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June 19, 2013

TV Squad Ten: Why Izzie + Denny = Ridiculous

by Jonathan Toomey, posted Dec 11th 2008 11:26AM

Katherine Heigl and Jeffrey Dean MorganWelcome to TV Squad Ten, a new semi-weekly feature where we list ten fun things about the current state of TV.

The Izzie/Denny romance has gone from being one of the most fan-adored plots on Grey's Anatomy to one of the most fan-despised over the span of just three seasons. When Denny first popped up as a heart-transplant candidate in season two, it was cute and adorable. Despite the fact that he was dying, the guy was funny and charming - how could you not like him?

Even though it was hard to swallow Izzie's over-the-top attempt to save Denny's life (LVAD wire anyone?), we still bit our tongues and from what I recall, just about everyone went through a whole box of Kleenex when he finally kicked it.

But then he kept coming back. It was infrequent at first and now it's reached the point that Denny is around more now than when he was alive. It's ridiculous and wrong and here are ten reasons why...

10. Denny's dead: Let's get the most obvious reason out of the way: HE'S DEAD. Enough already. Living people should not be having sex with dead people. You'd think that of all the networks, ABC would be the one to have a rule against this. But it's more than that - Denny is not even something physical that Izzie can touch. It's not like she dug him up and started banging his decayed body. It's weirdo ghost sex.

9. Heigl got her wish: Do you realize what this means now? Katherine Heigl, who so famously complained about not getting good material last season and asked to be taken out of Emmy consideration, is now throwing herself into this plot and her character. The story is crap, but c'mon - she's good at her job. That almost guarantees she'll take home an Emmy next year for this Grey's garbage. You watch. Jeffrey Dean Morgan will be in the credited cast next season as a result of this. Mark my words.

8. Less girl-on-girl action: It's really putting a dent in all the lesbian relationships on the show. As much as I couldn't stand Hahn or Callie, at least they were both alive. Dr. Hahn already got the boot a few weeks ago. At least Callie is all giggles over Sadie the intern now. If there's one thing that Grey's Anatomy needs, it's more lesbian sex. Not dead guy sex.

7. Heigl's salary: Did you see what Bob wrote the other day?!? Katherine Heigl makes a boatload of money per season of Grey's Anatomy! NO ONE should get paid that much cash to be having imaginary sex with some dead guy. Porn stars around the world should be very offended right now. Especially the ones who are getting paid way less to do the same thing.

6. Morgan knows how to play dead: And speaking of dead guys, apparently that's all Jeffrey Dean Morgan knows how to play these days. Have you seen his IMDb page? This show. Weeds. Supernatural. Dead, dead, and more dead. It's confusing. How do I know Izzie isn't having sex with Judah Botwin in some weird ABC and Showtime cross-over?

5. This isn't St. Elsewhere: Next we'll find out that Izzie is young Tommy Westphall reincarnated, her head is just like that damn snow-globe the kid had, and the entire show will just be in her head. It may not be a brain tumor, but it's a brain something. So help me god, if this whole show turns into a dream...

4. What about Dr. Karev? Izzie is making love to the bed sheets and there's a perfectly good, alive, and breathing guy telling her that he loves her. What gives? Is she insane? What sensible person would pick Dead Denny over Alive Alex?

3. No clever nickname: I have a hard time buying into any relationship on this show until the guy has an official nickname that all the girls call him. So what do we call Denny now? McMoldy? McCorpse? McMeat Puppet?

2. One more time: Again... because I can't resist... HE'S DEAD. Frankly, I was tempted to list this for all 10 reasons and as far as I'm concerned, this trumps all the others.

1. Ghost babies: And finally, this really just can't work because if they can fall in love and have sex then that means they can have babies like normal people - but they're not normal. Denny is a ghost (or something) and ghost babies are so not "in" right now. Unless they're from Malawi. Is Denny a Malawian?

Grey's Anatomy' Photos

    Actress Chandra Wilson attends the screening of her new public service announcement produced by OTCSafety.org at Edelman headquarters on September 24, 2008 in New York City.

    Joe Corrigan/WireImage.com

    Actress Chandra Wilson attends the screening of her new public service announcement produced by OTCSafety.org at Edelman headquarters on September 24, 2008 in New York City.

    Joe Corrigan/WireImage.com

    NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 24: Actress Chandra Wilson attends the screening of a new public service announcement for OTCsafety.org at the Edelman headquarters on September 24, 2008 in New York City. (Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Chandra Wilson

    Getty Images

    NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 24: Actress Chandra Wilson attends the screening of a new public service announcement for OTCsafety.org at the Edelman headquarters on September 24, 2008 in New York City. (Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Chandra Wilson

    Getty Images

    NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 24: Actress Chandra Wilson attends the screening of a new public service announcement for OTCsafety.org at the Edelman headquarters on September 24, 2008 in New York City. (Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Chandra Wilson

    Getty Images

    Actor Patrick Dempsey (R) and wife Jillian Dempsey arrive at the 60th Primetime Emmy Awards at the Nokia Theater on September 21, 2008 in Los Angeles, California.

