S11.E21: How To Save A Life

[Bama]

Fuck Shonda in the ear.

[brightside]

All the flashbacks accomplished was making me think "Man. This show used to be really good."

 

And now I think I'll have trouble rewatching those early episodes I love so much (mostly for the MerDer of it all) knowing how this character's story ends. Such a terrible way to end what was really the DNA of this show for many, many years.

[Artsda]

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.

While both men died. Plane and Truck crash. Both brain dead.

[RedheadZombie]

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

 

My dream scenario -

 

Even though Cristina blows off the funeral (which she would never do, but it's Shondaland), she knows Meredith needs her and takes a leave of absence.  She swoops in to support Mer and take care of the kids, because even though she doesn't want any of her own, she's fantastic with Meredith's.  Cristina is also the only person who realizes just how dark Meredith will become.  She keeps Meredith from completely passing to the dark side.

 

Even though Addison has moved on, Derek was the love of her life and biggest regret.  She shows up for the funeral, and reveals she's now got a third specialty - Neurosurgery.  Amelia runs away from her problems (again) and Addison takes her job.  Her adorable son and Benjamin Bratt move with her.  Jake takes a job at Grey-Sloan as fertility specialist.

 

Always overly invested in Meredith and Derek's HEA, Izzie returns for the funeral.  Alex realizes he's never gotten over her, and after being dumped, Jo takes bestie Stephanie, and leaves town.  JC gets the story line he's waited forever for, and his character replaces Derek as romantic male lead.  He convinces Izzie to stick around, and they live in Meredith's old house together.

 

Dr. Burke is the surprise visitor to the funeral.  He reveals that ever since seeing Cristina again, he realizes she was the one.  His wife has tragically died (along with his precious children), and he realizes he should have married Cristina all those years ago.  Having already accepted she'll never want children, unlike Hunt, he never pressures her to change.  He becomes mentor to Maggie. 

 

The end.

[CleoCaesar]

RedheadZombie, I will perform any kind of sacrifice to the TV gods to get your fantasy script for Grey's to actually happen. It's perfect.

HEAR THAT, SHON? Viewers care about the old classic characters. Not this whiny new generation of losers we don't know or like (Maggie, Ben, Stephanie, Jo, whatever other interns you bring in).

[HeatLifer]

I've never posted here, and probs. won't again, lol, but I'm so done with this show. Thanks, Shonda!

Edited April 24, 2015 by HeatLifer

[dvr devotee]

I keep typing things and deleting them. But, this:

 

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'. 

 

is exactly how I feel. When Lexie and Mark died, I felt like that helped open up more storylines (even if the ensuing Calzona relationship issues were just way too OTT to me), so, while they were really sad (and, oh, how I sobbed over those episodes), they made sense. Killing Derek makes no sense. There was maybe one more decent season left of this show, and Shonda was too much of an egomaniacal jerk to just hold Patrick to his contract for another year. Oh no, all the actors who dare say boo to the indomitable Ms. Rhimes must be smited.

 

So now Meredith, who is now a mother of two, gets to go back to being all dark and twisty again, except without having the benefit of her twisted sister, Cristina. Great. This show is going to end with Meredith turning into her mother, which is really the antithesis of what it seemed the show was trying to tell me for the past ten freaking years.

 

I won't say I'll never watch this show again, although the last ten minutes of this episode was actually the first Grey's I've watched since they went on winter break. I will, in all likelihood, just see it through till the bitter end (although I will most likely 'see it through' several weeks behind, thanks to the DVR). But I will never watch another Shonda Rhimes show again. TGIT my ass.

Edited April 24, 2015 by dvr devotee

[stopthestatic]

I wouldn't mind seeing Izzie again. I really wouldn't. If it was early seasons Izzie, pre George hook up. Also, I ALWAYS love seeing Addison. 

 

ETA: Also, yeah.. this is going to be a random funeral and missing some people. It's going to be a bunch of people who only knew Derek for two years at most(the interns), Hunt, Bailey, Amelia, Webber, April, Jackson.. and obviously random extras who I guess will represent other members of the hospital.. in the real world, I think Addison, Izzie, and Christina will show up. And also Derek's other family members, like his mom and his other sisters.

