer and Derek - fun.

The scene with Derek and Mark in chief office was a good one. Mark really expressed himself well and Derek got it and understood. I loved the line you aren't losing your daughter. Mark needed to hear that.

I really enjoyed Christina in this one. I'd like to see more of her like that.

Derek as DR with the hook patient was interesting - his comment on being captain.

Bailey was great as usual. Love that character.

[Cate]

So it doesn't sound like JCap's pregnancy will be written in then. Too bad. I was hoping to see some happily ever after for Callie, it's never just easy for that girl. I noticed in the nursery scene with Az and Callie that Az at one point grabbed her stomach and kinda winced before grabbing her pager...I'm thinking something is gonna happen to poor Az which will conveniently take her out of commission for part of next season when Jcap has her baby? Hopefully it isn't another cancer storyline. Well this is a bummer, there really isn't a compromise with the baby situation. Can't something happen that makes her change her mind? I really don't want Calzona to break up! They are my fav! And that April girl is nutters, btw, hello fatal attraction 2.0!

[Greengumdrop30 (Sami)]

Ok. So I love the Teddy/Cristina/Owen triangle. Don't get me wrong, I think it's interesting what it's turned into from the falling icicle and war and etc. But I think it would be really interesting to add some competition in there. So please bring back Thomas Evans! Cristina needs his rockstarness (thanks Izzy) and Teddy needs some competition and help and Owen needs a diversion to sort through his thoughts and I think Tom would do that!

[kazz]

great ep. i've definitely complained about the lack of mer/der this year, but knowing their happy and having scenes like tonight is good. obviously i want more of them on screen together, but thats sort of your guys's fault for making them so awesome.

owen throwing teddy under a bus because knows he's in a crappy position is totally uncool. i'm not nuts about teddy as a character, but did you seriously see the blinding trust cristina has in him? he's betraying her and she has no idea which is truly heartwrenching. i'm glad mer has her back, i'm guessing its about to become necessary.

i can't say i'm a fan of the sloan cubed storyline. i love mark, always have, but if him trying to be a grown up means he's going to treat others badly and have temper tantrums then i would like to see the old mark who banged every woman in sight.

arizona and callie... its tough. i know i don't want kids. i had the best childhood in the world with two very healthy, together, loving parents. me and my two siblings have always been happy in our family life and i know i don't want kids. i get where arizona is coming from. i'm excited to see where that goes.

stoked for the conclusion of this season. please more mer/der!

[Stacey]

Regarding the Cristina/Owen/Teddy triangle: The problem with the way this is being played out is that it makes Owen looks so completely out of character. This is more than just making him look bad. The Owen from last season would not be doing this. Beth, Teddy, Cristina and now Teddy again?? It is very difficult to still cheer on a couple I love so much when I, quite frankly, want someone for Cristina who will treat her better. Cristina deserves more than this. What a shame to ruin such a good thing. Even if Owen and Cristina still end up together and I'm sure they will, it's been tarnished in my eyes.

[Lisa]

I don't want to be one of those people who uses salty language in my rantings about how Owen's character has been ruined and how much I hate Teddy and wish she would disappear into the parking lot of oblivion. I don't want to admit that when the elevator door opened for Owen and Teddy was in there that I wanted to yell "DON"T GO IN THERE, OWEN!!! THERE IS SOME NASTY VOO-DOO IN THAT ELEVATOR THAT MAKES UNTOWARD THINGS HAPPEN IN IT!! RUN!!!!!!!" I don't want to explore how Owen stabbed his best friend in the back and lied to his girl friend next week. I don't want to explore the possibility that Owen is in love with two women because that sucks rocks. Hard. He is the first character on the show that I would call my McDreamy, but he so isn't right now. I don't want to care about this silly show so much, but for some reason I'm sitting here at 12:35 am trying to find nice words to explain how this episode bummed me out. I feel like y'all (Go Texas!) are trying to get me to hate Owen but I won't do it. Yet.
(For the record, I don't really hate Teddy, just the way she complicates Owen and Cristina. I think she and Mark together are golden and I wish they would stick- Go Team Meddy!). (Also for the record, the Mark stuff in this episode was beautiful!!)

