What a Difference a Day Makes (Grey's Anatomy)
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Episode 22
- "First In Line"
- "Another Likely Story"
- "Turn To Stone"
| "What a Difference a Day Makes" | |
|---|---|
| Grey's Anatomy episode | |
 An episodic screenshot displaying Stevens listening to Karev saying his wedding vows. | |
| Episode no. | Season 5 Episode 22 |
| Directed by | Rob Corn |
| Written by | Shonda Rhimes |
| Featured music |
|
| Original air date | May 7, 2009 |
| Guest appearance | |
| |
"What a Difference a Day Makes" is the twenty-second episode of the fifth season of the American television medical drama, Grey's Anatomy and the show's 100th episode overall. It is written by series creator Shonda Rhimes and directed by Rob Corn, the episode was originally broadcast on the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) in the United States on May 7, 2009.
Grey's Anatomy centers around a group of young doctors in training. In this episode, a wedding takes place. The episode received widespread critical acclaim, with Heigl and Chambers' performances receiving high praise. The initial airing was viewed by 15.326 million people and garnered a 5.3/14 Nielsen rating/share in the 18–49 demographic.
The episode opens to a voice-over by Izzie Stevens (Katherine Heigl) about how life's biggest moments often come unexpectedly, shaping one's lives in profound ways.
Izzie is excited about the wedding of Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo) and Derek Shepherd (Patrick Dempsey), which she prepared and will take place at the end of the day. Stevens, who has been diagnosed with stage IV metastatic cancer in her brain and liver, has just undergone a surgery to remove a tumor. She however has hallucinations of Denny Duquette (Jeffrey Dean Morgan), her former deceased fiancé, which she knows means she has another tumor.
Meanwhile, Cristina Yang (Sandra Oh) and Owen Hunt (Kevin McKidd)'s relationship is still strained after Hunt's PTSD caused him to strangle Yang while they were sleeping. Callie Torres (Sara Ramirez) who has financial difficulties takes extra shifts. A group of college students who were going to their graduation arrives in the hospital following a car accident. Arizona Robbins (Jessica Capshaw) tries to know what went wrong the previous night during her date with Callie but she avoids the subject.
When Miranda Bailey (Chandra Wilson) and Derek cannot find any tumor in Izzie's brain from the MRI, they decide to map her brain while she hallucinates and they discover an inoperable tumor. Afterwards, Bailey has an idea and shares it with Derek. Meredith receives her first solo surgery as wedding gift from Derek. The colon surgery is overseen by Richard Webber (James Pickens, Jr.), which turns out to be successful. Derek tells her Bailey's idea. In the meantime, George O'Malley (T. R. Knight) is depressed when all his patients from the car accident die until Hunt tells him one case where he helped has survived.
Later on, Callie eventually confesses to Arizona why the date didn't go well: they went to an expensive restaurant that she couldn't afford because she has been disowned by her father and now she is broke. Arizona tells her they will stay in to eat and they reconcile.
Meredith tells Bailey and Derek's idea to Izzie: they give her their wedding. Yang becomes the maid of honor and Meredith serves as Alex's best man. Back at the hospital, Izzie is sad about her hair loss but Alex tells her she doesn't need it to be beautiful. The episode concludes with Izzie having shaved her head and telling Denny to leave as she wants to be alone with her husband.
Production
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The episode, written by Shonda Rhimes and directed by Rob Corn,[1] was filmed in Los Angeles in March 2009.[2] Featured music included Matthew Mayfield's "First In Line", Au Revoir Simone, "Another Likely Story" and Ingrid Michaelson's "Turn To Stone".[3] Izzie's Amsale dress, constituted of a long tulle skirt with an elaborate crystal-embroidered bodice, was designed by Kenneth Pool.[4] The bridesmaids dresses were also from Amsale.[5]
Jeffrey Dean Morgan returned as Denny Duquette for a final appearance in the series.[6] Rhimes noted that his return, unlike previous ones, were as Death and caused him to wear black clothes and speak sparingly.[7] Rhimes felt that the episode showed well Meredith's evolution throughout the show from a "dark and twisty girl" to a "happy woman". "She is the thing her mother wished for her. She is extraordinary. Because, to get past the crap of your past? To move on? To let the past go and change? That is extraordinary. To love? Without fear? Without screwing it up? That is extraordinary. It makes me happy to see her happy." Rhimes said that Karev also had grown up, which was noticeable in this episode: "Look at him. Standing at the altar and saying those vows like a man. (...) He's become a man who can step up. And I love him for it."[7]
To promote the episode, a special website for Meredith and Derek's wedding was created, supposedly created and updated by Izzie. The website provided details on the event and an invitation to RSVP. Rhimes wanted it to "feel like a real wedding website", even though it was for fictional characters. She came up with this idea during the shooting.[8]
