Goodbye (Grey's Anatomy)

Last updated
"Goodbye"
Grey's Anatomy episode
Episode no.Season 6
Episode 2
Directed by Bill D'Elia
Written by Krista Vernoff
Featured music"Ghosts"
"Hologram"
"Gravity"
"Today Has Been OK"
Original air dateSeptember 24, 2009 (2009-09-24)
Running time43 minutes
Guest appearances
Episode chronology
← Previous
"Good Mourning"		Next →
"I Always Feel Like Somebody's Watchin' Me"
Grey's Anatomy season 6
List of episodes

"Goodbye" is the second episode of the sixth season of the American television medical drama Grey's Anatomy , and the show's 104th episode overall. It was written by Krista Vernoff and directed by Bill D'Elia. The episode was originally broadcast on the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) in the United States on September 24, 2009. In "Goodbye", the staff at Seattle Grace Hospital come to terms with the death of their colleague Dr. George O'Malley (T.R. Knight). Further storylines include Dr. Richard Webber (James Pickens, Jr.) being engaged in a vehicular collision, Dr. Callie Torres (Sara Ramirez) receiving a job as an attending physician at a neighboring hospital, and Dr. Alex Karev's (Justin Chambers) marriage with Dr. Izzie Stevens (Katherine Heigl) taking a toll after her near-death experience.

Contents

The episode was the second part of the 2-hour season 6 premiere special, the first being "Good Mourning", and was filmed in Los Angeles, California. The special was the first premiere that Knight did not appear in, following an early release from his contract, and Jessica Capshaw (Dr. Arizona Robbins)' first premiere in which she received star-billing, having been upgraded from a recurring-star from season 5. Shannon Lucio reprised her role as a guest star, in addition to Amy Madigan, Martha Plimpton, Zack Shada, Mitch Pileggi, and Zoe Boyle. "Goodbye" opened to positive critical reviews, with Chyler Leigh's (Dr. Lexie Grey) and Ramirez's performances receiving particular praise. The episode's original broadcast ranked it at #1 for the night having been viewed by 17.03 million Americans, with a 6.7/17 Nielsen rating/share in the 18–49 demographic.

Plot

In the episode, Dr. Cristina Yang (Sandra Oh) and Dr. Owen Hunt (Kevin McKidd) are undergoing couples therapy with the hospital's psychiatrist, Dr. Wyatt (Amy Madigan). The two are instructed not to engage in sexual activity, until their emotional deficits are healed, which they find uneasy to accomplish. Clara Ferguson (Zoe Boyle) is no longer depressed, and urges Dr. Lexie Grey (Chyler Leigh), who has given her attentive care, to return home.

Ferguson's depression returns again, when Dr. Miranda Bailey (Chandra Wilson) informs her that she has an infection that requires surgery. She rejects the surgery, and is further disappointed when Dr. Cristina Yang (Sandra Oh) tells her that the worst-case scenario is that she will need an ostomy pouching system. Dr. Arizona Robbins (Jessica Capshaw)'s chronic pain patient, Andy Michaelson (Zack Shada) and his mother Pam (Martha Plimpton) enter the emergency room, so Robbins and resident Dr. Alex Karev (Justin Chambers) order a 3D MRI, which is denied by the chief of surgery Dr. Richard Webber (James Pickens, Jr.).

On his way to a meeting, Webber goes through a red light, and collides with another vehicle, resulting in him becoming T-boned. Webber is taken to the neighboring Mercy West Hospital, where he is treated by former colleague Dr. Callie Torres (Sara Ramirez), and subsequently discharged. Ferguson finally agrees to the surgery, after constant pleads from Lexie, and makes a start to physical therapy. Lexie returns home to see her sister Dr. Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo) and her new husband Dr. Derek Shepherd (Patrick Dempsey) having sex in the kitchen. Dr. Izzie Stevens (Katherine Heigl) is at home, begging her husband Karev to spend time with her, but he dismisses her. At Dr. Mark Sloan (Eric Dane)'s apartment, his girlfriend Lexie has moved in, and his bisexual ex-girlfriend Torres walks in on Sloan in the shower. Lexie expresses her concern to Torres about doing this, and she apologizes. Robbins confronts Shepherd, the hospital's chief of neurosurgery, and asks him to run an expensive test to see if Andy has Tethered spinal cord syndrome, which reveals that he has it, and it is reversed through surgery. Stevens notices the girl Dr. George O'Malley (T.R. Knight) saved, Amanda (Shannon Lucio), sitting outside the hospital, and tells her to go get a life, because O'Malley did not save her so she could be miserable. At the conclusion of the episode, Stevens unites with Karev, and Webber announces that Seattle Grace will be merging with Mercy West.

