Spoilers and Spoiler Speculation: Benchmarking

[funnygirl]

 

That scenario wouldn't leave Ellen material for an Emmy reel.

This show is long passed being considered for Emmy's, let alone winning any. (Unless you are guest actor or the possibility of a writing or directing nod.)

[pennben]

"Wait for me"........

[Artsda]

He dies at the end, Meredith pulls the plug because he was brain dead for too long.

[Greysaddict]

I've been staying away from the spoilers (thank you for tagging them even though this is the spoiler thread) but I was going to post this the other day but felt like i was going crazy.  

 

Thank you to Lakelover for commenting on the season premiere having ties to the finale or this episode.  

 

Here is the closing monologue from the premiere

 

 

"Sometimes we have to get lost to find each other. And sometimes we find each other, only to get lost all over again. You can't always control it, the thing that's going to set you adrift. And as you stand there on the front porch, staring at the life you're about to leave behind, you have to accept it's gone, it's lost, just like you. All you can do now is stand very still, breathe in the moment, and try to be open to wherever the wind's going to take you next."

 

Kind of fitting isn't it.  I know i said just before the change seems to have come in Oct-ish, but man this right on point right about now.  

 

Also, at the end of this episode Jo says (about Meredith) "I'm a widow.  She widowed me.  I'll never have Alex to myself again".  You have to wonder if Shonda and gang planned this all along.  

 

I am totally staying away from twitter to avoid spoilers and it's damn hard!  Less than one hour for me thankfully,  

Edited April 23, 2015 by Greysaddict

[Featherhat]

This show is long passed being considered for Emmy's, let alone winning any. (Unless you are guest actor or the possibility of a writing or directing nod.)

 

Indeed but having a former part of one big paring disappear to permanent OffScreenVille whilst still apparently being in the next room or travelling for work is something shows don't like to do for years at a time, especially if a death can provide a season's worth of melodrama, and we all know melodrama is this show's staple crack. Plus it frees the still current member of cast up for storylines she can't do if she has to pretend to have an off screen happy marriage. Hell, that's probably half the reason Bailey's 99% off screen husband divorced her and she's only a secondary character.

[Greysaddict]

This show is long passed being considered for Emmy's, let alone winning any. (Unless you are guest actor or the possibility of a writing or directing nod.)

 

Since I'm avoiding twitter, i'll just keep commenting here.  While this show is long off the Emmy radar, the Emmy's do sometimes recognize long running shows in their final year  (or in this case the lead actor's final year) either in the actor category or show category.  They might not win but its sort of a nod to long running TV series.  Besides, it once was Emmy worthy so it wouldn't be totally out of left field.  

[anna0852]

If Derek is dead, doesn't that mean a funeral? That presumably Cristina would attend. Or those close friends of his in LA - Sam and Naomi. Not to mention Amelia's documented best friend (and Derek's ex-wife) Addison.

[funnygirl]

His funeral will probably be mentioned in one of episode 22's many(?) time jumps, robbing us of getting to see Cristina, Addison et al back for it.

Aka, no way was Shonda going to get those actors to come back for it.

[brightside]

 

If Derek is dead, doesn't that mean a funeral? That presumably Cristina would attend. Or those close friends of his in LA - Sam and Naomi. Not to mention Amelia's documented best friend (and Derek's ex-wife) Addison

 

Also...his mother. And if they filmed at a cemetery for 11.22, we're presumably seeing at least part of the funeral.

[PrincessTT]

And his mum and sisters would presumably be at his funeral too. 

Although if he is dead then I assume the time-jump in the next episode will mean the funeral isn't shown on screen. 

[Tuleh2]

They're going to want to get past this as soon as possible. Meredith will grieve bravely (so bravely that hopefully we forget who she's grieving for.) I'll bet nobody mentions his name...

[Greysaddict]

OMG this is the same monolgue as the season premiere!!!

[CofCinci]

Why are we spoiler tagging in the SPOILER thread?

 

RIP Derek.  This will be the first episode I've watched in maybe 5 years.

 

EDIT:  Oh, it already happened.  Guess I don't get to watch live because I haven't watched in so long that I forgot what time it airs.

Edited April 24, 2015 by CofCinci

[Artsda]

Spoiler tagging because it had aired 4 hours ago in parts of Canada.

