S11.E21: How To Save A Life

[JessePinkman]

So which avclub or vulture or EW (haha) writer is going to write the thinkpiece about how Grey's and Scandal have totally gone off the rails this season?

 

What a mess! And the season started out so promising. And I thought the last 3 episodes were getting so good. So naturally we get this. I didn't care for Derek or Dempsey but they've made the same mistake DH did when they killed off Mike. You just killed off one half of a very popular coupling close to the show's end. Unfortunately it means the show won't be remembered that fondly. At least not for this storyline or couple. And they were The Couple.

 

I wonder what excuse they'll make for Cristina not coming back for Derek's funeral. It'll probably just be work but that makes me sad, Cristina is Meredith's better half.

[jschoolgirl]

Yeah, and the neuro guy had the nerve to tell Meredith, "It was an honor..."

An honor to kill him?

[dabronx]

Any doctors or doctor's spouses out there? Is it actually conceivable that an on-call neuro surgeon gets informed patient is opened up on the surgery table with the trauma Derek had and he says ah fuck it. I hear the cheesecake here is fantastic. I'm staying through desert. And maybe even coffee after. 

[Sims Addict]

There were backstage "issues," and I don't think there is any love lost between PD and SR. With that said, she really only had three options: (1) send him to D.C. in perpetuity with random voiceover phone calls to imply he and Meredith are still together, (2) have them separate due to an affair, with an inevitable Dear Meredith letter at the end of the season saying he wants a divorce and give her full custody (highly unlikely), or (3) kill him off/incapacitate him in a coma or some other vegetative state.

 

Since SR has a penchant for the drah-mah, we all see what she went with in the end. I'm indifferent to Derek but I do sympathize with those of you who are so upset. It sucks when a beloved character goes out like a chump.  I'm just glad she didn't kill off Christina at the end of last season. Now, Amelia and Jo can kick rocks at any time...

[MrsRafaelBarba]

Shonda has ripped of ER throughout the decade.

So just like Doug and Carol being MIA for Mark Greene's memorial, no Yang and Amelia fills

The immediate family quota.

[HughOS]

Med student here. No. It just would not happen. The other doc mentioned how being on call he was supposed to be there within 20 minutes. The circumstances would be enough for disciplinary action and definitely grounds for being struck off.

[java23]

I have always been a Derek fan but over the last few seasons I could have cared less about this show and watch it on and off. Mostly off so I do not really care that he died. But the end, when the played How to Save a Life I started crying.

 

Love, how there where enough cars on that road to get in an accident but at the same time not enough to drive by and get help.

 

Not buying the lack of trauma ones in the area. Or the ability to get a helicopter to get him to trauma one.

You'd be surprised. I live right near one and the closest to that one is like 30 miles away and that is Chicagoland. Bigger than Seattle by far

[MrsRafaelBarba]

Any doctors or doctor's spouses out there? Is it actually conceivable that an on-call neuro surgeon gets informed patient is opened up on the surgery table with the trauma Derek had and he says ah fuck it. I hear the cheesecake here is fantastic. I'm staying through desert. And maybe even coffee after.

His ass probably had some drinks as well.

SMDH.

[nolieblue]

God, I hope Derek's death doesn't mean we get more Amelia. I would choose to keep an intern over Amelia. 

 

I'm a MerDer fan but more than anything I'm a Mer fan. How much is one person supposed to have to deal with in one lifetime?

 

Whatever the bad blood between PD and SR, you don't just dump a long-time cast member overboard like that.

 

This was badly done, badly done indeed.

[chrisvee]

I guess Mer will own another hospital next season after she sues the crap out of that one.

[izabella]

I do not understand this timeline.  Derek left in the morning for the airport.  When did the White House call Meredith to tell her that Derek missed his meeting?  Was it the same day Derek left, or the next day? 

[StaceyNotStacie]

I still can't believe they went there.  

 

I thought EP and PD were great in this episode, but Amelia was glaringly absent in the episode.  As soon as they found out who he was, they should have immediately called her along with Meredith.  

 

The fact that they mentioned the lack of CT scan makes me wonder if there will be some sort of lawsuit or investigation in the future.  I don't know what type of hospital this is, but I wouldn't be surprised if it immediately becomes part of the Grey-Sloane conglomerate after this, if the hospital stays open.  Nobody is going to want to be a part of that hospital once it is known that they were medically negligent and part of the reason a world-renowned neurosurgeon (one working for the President) died.

