• Denny Duquette quickly became a fan-favorite character as Izzie’s love interest.
• Denny’s death significantly affected the storyline, especially Izzie Stevens’s character growth.
• Shonda Rhimes didn’t like writing Denny’s death scene, and Katherine Heigl made an extra effort to make his death scene heartbreaking.

Grey’s Anatomy’s 18-year-long history is filled to the brim with traumatizing character deaths. Despite the show being about saving lives, the characters themselves are always on the verge of being killed off. However, the characters who mostly get the short end of the stick are obviously the patients. Grey’s Anatomy has had countless popular names that made cameos in its 20-season run, and although these characters don’t always stay long, some of them manage to create a special place in the viewers’ hearts.

For instance, Denny Duquette was one such character who almost immediately became a fan-favorite “patient” everyone cheered on and hoped to see come out on top. But, it seemed that Denny’s character was doomed from the beginning, and the ripple effect of his death would change things in the then-Seattle Grace Hospital forever.

Denny Duquette Quickly Became A Fan-Favorite Character

• Denny Duquette quickly became a fan-favorite character as Izzie’s love interest.
• His character suffered from a heart disease that was life-threatening.
• Denny was initially Doctor Bailey and Burke’s patient.

Denny was introduced quite early in the medical drama, making the fans believe he might be in it for the long run. Duquette came into the picture in Season 2 and starred in several episodes until his death later in the same season. Denny’s character was extremely significant to the plotline, especially to Izzie Stevens’s character growth. His death shifted the dynamics of several characters for better or for worse, but his demise also gave others a way of hope. It’s a known fact that no one is safe in Grey’s Anatomy, including the main characters. From George O’Malley to everyone’s favorite McDreamy, the medical drama is down to only a few of its original characters, as they have been laid to rest despite the fandom’s disapproval. Denny Duquette’s death was extremely upsetting for the fans, but what really happened to him from the moment he walked through the doors of the hospital?

Denny Duquette, played by the infinitely talented Jeffrey Dean Morgan, was first introduced as Preston Burke’s long-standing patient in Grey’s AnatomySeason 2, Episode 13. Denny was diagnosed with viral Cardiomyopathy, a condition that results in heart failure. Suffering from the disease, Denny’s only option was to get another healthy heart, and that’s how he ended up at Seattle Grace in the first place. This is where he met Izzie Stevens as he waited for the news of a heart being available for him. The handsome patient immediately took a liking to Izzie, and they started flirting during the time he was hospitalized. Then on, Denny’s storyline continued as he hopped in and out of the hospital for different heart complications and the excruciating wait for a new heart before his time ran out. Of course, Grey’s Anatomy fans immediately became infatuated with Denny’s rugged looks and his undeniable charm.

The most intriguing thing about Denny’s character was the mysteriousness surrounding his life story. While almost all Grey’s Anatomy patients are given some time in the limelight to share their life stories, Denny’s wasn’t given a chance until quite later. It was also refreshing for the audience to see an interesting “outsider” character who wasn’t an ex or a doctor. That’s why the fans particularly rooted for Denny since he was a nice addition against the hospital’s backdrop who presented an outside perspective. Since almost no character outside of medicine survives the onslaught of the famed drama, Denny’s addition to the storyline was much welcomed by the fans and maybe that’s why the audience was more devastated by his death than any other non-regular character; at least before Derek’s death.

Denny’s Death Significantly Affected the Storyline

• Denny became a key character in Izzie’s life as they decided to get married.
• Izzie broke several rules for Denny’s heart transplant.
• Izzie tried to uplift Denny’s spirits after disappointing surgical results.

Shonda Rhimes Didn’t Like Denny’s Death Either

• Denny Duquette appeared in later seasons of Grey’s Anatomy.
• Shonda Rhimes didn’t like writing Denny’s death scene.
• Katherine Heigl put in an extra effort to make Denny’s death seem more heartbreaking.

Katherine Heigl, who played Doctor Izzie on the show, said in an interview that she had to muster a lot of courage and emotion for that particular scene. She wanted it to be as “heart-wrenching” as possible, and she succeeded in her attempt because that scene also reminded her of an unpleasant childhood memory. The actress revealed that the scene reminded her of the pain of losing her brother when she was only seven years old. While the actress didn’t like reliving that memory, she did so for the sake of the scene, and it’s safe to say that she might have made most of the viewers cry. As for Shonda Rhimes, she stated in an interview that she was absolutely gutted while writing about Denny’s death and was absolutely heartbroken about the whole predicament.

Despite knowing that Denny’s character was introduced to eventually be killed off, it was not easy for her to do since she had grown attached to the character like the entire fandom. Denny Duquette’s character was memorable and one of the best who made a significant contribution to the show’s success in its initial days. Despite officially dying in the storyline, Jeffrey Dean reprised his role twice in the later season for a short span. When Meredith drowned in Season 3, she saw Denny in what seemed like a pseudo-reality between life and death. Although he didn’t have a meaningful relationship with Meredith, he seemed like the best person to encourage someone to fight for their life. After Meredith’s successful resurrection, Denny came back to haunt Izzie’s reality as he became part of her hallucinations while she struggled to diagnose her cancer.

Of course, fans didn’t want Denny to go out like that, especially the way he did, and then he came back to tease them for a few episodes. Despite Denny’s death being instrumental to the plot, Shonda Rhimes could’ve made him throw a clot, at least after a few seasons. Although it seemed that Izzie did always belong with Alex, her love story with Denny could’ve been the real highlight of the show. Grey’s Anatomy makes it a point that no non-doctor candidate stands a chance at love with a Seattle Grace/ Grey Sloan hospital surgeon. But Denny could’ve been that character, a new McDreamy that the audience could’ve drooled over for at least a dozen seasons.