Production

Krista Vernoff informed Kevin McKidd (pictured) that the therapy scene would change, 20 minutes before filming. KevinMcKidd10TIFF.jpg
Krista Vernoff informed Kevin McKidd (pictured) that the therapy scene would change, 20 minutes before filming.

"Goodbye" was written by Krista Vernoff and directed by Bill D'Elia. Joe Mitacek edited the episode and Donald Lee Harris served as production designer. [1] Featured music includes Fanfarlo's "Ghosts", Katie Herzig's "Hologram", Lucy Schwartz's "Gravity", and Emilíana Torrini's "Today Has Been OK". [2] "Today Has Been OK" played while Shepherd (Dempsey) was consoling Bailey (Wilson) about O'Malley's (Knight) death, in the elevator. This song was originally played in the season 2 episode "Into You Like a Train", when Bailey was consoling Shepherd. This is the only time the series has reused a song. [3] "Goodbye" is the second hour of the season 6 premiere. It was the first premiere not to feature Knight's character, O'Malley. Knight was released from his contract at the conclusion of season five, following a disagreement with series creator Shonda Rhimes over lack of screen-time for his character. When asked to make a 'flashback' appearance in season 6, Knight declined. [4]

The scene in which Yang (Oh) and Hunt (McKidd) were partaking in couples therapy, was originally planned to be a comical moment. Vernoff commented on this: "I handed them that scene 20 MINUTES BEFORE CAMERAS ROLLED. It was actually a funny scene right up until the last minute. Sandra and Kevin had smart questions – and what became crystal clear to me instantly is that this storyline could not be resolved in a humorous way. It had earned weight. Indeed, it required weight." [3] In the episode, Meredith (Pompeo) grieves her pain through constant sex with Shepherd. Vernoff explained she loves the fact that Meredith is healthy enough to realize what she is doing. [3] At the conclusion of "Goodbye", Yang finally came to terms with the death of O'Malley. Vernoff offered her insight:

"Cristina, who as a young child, held her father’s heart in her hands as it stopped beating, is perhaps the least "processed" of our core group, the least "healthy," the least able to handle the impact of George’s sudden death. Mer is using sex, Cristina is using her frustration around her lack of sex. So when she finally gets in bed with Owen and she finally has the tension release that comes with that kind of, um… tension release… She can’t hold the truth off anymore. That’s the thing about the five stages of grief. They truly are different for everyone. Cristina clung to the Denial stage for 40 days. And then she let in the fact that George died. And as much as Mer’s tears got to me, that intake of breath from Cristina got to me even more. The sudden realization that George really did…die.

— Krista Vernoff, Grey Matter [3]

Reception

Broadcasting

"Goodbye" was originally broadcast on September 24, 2009, on the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) in the United States, following the first part of the season 6 premiere "Good Mourning". It was viewed by a total of 17.04 million Americans, across its 2-hour 9:00 Eastern time-slot. [5] The episode was the series' second least-viewed season premiere, up to that point, just ahead of the season 1 premiere—"A Hard Day's Night". [6] In comparison to the previous episode, "Goodbye" made a 0.08% decrease in terms of viewership. [7] However, the episode's viewership ranked first in both its time-slot and the entire night, beating out CBS's CSI . [5] In addition to being a success in viewership, the episode also did well in ratings. "Goodbye"'s 6.7/17 Nielsen rating ranked first in its time-slot and the entire night, for both the rating and share percentages of the 18–49 demographic. The episode also received a rating of 10.9/18 in the 18-34 demographic, beating out CBS's The Mentalist , and ranking #1 in the ratings and shares for the demographic. [5]

Critical reception

Patrick Dempsey's performance as Derek Shepherd was praised. Patrick Dempsey cropped.jpg
Patrick Dempsey's performance as Derek Shepherd was praised.