[JessePinkman]

Shonda has ripped of ER throughout the decade.

So just like Doug and Carol being MIA for Mark Greene's memorial, no Yang and Amelia fills

 

You know what Doug and Carol got? LOVELY EXITS! Why can't she ever rip that off?

 

I don't even get emotional when she kills off a character on Grey's, haven't cried once, not one sniffle or cough or whatever else you do when you cry but goddammit this is some lazy, emotionally manipulative writing. Now we get to watch Meredith mad and sad the rest of the season and most of next year? Isn't that what we did the first half of this year?

[bonniejmac]

I guess Mer will own another hospital next season after she sues the crap out of that one.

 

This is exactly what my mom and I said,

[dabronx]

Med student here. No. It just would not happen. The other doc mentioned how being on call he was supposed to be there within 20 minutes. The circumstances would be enough for disciplinary action and definitely grounds for being struck off.

That's what I thought. Afterall it is "First, do no harm" not "First, CHEESECAKE!" ... or so I hear. Best wishes for you in your studies!

[MilkMachine]

I guess we can look forward to Meredith being a stone cold nasty bitch from here on out as she was for much of this season.

 

What kind of person finds out their husband is brain dead in an ICU and decides to pull the plug before even calling a friend or family member?

 

They made it seem like she was only there for an hour or two. I don't care how badly they needed a bed (in a non-trauma hospital); seems really assy to tell her to just go ahead and get it over with.

[hoosiermom]

I'm crying too hard to comment.

[MrsRafaelBarba]

You know what Doug and Carol got? LOVELY EXITS! Why can't she ever rip that off?

I don't even get emotional when she kills off a character on Grey's, haven't cried once, not one sniffle or cough or whatever else you do when you cry but goddammit this is some lazy, emotionally manipulative writing. Now we get to watch Meredith mad and sad the rest of the season and most of next year? Isn't that what we did the first half of this year?

Meredith will probably go Dark and Twisty having sex with random men or attempt suicide.

Edited April 24, 2015 by MrsRafaelBarba

[Fostersmom]

You know it's a sucky episode when I spent half the episode thinking how old he looked, wondered why Sidney from Parenthood still hadn't learned to shut her mouth while I was thinking of ways to cut off her pigtails , literally yelled out WHAT THE FUCK when his car was hit, only cried 5 tears when the song started playing (and I cry at everything and anything), and then spent the last minutes of the show willing Cristina to show up. 

[AnythingCanBe]

Wow.  Despite all the anvils, I couldn't fully believe they'd go through with that until the very end. 

 

I'm not a huge Derek fan, so I won't lose any sleep over this, but even I wish this episode had been done better.  Add me to the chorus of people who wish he hadn't died as a result of medical incompetence.  It just seems wrong.  Sucks for a neurosurgeon to lose one of the best in the field on his table.  I guess he'll be shut out of all the good conferences for the rest of his career.

 

The only thing that touched my cold dead heart a little bit was thinking about the kids.  They won't even remember their dad, other than maybe a few memories for Zola.

Edited April 24, 2015 by AnythingCanBe

[SoapDoc]

 

Med student here. No. It just would not happen. The other doc mentioned how being on call he was supposed to be there within 20 minutes. The circumstances would be enough for disciplinary action and definitely grounds for being struck off.

Physician here. I agree. There would be so much drama -- loss of hospital privileges and so on -- that no surgeon would let that happen. That's why they give you the 20 minute response time and you don't plan much that you can't leave. I remember leaving Packers football games when my pager went off. That was the job.

 

The hospital and those doctors should be worried as well -- not getting a CT scan opens them up to a world of liability.

Edited April 24, 2015 by SoapDoc

[AnitaM86]

Fuck this show. 

 

Seriously.

 

I really liked Derek. I really did. What a shitty way to kill him. I did enjoy his hero moment during the first crash. 

 

I guess I'm sort of done. Sigh.

 

Oh and Winnie is the best character in GA ever. I love that kid. 

[brightside]

Am I the only one angry that Derek has to share a 'death song' with Denny? He doesn't even get his own song? Really, Shonda?

[BizBuzz]

Shonda has some closeness to that song ... Denny, Callie and now Derek.  Geesh Louise.

[MrsRafaelBarba]

Derek's death was on camera, but still equally as bad as Tara's on True Blood.