 

It's going to be absolutely idiotic that Derek's mother, sisters, brother-in-laws and nieces and nephews won't be at his funeral. Not to mention Addison. They really should've skipped the funeral.

[funnygirl]

*sits back and watches the ratings drop every episode for the rest of the series* 

[Artsda]

It's going to be absolutely idiotic that Derek's mother, sisters, brother-in-laws and nieces and nephews won't be at his funeral. Not to mention Addison. They really should've skipped the funeral.

No more idiotic than all the other times they didn't show up. When he planned to marry in the church wedding, when he almost got died after being shot, when he had a baby....

[Greysaddict]

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.

I don't mean any one here or even the die hard fans on twitter.  I am talking about the 8 million people who watch on a weekly basis.  I do believe the ratings will drop some, but I don't see it completely tanking. 

 

I am a die hard MerDer fan myself and I am incredibly angry as well.  But, I enjoy this show and all the ensemble cast and i will tune in next week to see how Meredith (and the rest of the cast) deals and where the show goes from here.  

 

All the flashbacks accomplished was making me think "Man. This show used to be really good."

 

And now I think I'll have trouble rewatching those early episodes I love so much (mostly for the MerDer of it all) knowing how this character's story ends. Such a terrible way to end what was really the DNA of this show for many, many years.

FWIW, i completely agree with this.  

[chrisvee]

8. Alex - shot; addicted to crazy chicks

Classic! Best laugh I've had all night.

[pennben]

 

*sits back and watches the ratings drop every episode for the rest of the series*

 

...like any show that is 10/11 years old...happy watching!

 

 

I've never posted here, and probs. won't again, lol, but I'm so done with this show. Thanks, Shonda!

 

I like the thank you at the end.  That's nice!

Edited April 24, 2015 by pennben

[Brian Cronin]

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.

I don't think he wanted to leave THIS way, but he definitely was fine with leaving. 

[gigi1701]

I read the spoiler, not that we didn't know something was up last week. But the descriptions of the actual episode... I can't believe they did that to Derek, what a severe disappointment, I am not bothering to watch this episode, and most likely not another one as we have to deal with the aftermath of such an incredibly stupid storyline.

 

Nope, I am done, finally off the Shondaland roller coaster, I can't stand Scandal and I never ever started with the murder show. Too bad, I will miss Callie and Richard.

 

RIP Grey's.

[dvr devotee]

It's going to be absolutely idiotic that Derek's mother, sisters, brother-in-laws and nieces and nephews won't be at his funeral. Not to mention Addison. They really should've skipped the funeral.

Oh, come on, it's obvious how they'll get around this. Meredith will go crazy and pull a Jean Kasem, and take Derek's body away to some far-away country he had no connection to in order to be buried, keeping it away from his family. No funeral to miss!

 

Because, really, a woman who:

has lost (to death) her dog, her mother (first in mind, then in body), her stepmother, her father, her half-sister, her other half-sister (where did Molly go after she gave birth to that kid? must be dead), two close friends (Mark and George); had fallings-out with two of her best friends (Izzie and Cristina), so much so that they don't even seem to speak to her at all anymore; had a near-miss of exploding due to placing her hand on a bomb in a body; drowned in a ferry accident and was dead for like an hour during which time she went to purgatory and talked to dead people, including her freshly-dead-mother; was involved in a workplace shooting, during which time she watched her husband be shot, watched her best friend operate on her husband, watched her best friend operate on her husband while a gun was pointed at her head, at which point her husband 'died', causing her to lose her baby in early pregnancy; lost her job due to tampering with a clinical trial, which she only did to save her pseudo-daddy's wife's life; lost her adopted daughter due to aforementioned job loss; was in a fucking plane crash; had interns perform a c-section on her in the middle of a crazy storm with no power, and nearly bled out; and had her newest half-sister, who was the product of her cold mommy and pseudo-daddy's illicit affair, show up as the replacement for the role vacated by the person she called My Person

 

and had ALL OF THIS happen in the timespan (on the show) of approximately six or seven years? There is no way that woman would still be sane.

