Good Mourning (Grey's Anatomy)
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"Good Mourning" is the first episode and the
season premiere A season premiere is the first episode of a new season of a returning television show. In the United States, many season premieres are aired in the fall time or, for mid-season replacements, either in the spring or late winter. In countries su ...
of the sixth season of the
American television Television is one of the Mass media in the United States, major mass media outlets in the United States. In 2011, 96.7% of households owned television sets; about 114,200,000 American households owned at least one television set each in August ...
medical drama A medical drama is a Television film, television movie or film in which events center upon a hospital, clinic, doctor's office, a paramedic, or any other medical topic or environment. Most recent medical drama (film and television), dramatic progra ...
''
Grey's Anatomy ''Grey's Anatomy'' is an American medical drama television series focusing on the personal and professional lives of surgical internship (medicine), interns, residency (medicine), residents, and attending physician, attendings at the fictional ...
'', and the show's 103rd episode overall. Written by
Krista Vernoff Krista Vernoff (born October 24, 1971) is an American television screenwriter, executive producer and director. She is best known for being the showrunner for ''Grey's Anatomy'' (2007–11, 2017–2023) and its spin-off, ''Station 19'' (2019–202 ...
and directed by Ed Ornelas, the episode aired on the
American Broadcasting Company The American Broadcasting Company (ABC) is an American Commercial broadcasting, commercial broadcast Television broadcaster, television and radio Radio network, network that serves as the flagship property of the Disney Entertainment division ...
(ABC) in the United States on September 24, 2009. In the episode, the doctors of Seattle Grace Hospital grapple with the shocking revelation that a dead
John Doe John Doe (male) and Jane Doe (female) are multiple-use placeholder names that are used in the British, Canadian, and American legal systems, when the true name of a person is unknown or is being intentionally concealed. In the context of law ...
is actually their beloved co-worker
George O'Malley George O'Malley, Doctor of Medicine, M.D., is a fictional character from the medical drama television series ''Grey's Anatomy'', which airs on American Broadcasting Company, ABC in the United States. The character was created by series producer S ...
( T. R. Knight). Other storylines include
Izzie Stevens Isobel Katherine Stevens, M.D. is a fictional character from the medical drama television series ''Grey's Anatomy'', which airs on the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) in the United States. The character was created by series producer Shonda R ...
' (
Katherine Heigl Katherine Heigl ( ; born November 24, 1978) is an American actress and model. She portrayed Izzie Stevens, Dr. Izzie Stevens on the American Broadcasting Company, ABC television medical drama ''Grey's Anatomy'' from 2005 to 2010, a role that b ...
) recovering from her
near-death experience A near-death experience (NDE) is a profound personal experience associated with death or impending death, which researchers describe as having similar characteristics. When positive, which the great majority are, such experiences may encompa ...
, and
Callie Torres Calliope Iphigenia "Callie" Torres, M.D. is a fictional character from the medical drama television series ''Grey's Anatomy'', which airs on the ABC in the United States. The character was created by series producer Shonda Rhimes and is portr ...
(
Sara Ramirez Sara Elena Ramírez Vargas (; born August 31, 1975) is an American actor. Born in Mazatlán, Mazatlán, Sinaloa, Ramírez moved from Mexico to the United States at eight years old, eventually graduating with a fine arts degree from the Juillia ...
) and Izzie debating whether to donate O'Malley's organs. Meanwhile,
Derek Shepherd Derek Christopher Shepherd, often referred to as "McDreamy" for his "attractiveness", is a fictional surgeon from the ABC medical drama ''Grey's Anatomy'', portrayed by actor Patrick Dempsey. He made his first appearance in the series' pilot ep ...
(
Patrick Dempsey Patrick Galen Dempsey (born January 13, 1966) is an American actor and racing driver best known for playing neurosurgeon Derek Shepherd in ''Grey's Anatomy'' (2005–15; 2020–21). He is also known for his leading man romantic film roles, such ...
