Grey's Anatomy - How To Save A Life - Review by Maxine at Spoiler TV

"How to Save a Life Review by Maxine at Spoiler TV"

Due to writing commitments elsewhere I have not been able to write many Grey's Anatomy reviews, so I started linking to Maxine's reviews at Spoiler TV, a terrific site for all fans of Grey's Anatomy and Maxine is my favourite reviewer of this show. I wanted to link to her review and discuss it a little, because she makes so many good points regarding this episode.

Now I have had my little rants about this episode, mostly about how it was written. The acting was brilliant on all counts in my opinion, but Ellen Pompeo and Patrick Dempsey always do their best work, no matter how difficult the scene.

Maxine starts off by saying that she is in a state of shock, but not for the reasons the reader might think. See more below:

"I’m in a state of shock...but not, as you might expect, because Derek is dead. I am astounded at the crap way that Shondaland has exited one of it’s most pivotal Grey’s Anatomy characters.

With very little build up to what transpired to be one of the most momentous episodes of Grey’s Anatomy, not in the current season but in the entire eleven year history one might be forgiven for thinking that not being a season finale, 11.21, How To Save A Life would turn out to be just a horrible Meredith dream. Divorced from the usual ensemble episode format the viewer was taken on Derek’s final heroic journey alone, away from the hospital, his wife and separated from the entire cast in a piece of television which was not only tragic in outcome but unfortunately tragic in execution."


Read the whole review at Spoiler TV

Now if I had stayed away from Twitter and Facebook until this episode aired, it might have made a difference in how the episode affected me on watching it. Unfortunately I wasn't able to avoid being spoiled. Like Maxine, the thought also crossed my mind that Shonda gone the way of Meredith having an awful nightmare and she would wake up next week or next season. But in my gut I knew Derek's death was final, because I had heard he left the show. And, given the gossip I have read in the last two days, it would not surprise me if he was fired by ABC. Anyway moving on.

Two things Maxine and I definitely agree on is that it was necessary for Derek to die in order for the writers to exit the character and that Season 11 has been excellent and the writing has been outstanding. She moves on to discuss other deaths that have occurred on Grey's and how they compare. In my opinion it was not a creative episode by any stretch and the ideas were recycled. Maxine summarizes this here:

"The episode unraveled in the writing and execution. To put it bluntly episode 11.21 was frustrating, awkward and labored viewing. It was unoriginal – he died saving lives, remember George and the bus; he died trying to reach his phone in his car, remember Callie; he died by being switched off, remember Mark?" 


Read the entire review at Spoiler TV


I also have to agree with what Maxine said about Shonda Rhimes making the call to write out Derek Shepherd. This was a huge mistake, Stacy McKee should have written it. I am also suspicious that Shonda's script for "How to Save A Life" was dictated by whatever occurred regarding Patrick Dempsey's departure.

James Pickens Jnr recently claimed in an article that it was a shock when the rest of the cast found out Patrick was leaving. It would not be the first time that off screen drama has dictated story arcs and it also would not be the first time that the writing has come across as if Shonda is angry at the departing cast member. 


Maxine explains it like this:

"How To Save A Life, 11.21 was heartbreaking, tragic and scary. Scary because it signals a very uncertain and different future not only for Meredith’s life but also for the show’s life. However it was also an arrogant, unoriginal, self-indulgent episode which contrasted so sharply with the loving and well crafted departure of Mark, or by Lexie’s tragic ‘meant to be’. The smell of off screen shenanigans weighed heavily on the episode. The presence of so many inconsequential and uninteresting characters was continually in danger of swamping the dreaminess of Derek and the monologue narration style dulled what was supposed to be very high drama."


Read all of Maxine's Review at Spoiler TV


So, all in all this review was pretty spot on and gave me a lot to think about, if you do read it in it's entirety, make sure you read the comments as many of Spoiler TV's readers and Grey's fans had many thoughts on "How to Save a Life."

As always, a really great review. Thanks Maxine.