 

Seriously, I am so pissed that Meredith lives through all of this ridiculous bullshit, but her husband dies because the rinky-dink hospital he ended up at didn't give him a fucking head CT. GMAFB.

[ChicksDigScars]

This episode was complete and utter trash and I am so angry.

To have Derek die in such a pathetic, undignified way due to other doctors screwing up. To have him be left braindead and narrating it as some kind of bitter irony. It is a disgusting slap in the face to fans. Disgusting. Patrick may have wanted off the show. He and Shonda may have clashed but the way she has orchestrated his characters exit is so petty and so downright mean to viewers.

 

SO agree. Despite Dempsey's reduced role as of late, this is one of the cornerstone characters of Grey's Anatomy. Meredith and Derek were the heart and soul of the show. Bailey, Alex and Richard may also be original cast members and major characters, but they aren't the central characters. To simply kill Derek off in a shitty fucking episode in April, like he was a throw away Mercy Wester, is unconscionable. Derek's death didn't even warrant a fucking Sweeps episode, or a season fucking finale. Shonda just flipped a big fat middle finger to the fans who have watched this show for years (AND Patrick Dempsey). To the fans who kept watching as she made stupid decision after stupid decision (like Izzie and George sleeping together, the Mercy West clusterfuck, Mark's stupid long lost pregnant daughter, Alex and Mashed Potato Face Ava, Owen and the annoying kid that lasted way too many episodes).  I'm more livid than I should be over a TV show.

 

 I haven't been this pissed at a TV show since Friends revealed that Ross was Emma's father (that cost me a remote control. I threw it. Against a wall. There was no Twitter back then to vent on) and Roseanne won the fucking lottery.   I couldn't watch Scandal tonight because it stank of Shondaland and I was too pissed to watch it. I watched hockey instead. Less violence.

Edited April 24, 2015 by ChicksDigScars

[LakeLover]

I don't think he wanted to leave THIS way, but he definitely was fine with leaving. 

 

Do you know him? Has he said that to you?

[Racj82]

Not once in my 32 years on this earth has a death made me quit a show and neither will this one. Every time a character dies that is much beloved and outrage comes, I generally meet it with a shoulder shrug. It sucks that he's gone. I was way more broken up about George's death but still, no outrage. Characters die on tv shows. Even the important ones. I'll live and will be watching next week.

 

How he died? I was more upset about the truck out of nowhere that television has worn the fuck out. ABC in particular between Alias, SHIELD and here alone. Stop it TV. It's not shocking anymore.

 

As for him not going to OUR hospital and at least getting proper care. That's life. Usually in situations like these, we would have gotten him to the hospital and every one in the cast would have done a bunch of heroics to save him and fail but that's not always the way it goes and it's predictable as hell. And it was indeed sad that the man with all the answers was left in the hands of people who just didn't have to means to help him.

 

We are getting two hours of drama at our hospital next week so we didn't need it this week. And this was already set up last week. Based on last week, there was no way we were going to be seeing Derek interact with the regulars. He had to have died somewhere else.

Edited April 24, 2015 by Racj82

[Greysaddict]

Derek's death didn't even warrant a fucking Sweeps episode, or a season fucking finale. 

I agree with most of what you said, but I just wanted to point out today is the first day of the May sweep so at least he got that much.

[Trebuchette]

All I want is for the Ice Queen (meredith) to kill herself. I'll watch for that. I didn't think the episode was that bad until the Dark Cloud arrived and looked like someone had interrupted her stupid "me time". Cops: "Your husband was in an accident." Ice Queen: "Look bitches, I have kids. Ain't nobody got time for that! —Oh F, let me get my purse... c'mon kids, let's go shut daddy off."

 

Shonda wrote Mer with no soul. Seriously, that promo for next week made me feel GOOD because at least several actors (or  well-written characters) acted upset. Bailey: "Oh, where's Derek?" Meredith rolls eyes: "He's dead. Charts?" And everyone NORMAL has a heart attack and cries and shows some feelings. Meredith ...she must think she hopped on over to TVD. PLEASE let Arizona rip her leg off and beat Meredith to death.

