Grey's Anatomy (season 4)
| Grey's Anatomy (season 4) | |||
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 DVD art cover |
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| Country of origin | United States | ||
| No. of episodes | 17 | ||
| Broadcast | |||
| Original channel | ABC | ||
| Original run | September 27, 2007 – May 22, 2008 | ||
| Home video release | |||
| DVD release date | Region 1: September 9, 2008 Region 2: November 23, 2009 Region 4: November 5, 2009 |
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| Season chronology | |||
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The fourth season of the American medical drama televison series Grey's Anatomy commenced airing in the United States on September 27, 2007 and concluded on May 22, 2008. The season continues the stories of a group of surgical interns who get promoted to residents and their relationships with the mentors in the fictional Seattle Grace Hospital, describing the lives of the main characters as surgeons, lovers and family. Season four had twelve series regulars with ten of them returning from the previous season. The season aired in the Thursday night timeslot at 9/8c. In addition to the regular seventeen episodes, a clip-show narrated by the editors of People recapped previous events of the show and made the transition from Grey's Anatomy to Private Practice, a spin-off focusing of Dr. Addison Montgomery and aired on September 19, 2007, before the season premiere. The season was officially released on DVD as five-disc boxset under the title of Grey's Anatomy: Season Four – Expanded on September 9, 2008 by Buena Vista Home Entertainment.
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[edit] Production
Unlike the other seasons (except the first one which aired mid-season), the fourth season of Grey's Anatomy had a reduced number of episodes. This is due to the 2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike which caused the production to cease from February to April, leaving the show with no writing staff during that time. Since the show had only produced ten episodes before the winter-holiday hiatus and aired another one after the break ended, the show decided to complete the season with six new episodes and returned on April 24, 2008. Only seventeen episodes were produced out of the 23 originally planned. The season averaged 15.92 million viewers [1] and was ranked the tenth in the 2007-2008 television season.
[edit] Crew
The season was produced by ABC Studios, Shondaland, The Mark Gordon Company and was distributed by Buena Vista International, Inc.. The executive producers were creator Shonda Rhimes, Betsy Beers, Mark Gordon, Krista Vernoff, Rob Corn, Mark Wilding, Joan Rater and James D. Parriott. The regular directors were Rob Corn and Jessica Yu.
[edit] Cast
The fourth season had twelve roles receiving star billing, with ten of them returning from the previous season, eight of which are part of the original cast from the first one. All the actors which are part of the main cast portray physicians from the surgical wing of the fictional Seattle Grace Hospital. The shows' most episodes are narrated by Ellen Pompeo who portrayed the protagonist, surgical resident Dr. Meredith Grey, whose storylines are the series' focal points. Sandra Oh acted as Meredith's best friend, highly competitive resident Dr. Cristina Yang. Fellow resident Dr. Isobel "Izzie" Stevens was portrayed by Katherine Heigl, while Dr. Alexander "Alex" Karev was played by Justin Chambers. T.R. Knight acted as insecure resident George O'Malley, lacking self-confidence. Chandra Wilson portrayed Chief Resident Dr. Miranda Bailey who was mentoring the five residents during their internship. General surgeon Dr. Richard Webber was portrayed by James Pickens, Jr. working as the Chief of Surgery at Seattle Grace Hospital. Orthopedic surgeon and fifth year resident Dr. Calliope "Callie" Torres, George's wife, was portrayed by Sara Ramírez, while the Chief of plastic surgery, Dr. Mark Sloan was portrayed by Eric Dane. Patrick Dempsey portrayed attending neurosurgeon Dr. Derek Shepherd whose relationship with Meredith Grey is the show's main storyline. Chyler Leigh and Brooke Smith joined the cast as intern Lexie Grey, Meredith's half-sister, and cardiothoracic surgeon Erica Hahn, Dr. Burke's replacement, respectively.
