'Grey’s Anatomy': Izzie and Denny forever?

Last night’s installment of the back-in-the-headlines drama “Grey’s Anatomy” raised a couple of big questions and a multitude of smaller ones. Let’s get right to them, shall we?

Does Izzie have a brain tumor after all? Last summer, rumors swirled that Seattle Grace’s uber-sensitive doc would be facing that very medical crisis this season. Now, here she is, two weeks running, seeing a whole heckuva lot of dead fiancé Denny. That’s one of the symptoms of a brain tumor, right? At least it always seems to be in the TV world. 

Izzie’s dude greeted her the moment she walked into the hospital, complimented her on the sassy new-ish haircut and barely left her alone the rest of the episode. There was no getting rid of him no matter what she tried, whether it was the silent treatment or a heartfelt I-will-always-love-you-now-please-get-on-with-the-whole-resting-in-peace-thing speech. Not even getting Alex to burn the sweater she’d made for Denny during his ill-fated Seattle Grace stay worked. (Speaking of which, being around women in trouble sure does turn Alex into a lil nurturer. First Ava, now Izzie.) After all that, Denny was still waiting for his love in her bedroom, assuring her that he was real enough to touch. Which she did. Right before he enveloped her in a kiss his old ticker never would’ve been able to take.

Maybe Izzie’s just losing her marbles. That could be interesting -- except “Grey’s” just did that with Alex’s last girlfriend. It seems more likely to me that something is physically off. And that it’s perhaps life-threatening. Denny told Izzie more than once that he was there for her. Could he have meant that in the whole “I’m here, perfectly tanned and hot, to help you realize there’s something wrong that you need to diagnose and take care of” kind of way? Or even the “you’ll be joining me on the other side before too long” way? So far, Denny’s not telling. Whatever the case, this is shaping up to be the kind of juicy, emotional storyline even Katherine Heigl would feel deserved Emmy consideration. 

What happened to Dr. Hahn? Cristina raised the question several times but we never did get a satisfying answer. Which kinda just makes the whole mess worse, dontcha think? I mean, even if Callie didn’t see Hahn again after their parking lot argument, how hard would it have been for the chief to fill in some blanks? Surely Hahn had a conversation with her boss before she left her job. And surely said boss could’ve slipped in a couple lines about the former cardiac surgeon in that scene where he was talking to Bailey about wooing the hospital’s new one, Dr. Virginia Dixon (Mary McDonnell).

At least we got to see Callie break down in grief after the homeless patient flatlined on the operating table. That scene was a keeper, in part because of the way Mark and Cristina were also affected. Those two aren’t exactly sensitive types, yet they came together to protect their mutual friend in her hour of need. I admit I was a little surprised that Cristina didn’t immediately run off to blab to Meredith the moment she learned of Callie and Hahn’s romantic involvement. After all, as Derek has increasingly learned, those two share every blasted thing. But it was a pleasant surprise -- and one that, considering Cristina’s own painful past with a lover who suddenly bolted, made sense.

A less welcome development: Callie’s quick interest in Sadie (Melissa George), Meredith’s old friend and Seattle Grace’s new pouty-lipped intern. Sadie wasted no time in stripping down to her bra and slicing open her shoulder so that Lexie’s secret intern society could have something to stitch up -- a move, I take it, that was meant to illustrate how up she is for anything. But Callie is nursing a broken heart, right? Or at least she was two scenes before she hit Joe’s bar. Maybe she could’ve waited until the next episode to start looking for a rebound.

A few other questions: What do you think Meredith told Derek about her past adventures with Sadie? Are you a fan of Mer’s Sadie-given nickname, “Death,” or were you as annoyed by it as Cristina was? And what about that hot little kiss between Cristina and Hunt, a.k.a. new series regular Kevin McKidd?

-- Shawna Malcom

(Photo courtesy ABC)

Comments

[Dusty]

I thought the Aussie gal was annoying. Very dumb move with the scalpel. The whole death name very annoying. Military man is hot. Christina and him have great chemistry. Hope he humbles her. She needs it. I like the Denny and Issy thing although I think Issy may be on her way out. Love her. Want to see the rich human story lines of the original greys not so much soap "lets boost the ratings sex"

[Heidi]

OMG.......if all of you people hate Grey's so much WHY DO YOU WATCH?!?!? Just so you can criticize it? Everyone has different tastes in shows (I personally love Grey's and everything about it.....except for the new character Sadie) so instead of ridiculing a show (where everyone on it is making way more than any of you will ever make) why don't you find a different show to watch and leave Grey's alone.