The episode opened to positive feedback from critics, and aired back-to-back with "Good Mourning", as a two-hour season premiere special. Alan Sepinwall of NJ.com commented on the 2 episodes being conjoined into 1 week: "I keep going back and forth on whether it was a good idea to do that, or if we'd have been better off spacing out the tearful speeches over 2 weeks. That isn't to say that there shouldn't have been tears, or speeches. George's death, no matter how marginal he had become last season, is and should be a huge event in the lives of these characters. Had the show raced through Elizabeth Kubler-Ross's famous 5 stages of grief, it would have rang false, as if everyone making the show was in a hurry to move past the events of the wildly-uneven fifth season. My problem is, when you put 2 episodes back-to-back, those rhythms - the pace at which the acts build to emotional crescendos and then briefly recede - start to become too predictable, and it sucks some of the life and emotion away." [8] Sepinwall also praised Wilson's, Ramirez's, and Chambers' performances. [8]

The Huffington Post 's Michael Pascua praised Dempsey's character, in comparison to his performance in "Good Mourning", writing: "Derek was set up as a real character in the second half, not just a one-sided McDreamy. First, Arizona and Derek finally fix the problem with Andy, then the two had some genuine interaction. Derek confronted Alex about his problems with Izzie. He took a moment to talk to Mark about the hospital's situation and ended the episode by confronting a very edgy Bailey. Miraculously, he had the time to have a lot of sex with Meredith." [9] Pascua also enjoyed Leigh's performance, commenting: "Lexie continued to evolve. I loved the anxiety that Lexie had with Callie. She wasn't really a doctor in any sense in this episode, just a friend to lean on." [9] Though he was impressed with the majority of the episode, Pascua had mixed feelings on the character of Stevens, attributing it to his dislike of Heigl. [9]

Related Research Articles

<i>Greys Anatomy</i> season 2 Season of television series

The second season of the American television medical drama Grey's Anatomy commenced airing on the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) on September 25, 2005, and concluded on May 15, 2006. The season was produced by Touchstone Television in conjuction with Shondaland production company and The Mark Gordon Company, the showrunner being Shonda Rhimes. Actors Ellen Pompeo, Sandra Oh, Katherine Heigl, Justin Chambers, and T. R. Knight reprised their roles as surgical interns Meredith Grey, Cristina Yang, Izzie Stevens, Alex Karev, and George O'Malley respectively. Previous main cast members Chandra Wilson, James Pickens, Jr., Isaiah Washington and Patrick Dempsey also returned, while Kate Walsh, who began the season in a recurring capacity, was promoted to series-regular status, after appearing in 7 episodes as a guest-star. Internationally, the season was distributed by Buena Vista International Television.

<i>Greys Anatomy</i> season 3 Season of television series

The third season of the American television medical drama Grey's Anatomy, commenced airing on the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) on September 21, 2006, and concluded on May 17, 2007. The season was produced by Touchstone Television, in association with Shondaland Production Company and The Mark Gordon Company, the showrunner being Shonda Rhimes. Actors Ellen Pompeo, Sandra Oh, Katherine Heigl, Justin Chambers and T. R. Knight reprised their roles as surgical interns Meredith Grey, Cristina Yang, Izzie Stevens, Alex Karev and George O'Malley, respectively, continuing their expansive storylines as focal points throughout the season. Previous main cast members Chandra Wilson, James Pickens, Jr., Kate Walsh, Isaiah Washington, and Patrick Dempsey also returned, while previous guest-stars Sara Ramirez and Eric Dane were promoted to series-regulars, following the extension of their contracts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Izzie Stevens</span> Fictional character from the television show Greys Anatomy

