Was Patrick Dempsey Fired From Grey's Anatomy?

This post was previously posted back in May 2015 around the same time as the Season 11 Finale was shown. I have posted it again, as there were mistakes in the first post.

Well, I totally missed this news, probably because I had not watched the final four episodes and did not want to be spoilt. I only had a chance to watch on Sunday, 17 May. So, I had not read any gossip regarding Grey's Anatomy, I doubt I would have enjoyed the final four episodes if I'd read any spoilers. I knew Patrick Dempsey was leaving the show before I watched the episode in which he died, however I had no idea what happened. All I knew was that Derek Shepherd was going to die before I sat down to watch.

"She's Leaving Home" was the best episode on Grey's Anatomy in a long time, and I watched it twice, blubbering like a baby most of the way through it. I don't know if I will be able to watch that episode again without losing my shit. I was not crying over Derek, it was more about everyone else who has been left behind to grieve and Meredith.

So onto the real reason I decided to pen this blog. I have to admit I was shocked to learn that Patrick Dempsey was fired. Journalists are saying that Shonda Rhimes fired him, but that can't be true. Ms Rhimes has said in the past that ABC make these decisions.

It was also implied that Shonda and Patrick were not getting along at all, which is not surprising. She is probably upset that she had to let her beloved McDreamy go, and is probably angry at his behaviour at the same time, whatever that might have been.

The only thing Ms Rhimes is guilty of is perhaps letting her anger at Patrick dictate the script in "How to Save a Life" given she wrote the episode, in any case I went over this in my last post summarizing Maxine's review on Spoiler TV. So let's move on.

I kind of feel bad now for getting angry with her a few days ago when I found out that Patrick Dempsey had left Grey's and this was before I watched the episode in which he died. Shonda Rhimes gets a lot of criticism and abuse from the fans sometimes and some of it is justified and some of it is not. The fans who threaten and swear at her, need to see a Shrink. Seriously!

She is going to have to work hard to make this show great without Derek Shepherd, and you know what, given that we have really only seen him in about ten or eleven episodes this season, this could be doable. My only concern is how many MerDer Shippers will ditch this show and how this will affect the ratings. She did not get this fabulous show on the air using magic, her creativity and ideas are what made this show what it is.

As for the gossip regarding the affair and all the fuss over cast and crew spilling the beans, well one gossip site will tell you one story and another will go the opposite way, so it is a little hard to believe these journalists. Grey's Anatomy has had it's fair share of off-screen antics, I think the fans are kind of getting used to it. Another thing that is suspect about this is the when James Pickens came forward, he said nothing of the affair, the article with his interview quoted another source as the one who claimed this happened, so it is a little suspect. Or perhaps Pickens is still under a non-disclosure agreement regarding on set misbehaviour.

One thing that has not gone unnoticed is the pictures I have seen of Patrick lately, he certainly is not smiling and he looks pretty pissed off and a little sad. I can't blame him, he just lost his job and a pretty steady income. But, if he was up to no good and the rumors about the affair are true, then he probably only has himself to blame and in saying that, I acknowledge that we will never know the entire story anyway, when it comes to celebrity gossip, the fans never get the real dirt.

In wrapping up this post, I will say that I am going to miss Derek, I am not a MerDer Shipper or even a McDreamy fan, but I liked Derek for the most part. He did have his moments at certain times where I got annoyed at the character, and called him a McAss, but that is the writing, not the actors fault. Good luck Patrick and I am sorry this had to happen.

I believe this picture is the article that I heard was deleted.

It really must be rough on these actors, especially if this crap that gets printed is not even true.

I am so glad I chose to see the final episodes of Season 11 before I went trolling the Internet looking for gossip and info on why Patrick Dempsey left Grey's. I was convinced he wanted to leave as he has said for years that he would be leaving soon. To find out he was fired was a shock. I could not understand why he would not just see out his contract and leave after Season 12, but it was not up to him.

Wow! I never saw this coming, not in a million years.