Numerous supporting characters have been given expansive and recurring appearances in the progressive storyline, including: Jeff Perry as Thatcher Grey, Loretta Devine as Adele Webber, Elizabeth Reaser as Rebecca Pope, Edward Herrmann as Dr. Norman Shales, Lauren Stamile as Nurse Rose, Debra Monk as Louise O'Malley, Amy Madigan as Dr. Wyatt and Diahann Carroll as Jane Burke. Former main cast member Kate Walsh reappeared on May 1, 2008 receiving a special guest star billing as neonatal surgeon Addison Montgomery, who is now the main character of the spin-off Private Practice.
[edit] Cast changes
For the first time in the show's history, many of the series regulars were not returning. Kate Walsh's character was transferred to the Grey’s Anatomy spin-off, Private Practice. On June 7, 2007, it was announced that Isaiah Washington's contract had not been renewed.[2] Former Reunion star, Chyler Leigh, guest starred in the final two episodes of season three as Lexie Grey, a new intern and Meredith Grey’s younger half-sister. On June 11, 2007, it was announced that Leigh would become a series regular, instead of a 13 episode story arc as previously planned.[3]
The character Dr. Erica Hahn (The Silence of the Lambs fame actress Brooke Smith) joined the main cast, reprising her antagonizing role in the season's fifth episode. She replaces Preston Burke as head of Cardiothoracics. Upon her return, she makes Sandra Oh's character, Cristina Yang work harder for her success in Cardiothoracics and initially served as a new love interest for Eric Dane's Mark Sloan. [4]
Even though a new male character was originally thought to be introduced as a rival for Dr. Derek Shepherd, the change didn't occur. [5] Fourth season guest stars included former Gilmore Girls actor Edward Herrmann who appeared in three episodes. Seth Green of Buffy the Vampire Slayer fame guest starred in a two-part episode.[6] Lauren Stamile plays a scrub nurse named Rose, who became a potential love interest for Derek.[7] Dawson's Creek alumnus Joshua Jackson was scheduled to make his return to television in a multi-episode arc as a doctor with his first appearance in the season's eleventh episode.[8] Jackson's appearance was cancelled due to the 2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike.[9] Kate Walsh returned as Dr. Addison Montgomery on May 1, 2008.
[edit] Episodes
The number in the "No. in series" column refers to the episode's number within the overall series, whereas the number in the "No. in season" column refers to the episode's number within this particular season. "U.S. viewers in millions" refers to the number of Americans in millions who watched the episodes live. The fourth season's episodes are altogether 740 minutes in length.
| No. in series |
No. in season |
Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | U.S. viewers (millions) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 62 | 1 | "A Change Is Gonna Come" | Rob Corn | Shonda Rhimes | September 27, 2007 | 20.93 |
| Having just returned from her honeymoon with Meredith, Cristina searches for Burke, but he is nowhere to be found. Meredith, Cristina, Izzie and Alex spend their first day as residents with their own groups of interns. Among the interns are George, repeating his intern year after failing his exams, as is Lexie Grey, Meredith's half-sister whom she has never met. Now that Derek's relationship with Meredith has reached an emotional impasse, he looks to his fellow doctors for friendship; Bailey wrestles with her place within the hospital now that her former interns report to new Chief Resident Callie; and Richard resumes his position as Chief of Surgery. | ||||||
| 63 | 2 | "Love/Addiction" | James Frawley | Debora Cahn | October 4, 2007 | 18.51 |
| An apartment explosion inundates the ER with patients, and Alex jeopardizes a family when he realizes the cause of the accident. Meanwhile, Meredith intrigues Derek with an "S&M" approach on their relationship, and Derek gets the wrong idea. Cristina is frustrated when Mama Burke returns and she wants all of Burke's old things. | ||||||