And another thing: what is the "person" dumb b had? No: Cristina was NOT "your person", Meredith. Alex doesn't want you climbing into bed with him! It's WEIRD! Girl is like, 50 years old, and now she has no "person" (or "run Alex run!!"). Maybe one of her new sisters/sisters-in-law will take her for a long walk on the pier. Those kids are going to be MESSED UP if someone doesn't finish Meredith off. I'm liking Stephanie 100% better than No Soul.

 

(Now if she gets on Jimmy K Live in a few minutes and doesn't joke about PD's leaving the show, and maybe even says Shonda can't write worth a damn, or something else cool, my feelings about Pompeo will change. But right now, I want her character Meredith to die. Alone. Slowly. At Guantanamo Bay. Waterboarded. Then go to Hell. —and I'm a pacifist, but I'd WATCH that while eating popcorn.)

[Greysaddict]

SO agree. Despite Dempsey's reduced role as of late, this is one of the cornerstone characters of Grey's Anatomy. Meredith and Derek were the heart and soul of the show. 

You know, we've all known something bad was coming basically since Derek returned from DC in the "kiss' episode (which in hindsight...was that really necessary??).  But if you look at this season as whole the writing was on the wall since January.  The is 100% Shonda's MO.....reduce characters screen time and then kill them off.  She really in vindictive.  

[Racj82]

I agree with most of what you said, but I just wanted to point out today is the first day of the May sweep so at least he got that much.

That's barely a thing anymore. There are shocking moments happening on tv shows all season now. We have winter finales that have nothing to do with sweeps.

[Starscream]

Feel bad for MerDer fans, he dies due to medical incompetence.

Also initial indifference, aside from the lady doc and those he saved.

The other doc had NFTG until learning Derek was a Surgeon.

If Derek wasn't already McDreamy enough, every other noteworthy man/boy in this episode was a stupid jackass.

[Greysaddict]

That's barely a thing anymore. There are shocking moments happening on tv shows all season now. We have winter finales that have nothing to do with sweeps.

Yes, I know that.  I was just responding to the poster who said "Derek's death didn't even warrant a fucking Sweeps episode".  

[Bama]

My calendar says today is April 23rd.

 

When did that become the first day of May?

[Madding crowd]

I admit I cried my eyes out and hated Derek dying at the hands of a horrible person like that neuro guy. It also hit too close to home. Last year a family member died after he hit a deer, got out of his car to push it off the road (he called his fiancé  to say he was scared someone else would get into an accident) and then got hit and killed himself. Not the same thing, but it brought up the feelings anyway.

 

Meredith was supposed to be in shock I guess, but she did come off as being kind of cold. Hated the teaser that McDreamy was really alive and well. They certainly should have called Amelia. Also didn't like that it appeared none of the hospital staff tried to find out who he was until the little girl spoke up. This has to be the worst hospital every on TV.

[Greysaddict]

My calendar says today is April 23rd.

 

When did that become the first day of May?

TV "sweep" months don't corelate to the calendar. Nielsen sets the sweep time frame based on a variety of factors. This years May sweep runs April 23rd-May 20th. Sweeps also always start on a Thursday and end on a Wednesday. The May sweep will almost always finish before Memorial Day.

[pennben]

 

I haven't been this pissed at a TV show since Friends revealed that Ross was Emma's father (that cost me a remote control.

 

Oh, I miss Friends and Ross...carrying the couch up the stairs....PIVOT....PIVOT....

 

We'll get through this.

[Betweenthisandthat]

reduce characters screen time and then kill them off.

 

I was a big George O'Malley fan and I stopped watching the show around the time he started slipping away from the show and getting less screen time after the debacle that was Gizzie.  I've watched the big episodes since then like Sandra Oh's final episode and some of the plan crash episode or at least as much of that as I could watch.  

 

It's TV and doesn't matter, but when George got killed off, after Gizzie and Izzie's tumor sex with Denny episodes, I felt like Shonda didn't respect some of the characters and was a reckless storyteller and I lost faith and trust in her vision.  It's sad to see that no much has changed.  I wasn't a MerDer fan and didn't care much about either of them when I watched.  I preferred George, Alex, Cristina and even Izzie to them but I know that they were popular and one of the main reasons for the show's success so it's shocking to hear that Derek was killed off.  I don't know what other options Shonda had but I don't trust her storytelling.  It was a bold choice and it could give Grey's new life, but I honestly can't see it being good for the show.  