) is offered the position of Chief of Surgery, a role currently held by
Richard Webber Richard Webber, M.D., Ph.D., F.A.C.S., is a fictional character from the ABC medical drama television series ''Grey's Anatomy''. The character was created by Shonda Rhimes and is portrayed by actor James Pickens Jr. since the series' incepti ...
( James Pickens, Jr.). Although the episode was fictionally set in
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,
Washington Washington most commonly refers to: * George Washington (1732–1799), the first president of the United States * Washington (state), a state in the Pacific Northwest of the United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A ...
, filming took place in
Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...
,
California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...
. The episode is the first part of a two-hour season premiere, followed by " Goodbye". It marks the first episode without Knight following his departure from the series and the first to feature
Jessica Capshaw Jessica Brooke Capshaw (born August 9, 1976) is an American actress known for her roles as Jamie Stringer on the ABC legal drama series ''The Practice'', and as Dr. Arizona Robbins on the ABC medical drama ''Grey's Anatomy''. Early life Caps ...
(
Arizona Robbins Arizona Robbins, M.D., F.A.C.S. is a fictional character from the medical drama television series ''Grey's Anatomy'', which airs on the ABC in the United States, and is portrayed by Jessica Capshaw. She was introduced in the show's fifth sea ...
) as a series regular. Guest stars include
Mitch Pileggi Mitch Pileggi (; born April 5, 1952) is an American actor. He played Horace Pinker in '' Shocker'', Walter Skinner on ''The X-Files'', Colonel Steven Caldwell on ''Stargate Atlantis'', Ernest Darby in '' Sons of Anarchy'', and Harris Ryland i ...
,
Debra Monk Debra Monk (born February 27, 1949) is an American actress, singer, and writer, best known for her performances on the Broadway stage. She is the recipient of a Tony Award (1993), two Drama Desk Awards (1988, 2007), the Helen Hayes Award (19 ...
,
Shannon Lucio Shannon Lucio (born June 25, 1980) is an American actress. Biography Born in Denver, Colorado, Lucio grew up in San Antonio, Texas, and graduated from John Marshall High School. Her family is of Italian descent. She is a graduate of the Uni ...
and Zoe Boyle. Upon its original broadcast, "Good Mourning" was watched by 17.03 million viewers in the United States, ranking #1 for the night, and earned a 6.7/17 Nielsen rating/share in the 18–49 demographic. The episode received positive reviews from television critics, with Ramirez's performance receiving high praise.


Plot

The episode opens with a
voice-over Voice-over (also known as off-camera or off-stage commentary) is a production technique used in radio, television, filmmaking, theatre, and other media in which a descriptive or expository voice that is not part of the narrative (i.e., non- ...
narration from
Meredith Grey Meredith Grey M.D., F.A.C.S., (born 1977 or 1978) is a fictional and titular character from the medical drama television series ''Grey's Anatomy'', which airs on the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) in the United States. The character was c ...
(
Ellen Pompeo Ellen Kathleen Pompeo (; born November 10, 1969) is an American actress. One of the world's highest-paid actors since 2017, she has made multiple appearances on ''Forbes'' year-end lists. Her accolades include a Screen Actors Guild Award and a ...
) explaining the
Kübler-Ross model According to the model of the five stages of grief, or the Kübler-Ross model, those experiencing sudden grief following an abrupt realization (shock) go through five emotions: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. Critics of t ...
, also known as the five stages of grief. The doctors at Seattle Grace are dealing with the aftermath of
George O'Malley George O'Malley, Doctor of Medicine, M.D., is a fictional character from the medical drama television series ''Grey's Anatomy'', which airs on American Broadcasting Company, ABC in the United States. The character was created by series producer S ...
( T. R. Knight) being declared
brain dead Brain death is the permanent, irreversible, and complete loss of brain function, which may include cessation of involuntary activity (e.g., breathing) necessary to sustain life. It differs from persistent vegetative state, in which the person i ...
following his injuries from being hit by a bus. Meanwhile,
Izzie Stevens Isobel Katherine Stevens, M.D. is a fictional character from the medical drama television series ''Grey's Anatomy'', which airs on the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) in the United States. The character was created by series producer Shonda R ...
