We're all wondering it, and E! Online has put together a list of theories and possible (using the term loosely, of course) explanations for Season Five's most intriguing plot line: Izzie's "visions" (and more) of Denny Duquette, her fiance who bought the farm in Season Two.
Which do you think is best? Do you have your own? Comment below ...
Theory #1: Izzie Has a Brain Tumor
Evidence: Symptoms of a brain tumor include: inability to concentrate (check), gradual changes in intellectual or emotional capacity (check), lethargy (check), changes in behavior or personality (check), and/or hallucinations (check).
Verdict: Debunked... or so we think. Shonda Rhimes told TV Guide's Michael Ausiello, "I think the love triangle with Denny, Izzie and Alex is among the most interesting we've ever done. Watching the chemistry between Jeffrey and Katherine again has been really touching. I can't wait for our viewers to see where we're taking it. But what it won't involve is Izzie having a brain tumor." Okay ... unless Shonda is just trying to throw us all off.
Theory #2: Izzie Is Losing Her Mind
Evidence: She is having hallucinations of her dead fiancé. Active, ongoing hallucinations where they have tons of sweaty sex and he incessantly follows her around. If it looks crazy, sounds crazy and smells crazy, it probably is crazy. Even the Seattle Grace nurses have blogged that she's out of her right mind: "Izzie Stevens has lost it. I mean it. She's gone... I hope things get better for her because it looks like Izzie can't take one more bad thing happening ..." Could the nurses know more than we think they know?
Verdict: Izzie could very well be on the verge of a nervous breakdown, which could definitely have implications for her relationship with Alex. His mom was nuts, and Ava (Elizabeth Reaser) had a devastating breakdown of her own last year - a situation, it's worth noting, that Izzie helped Alex endure.
All this does beg the question, though: Why is Alex so crazy-making? Is he just too hot? Does his pure sexual energy fry the brain?
Theory #3: Izzie Is Dead, Too
Evidence: We all saw The Sixth Sense. Everything is going right for Izzie, other than seeing her dead ex-fiancé. She has roommates who love her, boy toy Alex (Justin Chambers), who finally wants to be with her, and a job she loves, despite the fact she stole a heart... Is it possible that it's all just a happy limbo where Izzie has dwelt since she killed herself after Denny's first demise?
Verdict: As far as the rest of the characters are concerned, Izzie is alive and well, but who knows? And Mer has communed with dead Denny, dead Dylan and dead mom Ellis.
Theory #4: Izzie Has Post-traumatic Stress Disorder
Evidence: The girl is way too busy fighting for surgeries to even take a moment to deal with the loss of her fiancé. This has happened once before, when Izzie was too active being an underwear model to face the emotional reality of putting her daughter up for adoption.
Verdict: Izzie's own best theory on what's happening to her is a delayed grief experience, and who's to say the doctor can't diagnose herself...
Theory #5: Izzie Has an Overactive Imagination
Evidence: Plain and simple, sex with a dead man is not possible, even if it is... fulfilling. Co-executive producer Joan Rater said on the Grey's Anatomy Writers' Blog: "Izzie knows this isn't real, she knows that, but it feels real and she just ... closes her eyes and, you heard the sounds coming from the room, as Meredith said, it sounded kinda porny, so whatever's going on with the dead guy, the sex is good, at least ..."
Verdict: If this is the love story the writers were hinting at for Katherine Heigl ... she's essentially having a love story with herself, and that's not healthy.




December 1st, 2008 9:44 AM
shonda has clearly lost her mind, this story line is nuts and has dragged on far too long. i dont care what is wrong with izzie i just want it to stop.
December 1st, 2008 9:54 AM
agreed yourmom
worst storyline ever :(
December 1st, 2008 10:01 AM
The story line is so confusing and to unrealistic for me to even start thinking about enjoying it or to see where Shonda is taking it. It makes me feel crazy and a little bit creeped out at times.
Izzie's new story line can't possibly deserve the emmy it ''didn't deserve'' last year.
December 1st, 2008 10:06 AM
it should have ended after she burned the sweater...
the twist when meredith was dead was already far-fetched but this is really going too far. it's not credible anymore. grey's anatomy is supposed to be realistic. all the love triangles with living people are too many in one place, but now dead people are involved too? right...
December 1st, 2008 10:09 AM
I totally agree with the above written. The story line is unrealistic since u don't see dead people in real life.. u don't have sex with dead people (disgusting) and u don't talk to dead people... Greys Anatomy turning into the Six Sense or Six Feet Under? Perhaps Shonda Rimes should start writing about Vampires or make a new script for a X-Files movie. Anyways, let Izzie and Alex be together for a couple of episodes - come on - can't be that difficult. Let them both develop together and not having such a screwed up relationship from the beginning - AGAIN! Enough is enough - remember Shonda?
December 1st, 2008 10:35 AM
if Izzie has to remove Denny from heart&mind to go ahead with Alex.. ok.. just for a while, but it has to stop some day.
Let it be. it`s a good time to Alex/Izzie couple, a good time to Mer/Der couple (whithout Stray dogs around..) and a very good time to Cristina/McHottie too, so please! give us that nice moment... :p
December 1st, 2008 10:40 AM
im with post traumatic stress disorder. lets hope she sees a shrink by the end of the season.
December 1st, 2008 11:22 AM
Looks like someone else needs to make a visit to Dr. Wyatt's office and soon.
December 1st, 2008 11:38 AM
of course there's a need for dr wyatt! my goodness !
denny's great. izzie's great. together, they were amazing in season 2. but it's season 5! how is the bar raised [quoting shonda's blog] by having sex with dead people? THAT IS JUST SO WRONG!
let denny move into the afterlife. or just kill izzie. but the 2nd scenario would definitely drive alex nuts. so just let denny move into the light or whatever. please
December 1st, 2008 11:50 AM
I agree with most of the above. It only makes sense if Izzie is DREAMING!!!!! And for me, if THIS is a DREAM. That's just LAME!!!