What about you? What do you think of this recent new? Do you believe that Patrick had this affair on the set of Grey's? Hit the comments and tell me what you think.

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Source: Radar Online

Photo also courtesy of Radar.

Copyright © 2015 Janelle Coulton

Follow Grey's Anatomy Addicts on Facebook and Twitter  

Visit my website: Jel Writes 

Copyright © 2015 Janelle Coulton

Grey's Anatomy News And A Premiere Date

Executive at ABC Hints to E! Online That Patrick Dempsey Wanted Out of His Role As "Derek Shepherd."

Paul Lee at ABC spoke to E! Online recently saying it was "a difficult decision" to kill off the character of Derek Shepherd. Lee also commented about the relevance of Grey's Anatomy in Season 11, and how proud and happy he is about this. Mr Lee commented on the way Grey's Anatomy is back in the national conversation, which I think is his way of saying that Grey's Anatomy is a topic of water-cooler conversation.

The ratings certainly have been nothing to sneer about, they have been great for a show in it's 11th Season. And with Season 12 having not long premiered, the ratings are doing a lot better than I had predicted. 

Anyway; back to Mr Lee at ABC. I have to agree with him about how Grey's Anatomy affected fans in Season 11. I found the writing to be absolutely fantastic. My only criticism was the episode penned by the creator of the show herself, Shonda Rhimes: it was disgraceful, and totally disrespected Patrick Dempsey, his character; Derek Shepherd and the other actors on the show. 

Where was the proper goodbye? It was non-existant. Derek dies by a truck, how cliche' and dies with a bunch of strangers. Anyway, I have had my whinge about this on another post, so I will shut up now, however the farewell of one of the most popular and much loved favourite characters should have been done differently. Whatever the circumstance surrounding his departure, he deserved better and it would not surprise me if he never speaks to Shonda Rhimes again.

Paul Lee also hinted that it was Dempsey's choice to leave Grey's Anatomy, telling E! that the star had "lots of interests" other than the show, and his passion to race cars and build that career.

Really? Mr Lee; are you sure? While it makes no difference to me whether Dempsey stays or goes, I think the fans deserve the truth and the truth is that Dempsey has wanted to leave for a while now. However, he just went through a divorce earlier this year, why would he give up around $300,000 per episode when he is contracted to the end of Season 12. Why would ABC let their star actor go until his contract ended. Does not add up people?


We are not stupid. It is expensive to race cars and a divorce when you have three kids is expensive too. Perhaps Dempsey is a billionaire from all his car racing and acting jobs, but I don't think this is true. Dempsey, to my knowledge has never won a race. He has placed a few times in race where the prize money is not that big, so racing has to be an expense, not an income. He is yet to become a Formula One star who wins races all the time like Mark Webber and other professional race car drivers.
Racing was always a hobby for Dempsey, that he wanted to take in a professional direction, but unfortunately unless you are very good and sponsors come after you, you will spend many millions of dollars to race your cars.

Sorry Mr Lee, I apologise in advance, but my bullshit detector is off the charts. This simply cannot be true. Dempsey would never look a gift horse in the mouth. What is he doing now? I have heard of no acting offers or any TV show offers. Perhaps I am wrong and not searching the right sites. 

In any case he is gone, I don't believe the rubbish being told to the fans and I knew it was coming anyway. I heard a rumor he was on the way out and sure enough the next episode I live streamed, he died. I loved the actor, but was never a fan of Derek Shepherd, especially after he kissed that girl in Washington. Shonda really pissed me off with that piece of ugly writing.

It was always clear that when Derek Shepherd's time was up on Grey's Anatomy, he would be killed off. No one would believe him leaving Meredith permanently. It was like Mark Sloan. He would have never left Sofia, whether Lexie lived or not.  I was not upset as a fan of McDreamy, but I was very upset at the way it happened, the writing of the episode, the choices made by the writer and the bullshit and lies that followed.