Who died off screen, before the damn opening credits.

[upperco]

Although I never thought the show would go there, the news this week made it clear that Dempsey was leaving. I am excited that the show still takes risks, and because his character has always been underutilized and underdeveloped, I don't think Derek's departure is a creative detriment to the show. However, I do think this will hurt the ratings, which will reduce the budget and weaken the show's power at ABC. 

 

As for the episode itself, things were reasonably well written until Derek was taken to the hospital, where we got Dempsey's sappy voice over, the try-hard melodramatic song covers, and a host of incompetent doctors whose negligence was used as an excuse for Derek's death. Very strange and nasty route for Rhimes to take. Also, Meredith giving a pep talk to the female surgeon rang convenient and false. 

 

But I thought Pompeo's cold performance was exceptional and the final scene was some of her best work on this show. So I'm excited to see what's next for Meredith. Her arc has always been the one in which I'm the most invested, but because this is a drama series, I love it when she suffers. I hope her upcoming material is well written, but with this episode as a warning, I won't be holding my breath. 

Edited April 24, 2015 by upperco

[jschoolgirl]

Meredith will probably go Dark and Twisty having sex with random men or attempt suicide.

Edited by MrsRafaelBarba, 8 minutes ago

--------

Yes, she will make an attempt. The Ellis flashbacks tell us all we need to know.

[pennben]

 

And I thought the last 3 episodes were getting so good. So naturally we get this.

 

You really thought the last three episodes were leading to anywhere other than this?  Might I interest you in a sale of anvils?:)

Edited April 24, 2015 by pennben

[Trillium]

If you are going to kill off a main character, fucking do it right. The episode was super boring, like I skipped through the whole them on the road and his inner monologue because it was so dull. it's not that he died. Much like the shitfest that was the HIMYM finale, execution is everything.

[LakeLover]

I believe the only reason I'm not a sobbing mess is that I know it all happened because of Shonda's fuckery. It's that stupid.

 

I'm sad he's gone, but glad to have this show out of my life. I wish Patrick all the best, and hope he finds happiness, and gets a great cable show to highlight his ability.

 

Interesting that in his EW interview, he remained as classy ever. Shonda, take note.

Edited April 24, 2015 by LakeLover

[RealityCowgirl]

So. That happened. Never deeply invested in individual characters , just watched over the years and accepted for what it was. But that sucked all around. And felt like "same old, same old..." Not even sure what that means. Still numb.

Edited April 24, 2015 by RealityCowgirl

[SilverShadow]

Didn't watch the episode, but I had to post to say that I cannot believe they literally Matthew Crawley'd Derek. Car crash involving a truck and all. I've only watched Grey's intermittently for a looong time, but I doubt I'll ever go back after this.

[jschoolgirl]

Addison -- who cheated on Derek with his best friend -- got a great sendoff from PP! (A terrible show, I might add.)

And I love Addison.

[JessePinkman]

You really thought the last three episodes were leading to anywhere other than this?  Might I interest you in a sale of anvils?:)

 

Oh no I was pretty sure he was going to die but I thought it might be well-written. I thought George, Lexie and Mark's deaths were well-handled. Even Teddy's husband's death felt more emotionally resonate than this.

[statsgirl]

His ass probably had some drinks as well.

Still disciplinary action. You're not supposed to drink when you're on call.

The incompetence of the doctors at the hospital was aggravating. Worse was how they didn't seem to care until they found out he was a surgeon.  Terrible writing.

 

Is there anyone out there who liked this episode?

[Deputy Deputy CoS]

Meredith's quite grieve killed me. KILLED ME.

 

It is a crime that EP is overlooked during award season.

 

She alone made what should be an iconic episode, but instead was a shoddy hour of television, work. PD also sold Derek's love for Meredith when he was talking about the first kiss.

[Erratic]

Is there anyone out there who liked this episode?

Me!

I don't know about y'all, but I am looking forward to a new Dark and Twisty Meredith. It's who she is. Even Cristina (and Meredith herself) hated 'happy married Meredith!

Bring on the pain!

And, although not a huge Derek fan, I thought he had a much nicer exit than George or Mark.

Let's just see the numbers for next week's 2 hour episode- I doubt all the "I'll never watch again" will miss it.

Edited April 24, 2015 by Erratic

[CleoCaesar]

Now we get to watch Meredith mad and sad the rest of the season and most of next year? Isn't that what we did the first half of this year?