[Bobbie2120]

Still can't wrap my mind around this

[choclatechip45]

Does anyone think they will put Meredith and Alex together? I hope they don't, but won't be surprised if they do.

[Starscream]

I would be shocked.  I think Shonda learned her lesson from Gizzie, and Meredith and Alex are in that same boat.  Besides, that would be hella unfair to Alex to have him break up with somebody who genuinely adores him to be with his friend that could never possibly love him as much as she loved Derek. 

[Chas411]

I feel they're setting up the Maggie/Alex possibility to link him to Meredith for life. I don't think they'll go their with him and Neredith though.

[Deanie87]

Alex is already tied to Meredith for life as her friend. I think that bond is much stronger than the one that Mer has with Maggie. And Mer wasn't thrilled in the past with friends dating her sister(Alex or Mark), so I don't know that this would bring them closer. Maybe it's because I absolutely 100% do not want it happen, but I just think it would come out of nowhere. It's true that Alex and Jo were barely onscreen together, but when they were they we're solid and happy.

My hope is that season 12 will be it, and by the premiere enough time will have passed that Alex can have a life and storyline of his own with Jo. He deserves it after doing nothing all season. I still want him to be there for Meredith, but not at her beck and call, and it would be nice if she reciprocated every once and awhile. Like many of you, though probably for different reasons, I am ready to wipe this season out of my memory. My hope is that all of the backstage drama is over, at least for awhile, and that the writers can do a better job of spreading the storylines around.

[Chas411]

Also as a fan of Jo, I'd like to see her get more fleshed out as a character. I Think Canilla Luddington is a sweetheart and a great spokesperson for the show as she seems to love working on the show and the show itself. I think if they would bother to develop her a bit more then it would be an advantage to the show..

Get rid of Stephanie though. My god such a waste of a character. While I like the friendship with Jo I can't understand why she's there at all..

[Greysaddict]

Does anyone think they will put Meredith and Alex together? I hope they don't, but won't be surprised if they do.

This would be the one thing that would make me stop watching. I've always been a fan of the friendships on Grey's and if Shonda ruins the Mer/alex dynamic it would prove she doesn't know what to with male characters except make them love interests. Everyone always says Shonda hates Alex, so hopefully she won't pair her precious Mer with him romantically.

However, I wouldn't be surprised at all to see Meredith with a new love interest just for unattached sex, like dark and twisty Meredith in season 2. In fact, people keep saying the new guy is too young for her, but her sleeping with an intern and now being the "attending sleeping with an intern" sounds up Shonda's alley.

Note: This is NOT what I want to see at all. I would prefer to see Meredith being strong woman, mom and surgeon on her own. This could happen too. Seems to fit with Shonda's beliefs.

Edited April 25, 2015 by Greysaddict

[Greysaddict]

More thoughts on the rest of season/next season...I think we are going to see Meredith go back to neuro.

There were tons of hints throughout this season. The only thing that kept her out of it was working with Derek and ruining their marriage. Now with him dead (from a brain injury no less) she can pursue her true passion in his memory.

[Deanie87]

I think it all depends on ow long EP stays. If she leaves after 12, then I don't think that they will have her hooking up with anyone, although if she goes back to dark and twisty sleeping with inapppropriate men is kind of her thing so I guess you never know. But if she stays longer than that I bet that they would give her a new love interest.

If she goes back to nuero can we get rid of Amelia?

I also think that at least one more cast member is going to leave, maybe even die.

[Bobbie2120]

I hope they don't have mer go back to sleeping with everybody under the sun. I think a mer should be strong and not be with anyone for a while. She just lost the love of her life. Greys is going to have to pull out all the stop to get me to watch 12. I know I am in the lesser with people but I could live with Derek in DC forever but the killing of him. Not cool unless they pull a J.R and have it be all a dream its just messed up

[java23]

So they are filming today, accident scene at some mall. This sounds like the freeway accident in 11x23 sides.

And this is being broadcast this week? 

[windsprints]

According to the dates in sides and the cast they are filming episode 24. Episode 22 airs next Thursday.

[choclatechip45]

I think Camilla mentioned on twitter they are filming the finale.