This stupid policy to keep all events secret is stupid. If Grey's get publicity, it is better for the show. If the news is too negative fine, but give us a few spoilers now and then, this show would get more viewers if Shonda would loosen up a bit. 

Speaking of lies, well there have been many on the Grey's set and a fair amount of drama and cover ups, beginning with the Washington fiasco. I am literally over the lies, and would love to know what the truth is. Perhaps when Grey's Anatomy ends, someone will write a tell all book.

Is A Love Interest For Meredith On The Cards For Season 12?

With the death of McDreamy is it possible a romance will happen between Alex and Meredith? I have heard whispers that it might be on the cards and I have even heard that some fans would support a romance between these two. I cannot believe any fan in their right mind would support Alex and Meredith as a couple.

God, I hope not! Please Shonda Rhimes. No. Meredith and any love interest makes me vomit in my mouth a little and the thought of her and Alex makes me want to heave. This is not because I am a heart-broken shipper, but because if the writers pair Meredith up with another man, it disrespects the relationship that grew for MerDer over the last 11 years.

Shonda has said no, but we all know she lies too. She hates giving the fans any kind of Spoilers and forbids the cast from talking about what's coming up. I always believed this to be a mistake.

Premiere Date Announced

Grey's Anatomy will return on the 24th September 2015. This is a little over a month away, it is actually amazing how fast the time has gone. Three months has literally flown by.

It will be interesting to get a look at the first lot of ratings for the new season, as I will be very intrigued at how Grey's Anatomy will do in the ratings, now that McDreamy has gone. Dempsey is a huge loss to this show, but I am hoping the fall out is not too bad and the real, die-hard fans like myself stick it out and are loyal to the show that has entertained many people for 11 years now.

ABC may well lose most of the MerDer Shippers, which often happens when a major character is killed off on a popular show, but I have to say that this is their loss and also why I refuse to ship any couple or character on any show. It is upsetting enough to lose a character that you like, and for some the show might be unwatchable without McDreamy.

Had you asked me in Season 8 if the show could survive without Derek Shepherd when we thought he might die in the plane crash, I would have had serious doubts about the shows future. I am actually feeling positive about the future of Grey's Anatomy. I think it will be on TV for more than one more season, if the ratings stay reasonably stable.

In fact, I think the departure of Cristina Yang hurt the show more than the death of McDreamy will. Mind you, this is just my opinion and might not be the case, as I have no idea how many fans are not planning to watch because their favourite couple are done.

So I am looking forward to the start of Season 12, I just hope it is as good as last season was.

Now it is your turn, tell me what you think about Dempsey leaving, McDreamy's death, and whether you feel Grey's is over after this season. Hit the comments with your thoughts.

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Copyright © 2015 Janelle Coulton

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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Preview of Future Grey's Anatomy Episodes

Preview of "Can We Start Again Please" Grey's Anatomy Season 11 Episode 7

While I would love to be able to post a video here with next weeks preview it just will not work on my blog. When it did yesterday on another post I wrote. Hmmmmm

Anyway readers, I think photos can sometimes be just as good, so that is what we will have to settle for this week. Anyway it is my guess from below that this installment of the best show on TV is focused heavily on Derek and Amy and perhaps Meredith is involved in there too. Gotta be happy about that, even if Derek Shepherd is not my favorite character at the moment.


Press Release for Grey's Anatomy Season 11 Episode 7 - Can We Start Again Please?

“Can We Start Again Please?” – Secrets about Amelia’s past addictions come to light and cause problems for her at the hospital; Bailey oversees Jo’s first solo surgery; and Arizona must make an executive decision in Dr. Herman’s absence. Meanwhile, the doctors spring into action when a couple arrives at the emergency room after escaping a fire, on “Grey’s Anatomy,” THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 13 (8:00-9:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network.

Below is a link to Spoiler TV's video link of the next episodes preview, and I am a huge supporter Spoiler TV. My favorite Grey's blogger writes there and they are just a great site. I managed to embed the Facebook post it was posted on, so now you have a video to watch as well, enjoy! 

