I've registered from long time lurking just to say thank you to all the posters who can put into words what I'm feeling after watching this episode. You guys are amazing :)
MerDer deserved better, this show deserved better and Patrick deserved better. There were better ways to solve this situation if Patrick wanted out. Killing off a character is just a terrible solution for the fans that sticked with this show for 11 years. I mean - they did such a wonderful job with Sandra Oh leaving.
About the episode iteself - I hated how they kept showing that everything was fine - he survived the car crash! The cops came, but he's ok! (Meredith's hallucination). It was so, so manipulative of the viewer. Actually, the last few episodes were one huge not-so-subtle foreshadowing.
And let's not even start on the inconsistencies you guys mentioned in the storyline and regarding the accident...
The only part that I liked were the scenes at the hospital where Derek died - his voiceovers were heartbreaking, And of course Ellen was excellent.
I know that the people involved in the show don't owe us anything, but after this episode I feel cheated as a viewer. Grey's has been running for so long, that it became something of a safe haven for me - like a comfort blanket. It is the show that I watch the longest. And now they killed one of the core characters and it wasn't driven by the story but by behind the scenes drama. I know it happens, but I didn't expect it from Grey's. I'm grateful for the 11 seasons, but it is the first time that I wish they ended the series earlier - maybe it wouldn't have to come to this.
I kinda dread the next episodes even though I love the characters :( I just don't know how they can finish the show after next season (or whenever it wil be) and give the fans the payoff we deserve. And I don't think I will ever be able to watch reruns knowing how it all ends.
Lately, I was thinking about starting Scandal, but no way am I gonna give Shonda another chance to break my heart :)