 

 

...and every season for the past 11 years.

 

Isiah Washington, Katherine Heigl, TR Knight, Eric Dane, Chyler Leigh, Sandra Oh, Patrick Dempsey... does any other major showrunner have this many issues with her core cast members? Shonda seems like a nightmare of a boss and so many of her regulars seem to run far away.

Literally the ONLY way Grey's can be saved now is if Sandra Oh comes back, even temporarily. Fat chance, but still.

 

Lifetime just started reruns of the whole series again. Watching them now feels pointless, knowing how it's all going to go to shit.

Edited April 24, 2015 by CleoCaesar

[StaceyNotStacie]

Meredith will probably go Dark and Twisty having sex with random men or attempt suicide.

Edited by MrsRafaelBarba, 8 minutes ago

--------

Yes, she will make an attempt. The Ellis flashbacks tell us all we need to know.

 

As soon as she introduced herself as Dr. Meredith Grey, I was hoping that she would throw a line that she was the daughter of Ellis Grey.  As soon as they knew that he was a doctor and his name was Derek, they should have immediately known who he was.  I'm guessing the hospital is somewhere near Seattle and with the plane crash, shootings, etc., he would have been in the news and other media multiple times.  Considering where the accident happened, wouldn't the police officers who were at the scene of the original accident have known who he was and what happened?  Someone should have known who he was instead of him being a John Doe.

[Amelie06]

I can't believe they did it. Cristina was lucky to escape. I would have appreciated Derek's accident not being so dumb. Tell me again why a grown ass adult thought it was important to block traffic and hunt for his phone? Pull over!

 

I also can't understand why we had to see so much of the other hospital staff. I don't care about the ginger lady doc's issues. I just don't. I thought the fake out with a healthy Derek was cheap as hell.

 

This fucking show. Let's see how our originals have fared since the first season...

 

1. George - dead

2. Izzy - cancer --> lethally annoying

3. Meredith - dead husband; ferry accident; mass shooting induced miscarriage; plane crash!

4, Bailey - several mental breakdowns that should have cost her the job

5. Richard - electrocuted; dead wife

6. Derrick - shot; plane crash; killed in inappropriate parking incident

7. Cristina - stabbed with an icicle; plane crash; mental breakdown

8. Alex - shot; addicted to crazy chicks

[Tooch]

I wish a reporter would have the balls to ask Shonda why she has so little creativity. All she ever does is kill characters off. She's basically the TV writer version of Mr. Brady in the Brady Bunch Movie, when all his architect designs are of the same house.

 

No one knows THAT many people in real life who have died young and tragically. I have lost one friend to a car accident in high school 20 years ago, and one other friend to cancer. People on Grey's have lost like, double digits of close friends and colleagues. Seattle Grace Mercy Death indeed.

 

A terminal illness would be realistic/touching. But no, on this show, people with terminal cancer are miraculously cured but perfectly healthy people are hit by buses, shot in the head, crashed in planes, electrocuted (lol, poor Mousey RIP), and done in by negligent doctors. It's ridiculous. And worst of all, it's boring. Shonda is the worst, and I'm very glad I have never watched Scandal or HTGAWM.

Edited April 24, 2015 by Tooch

[java23]

Right. Adele was the only natural death.

I always thought they missed the boat by not doing a drug addiction story in full, or a suicide...both common in the medical profession, no?

It would be fun if one of the doctors was found murdered...da da da

[BooksRule]

I know the whole 'Derek narrates' thing was a little cheesy, but I found it a little creepy as well.  I thought to myself that it would be so horrible to be totally aware that you were on the way to certain death because no one was doing anything right.  Of course, he was still narrating when he was supposed to be unconscious, so we're back to cheese.  The concept is scary to me, though.

 

I think we saw more of their kids in this episode than we've seen in a long time.

 

Everything else I was thinking about this episode has already been said by somebody else.

[Laurie4H]

And it's unrealistic how you can drown, be shot, in a coma etc....and never have any long lasting effects?

[Chicken Wing]

I wish a reporter would have the balls to ask Shonda why she has so little creativity.

 

An actor wants to leave the show. We reduce that character's screentime over the course of the season, and make it look like they're going to be written out by taking a job out of town. Practically the second they step out the door, they get creamed in a traffic accident, end up braindead and finally taken off life support.