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Copyright © 2015 Janelle Coulton

Re-post of My Opinion On Derek Shepherd's Death

My Verdict On Derek Shepherds Death On Grey's Anatomy

Yep, well I just watched the episode again and I am about to watch the final three episodes for this season. I also have read a couple of reviews, one from my favourite Grey's Anatomy writer at Spoiler TV. Her suspicions match a little with mine, that I believe the episode was a great big Eff You from Shonda Rhimes to Patrick Dempsey who plays the part of Derek Shepherd. Patrick Dempsey is a well-known and popular actor, excellent at his craft and loved by many fans.

I will concede that the first part of the aftermath of Derek Shepherd's death was done well, there was a funeral that we saw 15 seconds and we were told Cristina Yang did attend, this is enough for me, it might not be so for other fans, however if Cristina had been ignored and not given a mention, I would have been pissed. I felt that the short moments of grief we saw were well done. And the credit goes to Stacy McKee who should have written "How To Save A Life" Shonda Rhimes; what were you thinking? You just cannot help but to inject your personal issues into certain story-lines. I hazard a guess that you force your writers to do this too, because this would not be the first time.

Okay, I will get off this topic and move right along to what the fans have said and Maxine who reviews Grey's Anatomy at Spoiler TV, I cannot provide a link here as it it against the rules, however if you are a die hard fan of Grey's, you will know where to find Spoiler TV.

I don't think it would have mattered whether Derek died at GSM or the useless hospital where he was treated by equally useless doctors who were not trained in trauma or even set up for it. But, I hated the fact that he narrated his own death and I actually do not believe he would have even been in once piece. That truck hit Derek directly on the driver's side of the car. The fact that he reached for his phone while in the middle of the road, doing a U turn pissed me off and I knew before the truck hit him that going for the phone was a mistake and what killed him. Also, what happened to there being no phone reception where he was?

Some of the above, I have drawn my own conclusions, however Maxine has opened my eyes to the fact that Rhimes, while it was sheer genius on her part when she created Grey's and kept it going 11 years with the show still dominating the demo ratings on a Thursday night, she cannot seem to keep her personal crap out of the script. Shonda; put down the god damned crack pipe and write like a writer would who loves their characters. Did Patrick Dempsey really get a good send off in episode 21. I don't believe so, and I would have also expected Meredith to at least call his family or at the very least; Amelia.

As for the funeral, we did not see his family there, so I guess we just need to assume that they were in fact there. I will never believe that they were not on the first plane when they got the news. Meredith should have been there at the hospital long before the mistakes were made, at least she would have had a chance to see her husband before he ended up brain dead. Could it be that Shonda does not like the character of Meredith Grey. It seems in Shonda's world that a woman cannot have it all. A happy family, kids, career and whatever else without tragedy after tragedy happening. Many fans are pissed about this and feel this is Shonda's attitude.

Please do not misunderstand me; I am fully aware that Patrick Dempsey wanted out of Grey's, he has wanted to leave for years and killing him off was the only scenario that makes sense. Meredith and Derek were endgame and would never have divorced. Shonda has probably lost the ratings of most of the MerDer Shippers and the McDreamy fans and will need to rebuild to get the show back on it's feet and still dominating the demo ratings.....she has a hell of a task ahead and this would have been the case, no matter how she chose to exit McDreamy. I have my doubts that Grey's will go on any longer than one more season. Who knows, maybe she will put some magic out of her butt and this show will be great for years to come. As Maxine said, "Grey's is still a relevant show." 

I love the show, and hope it is around for ten years time, providing the writing is good. Maxine was spot on when she said that Season 11's writing has been excellent. Even the crappy filler episodes like the penis story line and Bailey and Ben's story with Ben's brother were entertaining because of the excellent writing. No sooner does Ms Rhimes pick up a pen and it goes to crap. Sorry Shonda, but it is true.

I have watched the first part of "She's Leaving Home" and I am starting to think that some of Shonda's sins can be forgiven, this episode was excellent, one of the best and I don't think I can watch it for awhile or I will end up in tears again and in saying that; Stacey McKee penned this episode, so I had high hopes that it would not go to crap and honestly I do have to praise them for the final two episodes of the season, they were excellent too.

Stay tuned for my next TV Show Rant. Oh and before I forget, goodbye McDreamy and I truly am sorry for all of the MerDer shippers. You guys must be livid with anger.

