Shonda Rhimes Discusses Season 3 Finale
Season 3 of Grey's Anatomy began with Meredith helping an emotionally wrecked Izzie out of her prom dress and ended last night with Meredith helping a bawling Cristina out of her wedding gown.
Shonda Rhimes, as she puts it, likes symmetry.
Below are excerpts from her blog, in which she discusses the events of last night's finale, "Didn't We Almost Have it All," and what's in store for us in the fall when Grey's Anatomy returns for Season 4, now that she's "burned everything to the ground" in the third campaign ...
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This season was very important to me. It wasn't as light as Season 2 and for good reason. Our characters were in a darker place. I needed to put Meredith's mother to rest, Izzie's grief to rest, and the race for Chief to rest. George needed to grow up on a monumental level and then come full circle to where he was when we first met him in the pilot.
Meredith had to finally try to face the fact that she's damaged when it comes to relationships. I wanted to put Bailey on a path of questioning her standing as The Chosen One. Both Burke and Derek needed to hit a relationship wall, each in their own ways. Then there's Cristina.
Oh, the Cristina of it all.
What Season 3 is about most of all - for all of our women - is the idea of "having it all" is a myth. And that was true for Cristina more than anyone. Slowly, over the course of the season, we've watched as hard-nosed Yang sliced off little pieces of herself to accommodate Burke.
From helping Burke hide his tremor to Colin Marlowe telling her she's not the woman he knew to prepping for the wedding, she slowly morphs from kickass surgeon-girl into a woman we don't quite recognize in that wedding dress with penciled eyebrows.
I wanted you to have the feeling in the finale that she's become this painted doll - beautiful, everyone's fantasy bride, but a painted doll all the same. No longer our Cristina Yang. There's that wonderful moment where she begs Bailey to let her cut because a part of her knows she's becoming someone she doesn't recognize.
And then, just as she's lost almost all of herself standing there in that gown ready to walk down the aisle, Burke is telling her that he can't marry her. Because even Burke realizes that this Cristina is not his Cristina. It's devastating.
I hope you noticed that in the beginning of the episode Cristina talks about a heart as a purely anatomical thing ("it pumps blood") and then Burke's vows are all about the heart as an emotional thing ("I promise to lay my heart in the palm of your hands") and it's so sad to realize that they have completely opposing views of the world.
I feel for Burke and you should too because he knows that, in a way, by leading, pushing, cajoling her down this path to being together, he's done this to her - he's changed her. That the only way to save her from disappearing completely is to set her free.
And then in that wonderfully painful moment (how much do we love Sandra Oh and her incredible talent?) in the apartment, Cristina turns to Meredith and says "He's gone. I'm free. Damn it."
And it's so nuanced and layered and so tragic because she's relieved and terrified and heartbroken and suffocated all at once. Watching her journey back from this is going to be amazing next season.
George and Izzie and Callie: you all have your opinions, very strong opinions, on how you feel about this love triangle. I'm glad â" strong opinions mean you care what happens.
In the finale, Izzie's declaring herself and Callie's fighting for her rightful territory. That moment when Callie casually lets Izzie know that she's not only been named Izzie's boss but that she and George are trying to have a baby is very interesting.
Callie's saying "don't mess with me" in the only way she knows how. About the baby thing - for the record, I am very strongly against anyone trying to have a baby to save a relationship. It's crazy because it never works and I highly recommend you don't do it.
Plus it goes against every feminist bone in my body. But it is also human to delude yourself into believing that you're not having a baby to save your relationship, that instead having a baby is a way of taking your relationship to the next level.
And Callie gives that great speech about her hormones and her body.
I've been there and I know that it is real, this sudden baby rush that happens and, if you are firmly into your career, it freaks you out. Callie's just being as honest as she knows how to be with George.
Because she can't bring up Izzie again - not when the last time she brought it up, George called Izzie a supermodel thereby suggesting that Callie was, wellâ¦not.
Continue reading the rest of Shonda's blog here ...
May 18th, 2007 2:27 PM
Burning down the house is an understatement! But, as frustrated as I have been this season, I can only hope for the best. I have faith that season three will bring new life, but hopefully no new interns.
May 18th, 2007 2:27 PM
this is soo sad. i don't know what i'm gunna do w.o greys anatomy! foreaals!
May 18th, 2007 2:29 PM
I don't understand why they made EVERYTHING go WRRONGo! no lie; it makes me upset esp cristina and burke but i saw that coming. but meredith and derek.. mer could have at least smiled to him at the end.. theres no hope..........
May 18th, 2007 2:35 PM
Meredith and Derek are the heart and should be the relationship anchor on this show. They are why I and everyone else started watching this show. You ended season 2 and 3 the same way. Please! You are messing with your viewers and that is when it becomes un-interesting.
Seriously, after all they have been through, yet again they are broken up?
Seriously????!!!!!