[java23]

Sounds like lots of changes are being made on the fly with them filming so late.

Anything can happen. I doubt they would be filming on location for the finale if no doctors weren't involved...like more casualty or cliffhangers.  I am getting nervous. lol

[windsprints]

Looks like a disaster for sure, found on tumblr: Pictures, Another

 

ETA: a few more: Ellen, Sarah, Kevin are there.

Most are there

Edited April 25, 2015 by windsprints

[Greysaddict]

It looks like Kevin is directing 11x24 also. Which makes sense since they said the finale was a two-parter. I wonder what happens to Dr. Hunt. Kevin can't be heavily in ep23 or 24 if he's directing both, and Richard was seen wearing a lab coat with Chief of Surgery on it.

[stopthestatic]

Does anyone else think the show is now going to try and get a slightly high profile actor to come on as a new doctor/future love interest for Meredith? Think Benjamin Bratt for Addison. I know the wounds are very fresh, and they'll play the grieving widow/single mother thing for a while, but I would not be surprised if we get a relatively  well-known male actor for recurring/possible series regular role as casting news this summer. I don't put it past Shonda to do that. We know she has trouble writing characters not being in romantic relationships and that's what the writers build the show on.

[Greysaddict]

I think I'm moving through the 5 stages of grief in reverse. I accepted Derek's death pretty quickly, but I am now I am trying to convince myself it's all a dream. In my head Meredith wakes up in 11x23 ("time stops") and was dreaming episodes 9-21 and Derek is safe and sound in DC. Then he can stay there forever until the end of then series. Man, how I wish this could be the truth.

[photo fox]

I don't necessarily think a love interest for Meredith, but I definitely think they'll try to bring in someone high profile. I think it would be a smart move, actually, especially if they want to go past next season. And the show was already really unbalanced gender-wise even before Derek died.

I wonder if part of the reason they're filming so close to air is because of the Derek thing. As in, doing all these location shoots would have made it pretty obvious PD was done.

[windsprints]

In my head Meredith wakes up in 11x23 ("time stops") and was dreaming episodes 9-21 and Derek is safe and sound in DC.

The last scene of the finale can be Meredith waking up after a drunken ONS on the floor saying "wow, I must have had some night. What dreams!".  Reboot, do over, 11 more seasons.

I don't necessarily think a love interest for Meredith, but I definitely think they'll try to bring in someone high profile. I think it would be a smart move, actually, especially if they want to go past next season. And the show was already really unbalanced gender-wise even before Derek died.

I agree, I can see some new people brought in. I really can't see why they would try to go there with a new love interest until S13 if Ellen stays. If she decides to go/show ending end of S12 they could simply have her deciding she can move on and love someone again. That lets her end with hope for the future and the possibility of love again without having fans needing to accept a new pairing for her. 

 

As far as the finale I am not convinced anyone else isn't going to die or leave. Since the PD exit wasn't planned from the start of the season they still have whatever they were originally planning. 

Edited April 26, 2015 by windsprints

[Lindseyb12321]

Anyone else think now would be a perfect time to bring back Izzie? (not like it will EVER happen and I wouldn't actually want it to...)

 

BUT...with Derek gone and viewers angry, Izzie would be a great way to draw in ratings. AND, it could be good for Shonda's reputation (which seems to be taking a hit with this Derek death). Shonda could show she's "above" all the pettiness (ha!). It could also provide a new, big couple now that MerDer is no more (tear).

 

Again, I know that won't happen, and as a Jolex fan I'm not sure I would want it, but if ABC/Shonda were smart, it seems that would be a great move (that is, if KH's show isn't picked up for S2...which i'm doubting)....

[choclatechip45]

Anyone else think now would be a perfect time to bring back Izzie? (not like it will EVER happen and I wouldn't actually want it to...)

BUT...with Derek gone and viewers angry, Izzie would be a great way to draw in ratings. AND, it could be good for Shonda's reputation (which seems to be taking a hit with this Derek death). Shonda could show she's "above" all the pettiness (ha!). It could also provide a new, big couple now that MerDer is no more (tear).

Again, I know that won't happen, and as a Jolex fan I'm not sure I would want it, but if ABC/Shonda were smart, it seems that would be a great move (that is, if KH's show isn't picked up for S2...which i'm doubting)....