(
Katherine Heigl Katherine Heigl ( ; born November 24, 1978) is an American actress and model. She portrayed Izzie Stevens, Dr. Izzie Stevens on the American Broadcasting Company, ABC television medical drama ''Grey's Anatomy'' from 2005 to 2010, a role that b ...
), who flatlined at the end of the Season 5 finale, has been revived.
Callie Torres Calliope Iphigenia "Callie" Torres, M.D. is a fictional character from the medical drama television series ''Grey's Anatomy'', which airs on the ABC in the United States. The character was created by series producer Shonda Rhimes and is portr ...
(
Sara Ramirez Sara Elena Ramírez Vargas (; born August 31, 1975) is an American actor. Born in Mazatlán, Mazatlán, Sinaloa, Ramírez moved from Mexico to the United States at eight years old, eventually graduating with a fine arts degree from the Juillia ...
), George’s ex-wife, is devastated by the news of his death and suffers an emotional breakdown. The situation becomes even more challenging when it is revealed that George's
organ donor Organ donation is the process when a person authorizes an organ of their own to be removed and transplanted to another person, legally, either by consent while the donor is alive, through a legal authorization for deceased donation made prio ...
status is unknown, leading
Richard Webber Richard Webber, M.D., Ph.D., F.A.C.S., is a fictional character from the ABC medical drama television series ''Grey's Anatomy''. The character was created by Shonda Rhimes and is portrayed by actor James Pickens Jr. since the series' incepti ...
( James Pickens, Jr.), the Chief of Surgery, to call George's mother, Louise (
Debra Monk Debra Monk (born February 27, 1949) is an American actress, singer, and writer, best known for her performances on the Broadway stage. She is the recipient of a Tony Award (1993), two Drama Desk Awards (1988, 2007), the Helen Hayes Award (19 ...
), to make the decision. Stevens, still recovering from her near-death experience, remains unaware of George's death, and her husband,
Alex Karev Alexander Michael "Alex" Karev (né Evans), M.D., F.A.C.S. is a fictional character on the ABC television series ''Grey's Anatomy'', portrayed by actor Justin Chambers. Introduced as a surgical intern at the fictional Seattle Grace Hospital, Ka ...
(
Justin Chambers Justin Willman Chambers (born July 11, 1970) is an American actor and former model best known for his role as Dr. Alex Karev in ''Grey's Anatomy'' (2005-20). Born in Ohio, he went to Southeastern High School, South Charleston, and later studi ...
), decides not to tell her immediately, fearing it could negatively impact her recovery.
Pediatric surgeon Pediatric surgery is a medical specialty, subspecialty of surgery involving the surgery of fetuses, infants, children, adolescents, and young adults. History Pediatric surgery arose in the middle of the 1879 century as the surgical care of birt ...
Arizona Robbins Arizona Robbins, M.D., F.A.C.S. is a fictional character from the medical drama television series ''Grey's Anatomy'', which airs on the ABC in the United States, and is portrayed by Jessica Capshaw. She was introduced in the show's fifth sea ...
(
Jessica Capshaw Jessica Brooke Capshaw (born August 9, 1976) is an American actress known for her roles as Jamie Stringer on the ABC legal drama series ''The Practice'', and as Dr. Arizona Robbins on the ABC medical drama ''Grey's Anatomy''. Early life Caps ...
) is introduced to a patient complaining of body pain, which she initially diagnoses as
growing pains ''Growing Pains'' is an American television sitcom created by Neal Marlens that ran on ABC for seven seasons from September 24, 1985, to April 25, 1992. The series follows the misadventures of the Seaver family, including psychiatrist and fathe ...
. As George's mother arrives at the hospital, she asks Torres to make the difficult decision regarding the donation of George's organs. Meanwhile, a
speedboat A motorboat or powerboat is a boat that is exclusively powered by an engine; faster examples may be called "speedboats". Some motorboats are fitted with inboard engines, others have an outboard motor installed on the rear, containing the intern ...
accident victim, Clara Ferguson (
Zoe Boyle Zoe Boyle (born 1 January 1989) is an English actress known for her roles as Lavinia Swire on the series ''Downton Abbey'' and Trinity Ashby on ''Sons of Anarchy''. Education Boyle attended the Royal Central School of Speech & Drama, at the ...