[Sarah]

Do you all really think it's interesting exploring Owen being in love with two women? 'Cause...we don't. The ends don't justify the means, no matter what anybody in the writer's room thinks. We're not in it for your shocking!finales. We're in it for ALL of the episodes that make up a season. The character/pairing assassination is not drama. It's not exploring actual issues in a relationship. It's causing people to be turned off because none of the writers seem to care much about the characters as much as they are about selling us this horribly ill-conceived character not only is nobody buying, but who sucks the chemistry out of any scenes that she's in and any meaning that the O/C pairing has had in the past.

The Teddy thing isn't working. The triangle thing isn't working. This whole manufactured drama isn't working, and we're just tired of it. If you honestly think this is what we want to watch...if you honestly think is what's entertaining, I sure won't be watching next season. Where is the joy I used to get out of Grey's? Where is the joy from the characters?

Way to waste the talented cast this season. And way to ruin the chemistry by shoving Kim Raver/Teddy in our faces in an inconsistent, obnoxious storyline that just won't go away even though it's been made painfully clear that it isn't working.

I hope the season finale tanks in the ratings, because maybe then the writing staff and Shonda will understand that it isn't about the finales and the big event episodes, and the shocking moments, but about the little moments over the course of the season with characters we have grown to care about that are growing fewer and fewer recently.

It's not even enjoyable to watch this show anymore, sadly. Why should we care about these characters when the writers seem keen on shredding everything that made us enjoy them in the first place?

[Kian D]

I watched GA from S1-S3 and then gave it up. But after my friend convinced me to watch the first episode of S5, I was hooked again because of the onscreen chemistry between Sandra and Kevin. What started out as a beautiful Cristina/Owen love story has been ruined by the so called "triangle."

I just hope you realize you've compromised Owen's character so much in attempt to save Teddy, that he cannot be redeemed anymore. Don't even get me started on how inconsistently you've written Cristina in this episode.

Until now I could handle it, but tonight was the last straw.

Bye Bye GA.

[DamselinDistress]

You have ruined the best thing about GA, Owen having feelings for a woman other than Cristina is totally out of character. I don't buy it. I won't be watching next season if this triangle crap continues. I only watch for Sandra Oh and Kevin McKidd who are amazing actors who, imo, haven't been given the storyline they deserve. It would't surprise me if they want an out next season. They deserve better than that. You said this triangle was gonna be different and I had hope, but now I don't anymore, thanks for that. I don't care if Owen cheats on Cristina or not, the damage is done, he is in love with two women, and that for me has ruined everything!!! This is the worst storyline in the history of GA, even more so than dead Denny, gosh, I love him compared to Teddy. I know you absolutely love Kim Raver and will keep her, but for me, her character is ruining the show!

[Leez]

Do you writers really read all our comments? Because everyone has hated the C/O/T triangle and it's still there.

If you are reading this comment I want to let you know that I've hung on as long as I could and I now couldn't care less if Cris & Owen are together or not. Y'all managed to turn the amazing Owen character into some one I can't stand.

Even if you have him do something amazing at the end, the journey has been too long and painful and unfortunately, that will be all I will remember now.

What makes me really sad is that I can't even enjoy the amazing C/O moments from season 5 like I used to.

[Maddie O]

I loved the episode. It was amazing. I loved MerDer. I love the April school girl crush on Der, and he doesn't even acknowledge her existence cause he's so in love with Mer that... well, it's just magical. They are my fav couple after all. I've been watching for almost what... 6 years now? Since episode 1 ... season 1. And... I adore them. I'm so glad about where they are, and how strong and mature they are. They're just... they take my breath away. So thank you for that!!! It means more than you'll ever understand that I can get giddy about how amazing they are. I'm also glad they have drama, cause no relationship is perfect. So thanks you for them.

The Teddy/Owen/Cristina triangle is fantastic. I love the dynamic, and I do think that Owen is going to do something to screw up with Cristina. Which honestly, I love Cristina. I do... but I want Teddy with Owen so badly it drives me nuts! Haha. But yet, I don't want Cris to be unhappy. Cause she adores owen, and Teddy. LOL. DRAMA!

I really don't know what's gonna happen with Arizona and Callie. I mean seriously... what is there left if Callie wants a baby and Arizona doesn't. I was thinking at one point when Arizona was talking about how Sloan's baby deserve good parents... that maybe Arizona fell pregnant and gave a baby away. But, she's been a lesbian all her life. LOL. So that's not possible. She just doesn't want a child. She loves children. But doesn't want one. And you can't fault that. It's who she is. I just don't know if Callie will be able to deal with that in the long run. So I'm scared for them.

