TVSquad

(S05E01/S05E02) "The person that invented the phrase 'happily ever after' should have his ass kicked so hard." - Meredith

Another September, another Grey's Anatomy season premiere. Hard to believe that we're already into a fifth season. But you know what isn't hard to believe? That we're still dealing with the same "Meredith and Derek - will they or won't they" mess. Grey's has reached the point that regardless of what happens, I'm going to keep watching it because I've invested too much of my time to walk away now. I really am a fan of the show, which is why I don't feel bad when I say that this was quite possibly the most ridiculous season premiere ever. It was all over the place like some strange metaphor for all the ups and downs Mer and Der have had over the years. A random army doctor, two limousine accidents, ninja attack icicles... and god, the cherry on top - Denny Duquette. Really?

The always lively ABC show-runner panel just ended. Included on the panel were Shonda Rhimes, Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse, Marc Cherry, Greg Berlanti and Silvio Horta. Lindelof made some jokes, and Cherry tried to translate sports metaphors to musical theater metaphors. But we knew one question would come up a few times: How Rhimes reacted to Katherine Heigl's remark about removing herself from Emmy consideration for her work on Grey's Anatomy this season.

What I didn't know was that the most interesting answers would come from my questions.

After Jimmy Kimmel left the room, ABC Entertainment Steve McPherson got on with the business of facing the press at his executive session. I kicked it off with a question about Scrubs, following up on what Bill Lawrence told me in May about a possible "next generation" ninth season.

"We do think there's an opportunity after (this eighth season)," said McPherson. "If any or all the cast is a part of that, I think there's a growth (opportunity) there. It's a show that, despite being moved around into like 17 time periods and really never being given the marketing support, has really performed unbelievably well on NBC." He went on to say that they hope "it won't be a one-season situation."

Other than that, most of the conversation revolved around the network's returning shows, which makes sense, since the network is only debuting a few new shows (none of which had pilots that the network thought were suitable for preview) this fall.

Yes, this is yet another post about behind-the-scenes drama on the Grey's Anatomy set. We have written so many posts on Isaiah Washington, T.R. Knight and Katherine Heigl here at TV Squad that I'm starting to believe there is a clause in the actors' contracts stating that they must make the headlines one way or another every month! This month's Grey's Anatomy drama is once again sponsored by actress Katherine Heigl.

In June, Heigl bowed out of the Emmy race because she was not happy with the storylines given to her character last season. Fans and the press speculated that this also meant she wanted out of the ABC show. However, the actress confirmed she wanted to stay on the show. But what if the producers want her out? According to the latest rumor, that's exactly what they want.

Reports of Katherine Heigl's exit from Grey's Anatomy have been greatly exaggerated, and that comes straight from the actress's mouth. Heigl's staying on Grey's Anatomy for the foreseeable future.

In recent weeks, since choosing not to submit her name for Emmy consideration because she was critical of the material she had this past season, speculation has been that the star wants out of the show. Fueling the fire is the fact that in the past year, thanks to Knocked Up (and a lot less to 27 Dresses), Ms. Heigl's getting many, many offers to jump to the big screen full time.

Life & Style caught up with her last week at L.A.'s Hotel Cafe, where she was watching her husband Josh Kelly, performing. When asked if she would be on Grey's this season, she said, "Of course, absolutely. Those people are like my family." She described the set as a happy, joyful place where there's lots of laughter despite the serious storylines they're playing.

Either an Emmy isn't worth very much these days, or Hollywood actresses are finding that the publicity from spurning a nomination is worth more than the nomination itself. First Grey's Anatomy star -- and last year's Emmy winner -- Katherine Heigl removed her name from consideration for an Emmy in 2008, and now another has followed suit.

Lindsay Lohan is not submitting her Ugly Betty performance for Emmy consideration. What? You don't remember Lindsay's performance, those few minutes of a flashback when Betty recalls being used as a dodge ball target in high school? Yeah, Lindsay really put in Emmy-worthy work there!

This is so ridiculous when it comes to Lindsay. There was no chance she'd be nominated, so removing her name is a stunt. On the other hand, Heigl's move is a real slap in the face to the writers of Grey's Anatomy.

Hey Miss Heigl,

How's it going? Good I hope! You must be enjoying the off-season, huh? I bet you can't wait to get back into production for Grey's Anatomy though. Anyway, I just wanted to let you know that I think you're a really good person. You seem awfully nice and it's very admirable the way you stand up for things you believe in.

You held your own against Isaiah Washington and stood up for your friend T.R. Knight when Washington's hateful words stunned us all. You even spoke out against the sexist undertones of Knocked Up, a film you starred in no less!

Since you seem so nice, I'm wondering if you could do me a small favor. I need a few thousand bucks to cover some recent medical costs. See, I sprained a muscle in my neck real bad a few days ago. How'd it happen you ask?