Edited April 24, 2015 by Betweenthisandthat

[Racj82]

Yes, I know that.  I was just responding to the poster who said "Derek's death didn't even warrant a fucking Sweeps episode".  

I didn't mean anything against you personally, I've ready one to many "this isn't even may sweeps" comments already.

[jjj]

And now I think I'll have trouble rewatching those early episodes I love so much (mostly for the MerDer of it all) knowing how this character's story ends. Such a terrible way to end what was really the DNA of this show for many, many years.

Yes, the ending of "How I Met Your Mother" made me unable to ever watch any earlier episode again, because the creators said they knew the ending from the beginning.  Here, at least, it was more improvised, as opposed to being the plan from the pilot.  But I'm out.  I've actually been out for many seasons -- the promos pulled me back for this disappointment. 

[walnutqueen]

I've said it before, but I'll say it again : FUCK YOU, SHONDA RHIMES.

[BizBuzz]

I've said it before, but I'll say it again : FUCK YOU, SHONDA RHIMES.

 

Can I just double like this?

 

Anyone that knows me knows that I go to bed early.  I am only up because I know tomorrow I will be over this ... but for tonight, I want to be pissed just a little while longer.

[Bama]

TV "sweep" months don't corelate to the calendar. Nielsen sets the sweep time frame based on a variety of factors. This years May sweep runs April 23rd-May 20th. Sweeps also always start on a Thursday and end on a Wednesday. The May sweep will almost always finish before Memorial Day.

Ah, gotcha.  Thanks.

 

I was seriously asking myself "Wait, today isn't May 1st.....IS IT??" lol

[walnutqueen]

Can I just double like this?

 

Anyone that knows me knows that I go to bed early.  I am only up because I know tomorrow I will be over this ... but for tonight, I want to be pissed just a little while longer.

 

By all means, quintuple it if it makes you feel any better, Biz.  I'll be up late, which will turn into your early, and we can both still be royally pissed off when you wake up!   Angry, bitter coffee - I can taste it now.  :-)

[ChicksDigScars]

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.

 

Snicker. First time I've smiled all night.  Dead on!!

 

 

 

 

Yes, I know that.  I was just responding to the poster who said "Derek's death didn't even warrant a fucking Sweeps episode".

I didn't mean anything against you personally, I've ready one to many "this isn't even may sweeps" comments already.

 

I'm "that poster."  I disagree that season finales "aren't even a thing anymore." They still end the season with something major, even if it's not a  dramatic cliffhanger. Cristina got a final episode send off last year. The entire final episode last season was practically a tribute to Sandra Oh. George got a final episode dramatic death that was done WAY better than Derek's. Watching George's final episode was practically like watching the Terms of Endearment hospital and death scenes.  I didn't even cry tonight, I was too angry. I SHOULD feel like I did when I realized who "007" was during the final episode of season five. Patrick Dempsey deserved better. He deserved the respect that Sandra got last year, the respect that an original cast member should get when they leave after 11 seasons..

Edited April 24, 2015 by ChicksDigScars

[jjj]

So, was Derek supposed to be driving from Seattle to the airport?  Because there are no winding untraveled forest roads between Seattle and the airport. Maybe I missed something and he was someplace else?  Also, if he was on the way to the Seattle airport, he was within miles of many major hospitals, including a Trauma One level hospital (Grey's Anatomy in the show!).  Not in some mountain county with a rural hospital. 

 

Even a shortcut to the airport would be on urban streets.  I live here, I know. 

[Jewlmc]

I'm going to amuse myself with Derek's imaginary reunion with George in heaven:

 

"Hey, what's up, O'Malley? Hey, you know how you died saving someone'Us life? Well, I saved four people, so suck it!"

Yeah well...he's dead regardless. So who cares?

[Lnmop]

As for him not going to OUR hospital and at least getting proper care. That's life. Usually in situations like these, we would have gotten him to the hospital and every one in the cast would have done a bunch of heroics to save him and fail but that's not always the way it goes and it's predictable as hell. And it was indeed sad that the man with all the answers was left in the hands of people who just didn't have to means to help him.