), is brought into the hospital with multiple amputations, and plastic surgeon Mark Sloan (
Eric Dane Eric William Dane (born November 9, 1972) is an American actor. After multiple television roles in the 1990s and 2000s, which included his recurring role as Jason Dean in ''Charmed'', Dane was cast as Mark Sloan (Grey's Anatomy), Mark Sloan on ' ...
) informs her that they may be able to reattach her severed limbs. Hospital president Larry Jennings (
Mitch Pileggi Mitch Pileggi (; born April 5, 1952) is an American actor. He played Horace Pinker in '' Shocker'', Walter Skinner on ''The X-Files'', Colonel Steven Caldwell on ''Stargate Atlantis'', Ernest Darby in '' Sons of Anarchy'', and Harris Ryland i ...
) approaches
Derek Shepherd Derek Christopher Shepherd, often referred to as "McDreamy" for his "attractiveness", is a fictional surgeon from the ABC medical drama ''Grey's Anatomy'', portrayed by actor Patrick Dempsey. He made his first appearance in the series' pilot ep ...
(
Patrick Dempsey Patrick Galen Dempsey (born January 13, 1966) is an American actor and racing driver best known for playing neurosurgeon Derek Shepherd in ''Grey's Anatomy'' (2005–15; 2020–21). He is also known for his leading man romantic film roles, such ...
) with an offer to take over as Chief of Surgery, citing Webber’s recent shortcomings in the role. After learning about George's death, Stevens is devastated, but she joins Torres in deciding to donate George’s organs, believing he would have wanted to help others. As preparations for organ donation begin,
Miranda Bailey Miranda Bailey, M.D., F.A.C.S. is a fictional character from the long-running medical drama ''Grey's Anatomy'', created by Shonda Rhimes and portrayed by Chandra Wilson since the series' debut in 2005. Bailey has appeared in 387 episodes across ...
(
Chandra Wilson Chandra Danette Wilson (born August 27, 1969) is an American actress and director best known for her role as Dr. Miranda Bailey in ''Grey's Anatomy'' since 2005, for which she has been nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Su ...
), George's former mentor, struggles to accept the loss but eventually comes to terms with it. At George's funeral, the woman O'Malley saved, Amanda (
Shannon Lucio Shannon Lucio (born June 25, 1980) is an American actress. Biography Born in Denver, Colorado, Lucio grew up in San Antonio, Texas, and graduated from John Marshall High School. Her family is of Italian descent. She is a graduate of the Uni ...
) is shown hysterically crying, while Meredith,
Cristina Yang Cristina Yang, Doctor of Medicine, M.D., Doctor of Philosophy, Ph.D., F.A.C.S. is a fictional character from the medical drama television series ''Grey's Anatomy'', which has aired for 20 seasons on the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) in the ...
(
Sandra Oh Sandra Miju Oh (born July 20, 1971) is a Canadian and American actress. She is known for her starring roles as Rita Wu in ''Arliss (TV series), Arliss'' (1996–2002), Cristina Yang in ''Grey's Anatomy'' (2005–14), and Eve Polastri in ''Kill ...
), Karev, and Stevens, awkwardly laugh and joke, unable to process their true emotions.
Lexie Grey Alexandra Caroline "Lexie" Grey, M.D. is a fictional character from the ABC medical drama television series ''Grey's Anatomy''. The character was created by Shonda Rhimes and is portrayed by Chyler Leigh. She was first mentioned in Season 2 befo ...
(
Chyler Leigh Chyler Leigh West (pronounced ; ''née'' Potts; born April 10, 1982), known professionally as Chyler Leigh, is an American actress, singer and model. She is best known for her roles as Janey Briggs in the comedy film '' Not Another Teen Movie' ...