From craning to get a glimpse of your self-righteous mug way up on top of that high horse of yours.

"The pager is sacred. Sacred sparkle." -- Izzie

A sparkly pager, some quick-drying cement, and a field of candles all play into tonight's 2-hour episode -- the Season Four finale of Grey's Anatomy. Has it really been only four seasons? Because it seems like so much more.

Anyway, tonight we learn a little more about some of the interns' history. For one thing, via a therapy session (and why can't I have Amy Madigan as my therapist?), we learn that young Meredith saw her mom slit her wrists, then had to wait for her to pass out before calling 911.

Meredith says her mom wanted to die, but by the end of the episode, she figures out that she really didn't want to die. Being a brilliant surgeon, her mom would have known the faster road to death entailed slitting her carotid artery.

(S04E15) "Tell her... tell her the train is leaving the station and she better get on it... yeah." - Webber

I don't know what to think anymore. You know, at the end of Grey's Anatomy when you see the title card for Shonda Rhimes' production company? Have you noticed what it is? Shondaland? It's a roller coaster. How appropriate. I mean, don't get me wrong. Even though I feel like everything on TV is still getting sort of a free pass to some extent due to post writer's strike "hey, at least it's new" syndrome, this was actually a great episode... for the most part. Which I suppose could be interpreted as getting a free pass due to "hey, at least there was a lesbian kiss" syndrome.

(S04E14) "Hey, everything I did was consensual. In fact, some of 'em even begged for it." - Sloan

I'm gonna start at the end. Why? Because I loved it. More often than not Grey's Anatomy gets awfully convoluted; full of itself even. It makes me just want to yell at the TV and scream, "Get to the point already!" Then Dr. Wyatt did just that. She cut the crap! She finally came out and made an obvious statement. We don't get those too often on Grey's. It was refreshing. Makes me feel like I'm not crazy.

(S04E13) "It's like I never left." - Addison

She's baaaaaack. The triumphant return of Addison. And yes I do mean triumphant - this was arguably the best episode of the season and it's funny if you think about it. Had the WGA Strike not happened, Private Practice wouldn't have gotten shelved until the fall season (only 9 season one eps aired), and Kate Walsh wouldn't have had all that free time to guest star. With her return came the Grey's Anatomy I remember. Snappy dialogue, good character development, and lots of laughs. Despite the annoying recurrence of all the cases eerily mirroring what's going on in their respective doctors' lives, I loved this episode.

(S04E12) "C'mon, lady on the streets, tramp in the sheets. Am I right?" - Sloan

Hey! Remember this show? Grey's Anatomy hasn't had a new episode since January 10th. So naturally, I was pumped for this one. In fairness, though, I've felt that way about anything new since the writer's strike. Bit of a mixed bag here. Part of me loved it because like I said, it was new. But at the same time, the episode was still laden with far too much of the excessive over-dramatic crap that's plagued most of this season. At the most basic level, this show works. But Shonda Rhimes and Co. love to push it and the problem is that they're not always headed in the right direction.

(S04E11) "Call me when she codes." - Hahn

The power of healing. Does it work? Perhaps. I think it went a little too far when everyone who "the healing lady" touched got better, but I prefer to play the skeptic and Hahn's line did it for me. You're a kook and I'll be back when you're on the verge of death.

Healing took center stage in this episode though. Along with redemption, lying, cheating, and neglect. Just like every other episode of Grey's Anatomy. To be honest, I was really pumped for this one. We've been reading for months about this Bailey narrated episode (she really didn't have much to say), but once it got going I found it a little stale. Maybe it's because it's been over a month since the last episode and the story wasn't exactly fresh in my mind. Maybe it's because this is the last pre-WGA Strike episode. Or maybe it's because I'm finding myself less and less drawn to these characters. Either way, I hope this forced time off gives the show a chance re-invent itself.

(S04E10) "Dr. Hahn. Shut-up." - Meredith

The final pre-strike episode of Grey's Anatomy. Well... technically, there's one more that's been shot (the infamous Bailey narrated episode), but who knows when that'll air. January if we're lucky. Maybe February. Anyway, I liked this one a lot. It definitely made up for last week's mediocre first half. It was hectic and tense despite the fact that you could see most of it coming a mile away. Fortunately, so many things came together... actually, I should say "fell apart."

Tonight at 10, the annual Barbara Walters special The 10 Most Fascinating People of 2007 aired on ABC. And on the same day, Walters says that she's tired of celebrity interviews. She says that she's "not going after the tabloid stuff" and "It's a different climate now and 20/20 and the other magazines are focused on the big celebrities. I didn't want to keep doing that, I have been doing it for years." That's why people like Britney Spears and Paris Hilton aren't part of the list.

Or could it be that on no planet at any time would these two people be considered even remotely "fascinating?"