This just in from press tour: ABC entertainment president Steve McPherson is speaking out about Grey’s Anatomy’s controversial ghost story involving Izzie and Denny. “[Denny] is not a ghost, which you will learn,” he says. “I actually think when you get to the end of the season and you see everything she had in mind, it might not be your cup of tea, but I think you’ll be surprised at how insightful and smart that storyline itself is in terms of the dynamics it’s creating for the characters involved and where we end up with those characters at the end… The viewers will be the judge. That’s the good and the bad about this business. I think shows ebb and flow. And when you talk about long-term serialized dramas, you’re going to have some stuff that people don’t respond to.”
Other highlights from the Alphabet’s exec session:
• On whether he’ll air the remaining episodes of Pushing Daisies, Eli Stone and Dirty Sexy Money: “We’d like to air the end of those shows,” said McPherson. “I wish we had been [able to give] the producers series-ending notice so they could really have a finale. But because of the way the timing worked out, we weren’t able to. I really love those shows. They delivered what they promised. For us, it was a frustration that we couldn’t find a larger audience – or that Nielsen couldn’t find a larger audience. ” (Odd response considering producers of all three shows did have time to craft series-ending episodes. This demands a post-panel follow-up.)
• On getting Marc Cherry to reconsider ending Desperate Housewives after just seven seasons: “I think he finally realized that I would lock him up and not let him do that.”
• McPherson is satisfied with the creative direction of Private Practice, and has high hopes for the show’s upcoming crossover arc with Grey’s.
Coming up at 12:45 pm/PST: Live-blogging Team Darlton’s Lost panel!
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Episode 22 of this season is Grey’s episode 100, so i guess something big will happen in that episode. Please tell me the awful Denny-storyline won’t go on until that
StOne – Eli StOne.
Maybe we will get a ‘this whole season is a dream’ like on Dallas!
and let the crazy pushing daisies whining begin ….
Greys is crap. End of.
As a humongous Grey’s fan since Day One, all I can say is: Oh. My. GAWD. ENOUGH w/the Izzie/Denny storyline already!!! I adore JDM, and cried my eyes out in Season 2 when Denny died, but I really can’t take this anymore, it’s just beyond ridiculous.
It’s probably grief induced psychosis. That will be $150 for the dx. You’re welcome.
Well that was a bunch of crap lol lie after lie.
At this point, I don’t even care if they air the rest of Daisies. As long as it is on the DVD, I will be a happy camper.
I’ve been waiting since season 1 for Alex/Izzie so Denny has to go into the light asap…Go back to supernatural I can handle him as a ghost there… Sloan and Lexie, SERIOUSLY!!!!! It really doesn’t work… On the other hand Cristina and Owen, Love It!!!!!!
thanks for the warning about the denny storyline. now i get an extra hour back on thursdays.
Oldest joke ever but I’ll take a hit for it anyway, “How do you know a [TV exec] is lying. His lips are moving.”
As to the Pushing Daisies whining. Since you asked for it, it’s only polite to oblige. Whine, whine, whine. Translation: Great show. Got no respect from the network OR it’s creator (way to show loyalty, BF). It was the last good thing on TV. With it’s demise I’ll finally end the addiction to TV as a whole. What shall I do with my time? So many wonderful opportunities.
Ya’ll, Ausiello said this weeks ago…. she has an aneurism. Which is wierd, but it explains everything that’s going on.
What I keep hearing is that they may not schedule these enders until The Summer which really is a kick in the face for fans.
And as for Desperate Housewives, dont pull an X-file and keep the show on longer than it should be. Desperate Housewives is already showing age with the Woman seeming more shallow and annoying then when the show started.
denny’s not a ghost. he’s vision that’s being projected through izzie’s illness. thank goodness that storyline will be ending next month.
Clearly the show and critics alike have not taken to this arc. I understand what the ABC president is saying, but there is something to be said about wrapping the storyline up in a timely manner that still leaves viewers captivated. Shonda has clearly done re-writes, edits, and story progressions in the past, given the press this awful Denny Disorder is getting, I think now would be one of those times she should wrap it up.
Does this mean that Dead Denny’s around for the REST OF THE SEASON?! Oh god, no! As for PD, DSM and Eli Stone, WTF, ABC? Just put them on a Saturday or something?!
Sounds like the ABC prez is spinning everything he’s saying. The dead Denny storyline has got to go.
Denny is not a ghost?! Really? I think we all could have guessed that. What an idiot. Is the payoff really worth it if people hate the story arc and character for the whole season?
Does that mean JDM is gonna be around for THE REST OF THE SEASON!!! DEAR LORD NO!!!!!
Steve McPherson is a complete tool without any brains in his head. He has no idea how many people not represented in the ratings loved “Eli Stone”, “Pushing Daisies”, and “Dirty Sexy Money” and how many viewers he is going to lose.
Here is a toast to ABC taking NBC’s last place network domination.
The Dizzie storyline is not a smart one, they can’t sell it to me no matter what.
It’s something that made me almost quit show, last week was the last chance and they took it by going beck into MerDer land. Hopefully they’ll continue to write interesting things for the main characters instead of AnnoyingIzzie (because Heigl happened to biiitch for juice storylines).
At least Heigl is getting what she deserves,, the most hated storyline on Grey’s ever.
The Denny story line need to go!! Wish ES and DSM would..maybe…move to another night. Might pick up more viewers..say Wednesday!
Jeffrey Dean Morgan is only on 2 more episodes I believe. I’m almost positive that his last episode is the first one in february
I’m really disappointed in ABC for cancelling Dirty Sexy Money, it was the best show they had on..Grey’s is boring and Private Practice is still young. ABC always seems to disappoint it’s faithful followers
He can say whatever he wants, but he absolutely WILL NOT sell me on the Denny/Izzy storyline! HATE IT with a passions and fastforward through every scene involving it.
I have watched Grey’s from the first episode. I endurded last years pathetic plot lines and this year is a joke…I quit watching two weeks ago. I lOVED Denny but, come on. Day’s of Our Lives has better material right now than Grey’s. I give up, the whole Denny thing is a joke. I am not watching Grey’s again until the writers actually realize those of us watching have a brain and thwy are writing dribble. P.S. I highly recommend Desperate Housewives this season is fabulous. Maybe Grey’s should borrow some of thier writers. How sad that this is what Grey’s turned into a joke.
I can’t believe they are canceling Pushing Daises and Eli Stone…2 of the most creative shows I’ve seen on TV in a very long time. There was finally something on TV besides cop shows and terrible reality shows. Now they’re canceling them? BAD, BAD move ABC!!!!
I love the denny idea….
if you all stopped fast forwarding through it long enough to watch it you would see the humor in it…
come on people…its TV it is not REAL you all are taking this way to seriously….
Grey’s jumped the shark a long time ago
What?! Pushing Daisies is going to end?! Why?! It’s a really great show!