They couldn't have Derek die at Seattle Grace Mercy Death. Meredith would have never set foot in there again.

On a shallow note: PD was clean-shaven at the beginning, but by the end of the day he had a three-day stubble. Does he have that much testosterone?

[Starscream]

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.

No, Meredith will sue the hospital out of business so that Redhead Doctor can move to Grey Sloan Memorial with its new wing, the McDreamy Memorial Center for Trauma.

 

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. 

I agree that the episode was pretty good up until Derek arrived at the hospital.  Then it turned into this weird polemic where Shonda railed against ER protocol and sexism in Medicine.  It made me realize that I'm glad Shonda doesn't write for the show anymore because I think the last good episode she wrote was the shooting.  I did like the young girl, but I feel like the cool kid in a crisis is a cliche, especially after the earthquake episode not too long ago.

 

I also agree that Meredith was played right.  Meredith is often a cold person and this time she wasn't overwhelmed by danger the way she was in the shooting and the plane crash.

[SlovakPrincess]

The last time I tried to watch this show, I was treated to a pile of electrocuted doctors. Now Derek? I see the body count continues unabated ...

This seems like a really unwise decision for the show.

[pennben]

 

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.

 

Would that reporter follow up with a question about how her production company is a money-making machine (for her/ABC and every partner in syndication)  because she dominates in the ratings as CEO/owner of her production company?   Or do you only want to basically address her as a TV writer? 

[brightside]

 

Yes, the ending of "How I Met Your Mother" made me unable to ever watch any earlier episode again, because the creators said they knew the ending from the beginning.  Here, at least, it was more improvised, as opposed to being the plan from the pilot.

Very true. That HIMYM finale was the worst. 

 

But when I think about the episodes post Derek choosing Addison, what made me love them was this team Meredith had around her. Cristina, Izzie, George and Alex. They protected and supported her and it made for some wonderful moments in great episodes. I might be interested in watching Meredith deal with Derek's death if that group was still in place. However, I have no interest in watching it be just Alex. Nope. Nada. It'll just be a reminder of what this show used to be. 

 

This episode was a terrible sendoff...I can't believe Derek's last episode was filled with scenes with 1-episode guest actors. Not to mention only one scene with Meredith that ended up being a manipulative fake out.

[CleoCaesar]

I agree that the episode was pretty good up until Derek arrived at the hospital.  Then it turned into this weird polemic where Shonda railed against ER protocol and sexism in Medicine.

 

Hah. Glad I'm not the only one who went "WTF?" at that. It was just so clunky and misplaced. I get that this show is all about female-centric everything and neutering most of the men, and feminism all over the place, but come on, Shonda. The man is dying. Not a time to shoehorn a little GIRL POWER RAH RAH message in there.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 24, 2015 by CleoCaesar

[Muffyn]

So many annoying issues.  They had just cleared the road of two crashed vehicles and had multiple ambulances and at least one fire truck.  Yet no one waited for him to get back on the road.  And a truck was barreling down the road that would have just been re-opened.  How far back was the road closure that the truck had enough space to get up to speed? 

 

Derek is narrating his own death.  Okay.  So when he was awake but couldn’t speak, fine.  No one ever checked his voice box or looked for a head injury when he couldn’t speak.  Sure.  Not a trauma center so rather than being overly cautious we go the exact opposite route.  Well, it’s Shondaland, so okay.  After Derek’s pupils are blown and he’s brain dead on the table he’s still chatting away in his head.  Um, okay.  Thanks for that Shonda. 

 

Where did Derek’s wallet go?  Did the cops take it?  Usually they’ll at least give the health insurance card to the EMTs.  The EMTs would have kept trying to use his name to address him.  That’s pretty standard to help keep the person alert and check for reactions.  But non-trauma hospital of fuckery doesn’t reach out to the cops or EMTs to get a name for Derek. 

 

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. 