), George’s close friend and colleague, is tasked with clearing out his locker, but breaks down in grief. After the funeral, Bailey discharges Stevens from the hospital, and Robbins is left perplexed when her young patient returns with chronic pain that she cannot diagnose. Torres is frustrated when she learns that her application for an attending surgeon position has been denied because the surgeon who was supposed to retire decided to stay. Feeling underappreciated, Torres vents her anger to Webber, declaring herself a "superstar". The episode concludes with Lexie comforting Clara Ferguson, the speedboat victim, as she faces her recovery.


Production

"Good Mourning" was written by
Krista Vernoff Krista Vernoff (born October 24, 1971) is an American television screenwriter, executive producer and director. She is best known for being the showrunner for ''Grey's Anatomy'' (2007–11, 2017–2023) and its spin-off, ''Station 19'' (2019–202 ...
and directed by Ed Ornelas. Joe Mitacek served as editor, while Donald Lee Harris was the production designer for the episode. Featured music includes
Sweet Honey in the Rock Sweet Honey in the Rock are an all-woman, African-American a cappella ensemble. They are a three-time Grammy Award–nominated troupe who express their history as black women through song, dance, and sign language. Originally a four-person en ...
's "Wade In The Water" and Joy Williams's "Speaking A Dead Language". This episode marked the first absence of T. R. Knight's character,
George O'Malley George O'Malley, Doctor of Medicine, M.D., is a fictional character from the medical drama television series ''Grey's Anatomy'', which airs on American Broadcasting Company, ABC in the United States. The character was created by series producer S ...
, following his character's death. Knight was released from his contract at the end of
Season 5 A season is a division of the year based on changes in weather, ecology, and the number of daylight hours in a given region. On Earth, seasons are the result of the axial parallelism of Earth's axial tilt, tilted orbit around the Sun. In temperat ...
due to disagreements with series creator
Shonda Rhimes Shonda Lynn Rhimes (born January 13, 1970) is an American television producer and screenwriter, and founder of the production company Shondaland. Inducted into the Television Hall of Fame and NAB Broadcasting Hall of Fame, Rhimes became known ...
over the lack of screen time for O'Malley. When asked to make a flashback appearance in
Season 6 A season is a division of the year based on changes in weather, ecology, and the number of daylight hours in a given region. On Earth, seasons are the result of the axial parallelism of Earth's tilted orbit around the Sun. In temperate and polar ...
, Knight declined. Vernoff shared her perspective on O'Malley's death: "It's heartbreaking. I fell in love with George, like many of you did, in
Season 1 Season One may refer to: Albums * ''Season One'' (Suburban Legends album), 2004 * ''Season One'' (All Sons & Daughters album), 2012 * ''Season One'' (Saukrates album), 2012 See also * * * Season 2 (disambiguation) Season 2 may refer to: ...
. He was impulsive, big-hearted, and yeah, it's that heart that had him jump in front of a moving bus to save a life. It's a devastating end to a beloved character, but I would argue with anyone who said it wasn't a fitting end". In the episode,
Derek Shepherd Derek Christopher Shepherd, often referred to as "McDreamy" for his "attractiveness", is a fictional surgeon from the ABC medical drama ''Grey's Anatomy'', portrayed by actor Patrick Dempsey. He made his first appearance in the series' pilot ep ...
(
Patrick Dempsey Patrick Galen Dempsey (born January 13, 1966) is an American actor and racing driver best known for playing neurosurgeon Derek Shepherd in ''Grey's Anatomy'' (2005–15; 2020–21). He is also known for his leading man romantic film roles, such ...
) is offered the role of Chief of Surgery but postpones his decision out of loyalty to his friend
Richard Webber Richard Webber, M.D., Ph.D., F.A.C.S., is a fictional character from the ABC medical drama television series ''Grey's Anatomy''. The character was created by Shonda Rhimes and is portrayed by actor James Pickens Jr. since the series' incepti ...