May 18th, 2007 2:45 PM
Grey's Anatomy! What an interesting show. What I (and many thousand others) would hope is a more positive relationship between the African American male and Asian female. This speaks volumes to the positive social impact the show has upon the world.
May 18th, 2007 2:58 PM
To end a season like that means 2 things, either Shonda is totally fearless or is too sure of herself which is just too bad, becos you have upset many fans Shonda and i hope you realise that.
Firstly, i hate the idea of lexie even if der is not going to have anything to do with her, simply becos i just dont want another new face on the show and especially not another grey. this also means we will see more of her father and the love he has for her. Secondly people will start comparing her with mer, which i think is not fair at all. The fact that she looks like the kind of person that has too much confidence is another problem. Derek i have to admit after the last epi, has every right to be fed up. I hope they will be able to resolve this issue without bringing a third party into it. Mark deserves to be happy, i am thinking he and izzie will make a good pair. I think george will eventually repeat his internship, its just one year is'nt it? i am also proud of him for sticking with his wife and making an attempt to make their marriage work. I am happy bailey didnt get the chief residence becos at least we will get one person in the show that will still have a healthy marriage. I am guessing she wouldnt have that if she becomes very busy, so the way i see it, the chief did her a big favor. What i dont understand though is callie getting the post, becos she never even had any intern allocated to her, they were all bailey's interns, and does that means she now has the right to order bailey around? I have to admit alex and ava really touched my heart last night,but she is married and the fact that the father of her baby is there would have complicated things even more if she stayed. No matter his reasons for leaving, i still think Burke made a very huge mistake letting christina go, people like her and mer need to be pushed to be able to she what is right in front of them, is he even coming back for season 4 at all? becos working in the same hospital with christina will be very uncomfortable for both of them. Adele seems to like mer, maybe she can be her next fake/surrogate mommy, i am also happy for the chief. I noticed at the begining and end of the epi der was shown walking towards mer on the corridor, what does that mean. I am guessing that is the begining of season 4? lastly, before i rest my case, i am once again going to stress... I HATE THE IDEA OF LEXIE GREY!!! Grrrrr............
May 18th, 2007 3:13 PM
i can't even express how dissappointed i was in last nights epi.. it totally made me lose all hope in everything! there is nothing for me to look forward to for next season.. i was the biggest fan of grey's before this season.. i took off work Thursday nights just to watch it.. and after this entire season, i don't even know if i'll be watching next season.. especially if MerDer are not back together in the very first epi.. i'm done.. that is ridiculous.. we waited forever for them to be together.. we watched Mer mourn for him and we didn't even get a few good episodes of them HAPPY together.. the few that they were happy in, we only got a few minutes of screen time with them... =(
May 18th, 2007 3:14 PM
We need Meredith and Derek to be ok. I guess with all the other caios that life has to offer, to have one relationship that works, that shows it's ups and downs but still prevails......we need them to survive!
May 18th, 2007 3:23 PM
Tiffani Thiessen is in talks with ABC to guest star as Derek's psychiatrist sister in season 4. Maybe she can help all those damaged people, especially mer and alex.
May 18th, 2007 3:38 PM
I so agree with all the other disappointed fans that love Mer/Der! I can't believe they have broken up (according to Shonda's blog). I actually had alittle hope before reading her blog. Whats everyone else thinking? Can this really be the end for these two? I pray not! I can't imagine going into season 4 with these two not together. I do realize this is tv show...but I am so depressed! I have felt so sad all day! I feel we have nothing to look forward to next season, especially if Mer?Der are NOT TOGETHER! I felt so sorry for Der when he poured his heart out to her and she said nothing. If she can't commit to him, she will never be able to commit to anyone! As much as I love Mer, SHE NEEDS TO GROW UP before she looses Der!
I need some words of encouragement from Mer/Der fans!!!!
May 18th, 2007 3:45 PM
Hey Kathy, i am also heart broken too, have been sitting in front of my computer for hours doing practically nothing but feeling depressed and frustrated. However, i think Tiffani Thiessen as Derek's psychiatrist coming even if its just for one or two epi in season 4 will help merder in their relationship, but i am not sure, no one knows how Shonda's twisted mind works! she has already crossed so many uncrossable lines.
May 18th, 2007 3:50 PM
I can't believe that what Shonda has done to Burke and Cristina. She has disappointed so many fans, and I can no longer watch if they are not together. I can't believe she builded up our hopes to let us down like that. I think it's just cruel, and as much as I love Cristina too, I just can't continue to watch if she has no plans of getting them back together. What a waste. IW and SO are such phenomenal actors, and their chemistry is just absolutely amazing.
May 18th, 2007 4:06 PM
I hated yesterdays episode...The idea of Derek getting together with merideths sister....yuck
Izzy never wanted george until he was married...get over it. I love Calli, she is such a strong character and shows you don't need to be tiny and beautiful to be strong. Alec needs to get a back bone and the writers need to stop the interns falling for their paitents. I love bailey and dont want the chief to leave.