| 64 | 3 | "Let the Truth Sting" | Dan Minahan | Mark Wilding | October 11, 2007 | 19.04 |
| When the "really old guy" awakens from his coma, Izzie becomes aggravated with him. Callie and George find themselves both very tense in their hotel room, while Meredith and Lexie continue to have a rocky relationship. | ||||||
| 65 | 4 | "The Heart of the Matter" | Randy Zisk | Allan Heinberg | October 18, 2007 | 18.04 |
| Meredith is seriously annoyed by Lexie's advances, when she desperately tries to keep in touch with her sister and to get to know her. Derek and Meredith's relationship just might be over, and Callie's marriage to George is put to the test. | ||||||
| 66 | 5 | "Haunt You Every Day" | Bethany Rooney | Krista Vernoff | October 25, 2007 | 16.44 |
| A nightmare brings Meredith to remove her mother's ashes from her closet. She forms an alliance with a little boy to grant him the ears he needs via pro-bono surgery. A busy day in the ER results in a man who is convinced that his foot isn't his to remove it with a chainsaw from a jack-o-lantern competition. | ||||||
| 67 | 6 | "Kung Fu Fighting" | Tom Verica | Stacy McKee | November 1, 2007 | 19.31 |
| The Chief organizes a gentleman's evening, leaving Derek and Sloan dumbfounded, and curious to determine what it really is. Two soon-to-be brides fight over a dress from a bridal store competition. Dr. Hahn excludes Christina from cardio service. | ||||||
| 68 | 7 | "Physical Attraction... Chemical Reaction" | Jeff Melman | Tony Phelan & Joan Rater | November 8, 2007 | 19.50 |
| Izzie and George's new-founded relationship results in them having bad sex, and Callie is stressed out from her Chief Resident position and impending divorce. Cristina confronts the Chief about her lack of cardio-related surgeries. Meredith can barely handle it with Lexie anymore. | ||||||
| 69 | 8 | "Forever Young" | Rob Corn | Mark Wilding | November 15, 2007 | 19.61 |
| A tense confrontation between Lexie and Meredith brings Meredith to feel guilty, and Lexie sleeps with Alex. Callie's Chief Resident position is taken away from her, and Bailey is the humble replacement. A bus crash leaves Bailey emotional, especially when an old flame arrives in the ER. | ||||||
| 70 | 9 | "Crash Into Me (Part 1)" | Michael Grossman & Jessica Yu | Shonda Rhimes & Krista Vernoff | November 22, 2007 | 14.11 |
| An ambulance crash makes the day hectic at Seattle Grace, when Meredith and The Chief have to comfort the paramedics trapped inside of the ambulance. A wounded paramedic creates an uproar in the ER for his tattoo, leaving Bailey offended, and an unfortunate circumstance brings Derek to meet a nurse, Rose, that appears to be interested in him. | ||||||
| 71 | 10 | "Crash Into Me (Part 2)" | Jessica Yu | Shonda Rhimes & Krista Vernoff | December 6, 2007 | 17.78 |
| Bailey's notorious alias is promised by the doctors at Seattle Grace to never be used after the wounded paramedic's swastika tattoo, and the death of a worker at the hospital leaves his wife to be very emotional. Lexie, who has become attached to a patient, learns that life is not easy and Meredith is depressed to see that Derek has been moving on. | ||||||
| 72 | 11 | "Lay Your Hands On Me" | John Terlesky | Allan Heinberg | January 10, 2008 | 17.68 |
| When Bailey's son, Tuck, is at Seattle Grace following a bookshelf falling on him, she starts to feel that she might be a bad mother. The return of George's mother brings Callie and George together once more, and his relationship with Izzie has failed. A healer with "powers" at Seattle Grace makes the doctors question science and faith. | ||||||
| 73 | 12 | "Where the Wild Things Are" | Rob Corn | Zoanne Clack | April 24, 2008 | 16.37 |
| Six weeks have passed since Derek started dating Rose, and the new residents are competing in a surgical contest. George and Lexie move into their new apartment and Lexie begins stealing stuff from the hospital to furnish it. Callie and Erica continue their friendship. | ||||||
| 74 | 13 | "Piece of My Heart" | Mark Tinker | Stacy McKee | May 1, 2008 | 15.31 |