( James Pickens, Jr.). Vernoff offered her insight on this: One of Vernoff’s favorite scenes from the episode was the moment when O'Malley's colleagues laugh at his funeral. Reflecting on the scene, Vernoff noted: "Shonda gave me smart notes that enhanced the writing, and then the wonderful director Ed Ornelas and the amazing DP Herb Davis, along with the entire crew, made it visually beautiful. And then the actors… damn, did they all bring their A game to this scene. It's a collaboration. What it takes to make good TV is a huge coming together of a great many artists. What it takes to make great TV is all that plus a little magic and a little luck. And that’s what I feel like we had with this scene. It's so funny and so bittersweet and so, so sad".


Release

Aired back-to-back with the following episode, " Goodbye", as part of a 2-hour season premiere special, "Good Mourning" was originally broadcast on September 24, 2009 on the
American Broadcasting Company The American Broadcasting Company (ABC) is an American Commercial broadcasting, commercial broadcast Television broadcaster, television and radio Radio network, network that serves as the flagship property of the Disney Entertainment division ...
(ABC) in the United States. The episode attracted a total of 17.04 million viewers during its 9:00 PM Eastern time-slot. It became the series' second least-viewed season premiere at that time, only outperforming the
Season 1 Season One may refer to: Albums * ''Season One'' (Suburban Legends album), 2004 * ''Season One'' (All Sons & Daughters album), 2012 * ''Season One'' (Saukrates album), 2012 See also * * * Season 2 (disambiguation) Season 2 may refer to: ...
premiere, " A Hard Day's Night". Compared to the previous episode, it saw a 0.08% drop in viewership. Despite this slight decrease, the episode ranked first in both its time-slot and across the entire night, surpassing
CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS (an abbreviation of its original name, Columbia Broadcasting System), is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainme ...
's juggernaut '' CSI: Crime Scene Investigation''. In terms of ratings, "Good Mourning" achieved a 6.7/17
Nielsen rating Nielsen Media Research (NMR) is an American firm that measures media audiences, including television, radio, theatre, films (via the AMC Theatres MAP program), and newspapers. Headquartered in New York City, it is best known for the #Nielsen TV ...
, placing it first in both rating and share percentages for the 18–49 demographic. The episode also earned a 10.9/18 rating in the 18–34 demographic, outperforming CBS's ''
The Mentalist ''The Mentalist'' is an American procedural drama television series that ran from September 23, 2008, until February 18, 2015, broadcasting 151 episodes over seven seasons, on CBS. Created by Bruno Heller, who was also its executive producer, t ...
'' and securing the #1 spot in both ratings and shares for the demographic.


Reception

"Good Mourning" received positive reviews from television critics, with
Sara Ramirez Sara Elena Ramírez Vargas (; born August 31, 1975) is an American actor. Born in Mazatlán, Mazatlán, Sinaloa, Ramírez moved from Mexico to the United States at eight years old, eventually graduating with a fine arts degree from the Juillia ...
's performance as
Callie Torres Calliope Iphigenia "Callie" Torres, M.D. is a fictional character from the medical drama television series ''Grey's Anatomy'', which airs on the ABC in the United States. The character was created by series producer Shonda Rhimes and is portr ...
receiving high praise.
Alan Sepinwall Alan Sepinwall (born October 19, 1973) is an American television reviewer and writer. He spent 14 years as a columnist with ''The Star-Ledger'' in Newark until leaving the newspaper in 2010 to work for the entertainment news website HitFix. He ...
of ''
NJ.com NJ.com is a digital news content provider and website in New Jersey owned by Advance Publications. According to ''The New York Times'' in 2012, it was the largest provider of digital news in the state at the time. In 2018, comScore reports that ...
'' commented on the decision to air the two episodes together, stating: "I keep going back and forth on whether it was a good idea to do that, or if we'd have been better off spacing out the tearful speeches over two weeks. That isn't to say there shouldn't have been tears, or speeches.
George O'Malley George O'Malley, Doctor of Medicine, M.D., is a fictional character from the medical drama television series ''Grey's Anatomy'', which airs on American Broadcasting Company, ABC in the United States. The character was created by series producer S ...