    Dan MacMedan/WireImage.com

    Chandra Wilson and Debra Birnbaum, Editor-in-Chief of TV Guide Magazine, arrive at TV Guide

    Chris Weeks/WireImage.com

    Actress Chandra Wilson arrives at the 60th Primetime Emmy Awards at the Nokia Theater on September 21, 2008 in Los Angeles, California.

    Steve Granitz/WireImage.com

    Actor Patrick Dempsey poss in the press room during the 60th Primetime Emmy Awards at the Nokia Theatre on September 21, 2008 in Los Angeles, California.

    Dan MacMedan/WireImage.com

    (L-R) Actors Sandra Oh and Patrick Dempsey pose in the press room during the 60th Primetime Emmy Awards at the Nokia Theatre on September 21, 2008 in Los Angeles, California.

    Dan MacMedan/WireImage.com

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19 Comments

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MONICA

I MEAN I TOTALLY AGREE WITH THE 18 REASONS WHY ITS RIDICULOUS. SHE CAN'T HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH A DEAD GUY AND A LIVING GUY. WHAT IS SHE GOING TO SAY I HAVE TO GO HAVE IMAGINARY SEX WITH MY DEAD FIANCE' ITS ACTUALLY STARTING TO PISS ME OFF AND RUIN THE SHOW

December 30 2008 at 5:36 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Luz

At some point i was soo thinking she would be like that kid "I see dead people"...
i am soooooooo waiting for an explanation... Izzie used to be my fav character... but then they made her an adulterer... which i really didnt like... even if the couple was cute... and now she goes nuts... I do have to say Katherine is an awesome actress... and im sooo with her... so if she leaves the show... i will leave ith her i loooove her!

December 19 2008 at 4:01 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Darren

Lucy - I don't think Grey's has a chance of winning an Emmy again so it is a moot point. Also, what is so laughable about the whole thing is that actors and actresses do what Heigl did every single year. Of the thousands and thousands of shows and actors not everyone choose to submit something for consideration (please note it was NOT the NOMINATION process that happens after a shortlist is created), in fact more chose not to than actually do. The story gained prominence because Heigl was the previous winner and also because she spoke the truth about her story lines. But lets be honest...she was right...Grey's has not been up to scratch! The fact she was vilified for it is the real crime here.

December 12 2008 at 5:23 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to Darren's comment
Lucy

Darren - You're probably right re: Grey's and awards; their time in the sun is gone. At any rate, hopefully I'm incorrect in assuming the reaction within the industry to Heigl's decision mirrored the media's reaction, which was so weirdly over-the-top, for precisely the reasons you list.

December 14 2008 at 11:01 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
karla

i love that the show is called grey's anatomy but no one ever really talks about grey. her and mcdreamy's storyline is so second fiddle and honestly it's more like 7th bc you have 1. iz/denny 2. iz/alex 3. christina/mc-army dude 4. callie/ any lesbian abc pops out 5. callie/mcsteamy 6. lexie/ mcsteamy and then the around 7th is meridith and mcdreamy and that's only the order for the shows relationship storyline. meridith's stories are really all background filler even callie/mcsteamy friendship, lexie/ mcsteamy, and baylies wanting to grow all seem like they are more important on the priority line than anything meridith grey related

December 11 2008 at 8:51 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
mediaboy

i expect to see her out next season

December 11 2008 at 7:53 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
rusty

I stopped watching Grey's after the first Denny debacle and even then I was a sporadic viewer at best.

But:

Does anyone else remember his whole "Sex with a dead guy" thing going on before? It has: Sela Ward & George Clooney's ghost on Sisters. Granted, this sounds far more blatant and that was very clearly as a result of grief as it went on right after the guy died...but still. So soapy.

December 11 2008 at 7:10 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Lucy

Do you really think Heigl will be nominated for an Emmy again (let alone WIN)? Like, EVER again, but especially for Grey's, even if her performances warrant it? I thought Hollywood held grudges about this sort of thing.

December 11 2008 at 6:18 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Xsinix

i was kind of hoping that in someway he really hadn't died and they just faked his death :(
But really... if you have this big of an issues over a tv show.. maybe you shouldn't watch it...
Its make believe anything can happen.

December 11 2008 at 3:31 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Darren

Heigl's earnings while excellent on Grey's are very similar to her main co-stars. The difference comes from her movies - she is currently on $6 million per movie (for 27 dresses and the soon to be released The Ugly Truth). The reason...both Knocked Up and 27 Dress did the business at the box office...the second solely being her vehicle. The entire movie was sold around her name and it did very well. The dollar is just one of the many reasons why she probably wants to move to film full time. I imagine another is the crappy storylines she keeps getting on the show, which is a shame because as you said she is darn good at her job and a wonderful actress. The original Denny / Izzie line was great and she deserved all the plaudits but the second time around...the dude is dead. Ok..so we know it is because she has a brain related illness and all will soon be resolved but I think people have found it a step too far. Personally I dont think it is anywhere near as bad as people make out - and that is largely thanks to Heigl's and Morgan who have are kicking butt in the acting department.

December 11 2008 at 1:13 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Jason

And regarding your number 6 comment, Jeffrey Dean Morgan plays dead.....he is in the Watchmen movie coming out in March. His character in the movie, The Comedian. Yeah...*SPOILER IF YOU CARE*....he dies.

December 11 2008 at 1:05 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply

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