I Rewatched McDreamy’s Death On Grey’s Anatomy 10 Years Later, And There Are 3 Big Things I Still Hate About That Episode

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The upcoming comeback of “Grey’s Anatomy” among other TV debuts in 2025 signifies two decades since its initial airing in March 2005. Over these years, dedicated viewers have witnessed numerous doctors join and depart, but the departure of Derek Shepherd (played by Patrick Dempsey) was particularly shocking, reportedly due to his alleged difficult behavior on set. I still recall disliking the episode where he was killed off – Season 11’s “How to Save a Life” – and revisiting it during the 10th anniversary of McDreamy’s demise only to see if my feelings had softened.

Indeed, they carried out their action, but unfortunately, it didn’t turn out well. Over time, I’ve come to dislike it even more, and here are three compelling reasons why that installation became increasingly frustrating when looking back.

On April 23, 2015, I looked back at my previous job where I didn’t need to follow the off-screen happenings of series such as Grey’s Anatomy. Yet, I was aware that Patrick Dempsey’s time on the show might be coming to an end. Although I was intrigued about how the story would progress without Derek, I wasn’t overly upset at his departure. However, when I witnessed the seemingly careless handling of such a significant character’s demise, I was left in shock. Rewatching it after a decade for the first time, three key observations stood out to me.

Derek’s Collision With The Truck Looks Ridiculous

In “How to Save a Life,” I rolled my eyes quite a bit at the corny dialogue, yet when Derek’s car was hit by the truck 10 years ago, I couldn’t help but burst out in surprised laughter at how poorly done the effects seemed. My memory wasn’t deceiving me; it truly was that bad, particularly when contrasted with the wreck that occurred shortly after, which showcased numerous vehicles flipping from various camera angles. It’s possible they spent their entire budget on that scene?

Absolutely, it seemed quite reckless when Derek drove onto the roadway, halting traffic in both directions as he searched for his ringing cellphone. Given that poor cell reception had been emphasized earlier, the phone’s ringing was incongruous. The scene reminded me of an anti-texting-and-driving public service announcement. However, I can accept that people might make such mistakes. My main issue lies with the truck, though.

Gosh, I’m curious about where that truck appeared from, you know? It didn’t sound its massive horn until it was right over McDreamy’s car – and that can’t be good. Was there a blind spot or curve in the road? If so, how on earth could it have been moving fast enough to hit Seattle’s celebrated neurosurgeon? Seems strange since I didn’t see any other cars around at that time on that road. Quite mysterious!

Additionally, it seems as though the photograph only captures a part of the truck. Given its perspective, I can’t help but wonder if the backside of the vehicle is missing or hidden, leaving an open view to the sky and trees beyond.

Derek’s Narration Of His Impending Death Doesn’t Make Sense

I found it quite unpleasant when Patrick Dempsey, as Derek Shepherd, narrated all the mistakes doctors were making. At first, it seemed logical because when he arrived at Dillard Medical Center and was conscious but couldn’t speak, his internal dialogue describing what he would do made sense. However, it stopped being logical once they took him to surgery and put him under anesthesia. I mean, why are you still talking to us, Derek?

There’s no doubt that many fans of the show “Grey’s Anatomy” must have felt deeply saddened when Derek Shepherd, the trauma surgeon, arrived at the hospital and uttered his last words, “It’s too late. You’re too late,” or McDreamy’s poignant statement from earlier in the episode.

I’m going to die because these people aren’t properly trained.

I understand; it’s unfortunate, but knowing Derek’s last thoughts softened the blow compared to the unexpected demise of George O’Malley. Not knowing his inner turmoil made his agonizing moments, like when he wrote “007” on Meredith’s hand, even more distressing. That was a surprising and poignant death for Grey’s Anatomy’s main character. Derek’s passing, however, seemed less impactful as he had repeatedly hinted at his impending departure.

The Fakeout That Derek Had Survived Was So Cheap

The writers subtly led us to believe for a moment that Derek had defied the odds and lived through surgery. But as Meredith enters the hospital and reprimands her husband for causing alarm, it becomes clear he’s very much alive. However, we soon recognize this scene was just a dream, with Meredith actually still at home receiving news about the accident from police officers.

While there are similarities between Izzie Stevens and Denny Duquette in the symbolism, I believe it was an economical move to create anticipation, only to have Meredith step in later to remove him from life support.

There’s a resemblance in the representation of Izzie Stevens and Denny Duquette, but I feel it was a cost-effective strategy to stir expectations, before Meredith ultimately intervened to take him off life support.

Other Questions I Have About ‘How To Save A Life’

Regarding “How to Save a Life,” I’ve got some significant concerns that haven’t been fully addressed, even ten years after McDreamy bid farewell as a regular. However, he did make an unexpected comeback in Meredith’s dreams during Season 17 (in dream form, of course). Here are a few more points I’d like to discuss:

After ten years since McDreamy left “How to Save a Life” as a series regular, I still have some substantial issues that haven’t been fully resolved. But don’t worry, he made an exciting reappearance in Meredith’s dreams during Season 17 (in dream form, of course). Here are a couple more thoughts:

Or simply:

It’s been ten years since McDreamy was last seen as a regular on “How to Save a Life,” and I still have some lingering concerns. However, he did pop up in Meredith’s dreams during Season 17 (in dream form, of course). Here are a few more thoughts:

Each version retains the original message while being easier to read and understand.

  • Does the timing work? It was established in the previous episode “One Flight Down” that Meredith would wait until 5 p.m. to panic over Derek’s whereabouts. When the clock hit 5, she picked up the phone, only to see police cars pulling up to inform her of the accident. In the next episode, she arrives at the hospital after Derek has been declared brain dead following a surgery that started — according to a clock on the OR wall — after 8:55 p.m. Dillard Medical Center was supposedly near Puget Sound, which is only 90ish minutes away from Seattle (per Google Maps), so why did it take over four hours for Meredith to get there?
  • Who’s really to blame for Derek’s death? At first we’re meant to blame Penny Blake (Samantha Sloyan) and her colleague Paul Castello (Mike McColl) at Dillard for failing to order a head CT for Derek; however, we later learn that McDreamy might have lived if trauma surgeon Dr. Cohn hadn’t chosen to finish his dinner before going to the hospital, taking an hour and a half to get there, rather than the expected 20 minutes. Meredith says, “Perfect Penny killed my husband” in Season 12 before literally killing Paul with one of Grey’s Anatomy’s most epic “Shondalogues” in Season 16. Why is Dr. Cohn getting off scot-free?

Regardless of whether you agree with my viewpoint about this episode or not, it’s indisputable that “How to Save a Life” marked a significant milestone in the history of Grey’s Anatomy. It’s quite unusual for a series to kill off its primary male character, and even more exceptional that it has continued for another 10 seasons (and still going) following such an event.

To rewatch that memorable episode or some of the top moments from Grey’s Anatomy, you can do so by subscribing to Hulu, as all 21 seasons are available there. Alternatively, you can find the first 20 seasons on Netflix. The new season, season 21, continues at 10 p.m. ET Thursday, March 6, on ABC.

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2025-01-13 16:07