I hope Mark and Lexie get back together. Cause even though Lexie and Alex are sort of together right now, she loves Mark. Mark loves Lexie. It was just bad timing. Maybe now they've lost each other, they both realise what's missing... and will go back to each other. One can only hope.

I was surprised with Derek choosing Evans instead of Teddy, and Teddy only staying by default. I didn't think he'd choose Evans. It surprised Richard too. But, hey, I guess you would want the best on your team. Someone with a better resume. But, as Teddy noticed and told Cristina... Teddy is the better teacher. She doesn't need Cris... but she lets her learn.

Anywho. Enough ranting. Just thank you so much for an amazing episode. I really like all the new stuff being tried this season. Although the Ellis/Richard flash back episode annoyed the crap out of me. Everything else has been grand! I love you guys, I love Grey's, and I will forever be a super fan. Keep up the great work :)

[lisa]

sorry the triangle is still crap!! i for one dont buy the whole owen might be in love with teddy! and explored more next week just stop! we love owen and cristina and yes never thought i would say this but more ptsd

[Nin]

Just waiting to hear KH mentioned....
I also hate Teddy, with a passion. Get rid of her!!!

[literaryvice432]

So fans come in and get crazy up in here because it's the internet and it's what fans do. The Owina people are hollering about Teddy. The MerDer folks are fretting over April. The Alex/Izzie people and the Mark/Lexie people are collectively furious with everyone. The Callica shippers still haven't forgiven anyone. And then there's Calzona shippers like me.
We holler and fret and get furious just like everyone else but we're a little different in one way. Callie and Arizona are the only Lesbian couple currently on primetime network television. So rather than hollering about what seems to be the imminent breakup between Callie and Arizona I'm just going to say "Thank you" to Shonda and Betsy and all the writers and producers and actors for giving not just lesbians but also bisexual women something to look forward to and enjoy. Thank you for putting a relationship out there that tells people "This is not abnormal or wrong. This is two people loving each other." Something a lot of people need to see and hear.
And behalf of all the screaming, hollering, angry, deliriously happy, and generally okay fans I want to thank everyone associate with Grey's for creating such wonderful characters and compelling stories that people can get really passionate about. Thanks for doing what you do.

It was an amazing episode and while I don't like the idea that Callie and Arizona will likely break up, it's not my roller coaster. I'm just along for the ride.

[DamselinDistress]

I also want to add that C/O fans aren't like any other fans of the show, most of us got addicted to Grey's for the first time because of the amazingness that were C/O last season. We found something different in their love story that attracted to us. And now you turn it into what everyone else on the show has gone through. We won't take it, we are not like the poor Merder fans who have gone through a hundred breakups.

[KS-California]

Do you realize you just destroyed Owen's character? There is no bigger Owen champion than me. No bigger O/C shipper. I was obsessed. You just ruined everything special, lovely and epic by writing Owen so out of character -- our badass, decisive, committed, honest, totally in-love character conflicted and dishonest? WTF? (and for what - 90% of fans HATE Teddy and fast forward or channel flip through her scenes - she's so unpleasant to watch and has ZERO chemistry w/O). Not to mention you undermined any sympathy needed for a character dealing w/the tough PTSD issue. It doesn't matter what you do from here on out because -- hear that -- it's a million+ Owen&Cristina and Kevin McKidd and Sandra Oh fans TURNING OFF THE TV.

[Lena]

Mark and Teddy together is disgusting. Worst paring ever! some people may accept them together just to get Teddy away from Owen/Cristina...so why don't just put all of us out of our misery and kick Teddy off the show! I repeat Teddy and Mark = DISGUSTING!

[Kian D]

Oh I forgot to add one last thing before I say Goodbye...Not that it applies to me anymore, but I think you should take this into consideration before you end up losing more fans because of the "triangle storyline."

How come all the drama has been served to Cristina and Owen? I get that Sandra Oh and Kevin McKidd are brilliant actors, but it's like you've taken the drama from the Meredith/Derek and Callie/Arizona relationships and stuffed it in the Cristina/Owen storyline. Cristina/Owen had like drama x3 and have not had any fun light moments this entire season; in contrast, the Meredith/Derek and to a large extent Callie/Arizona have been running around in fluffy happyland for most of the season.

Hope you treat the remaining Cristina/Owen fans better next season and give them more happier and fun times so they feel like they want to stick around.