[Ann]

Well, I watch Grey's because I've been a loyal fan since Day 1. I think people (including me) are complaining here because Grey's went from being a show with great stories and cast to ridiculously silly story lines like the Denny-as- a-ghost crap. If they keep this up, then yes, I will stop watching like I did with Lost when it became "lost".

After this last episode all my friend and I could talk about was what a train wreck the show has become, when a few years ago we gushed and talked about how great the 2-part bomb episode was when that hot bomb guy exploded. Now that was great writing!

[Jaye]

i loved the episode. i've been watching since day one but this ep actually made me interested in the show again. i hope they continue the denny/izzie story line.
:)

[anonymous]

I believe in this show and what it stands for.
It is real (i.e. emotions, events, people, medical) and it can be fake. (I.e. denny)
I have no problem with Christina's new bf he is a little backward, and mean! but so is christina! she holds of on emotions! (cheers to callie! amazing acting btw)
Sadies cool she'll bring a new sort of style to the show! (GO fellow aussie)
Felt so sorry for new heart DR! it was just like high school! (still love bailey though)
This is my dream show, i love it, i live it, i breathe it!
its amazingly written and directed! i love the songs and the style!
its great!
i love izzie and denny they make u believe in love again!
its magical!
and if izzie is sick!
im hoping she gets better!!!
cheers to Shondra youve done an amazing job!
i will always watch this show!
FOREVER and ever!
not matter what!
go greys!

[Betty]

Since Denny's death, Izzy has not been able to find closure. Perhaps "seeing" Denny again is the only way she will finally be able to let him go.

[Kat]

I love the way the Christina/Owen thing is being written. Kevin McKidd is doing an awesome job of showing someone who has serious PTSD issues that he's trying not to let spill over and affect other people and Sandra Oh can match him in acting. Good writing so far.

I skip through the rest of the show, this is the adult relationship.

[jk]

I Like the show very much..
And never wanted Denny to leave the show.
I'm glad he's back, hopefully.
I hope the rumers are not true about izzie leaving too..
The show will not be the same without them.

[jk]

I love the show very much!
I hope Denny is back to stay!
I hope the rumers of izzie leaving are not true.
The show will not be the same without them both.

[diandra128]

Having been a Grey's fan since the beginning, I can only say that I am rapidly tiring of this show. Getting a bit too far fetched and the new characters are really not doing a thing for me. I hated the Hahn/Callie gay thing and I hope they don't start it again with that new bimbo who I hated instantly. Derek and Meridith are going nowhere it seems...where did Bailey's marital issues go? Mark seems to be an afterthought, they need to be developing the characters that they already have and not constantly bringing new ones into the mix. Seems like every show there is someone new. They need to bring Burke back, try to get back to basics. The Izzy/Denny thing is insane, I am positive they are working up to killing Izzy off and Denny is there to take her to ghost world. I wonder who she will come back to haunt? What about the Chief's marital issues? Where is his wife this season? Too many new faces dilutes what the show began as and I find it irritating to have to learn new characters every episode or so.
Sticking with Private Practice, but writing off Grey's for now until they get their act together again.. at this rate they will be canceled soon anyway.

[JS]

I dont understand anything that is going on in these last few episodes. It seems like a big mess. What happened to the problems with marriages, and alot of other things in greys anatomy. There are so many unresolved issues and its confusing. I love Izzies character and cannot imagine watching greys without seeing her on the show. If she is gone, im not watching.. period. I feel like they are making lexie emotionally attached to patients now to cover izzie. No one can take her place. I dont get it. If Katherine heigl wants off the show.. good for her, but if they want her off I think its stupid. I did like the denny story in season 2. Loved it, but now i like seeing her with Alex and if Denny is back that can only confuse people of who she is going to be with or if alex is going to go off the deep end again. I hope they arent giving her a tumor at all. That is all i have to say for now

[Martha]

I watch only 2 shows, Grey's and House (I like medical shows!). Grey's has gradually gone more soap opera/less medical---so has House-- and some goofy characters have turned up, but I'm addicted anyway.

re: Izzy, many of you hold to the theory her delusions will serve to getting her off the show, but this centerpiece role might have actually been written to give her the Emmy material she was asking for.

Since we now know she's got a potentially fatal illness, a brain tumor is again the logical conclusion.
I'm not a doctor but I had a benign type of brain tumor, called a meningioma, and they are usually curable operatively. I just had a bad headache, but depending on location, like any brain tumor, they could cause all sorts of weird disorders. I predict that's what's going to happen. If they're getting rid of her, just about every other kind of brain tumor will do the job.