Shonda Rhimes Discusses Erica and Callie
For Grey's Anatomy fans who began the season wondering if Dr. Erica Hahn (Brooke Smith) was gay, last week's season finale offered an answer - she might just be, after Dr. Callie Torres (Sara Ramirez) made her move.
The two-hour episode - which culminated with Callie planting a kiss on Erica outside of Seattle Grace - had people asking: For the love of The L Word, could EriCal eclipse MerDer as the Grey's Anatomy "It" couple?
Creator Shonda Rhimes tells Entertainment Weekly that we may not have seen the last of this budding (and much buzzed-about) Seattle Grace romance.
Is there a future for Callie (Sara Ramirez) and Erica (Brooke Smith)?
"Callie and Erica have an undeniable chemistry," says Shonda Rhimes.
"Watching the story unfold is something the writers are looking forward to. I wanted to illuminate their relationship in the same way we try to do all relationships on the show - funny, sweet, honest, and a little bit dirty."
As for Brooke Smith, she doesn't think Dr. Hahn was coming out of the closet in the last few weeks leading up to the finale.
In fact, she and Shonda specifically talked about Dr. Hahn not being gay when Smith first joined the show last fall.
"Earlier this season, we felt it was too obvious that a strong, powerful woman would be a lesbian," says Smith.
"In fact, Dr. Hahn decided she wasn't going to have a relationship at work, though clearly she came to the wrong hospital."
Like the fans, Smith said she and Ramirez were kept guessing about their relationship until days before taping of the final episode.
Even fellow Grey's Anatomy cast members like Patrick Dempsey (Derek Shepherd) were caught off guard by the surprise kiss; Smith remembers him gasping at the table read for "Freedom," saying, "Are you two getting together?"
"Sara Ramirez is not a bad choice. She's pretty hot!" says Smith.
"Why not? I'm game."
May 27th, 2008 7:25 AM
i think its a great idea to make erica gay...i cudnt see her being in a relationship with mcsteamy...hes out of her league....however im pissed off at callie....she has been thru too many men to jus be gay now...and the fact that she is gay makes me wonder if she and i will ever get married....:'(
May 27th, 2008 8:19 AM
Thank God Callie finally realized what she really wanted and thank God for Erica coming into the picture...we lesbians need to look forward to something besides the L Word since it's going into it's final season next year...can't wait for the new fall season
May 27th, 2008 8:33 AM
I'm not a fan of the Callie/Erica relationship. It just seems forced and not genuine. It isn't believable to me that Callie, a woman who has clearly been interested in men throughout the show, is now suddenly interested in a woman. I think this relationship will be a flop, kind of like George & Izzie. The chemistry just isn't there. I have no interest whatsoever in seeing where this relationship goes.
May 27th, 2008 9:24 AM
So great, thanks to Shanda for this excellent storyline and looking forward next season!
May 27th, 2008 9:26 AM
Erica: "That's right Callie, you can whet your appetite now...but we eat at home!!!
May 27th, 2008 11:26 AM
I truly believe that the people that do not find the relationship between Callie and Erica genuine, have never experienced what the storyline is trying to tell us. There are many lesbians that have been married, but woke up one day realizing that they've been wrong about themselves. Personally, I love that Shonda wanted to try something new and give viewers versatility, if not, it would get pretty damn boring.
May 27th, 2008 11:29 AM
I totally think this is a perfect couple. You can almost see the sparks flying between them in surgery. Han and McSteamy wouldn't have worked, Han is waaaayyy to good for him. This is an amazing couple, I hope they work out well.
May 27th, 2008 2:20 PM
I am so sorry that we could not have just one great show without forcing a "gay" experience. I am afraid you have lost a very loyal viewer.
May 27th, 2008 4:02 PM
Personally, I think their relationship together is great. Since George and Izzie flopped for the stupidest reasons, it's kinda nice to see another couple that's different and not MerDer. No offense to MerDer fanatics, but it's nice to see someone else for a change.
May 27th, 2008 5:20 PM
I just don´t see it. It´s just like the whole Izzie-George thing. It came out of nowhere. I mean, it never crossed my mind that Callie could be gay. I just thought that obviously George wasn´t the right guy. Being a pushover and all that. But Callie? Definetly not gay. She is perfect for Mark.
In Erica´s case, it could work, basically because there isn´t a male character for her on the show right now.
I don´t buy it, at least not yet. It just seems so out of the blue.