This post is also posted at PersonaPaper

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Janelle Coulton is a Freelance Writer who has been writing about Grey's Anatomy for around four years now. She never misses an episode and her blog is her labour of love that she works on when she is not writing for clients and online writing sites. To find out more about Janelle, you can visit her profile or visit her website: Jel Writes - Freelance Writer



Copyright © 2015 Janelle Coulton

McDreamy Is Dead - Patrick Dempsey Has Left Grey's Anatomy

Well Shonda Rhimes has finally gone and done it. She drove a big truck directly into Doctor McDreamy and killed him. He's dead, no more Meredith and Derek and I bet the fans have gone mental. I wonder how Derek and Meredith shippers feel losing one half of their favourite couple. I have not checked out Shonda Rhimes' Twitter feed, however I bet she got her share of abuse and knowing Ms Rhimes, she would have told the fans to eff off or something along those lines. 

What fans need to try to accept is that Shonda was always going to do this, her beloved Mer and Der cannot possibly break up or get a divorce, so if Patrick Dempsey ever left the show, he was always going to be killed off. Nor can they grow old and grey together and get a happy ending, which is par for the course for this show. I have to say I am annoyed because my heart breaks for Meredith, however I am also glad to see the back of him. Derek has not been a popular character lately and Dempsey has been teasing the fans for years. He almost screwed up in Season 8 when he revealed he was going, he then back tracked and told fans that he had not been asked back yet. 

The photo below is laughable because when I watched this episode I felt as though McDreamy was already dead. When that truck hit Derek's car on the driver's side, there would not have very much of Derek left. I felt as though right up until he was declared brain dead. All that rubbish in the ER about his head injury and cursing the medical staff for not getting a head CT was Derek's afterlife dream. That's the best way I can explain it. McDreamy had would have been killed in an instant once truck hit his car. It is in fact difficult to believe there was much of McDreamy left for Meredith to say goodbye too.

I was sure for a little while towards the end of Season 8 that Derek Shepherd would die in the finale, however some idiot leaked that all the originals had renegotiated their contracts. That news broke six days before the Season 8 finale screened, this kind of ruined the whole "who is going to die" scenario. It is also puzzling how Dempsey got out of his contract as he was committed until the end of Season 12. Perhaps he and Shonda had a falling out, it's possible and there have been rumours.

Anyway whatever! But let's discuss Shonda Rhimes and her style of killing off characters. There was gossip floating around that Chyler Leigh did something to piss off Shonda, and this was why Lexie Grey met such a grisly end. Shonda drops a plane on her and then wild animals are eating her remains, gross. The actor who played George O'Malley was difficult at times, and Shonda took him out with a bus. Mark (McSteamy) Sloan was given a nice, peaceful death and two episodes were dedicated to saying goodbye, obviously Eric Dane and Shonda had a good relationship. And last but not least; if Katie Heigl had not fought for a release from her contract, her character, Izzie Stevens would have been gunned down in the Season 6 finale. And I think we can all agree that Katie did cause her share of trouble. 

Anyway whatever Shonda Rhime's motives, killing him was the only way to end Meredith and Derek. And do you know what I think she will do now? That skank in Washington who kissed Derek is going to show up in Seattle. Poor Meredith, why does Rhime's have to throw shit at the poor girl all the time? It's almost as if Meredith will end up alone with her kids and her family taken away, one by one, including her husband. What the heck is with Patrick Dempsey? He really has me puzzled, he could not have picked a worse time in his life to be unemployed. His contract with Grey's Anatomy and ABC was $300,000 plus per episode.

The man is going through a divorce, he likes to race cars, he will be paying a fortune in alimony and child support and not to mention he would have been required to part with a certain amount of money to get out of Season 12 as he was contracted until then. I don't believe for a second that ABC would let him go without a fight, given how popular McDreamy is and the Meredith and Derek pairing. The fans will never accept Meredith with anyone else, so I don't think Grey's Anatomy has any more than 12 Seasons in it.

Unless ABC find a kick ass character and actor to replace Dempsey and come up with a really great story and I am not talking about a new love for Meredith, good God don't make me hurl. They need something special to pull the audience back in, because I can see many fans dropping this show now that their favourite couple are no more.

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