Isobel Katherine Stevens, M.D. is a fictional character from the medical drama television series Grey's Anatomy, which airs on the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) in the United States. The character was created by series producer Shonda Rhimes, and was portrayed by actress Katherine Heigl from 2005 to 2010. Introduced as a surgical intern at the fictional Seattle Grace Hospital, Izzie worked her way up to resident level, while her relationships with her colleagues Meredith Grey, Cristina Yang, Alex Karev and George O'Malley formed a focal point of the series.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George O'Malley</span> Fictional character

George O'Malley, M.D. is a fictional character from the medical drama television series Grey's Anatomy, which airs on ABC in the United States. The character was created by series producer Shonda Rhimes, and was portrayed by actor T. R. Knight from 2005 to 2009. Introduced as a surgical intern at the fictional Seattle Grace Hospital, O'Malley worked his way up to resident level, while his relationships with his colleagues Meredith Grey, Cristina Yang, Izzie Stevens, and Alex Karev formed a focal point of the series. O'Malley married Callie Torres from whom he later separated to pursue a relationship with Stevens. O'Malley also had entertained romantic interests with Grey and Olivia Harper.

"If Tomorrow Never Comes" is the sixth episode of the first season of the American television medical drama Grey's Anatomy, which first aired on ABC on May 1, 2005. The episode was written by Krista Vernoff and was directed by Scott Brazil.

Time Has Come Today (<i>Greys Anatomy</i>) 1st episode of the 3rd season of Greys Anatomy

"Time Has Come Today" is the first episode of the third season of the American television medical drama Grey's Anatomy, and the show's 37th episode overall. Written by Shonda Rhimes and directed by Daniel Minahan, the episode aired on the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) in the United States on September 21, 2006. The episode primarily focuses on Dr. Izzie Stevens coping with the unexpected death of her fiancé, Denny Duquette, while dealing with the decision to quit the internship program. Further storylines include Dr. Preston Burke facing the repercussions of his being shot, and Dr. Meredith Grey dealing with the aftermath of her affair with Dr. Derek Shepherd, which puts a strain in his already troubled marriage to Dr. Addison Montgomery-Shepherd.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I Am a Tree</span> 2nd episode of the 3rd season of Greys Anatomy

"I Am a Tree" is the second episode in the third season of the American serial drama television series Grey's Anatomy, and the 38th episode of the overall series. The episode focuses mainly on Cristina Yang, as her romantic relationship with Preston Burke is tested through the arrival of his parents. The episode is the first to feature Diahann Carroll, who begins a recurring role as Jane Burke, Preston's mother. The installment marked Eric Dane's second appearance in the series and first appearance in the season, despite not being credited. The episode was instrumental in the producers' decision to have Dane promoted to series regular status in the following episode.

<i>Greys Anatomy</i> season 5 Season of television series

The fifth season of the American television medical drama Grey's Anatomy, created by Shonda Rhimes, commenced airing on American Broadcasting Company (ABC) in the United States on September 25, 2008 and concluded on May 14, 2009 with 24 aired episodes. The season follows the story of a group of surgeons as they go through their residency, while they also deal with the personal challenges and relationships with their mentors. Season 5 had 13 series regulars with 12 of them returning from the previous season, out of which 8 are part of the original cast. The season aired in the Thursday night time-slot at 9:00 pm. The season was officially released on DVD as a seven disc boxset under the title of Grey's Anatomy: The Complete Fifth Season – More Moments on September 9, 2009 by Buena Vista Home Entertainment.

<i>Greys Anatomy</i> season 6 Season of television series

The sixth season of the American television medical drama Grey's Anatomy, commenced airing on the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) in the United States on September 24, 2009, and concluded on May 20, 2010. The season was produced by ABC Studios, in association with Shondaland Production Company and The Mark Gordon Company; the showrunner being Shonda Rhimes and head writer Krista Vernoff. Actors Ellen Pompeo, Sandra Oh, Katherine Heigl, and Justin Chambers reprised their roles as surgical residents Meredith Grey, Cristina Yang, Izzie Stevens, and Alex Karev, respectively. Heigl was released from her contract in the middle of the season, while T. R. Knight did not appear as George O'Malley, because Knight was released from his contract at the conclusion of season five. Main cast members Patrick Dempsey, Chandra Wilson, James Pickens, Jr., Sara Ramirez, Eric Dane, Chyler Leigh, and Kevin McKidd also returned, while previous recurring-star Jessica Capshaw was promoted to a series-regular, and Kim Raver was given star-billing after the commencement of the season.

