Traumatizing TV

The “Grey’s Anatomy” season finale sure did a number on me.

I honestly cannot remember the last time I was so traumatized or surprised by a piece of television.

Going into this finale season, I thought “Lost” would serve up the biggest shockers, and it was certainly the superior finale. But if you’re putting the final moments of “Grey’s” and “Lost” up against each other, the doctors at Seattle Grace definitely gave us the better cliffhanger.

(I’m going to get a little more specific now, so if you haven’t watched the episode yet, stop reading right now. You do not want it to be spoiled; it was that good).

So … the John Doe who jumped in front of a bus to save a stranger was George.

When the mystery man, all kinds of disfigured, was rushed into the emergency room, I figured there’d be a twist. Isn’t that always the case with Seattle Grace’s patients?

But never, ever did it cross my mind that the heroic, most likely dying, man was George. My George.

I screamed right along with Meredith once she finally figured out what he was tracing into her palm: “007,” George’s nickname from back in season one.

That moment hurt. It still does — just thinking about it brings a tear or two to my eye.

I’ve gone on and on about my beloved George before. How writer Shonda Rhimes was wasting the talents of T.R. Knight by only giving him about five minutes of screen time each episode. How George is one of the few characters who can make me laugh or cry in the shortest of scenes.

Both held to be true in the two-hour finale. George was featured a little more than usual during the first hour, which set up the events to come when a patient inspired Dr. O’Malley to join the Army as a medic.

Before he all but disappeared in the second hour, the writers finally remembered and recognized that he and cancer-stricken Izzie were best friends and, oh yeah, he’d probably be someone she’d go to for advice about her treatment options (don’t even get me started on her wedding to Alex; George should’ve given her away from the beginning, not just because she stumbled midway down the aisle).

Their scene, in which he told Izzie that she already knew what to do, was sweet and true to their relationship.

Then, after signing up at an Army recruiting office, George had one more order of business to attend to: fearfully informing Dr. Bailey of his decision.

“I think eventually you’re gonna be proud,” he said, “but before that you’re gonna be like, ‘What did you do?’”

As expected, Bailey railed against his decision, and that was the last we saw of the George O’Malley we know.

Elsewhere, Izzie had her surgery and woke up with no short-term memory, which made for some funny and heartbreaking scenes with Alex.

Meredith and Derek got “married” in a way only they could: writing out their vows on a blue Post-It note.

Chandra Wilson showed us once again what a gifted actress she is, as Dr. Bailey had to choose between a prestigious pediatrics fellowship and her marriage. When Bailey cries, I usually do, too, and her breakdown about her husband’s ultimatum got me (oh, and, good for her for leaving the unsupportive jerk!).

Then John Doe was rushed in and, as usual, the docs discussed all of their personal problems while taking care of him. Little did we know that the topic of their conversation — George and what most of them saw as his foolishness — was right there in the room the entire time.

But George isn’t the only one whose life was hanging in the balance. Izzie eventually got her memory back, but then passed out in Alex’s arms and was flatlining as the episode faded to black.

For the first time in a long time, I don’t have a clue what will happen next.

Which one of them is going to die? Who should die? (I say neither of them, however unlikely that may be.)

And what should we make of their meet-up — George in his dress blues, Izzie in her prom dress — at the end? Was that Heaven?

So many questions, none of which will be answered until next season.

And I thought “Lost” would have me in knots all summer long.