 

Am I talking about Derek or George? Little creativity, indeed.

[ParadoxLost]

The fact that they mentioned the lack of CT scan makes me wonder if there will be some sort of lawsuit or investigation in the future.

 

I really doubt it.  Between this and Alex's father death I get the feeling that they all know they can screw up in a way that kills people. But doctors don't sue doctors even if they kill your family, but hire a plane and you are done for.

 

I thought the first part was strong.  But death by cliché; pull out into the street, fumble around not paying attetion, and get hit by a truck. I wonder how many shows we could list that had this scene.  I know I've seen it a lot. 

 

Its really a shame that they decided to spend they episode on an abstract ironic tragedy.  If Derek got put in the right ambulance.  The horror, Derek, a brain surgeon, couldn't tell them what to do.  He's a brain surgeon that is brain dead.  I think they made the doctors so inept just to set up the Meredith fantasy that Derek was ok just to pull the rug out from under viewers.  It was all very clinical.  MerDer were able to put in good performances when they were allowed to try which wasn't often.

 

I have not watched this show much lately, but unlike other deaths and departures of characters I liked much better, this one felt like 'yeah, shows over'. 

 

How are they going to explain no Cristina at the funeral?

Edited April 24, 2015 by ParadoxLost

[Greysaddict]

so much to say, hope I can articulate it all.  First, that was a crappy episode.  It didn't even feel written by Shonda...i know she can do better.  I agree with many of you above, so much shade thrown at PD.  They tried real hard to seem like Derek was taken to some incompetent hospital which sucked.  Also to echo many of you....why would't Meredith have called Amelia?  Makes no sense.  Although I guess they were trying to show us Meredith being a competent doctor knowing there was nothing anyone could do.  Shonda really loves her "irony" with the latest tragedy being world renowned neurosurgeon dying from a brain bleed.

 

Damn, Ellen Pompeo really killed those finally scenes....she is great at acting "cold" and definitely over looked when it comes to accolades.  

 

However, as bad as the episode was...Shonda and her minions got what they want.  This thread has more action since coming to PTV and its only 2 hrs after the east coast airing.  I am sure the ratings will be up significantly and all those people who claim "won't watch anymore" will be back next week.  

 

I can't even begin to make sense of this timeline.  But for those of you in promo thread...did anyone notice the time on Derek's car said 7:45p before and after the accident.  opps.

[Julie23]

I almost turned this off before it was over but I thought he would survive after all. The thread this show was hanging on just broke. TGIT my ass. Deleted Scandal after the kidnapping disaster of a plot, now bye bye Grays.

I'll never watch another Shonda show again!

Edited April 24, 2015 by Julie23

[LakeLover]

so much to say, hope I can articulate it all.  First, that was a crappy episode.  It didn't even feel written by Shonda...i know she can do better.  I agree with many of you above, so much shade thrown at PD.  They tried real hard to seem like Derek was taken to some incompetent hospital which sucked.  Also to echo many of you....why would't Meredith have called Amelia?  Makes no sense.  Although I guess they were trying to show us Meredith being a competent doctor knowing there was nothing anyone could do.  Shonda really loves her "irony" with the latest tragedy being world renowned neurosurgeon dying from a brain bleed.

 

Damn, Ellen Pompeo really killed those finally scenes....she is great at acting "cold" and definitely over looked when it comes to accolades.  

 

However, as bad as the episode was...Shonda and her minions got what they want.  This thread has more action since coming to PTV and its only 2 hrs after the east coast airing.  I am sure the ratings will be up significantly and all those people who claim "won't watch anymore" will be back next week.  

 

I can't even begin to make sense of this timeline.  But for those of you in promo thread...did anyone notice the time on Derek's car said 7:45p before and after the accident.  opps.

 

 

I think you may be underestimating fans' anger over this. First of all, from the EW article, Patrick did not want to leave. Without saying it, he sounded like he was very surprised. Secondly, no need to tune in. Anything I want to see I'll find on Youtube, and there really isn't anything left for me to see. Meredith mourning? No thanks. Moving on? No thanks. Her children asking where their father is? Really, really entertaining.

[william0102]

Okay, I read the EW article with PD, and I don't think he'd lie. Shonda is not trolling, this was just a shitty episode. Can't stand Derek, but he deserved a better death than that. She must have really been pissed with PD to write such a crappy episode.