"A Change Is Gonna Come" is the fourth season premiere of the American television medical drama Grey's Anatomy, and the 62nd episode of the overall series. The premiere focused on the aftermath of the main characters' promotion to residency, following the conclusion of their internship. The episode was the first not to feature Isaiah Washington, portraying Preston Burke, due to his being fired from the series at the conclusion of season 3. The episode also marked Chyler Leigh's promotion to series regular status, following her guest appearances in the last 2 episodes of the previous season. Also featured were one-time guest actors Mark Pellegrino, Stephania Childers, Sandra Thigpen, and Steven Porter.

"Stand by Me" is the 18th episode of the fifth season of the American television medical drama, Grey's Anatomy and the show's 96th episode overall. Written by Zoanne Clack and directed by Jessica Yu, the episode was originally broadcast on the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) in the United States on March 19, 2009. The initial airing was viewed by 14.36 million Americans and garnered a 4.9/12 Nielsen rating/share in the 18–49 demographic. The episode garnered many positive reviews from critics.

"Good Mourning" is the first episode and the season premiere of the sixth season of the American television medical drama Grey's Anatomy, and the show's 103rd episode overall. It was written by Krista Vernoff and directed by Ed Ornelas. The episode was originally broadcast on the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) in the United States on September 24, 2009. In "Good Mourning", the physicians are seen dealing with the revelation that a dead John Doe is their beloved co-worker Dr. George O'Malley, and dealing with the aftermath of Dr. Izzie Stevens' near-death experience. Further storylines include Dr. Callie Torres and Stevens trying to decide whether or not to donate O'Malley's organs and Dr. Derek Shepherd being offered Dr. Richard Webber's chief of surgery job.

I Like You So Much Better When Youre Naked (<i>Greys Anatomy</i>) 12th episode of the 6th season of Greys Anatomy

"I Like You So Much Better When You're Naked" is the twelfth episode of the sixth season of the American television medical drama Grey's Anatomy, and the show's 114th episode overall. It was written by Tony Phelan and Joan Rater, and directed by Donna Deitch. It aired on the American Broadcasting Company in the United States on January 21, 2010. In the episode, Dr. Izzie Stevens returns to the fictional Seattle Grace Mercy West Hospital with the fear that her estranged husband Dr. Alex Karev is moving on, hoping to make amends. Further storylines include Dr. Derek Shepherd contemplating as to whether or not he should report the chief of surgery Dr. Richard Webber, for his alcoholism, and Dr. Callie Torres battling the chicken pox.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I Always Feel Like Somebody's Watchin' Me</span> 3rd episode of the 6th season of Greys Anatomy

"I Always Feel Like Somebody's Watchin' Me" is the third episode of the sixth season of the American television medical drama Grey's Anatomy, and the show's 105th episode overall. It was written by Tony Phelan and Joan Rater, and directed by Michael Pressman. The episode was originally broadcast on the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) in the United States on October 1, 2009. In the episode, the physicians of Seattle Grace struggle to maintain their jobs as the hospital merges with Mercy West. Further storylines include Dr. Izzie Stevens returning to work full-time, too quickly after her surgery, and Dr. Cristina Yang working under Dr. Arizona Robbins.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tainted Obligation</span> 4th episode of the 6th season of Greys Anatomy

"Tainted Obligation" is the fourth episode of the sixth season of the American television medical drama Grey's Anatomy, and the show's 106th episode overall. It was written by Jenna Bans and directed by Tom Verica. The episode was originally broadcast on the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) in the United States on October 8, 2009. In the episode, Dr. Meredith Grey and Dr. Lexie Grey 's father is admitted into the hospital, seeking a liver transplantation. Further storylines include Dr. Cristina Yang getting nervous about losing her job, and Dr. Owen Hunt attempting to perform surgery on a terminal patient with Dr. Izzie Stevens.