Post by Greys Anatomy Addicts.

Tell me what you think about Grey's Anatomy in the comments, it can be about any Grey's topic, character, actor or story, whatever. You set the topic. Hit the comments or the social networks below. I will return next week to give you as much information on the future episodes as I can find.

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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 © 2014 Janelle Coulton

Grey's Anatomy Bend And Break - Season 11-5

Review of Bend and Break, Grey's' Anatomy Season 11 Episode 5 - Written by Brouhaha - PipMaxine


I feel free. Do you feel free? I feel free. Honestly I do. I breathe a little easier now, knowing that Callie and Arizona have finally put us all out of our misery and ended the torture their relationship has been to the viewers. Okay, that’s a little dramatic but let’s face it, watching them recently has not been pretty or comfortable. Don’t get me wrong; over the years I’ve enjoyed watching them and rooting for them to prevail as a couple against the odds. But now, this, this feels right; sad, needed, but right. 

Whenever I sit down to write a review I always re-watch the episode. Sometimes, though not this season, that is painfully hard to do (flashbacks to “All About Men” in season eight). At other times, like last week, I spend the time absorbed in the episode again rather than writing, because it was so good. This week I sat down with a heavy heart. That is until the very first line. It was only during this second viewing of Bend and Break I noticed that Arizona gave away the ending in her very first words. She’s such a spoiler. In describing the components of the ‘triad of death’ Dr Robbins effectively nailed the coffin on her marriage before the episode had even got going... 

Uncontrollable bleeding, acidosis, cold, the triad of death - the point of no return. She was not describing fixing a broken leg, or even the difficult decision to amputate one. She was describing trying to save what little life is left at the point where it is almost hopeless. It was never going to be a happy ending and I’m vaguely annoyed with myself that I didn’t see that big fat clue from the opening narrative. 

Season eleven of Grey’s Anatomy, so far, seems to be the season of specials. Perhaps post Sandra Oh the writers decided to throw the rulebook away and redesign the show. Perhaps they were feeling nostalgic and wanted the editors to do a bit more work by having them go back and paste past clips? Whatever the reason we were treated to a third concentrated episode, delving deeper into one particular relationship to set up a very different kind of reality for these characters for the majority of the season. It’s working too. Bend and Break, while not as good as last week’s epic season buster Meredith centric feast (..and breathe), was a watchable feature that allowed us to look past the superficial and create some closure on a number of unanswered questions. 

I did not enjoy the episode, but then I was not supposed to. It was very good, the writing was truly compelling and honest, it was beautiful drama, but it was not pleasant. The outcome was welcome, though the journey painful, for the characters and the viewers. But maybe that was the point? Maybe the writers meant to make viewing awkward and itchy, not only this week but for the last few? Maybe this was a metaphor for their marriage and the story they were telling?

The marriage I refer to of course is Callie and Arizona’s. In 11.05 we finally got to see behind the closed doors of this struggling relationship and what we found was a car crash. Breaking up this couple after all the difficulty of the past few years was the kindest thing Shonda could do; kindness to the season, to the viewer, to the actors. It now gives us the opportunity to get to know both of these characters as individuals again rather than as a couple. It will make them both more interesting and watchable. It may even make them fun again and in the end it may bring them back together as a couple. 

Very quickly into the episode we were introduced to the couple’s therapy sessions and finally some dissection of the issues plaguing their relationship. Both women were irritating throughout and at times intolerable. Callie with her emotional whining self-absorption, Arizona with her self-interested clinical detachment. We saw the worst versions of them and this was deliberate. They were lost, to themselves and in themselves. Through their very different experiences of separation they emerge from the silos, one needy the other free. Arizona’s discovery is that she ‘needs’ Callie but we already knew this. This was her breakthrough in season nine. For her this separation was merely an affirmation of that and through her epic failure at work having the break consolidated that need, but she said nothing about her marriage or imagining life from Callie’s point of view. This is what motivates Callie’s epiphany. The effort of ‘fixing’ is tearing her down. The more Callie heard from Arizona the more she realized that happiness starts with self-love and it is absent. The freedom she felt was the separation from Arizona’s need. It wasn’t from Arizona, for it was clear throughout this episode that these two love each other hard. With grace and love and a commitment to shared parenting Callie tore them apart, for the good of them both. When it came it made complete sense. The only surprise perhaps was that Callie and not Arizona delivered the fatal line. Did you see that coming?