| Addison Montgomery visits Seattle Grace from California and she is recapped by the doctors on what has happened, and she suspects that Callie might be having feelings for Erica. Mark becomes a bit too pompous when he feels like he is God. | ||||||
| 75 | 14 | "The Becoming" | Julie Anne Robinson | Tony Phelan & Joan Rater | May 8, 2008 | 15.55 |
| A "date and tell" policy is instated at Seattle Grace after the nurses object to Mark's trysts, Cristina has to face her feelings for Burke, and Meredith and Derek admit a gay veteran soldier into their clinical trial. | ||||||
| 76 | 15 | "Losing My Mind" | James Frawley | Debora Cahn | May 15, 2008 | 16.03 |
| Meredith's therapy leads herself to question her past, as a patient in Derek and Meredith's clinical trial has an emotional outburst. Callie begins to wonder if she is straight or lesbian, and she tries to avoid the topic. | ||||||
| 77 | 16 | "Freedom (Part 1)" | Rob Corn | Shonda Rhimes | May 22, 2008 | 18.09 |
| Derek and Meredith's relationship is reinstated as the clinical trial comes to a relaxing end. Erica and Callie share an intimate moment, while The Chief will do whatever it takes to get back together with Adele. A boy trapped in cement after a dare has placed his health at risk, leading for the doctors at Seattle Grace to sympathize and ease his pains. | ||||||
| 78 | 17 | "Freedom (Part 2)" | Rob Corn | Shonda Rhimes | May 22, 2008 | 18.09 |
| Callie confronts her feelings about Erica, Derek and Meredith's relationship is reinstated as the clinical trial comes to a relaxing end. Erica and Callie share an intimate moment, while The Chief will do whatever it takes to get back together with Adele. A boy trapped in cement after a dare has placed his health at risk, leading for the doctors at Seattle Grace to sympathize and ease his pains. | ||||||
[edit] DVD release
The third season was released as a widescreen five-disc Region 1 DVD box set[10]in the USA on September 9, 2008, with the title Grey's Anatomy: Season Four - Expanded. Each of these releases also contained DVD extras, including footage from behind the scenes, deleted scenes and extended episodes. The same set was released on November 5, 2009 in Region 4 and on November 23, 2009 in Region 2.
[edit] See also
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Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Grey's Anatomy Season 4 |
[edit] References
- ^ "Season Program Rankings from 09/24/07 through 05/25/08". ABC Medianet. May 28, 2008. http://abcmedianet.com/web/dnr/dispDNR.aspx?id=052808_06. Retrieved 2009-07-03.
- ^ Ausiello, Michael. "Exclusive! Grey’s Fires Isaiah Washington" Dr. Erica Hahn replaced Burke as head of cardiothoracic surgery, dubbed "the new Burke" and a new character was originally thought to be a introduced as a replacement for Addison Montgomery in the field of neonatal surgery. Ausiello-Report. TV Guide (June 7, 2007)
- ^ Glitterati Gossip: Doomed? Chyler Leigh Added to Grey’s Anatomy
- ^ 'Anatomy' of a career move, LATimes.com, October 26, 2007
- ^ "ABC's 'Grey’s Anatomy' planning to add several new cast members". http://www.realitytvworld.com/news/abc-grey-anatomy-planning-add-several-new-cast-members-1012516.php.
- ^ Seth Green calls in sick for "Grey’s", Yahoo!, October 11, 2007
- ^ "Grey’s Anatomy" Casts Mystery Woman, Zap2It.com, October 5, 2007
- ^ Casting: 'Grey’s Anatomy' Picks Up Pacey, Zap2It.com, October 22, 2007
- ^ Jackson's TV Comeback Derailed By Strikes, TeenTelevision.com, December 14, 2007
- ^ [1]
- "Grey's Anatomy episodes - season 4". Grey's Anatomy Episode Guide. TV Guide. http://www.tvguide.com/tvshows/greys-anatomy/episodes-season-4/191535. Retrieved January 27, 2010.
- "Shows A-Z - grey's anatomy on abc". the Futon Critic. http://www.thefutoncritic.com/showatch.aspx?id=greys_anatomy&view=listings. Retrieved January 27, 2010.
- "Grey's Anatomy - Episode Guide". ABC. http://abc.go.com/shows/greys-anatomy/episode-guide. Retrieved January 27, 2010.
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