Invasion (<i>Greys Anatomy</i>) 5th episode of the 6th season of Greys Anatomy

"Invasion" is the fifth episode of the sixth season of the American television medical drama Grey's Anatomy, the show's 107th episode overall, and the first of a two-part patient crossover event with Private Practice. It was written by Mark Wilding and directed by Tony Phelan. The episode was originally broadcast on the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) in the United States on October 15, 2009. In the episode, the physicians of Seattle Grace Hospital must learn to co-operate with new Mercy West residents, who do not act in a kind manner to them. Other storylines include Dr. Callie Torres 's father returning to the hospital to condemn her bisexuality, and Dr. Izzie Stevens putting her career into jeopardy after administering the wrong treatment to a patient.

"Give Peace a Chance" is the seventh episode of the sixth season of the American television medical drama Grey's Anatomy, and the show's 109th episode overall. Written by Peter Nowalk and directed by Chandra Wilson, the episode was originally broadcast on the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) in the United States on October 29, 2009. Grey's Anatomy centers on a group of young doctors in training. In this episode, Dr. Derek Shepherd performs an operation on a hospital technician's "inoperable" tumor, despite the objections of the chief of surgery, Dr. Richard Webber.

"Invest in Love" is the eighth episode of the sixth season of the American television medical drama Grey's Anatomy, and the show's 110th episode overall. Written by Stacy McKee and directed by Jessica Yu, the episode was originally broadcast on the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) in the United States on November 5, 2009. Grey's Anatomy centers around a group of young doctors, training to be seasoned professionals. In this episode, Dr. Arizona Robbins is stunned when her longtime patient's parents offer the hospital a donation of 25 million dollars. Katherine Heigl was absent from the episode, as she was filming the 2010 romantic comedy Life as We Know It. The original episode broadcast was ranked #3 for the night and would have 13.95 million viewers, garnered a 5.1/13 Nielsen rating/share in the 18–49 demographic.

Leave a Light On (<i>Greys Anatomy</i>) 16th episode of the 16th season of Greys Anatomy

"Leave a Light On" is the sixteenth episode of the sixteenth season of the American medical drama television series Grey's Anatomy and the 358th episode overall, which aired on ABC on March 5, 2020. The episode was written by Elisabeth Finch and directed by Debbie Allen. It marked the final appearance of Justin Chambers as Alex Karev.

References

  1. ↑ Writer: Krista Vernoff. Director: Bill D'Elia (September 24, 2009). "Goodbye". Grey's Anatomy. Season 6. American Broadcasting Company.
  2. ↑ "Grey's Anatomy "Goodbye" Music". TV Fanatic. SheKnows Entertainment. 16 September 2009. Retrieved July 4, 2012.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Vernoff, Krista (September 25, 2009). "Krista Vernoff on "Good Mourning" and "Goodbye"..." Grey Matter. American Broadcasting Company. Archived from the original on October 22, 2012. Retrieved July 4, 2012.
  4. ↑ "T.R. Knight: Leaving Grey's Anatomy Was the "Best Decision"". Us Weekly . Wenner Media. July 23, 2009. Retrieved June 30, 2012.
  5. 1 2 3 Seidman, Robert (September 25, 2009). "Thursday broadcast finals, plus quarter hour detail for FlashForward". TV by the Numbers . Zap2it. Archived from the original on September 28, 2009. Retrieved September 13, 2010.
  6. ↑ "Weekly Program Rankings: 3/21/05-3/27/05". Medianet. American Broadcasting Company. March 29, 2005. Retrieved July 1, 2009.
  7. ↑ Gorman, Bill (May 15, 2009). "Ratings: ABC, Grey's Anatomy Win "Finale Thursday"; But Decline Continues". TV by the Numbers . Zap2it. Archived from the original on September 23, 2012. Retrieved September 12, 2010.
  8. 1 2 Sepinwall, Alan (September 25, 2009). "Grey's Anatomy, "Good Mourning"/"Goodbye": Reviewing the season premiere". NJ.com . Retrieved July 2, 2012.
  9. 1 2 3 Pascua, Michael (September 25, 2009). "Grey's Anatomy: Good Mourning / Goodbye (season premiere)". Huffington Post . Archived from the original on August 25, 2019. Retrieved July 2, 2012.

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.