Hopefully the writers will fix the mistakes they are making
May 18th, 2007 4:19 PM
I could tell from the promos that der and mer were in trouble so instead of getting tortured for an hour with last night's epi I watched another show and found out who the miniature killer was! There is no show without MerDer together!
May 18th, 2007 4:37 PM
I agree with the above comments. The sister - that's really low - had enough of that father also. Poor Meredith - sorry I don't buy how she reacted to Derek - she has been wanting him for two seasons and now..... Struck me as off base - at least one relationship working would have been a nice ending to the season. I don't like the new show "Private Practice" no chemistry between the actors at all.
May 18th, 2007 4:55 PM
Very upset with last nights episode, it would have been nice to have at least one finale that had a happy ending for mer&der it is getting a little old. The whole Lexi Grey thing has me nervous too der better not hook up with her that would have to be the end for me, I know mer is a little damaged but what do you expect with all the writers do to her.
May 18th, 2007 5:06 PM
When she talk's about it I can almost make some sense out of it. i still don't like it but can see where she maybe coming from.
May 18th, 2007 6:00 PM
Can Meredith and McDreamy please stay broken up this time? If I were in such a boring relationship, I might let myself drown too.
May 18th, 2007 6:18 PM
about the burktina of it all... they had to find a decent way to write out Isaiah, there's not way they could've just had him disappear. He pretty much screwed the whole season over when TR decided not to come back for season 4 and every plot had to be rewritten. At leas the pared down cast next season should allow more character development.
May 18th, 2007 6:41 PM
I really think that Mer/Der will be back together in season 4, but just don't know how long it will take them to get there. I don't really think Der will have a relationship with Lexie. but, as much as I love Mer/Der together, you can't much blame Der if he decides to start dating! Even though it will kill me to see that. He may just wait it out because he does love Mer so much. I just wish she would grow up and realize what she is doing before it is too late. I wish I knew what Shonda was thinking where this couple is concerned and wish she would have given us something to hang on to. I truly do believe that she realizes the impact that Mer/Der make on this tv show together and I remember Patrick Dempsey's comments in the RedBook interview. When he was asked about Mer/Der's relationship he said ," it's like how do these characters continue to grow and thrive in a relationship? And I think that's going to be the real challenge going into the next season: Where do they go? What are the other story lines? Or is it an end? There was something about the longing in the chasing that people really got into.
So he doesn't say that they are finished, it gives me alittle hope that there is still a chance. I guess I'm too scared to be to optimistic because who knows what SHonda has planned!
Well, it is going to be a long summer waiting to see what happens with the entire crew of GA. I can't believe what Burke did to Cristina either. I just don't see how everyone can continue to work together after all of this!!!!!! Again, it was one of the saddest episodes yet! Season 3 is not one that I want to watch over and over like I have been about season 1 and 2. And this was the season Mer and Der were together! or at least suppose to be! How sadddddddd!
May 18th, 2007 6:48 PM
I'm so glad I'm not the only one that has been so damn depressed over the finale! terrible! I am really close to calling it quits w/ Grey's. It has gotten really depressing...and come on, MerDer cannot be happy for more than one or two shows!?!? I loved Grey's and have been a faithful viewer since the very first episode, but if the first episode next season doesn't give me a damn good reason to stay I'm done with it.
May 18th, 2007 7:13 PM
i'm so sad for cristina... i love her and burke together... such wonderful characters...
i love sandara oh! she's a great actress... she's specially good at that breakdown scene with ellen... the george and bailey scene is also good... i think the finale episode is good, albeit sad... can't wait for the next season... i hope to see all the characters again... i love eric dane! i think he's the sexiest man on tv!
May 18th, 2007 7:53 PM
imo
after three season's of fantastic characters why turn Seattle Grace's Drs
McDreamy, McHottie and McSteamy into
Drs
McDreary!
McGloomy!
McMisery
McHistrionic!
McOverdramatic!
McOver-the-top!
and drown the audience too...
glug
glug
glug
May 18th, 2007 8:09 PM
I was really hoping Mer/Der would get together and Mer could create a new family for herself that was more functional and supportive than her old one.
I don't believe Meredith would just blow Derick off like that. I don't believe Izzy and George. Kate Walshes new show was boring. I like Callie and Burktina has been the most entertaining part of season three.
Shonda is losing me as an avid viewer! The finale didn't leave me brethless for season 4. I'm just cringing because I don't want to see Mer/Der do any more damage to each other. They need to be together. Kate Walsh needs to stay. Get back to fun, sex and gossip please!!
May 18th, 2007 8:15 PM
I think that George and Izzy belong together. I think he married the other woman on the spur of the moment and was unsure about her all along. He has always loved Izzy. What a messed up ending. mer and der on the outs, christina and burk on the outs, george failed his exam and on and on. I sure hope next season makes a differance