's ( T. R. Knight) death, no matter how marginal he had become last season, is and should be a huge event in the lives of these characters." He noted that rushing through the Kubler-Ross model of grief would have felt disingenuous, but criticized the pacing: "When you put two episodes back-to-back, those rhythms—the pace at which the acts build to emotional crescendos and then briefly recede—start to become too predictable, and it sucks some of the life and emotion away." Sepinwall praised the performances of
Chandra Wilson Chandra Danette Wilson (born August 27, 1969) is an American actress and director best known for her role as Dr. Miranda Bailey in ''Grey's Anatomy'' since 2005, for which she has been nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Su ...
(
Miranda Bailey Miranda Bailey, M.D., F.A.C.S. is a fictional character from the long-running medical drama ''Grey's Anatomy'', created by Shonda Rhimes and portrayed by Chandra Wilson since the series' debut in 2005. Bailey has appeared in 387 episodes across ...
), Ramirez (Torres), and
Justin Chambers Justin Willman Chambers (born July 11, 1970) is an American actor and former model best known for his role as Dr. Alex Karev in ''Grey's Anatomy'' (2005-20). Born in Ohio, he went to Southeastern High School, South Charleston, and later studi ...
(
Alex Karev Alexander Michael "Alex" Karev (né Evans), M.D., F.A.C.S. is a fictional character on the ABC television series ''Grey's Anatomy'', portrayed by actor Justin Chambers. Introduced as a surgical intern at the fictional Seattle Grace Hospital, Ka ...
), and highlighted the funeral scene for its bittersweet and humorous tone, especially the laughter during O'Malley's funeral. Michael Pascua of ''
HuffPost ''HuffPost'' (''The Huffington Post'' until 2017, itself often abbreviated as ''HPo'') is an American progressive news website, with localized and international editions. The site offers news, satire, blogs, and original content, and covers p ...
'' also praised Ramirez's performance, calling her "the most genuine character". However, Pascua was critical of other elements of the episode, particularly the handling of the funeral scene, writing: "The funeral wasn't as sad as I thought it would be. There were so many pre-episode pictures up that I thought the funeral would take up half the show, then it was five minutes and it wasn't sad at all. The core group walked away and
Izzie Stevens Isobel Katherine Stevens, M.D. is a fictional character from the medical drama television series ''Grey's Anatomy'', which airs on the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) in the United States. The character was created by series producer Shonda R ...
(
Katherine Heigl Katherine Heigl ( ; born November 24, 1978) is an American actress and model. She portrayed Izzie Stevens, Dr. Izzie Stevens on the American Broadcasting Company, ABC television medical drama ''Grey's Anatomy'' from 2005 to 2010, a role that b ...
) spread the giggles. She laughs at the fact that she has cancer, like this was all some really badly-written show. Oh wait, it is!" Kelly West of ''TV Blend'' was also critical, writing: "I don't think based on the first episode that we can say that ''Grey's'' is headed in a new direction, nor do I think the writers are making much of an effort to bring the series back to the greatness of its earlier seasons." West added that despite these concerns, the season premiere still featured the usual drama, romance, and medical mysteries that kept the show engaging for its core audience. Glenn Diaz of ''
BuddyTV BuddyTV is an entertainment-based website, which generates content about television programs and sporting events. The website publishes information about celebrity and related entertainment news through a series of articles, entertainment profile ...
'' noted that the two-part premiere foreshadowed a "very dark" season, highlighting the conversation between Louise O'Malley (
Debra Monk Debra Monk (born February 27, 1949) is an American actress, singer, and writer, best known for her performances on the Broadway stage. She is the recipient of a Tony Award (1993), two Drama Desk Awards (1988, 2007), the Helen Hayes Award (19 ...
), George's mother and Torres as one of the most heart-wrenching moments of an already emotionally charged episode.


References


External links


"Good Mourning"
at ABC.com * {{Good article 2009 American television episodes Grey's Anatomy season 6 episodes Television episodes about funerals Television episodes written by Krista Vernoff