I know Pompeo has said Katie will never be back, but I always suspected she will back during the last season or if Justin wants off the show. we've never seen Alex/Jo directly discuss the fact he has been married. It would be very Shonda to have Izzie knock on the door thinking Meredith still lived there and have Jo answer the door.

[stopthestatic]

Yeah, it'd never happen but I agree with you. The only way I'd want Katie back though is if definitively Shonda decided Izzex should end up together. The love story between those two was beautiful in season 5, before Shonda chose to ruin it in season 6. If Izzie ever came back which I think we can fully rule out (it won't happen), I would want Izzie and Alex to get to that place again.

 

I like Jolex but they're just boring. Even when they had stories in season 9 and 10 I found them to be a bit of a snooze.

[Deanie87]

I don't think KH would ever come back and I wouldn't want Alex to end up with Izzie, but I think it would be interesting if she showed up. Or maybe her mother with The Eggs. Dun dun DUN!

[windsprints]

I don't think KH would ever come back and at this point I don't want Izzie back. If it was season 7 I would have felt differently. Alex and I have both moved on, lol.

 

I'm all for Sandra Oh returning. I miss Cristina and then Alex wouldn't have to be Meredith's person. Win-win.

[choclatechip45]

I think I would be fine with her coming back for an episode, but I don't want her to end up with Alex. I like him with Jo.

[Chas411]

I love Jo and Alwx but I feel the writers desperately need to give her some development outside that relationship. I've said it before but Camilla L is a sweetheart and seems to love her job in an almost fan girly way. They should put her a bit more at the forefront.

[Deanie87]

I love Jo and Alwx but I feel the writers desperately need to give her some development outside that relationship. I've said it before but Camilla L is a sweetheart and seems to love her job in an almost fan girly way. They should put her a bit more at the forefront.

Yes, please. Jo was funny and snarky (and competent for an intern) when she first arrived and through the first half of season 10. Then she and Alex got less of a storyline and she became more of a generic girlfriend/lesson recipient. I want her backstory to be explored some and for to be snarky again.

They were able to flesh out Maggie and integrate her with members of the cast (even if it felt forced at times), so if they are going to keep her on the show (which I hope they do) then they need to write for her and give her the same attention that they gave to Maggie, Amelia, and hell, even Geena Davis. I hope that the time jump allows her to become a better doctor, settle on a specialty (ortho would be my choice), and have a real storyline with Alex, even if that means angst or a breakup. Just no third parties (and that includes Meredith) or babies please.

[Starscream]

Depending on how much they mess with the timeline in the next few episodes, I wouldn't be surprised to see Calzona back together, Catherine and the Chief sealing the deal, and Alex and Jo either engaged or outright married.  Even though I think Owen and Amelia are still on a collision course, they're probably going to be dealing with a shit-ton of industrial strength angst before they get together.

[windsprints]

I know there's a lot of speculation that Meredith is pregnant but I think Amelia will be.

[choclatechip45]

I also wish they would give Camilla more too do. I've never seen an actor or actress promote their show as much as she does. She is such a breathe of fresh air. Too bad she wasn't on the show during the height of it. I hope she can have a good career after Greys.

[Kagomei]

What if Jo is pregnant? I remember I read somewhere that some fans were on set and they said that Jo was pregnant.
But I also think it could be Amelia.
Weren't them looking for a caucasian baby? If so, it could be either of them.

Edited April 28, 2015 by Kagomei

[Deanie87]

If anyone is pregnant, it will probably be Amelia or Meredith, I really don't think it will be Jo. I think that the marriage will be Richard and Catherine, but it worries me that they are supposedly in hospital beds. I still think that more characters will be leaving by the end of the season.

[Kagomei]

'Grey's Anatomy' Enlists 'Mentalist' Alum (Exclusive)

Oh no, a new intern --'

As if we didn't have enough characters already.

[Deanie87]

I am beginning to wonder about Arizona. I have seen some promo and bts photos for the next few episodes but I don't remember seeing her. Anyone know the status of JCap's contract?

[choclatechip45]

Not a huge fan of adding characters especially if next season is the last one, but I'm glad if they adding characters that are male characters. I'm a female and I think this show has had a huge female/male imbalance since season 9.