The writing was not wholly satisfactory though. While it is wonderful that Callie laughed during her 30 days and did lots of stuff, those in themselves should be benefits to a marriage not drawbacks. Relationships thrive when we get to have our own separate interests and passions away from couple-dom. This is what worked about Callie’s relationship with Mark. Yes it was problematic because of the parenting storyline, but over all she had her social release, her friendships away from her wife. And did she really do that much in the 30 days? I’ve seen Callie be much more hardcore and bad ass before, even within the marriage. Part of this was functional character linking. Bringing Meredith and Callie together as social partners opens up a new (or renewed from season nine) relationship avenue for the writers to exploit. Which brings me to the second unsatisfactory point – where was Bailey? Callie tells Meredith she has no one to talk to. Really? What happened to Bailey? Saying that, I would not take away from this new tequila twosome at all. Their vagina duologue track was possibly the very best scene to come out of the writer’s room in a very long time. I’m excited to see more of Meredith and Callie together. 

Though the marriage may be over I remain of the view that this is an end game couple. Subject to the actors’ own plans and decisions I can see Shondaland taking Callie and Arizona on a long journey to self-love circling back to each other. They may entangle themselves with others, they may even self destruct first but until shown otherwise the writers will eventually keep the faith. 
The love, the passion, remains. Though it’s worth remembering that this is Grey’s Anatomy so this is to be expected - Mark/Lexie, Cristina/Owen, Cristina/Burke, Alex/Izzie. The big relationships rarely fail in Grey’s because people just don’t love each other anymore. 

Bend and Break did not break me. It energized me to see what the writers have in store for these two. I came away both relieved and excited, ready for the fall out and new adventures. 

In case you missed it:
Did you notice a similarity in Callie’s break up speech to that given by Arizona at the airport”
7.07, That’s Me Trying: “You stay here and be happy and I'll go there and be happy”
11.05, Bend and Break: “I should love me, and you should love you, and together we love Sofia...”

What was Arizona wearing?
Callie swigging from a bottle of wine – is that normal?
Arizona has still not said she doesn’t want another child - foreshadow?

Meredith’s musings on Cristina as her true love and the glue in her relationship with Derek – very attuned piece of self awareness almost drowned out by tequila and vaginas.
So tell me...did an iceberg hit your ship? 

EDIT: Oh my. I forgot one of my key closing points. 
Callie beware. Callie beware. The choice you made may come around to bite you. The fall out of this will be a very angry Arizona. Callie has made this decision and we know that one of Arizona's real issues is that in her eyes Callie makes the decisions for her:
"I regret that you made a decision for me. You make all the choices and every time that I try to make a decision for myself its like you make me feel like I'm the most selfish person in the world."



Maxine (aka Brouhaha) is a Grey’s Anatomy devotee, from the very beginning and through the dark period of George and Izzie as a couple. Her other TV 'loves' include the British series Foyle's War, Criminal Minds and TBBT. In real life she's a new mum, self-employed and can often be found arguing about politics or current affairs, attempting to write fiction and buying hair products. Maxine reviews Grey's Anatomy. Got a question - go to Tumblr and ask!

To learn more about Maxine (Brouhaha), you can visit her Tumbler page or go to Spoiler TV and read more of her Grey's Anatomy reviews with comments from other fans. You can also follow Maxine on Twitter.

 Another pic that I found on Facebook; Derek lost me with this comment. 




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If you haven't watched Don't Start yet, which aired last night. There is a preview further down the page. 


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

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