Dr. Muffyn has seen a rescue helicopter overhead and rushed back to the hospital just in case.  That is, when he was actually willing to leave for a few minutes to get an ice cream.  On call means you are there and ready to go.  Not a long way from the hospital, out to dinner having drinks, or anywhere you cannot readily get back from.  In his hospital it can take twenty minutes to get from one area to another.  He still gives me a hard time for how long it took me to get back to the surgical waiting room when my brother had surgery and Dr. Muffyn  was waiting to tell me how it had gone. 

 

Are they now going to rename the hospital Grey Sloane Shepherd Whateverthefuck?

[hks]

This episode was sad and dumb.  And then more sad. Then more dumb.  Most of the hospital stuff was so dumb. But then Meredith added some good realism and sadness to the episode.  Unfortunately, I think dumb wins overall.  And while I'm not too broken up about Patrick leaving - I enjoyed the show this season fine without him - I am NOT looking forward to the depressing moments ahead. And the dark and twisty Meredith.  Because I'm predicting right now: it's going to lead to her sleeping with Alex.  He's her "person" this season. It's a pretty stupid move, so I think that's where it has to go....

 

(Secretly, I might like it. I love Alex. He needs a storyline. Even a stupid one).

Edited April 24, 2015 by hks

[chocolatine]

So, was Derek supposed to be driving from Seattle to the airport?  Because there are no winding untraveled forest roads between Seattle and the airport. Maybe I missed something and he was someplace else?  Also, if he was on the way to the Seattle airport, he was within miles of many major hospitals, including a Trauma One level hospital (Grey's Anatomy in the show!).  Not in some mountain county with a rural hospital. 

 

Even a shortcut to the airport would be on urban streets.  I live here, I know. 

 

This^10. SeaTac is only 8 or 9 miles from First Hill, where the major hospitals are, and Derek wasn't even close to SeaTac. And yes, there are NO "shortcuts" with no cell phone reception. That whole area is very densely populated and industrialized. Does Shonda think nobody in Seattle watches the show?

 

Also, who stops in the middle of a U-turn to look for their phone, especially when they've just witnessed an accident? And are you telling me the Porsche Cayenne doesn't have bluetooth? My crappy little Nissan Versa has bluetooth. As long as the phone was in the car and turned on, Derek could have voice dialed Meredith.

 

Finally, as many have said before, I just can't with Meredith not calling Amelia, Derek's mother, and his other sisters. She could have waited to pull the plug after they all had a chance to say goodbye. She could have asked them to leave the room and be alone with him at the very end, but at least let them have some closure. Also, and I'm not a mother, so I may be way off-base, but shouldn't she have given some thought about letting the children see their father one last time? 

 

And is it even realistic of the hospital to demand that she sign the papers right then and there? They wouldn't even give her 24 hours to process?

Edited April 24, 2015 by chocolatine

[funnygirl]

For a Shonda Rhimes joint, this was a poorly constructed episode. She took all her juice to Scandal. 
Derek deserved to go out better than this. The very best part was the end with Meredith and him and the flashbacks that yet again serve as a reminder to how great the show used to be. 

[AnitaM86]

Would that reporter follow up with a question about how her production company is a money-making machine (for her/ABC and every partner in syndication)  because she dominates in the ratings as CEO/owner of her production company?   Or do you only want to basically address her as a TV writer?

That still doesn't answer the question about creativity. 

 

Also, if this is about power and money, even Donald Trump has money and power. Doesn't mean that that person is all that great or creative. Good for Shonda for hitting the lucky strike and milking it to what it is, but she's not GRRM & Co. 

 

Are they now going to rename the hospital Grey Sloane Shepherd Whateverthefuck?

 

Oh I can see it coming: The Shepherd Neurosurgery Wing. Yeah.

 

Where did Derek’s wallet go?  Did the cops take it?  Usually they’ll at least give the health insurance card to the EMTs.  The EMTs would have kept trying to use his name to address him.  That’s pretty standard to help keep the person alert and check for reactions.  But non-trauma hospital of fuckery doesn’t reach out to the cops or EMTs to get a name for Derek.

THIS! I thought the same thing. If it wasn't in his pocket, shit, check the car. I'm guessing that's how they eventually found Meredith but damn, what a lousy job the writers do in these kind of situations.