The TV Zone

She's back! She's alive! She's breathing! She said "ouch!" What would we do without one well-timed sweeps stunt that left us waiting breathlessly - no, wrong word - for one week?

Meredith Grey was revived last night at precisely 9:46: Eyes fluttered, pulse revived, skin turned from ghastly blue to ghastly white, and - most remarkable of all - Miranda Bailey almost smiled.

Amazing? Not really. Expected. We learned at least two main things from last night's "Grey's Anatomy." First of all, very few series continue - arguably none - when the character for which they are named is killed off. In TV terms, this just would not do. You'd have to re-name the series ("Grey's Ghost") or do a lot of flashbacks ("Grey's Anatomy: The Early Years.") Not that this couldn’t be done, it's just, what's the point? We also learned that the land of the dead in "GA" terms is not exactly a fun place to be: It's dark and sterile, still pretty much a hospital room best I could tell, and everyone there is cynical and louche. They've all given up - except Meredith, who whined incessantly about the need to go back to the land of the living; one reason, she explained, was that she still had "intimacy" issues. Funny line.

Last night's show was a classic sweeps weeper. Meredith passing Mom in the hallway - so to speak - of life: "You're anything but ordinary, Meredith..." Doc Webber telling Doc Ellis Grey - played by Kate Burton, who was pretty darned good during her dozen-or-so episodes - "I miss the sound of your voice, I miss talking to you, I miss you..."

Hold on a minute. I just have to grab a hankie...Okay, that's better...

And course, the piece de resistance: Denny passing Izzie Stevens and that fleeting moment when she knew - yes, she knew! - that he was right there by her side.

I wonder if he knows she's blown all his money already?

By the way, last night should finally settle one of the big questions of the season: Is Denny Duquette - Jeffrey Dean Morgan - ever coming back? Only if Izzie dies for a few episodes, but that's a stunt for next February.

She's feeling much better, and thanks for asking.

Maybe he'll be back next season - when Izzie's not feeling too well.