Tuesday, March 27, 2007

My Favorite Mistake

My Favorite Mistake
Season 3, Grey's Anatomy

[so you know what I’m talking about, drop by the Grey’s Anatomy episode guide or watch this video first:]



George and Izzie. George and Izzie. George and Izzie. They’ve been best friends since day 1. Has been there for each other through the terror residents, the death of Denny, the Meredith fiasco, ‘feeding the monster’ with Alex, STD with Olivia, the $8.7 million cheque, the death of George’s father, and Callie.

Callie, George’s wife.

It’s wrong. wrong. wrong. That’s the long and short of it. George is married, and that’s that. It was a mistake, something George and Izzie never saw coming but it did happen.

The hot, amazing – illicit – sex happened.

We saw it and we couldn’t believe our eyes. This is George and Izzie – the goofy duo that brings light moments to the otherwise overly dramatic lives of the surgeons in Seattle Grace. Sure, Izzie’s been mourning the death of Denny for a season now, but we have faith because it’s George. George the good guy. George the only guy who stood up to Callie’s father. The family-guy. The perfect, husband-material guy.

Then life pulled the rug from George’s feet through the death of his father. George being lost and holding on to the closest lifeline -- a spur-of-the-moment wedding with Callie. The constant fights with the wife. Izzie fighting for her best friend whom she thinks made a terrible mistake. Then the night they got drunk.

And the hot, amazing – and still illicit – sex happened.


I was watching this episode with my hand over my mouth completely mortified. When George finally remembered what happened, I could see the confusion and helplessness in his eyes. He knew nothing would be the same after this. He could lose his best friend. He is on the way to losing his wife. If he could take everything back, he’ll do it in a heartbeat.

But he can’t. It’s done. No power on earth can take back the mistake he made.

My favorite scene in this episode – my favorite scene in all of Grey’s Anatomy’s three series, is the linen closet scene when George just remembered what happened to him and Izzie. There were no words, because really, what can you say?

I like this scene because of its technical execution and the exemplary performance of the actors. I love it, however, because of what George chose to do in this scene.

They paced like caged animals because that’s what they really were – caged. Emotions were running sky high. They’re no longer drunk, but the sex could still happen right then and there. George was sorry, and confused, and with no inkling of an idea what to do. Then Izzie touches his face, and suddenly, possibilities – scary, surprising, confusing possibilities – arose.

George was bewildered but he knew the mistake he made could multiply in that closet. So despite emotions, despite what he wanted, despite the excitement, despite the possibilities, he walked out.

The world will say that if you feel something, be true to yourself and go for it. That’s why husbands who’s been married for 35 years leave their wives for a woman 20 years his junior who ‘gets’ him. But there are more important things than emotions. Like commitment. Like doing the right thing. At that moment in the linen closet, despite the shadow of the most horrible mistake he made in his whole life, George still chose the right thing. Most of us can’t quite claim the same.

I don’t know how the Grey’s Anatomy writers would sort this out. I don’t know how exactly but I would like to think that everything would be ok. That George would come clean to his wife, that they would work it out and everything would turn out right for them – George, Izzie, and Callie.

It will be hard, it will be hurtful, it may seem impossible, but I prefer to believe in redemption.

Both in TV and in real life.

7 comments:

idagurl said...

now you know why i wanted you to watch the episode...
and yes, i loved that scene in the closet...

wandering storyteller said...

this episode is Da Bomb.

jen said...

it's more complicated because george is married. it will be less complicated if george is not married. but it's still complicated. hehehe.

callie will find out eventually. because izzie will tell somebody. ;)

TwistedHalo said...

spoilerrrrr! haha! pirated lang yung copy ko eh, i think i've only reached a couple of episodes after denny's death. :( san ka nakakapanood/nakakakuha ng DVDs?

wandering storyteller said...

i have a friend who downloads from bittorrent. heehee :p

Anonymous said...

I soooooooooo know what you mean. I mean, George bumpin uglies with Meredith was bad enough, but this... I *like* Izzy! why why why :(

{illyria} said...

since i am undoubtedly going against the grain when i think it, i'll go right ahead and say it: sometimes, doing the right thing is the mistake you'll have to live with for the rest of your life. and the right thing isn't necessarily what makes you happy, because that's the price you pay. RIGHT makes you pay in blood and tears as much as WRONG does.

that said, i don't watch the telly, thank goodness. :)