State of Love and Trust/Grey Matter

Stacy McKee on "State of Love and Trust"...

Original Airdate: 2-4-10

Dear Derek Shepherd,

First of all, let me clear something up. I know you are a fictitious character on a television show. I know this because I've been writing for you for six seasons now. That's a long time. That's a lot of episodes. That's more McDreamy monologues than I can count.

That said, I just wanted to use my blog this time to say: It's ABOUT the hell time you became Chief.

I've been waiting for this moment as long as you have, you know. Six seasons. Richard promised you the chiefship way back in the pilot. It's how he lured you out to Seattle Grace in the first place. And then you found out that he'd also promised the position to Burke. Remember that? You've been waiting for this moment a long long time. As have I. So it was a pleasure to write you this episode. To give you the voice over. To watch you step up to the plate and...

Flounder. Because, let’s face it. You were floundering this episode. And I dug it. We saw a new side of you this episode, and it was refreshing. You were not polished. You were not smooth. We all know just how much this moment must have meant to you and yet, you were set back on your heels. You had to use NOTECARDS, dude. When addressing the entire hospital. Note cards? The Chief should NOT be using note cards!

And, that tie? Now, ordinarily, when you get the chance to take off your scrubs and get all gussied up, I enjoy the transformation. You usually look very dashing. But somehow, in this episode, seeing you in that button down shirt and tie, topped with a lab coat... You reminded me of you as a geeky teenager. The one you told us about in the Prom episode, the one who had braces and played in the band. No offense, but you looked like a little boy playing dress up. Which, by the way, was the point. Because although you have taken over as Chief, you're not quite up to the task yet. I know you wanted to hit the ground running, but it's pretty clear -- the Chiefship is not going to be easy to take over. Richard Webber has left you a hospital in crisis, and his are big shoes to fill. So I don't care how much you or I have been waiting for this moment... It's clear that it's going to take you more than just one episode to actually shine. Which I love. I love seeing you struggle with the job. I was excited to see you go head to head with Richard in that conference room - to call him out, to actually try and FORCE his hand into signing the rehab forms... Holy crap. And then when you turned around and realized you had an audience, when you had to suddenly put your Chief hat back on and send people back to work -- in that moment, it was like a light bulb went off. You - and we all - got a glimpse into just how difficult balancing the job as Chief actually is – and will continue to be. You weren’t able to waltz in and take over seamlessly. You have your work cut out for you.

Awesomeness. And while we're on the topic, I would like to state for the record that I side with Meredith here a little bit. I think you did oust Richard from his job in a fairly underhanded way. I mean I get it, I understand that you can't have anyone - let alone your Chief of Surgery - potentially endangering patients because they are a drunk, but... still. You forced Meredith's hand. And she's right, you did it partly because you HAVE been waiting for the chance to be Chief for a long long time. So I applaud the maturity she shows you here in this episode. She doesn't approve of what happened or how it went down, but as your wife, she's setting that aside and simultaneously being supportive of you. She's helping you pick the right tie. She's telling you that you will be a good Chief. That's maturity we haven't always seen between the two of you and it makes me happy you've finally reached that point in your relationship.

Not that Mark Sloan or Owen are showing the same level of maturity in their relationships right now. I get that you guys are all testosteroney and don't really want to talk about your feelings -- but maybe you could talk a little sense into your two buddies? Mark is punishing Lexie for sleeping with Alex, when he TOTALLY did the same thing with Addison. More than once. He has no ground to stand on! The man-boy is acting like an immature hypocrite. Unacceptable!! And yet - strangely human. I'm sure that's what you would say -- that Mark may be a hypocrite, but only because, for the first time since - well, almost ever - he's been hurt. By a LADY. He was ready to take the next step in his relationship with Lexie and she turned him down, so now he's lashing out. Which is valid, I suppose, but…

Still. He's acting like a jerk.

And Owen - Now, I'm not going to say I don't appreciate an episode in which Owen slams Cristiana against walls and kisses her over and over (you may recall, I scripted their very first wall-slamming kiss outside Joe's Bar last season) - but I have to say... What the HELL was Owen thinking? Literally asking Cristina to choose him over surgery? When Teddy was paging Cristina with a big, amazing medical crisis?? Cristina is right when she calls Owen out on trying to control her all day with sex. Only, of course, he wasn't doing it consciously. He was just falling back on the thing he knows he can rely on between the two of them – their undeniable chemistry. That's his solution when what they really need to do is actually talk.

Thank goodness they finally do talk. And - boy - that scene blows me away. Every time I see it.

Meanwhile, when – if ever – have you met someone who wasn’t intimidated by one of Bailey’s arias? I know you have some interest in this since you were trying to help set Bailey up on a date not too long ago – so, did you notice that Ben, the anesthesiologist Bailey was butting heads with today – did you notice that he was absolutely NOT intimidated by her?

I don’t know. They may have gotten off on the wrong foot here, but I think there’s a little chemistry between those two. Someone not afraid to challenge Bailey. I think I like this Ben guy.

And when it comes to challenging authority – I think you might want to keep an eye on Alex. Arizona seems to have taken him under her wing and I have to admit, I like the combination of the two of them. Alex is notorious for challenging patients or their loved ones if necessary, so he may have just discovered the perfect forum in which to do so. Pediatrics is a specialty where, as the doctor, it is part of your job to stand up for you patients, to give them a voice. It might very well be the perfect place for Alex Karev. (Which, by the way, is something we’ve been setting up for a while – even back when Addison was wandering the halls. Remember? Even she noticed that Alex had a way with the kiddos…)

My point is – there’s a LOT happening right under your nose at the hospital right now. Yesterday, it didn’t really matter to you. You weren’t the Chief. But today…

Today it has to matter to you. It matters if you have a resident bullying a child’s parents. It matters if a patient wakes up on the table. If the hospital is getting sued. If your authority is being undermined by your former boss, the one sitting in a public space, refusing to sign your papers all day. All of it matters to you now.

Because you are no longer just Derek Shepherd, neuro-god. That was the easy job. That’s the job that earned you the title McDreamy.

But the tables have turned. You are about to start a new journey, and I’m not gonna lie. I know what happens in the next episodes. Your job is only going to get harder. And harder. And harder.

Which is why I’m writing you this letter. Mostly I just wanted to wish you good luck.

You’re gonna need it.

Sincerely,

Stacy

P.S. – Please. Do take Bailey’s advice and… lose the tie.