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So last week, Michael Ausiello revealed that it was originally supposed to be Denny outside the elevator doors, not George, at the end of the season five finale. The realization that it should’ve been George struck Shonda Rhimes after production had wrapped for the season, which left her with a couple of obstacles to overcome if she wanted the new ending. Ausiello left us hanging, telling us to check out the printed EW issue for more info, but then he went ahead and gave us the details on his column anyway.
So, the first obstacle was the fact that T.R. Knight had gone ahead and shaved his head, thinking he was done with Grey’s. But as luck should have it, part of his storyline included enlisting in the army so Shonda decided to just stick him in a military uniform. Problem solved.
The other problem, is that Katherine Heigl wasn’t available to return for a re-shoot, since she was all the way in Atlanta working on a different project. So T.R. Knight phoned up Heigl and discussed what Heigl had done in that scene so that he, in turn, could match her facial expressions. “I was like, ‘What did you do in that scene?’” he says with a laugh. “It’s nice when you’ve worked with someone for five years. There’s a shorthand.”
Concerned, Heigl called up Shonda to make sure that it would work, but Rhimes assured her that it would be “perfect.”
And indeed, had we not been told that this was not the original ending, I doubt any of us would’ve thought differently.
I’m glad that it all worked out in the end, as I think seeing George standing there was a much more powerful ending than Denny standing there.
Thoughts?
Via | Ausiello
Image: Bauer-Griffin
[...] via: Grey’s Anatomy News [...]
I thinking the end was much more powerful, then the intended original. Although I’m sadden to see George go.
Definately much more powerful with George!
I think it was a really good idea to put George on the outside of the elevator. It gave a much more powerful effect, as we were all worrying on who was going to make it! Denny would have been a good ending, but George, well George was brilliant. The audience is more connected with George than with Denny, I think, because George was in it from season 1. Also, this has nothing to do with the switch, but getting George to spell out 007 on Meredith’s hand was pure ingenious! I’m so sad to see him go!:’(
I still can’t believe George is gone! I was a big George fan…it was so sad to see him in the elavator scene. I’m sure I will be bawling during the season premier : )
Hannah