Grey's Anatomy: 10 Izzie Stevens Plotlines That Make No Sense
Katherine Heigl's Izzie Stevens was a main character and fan favorite in the earliest seasons of Grey's Anatomy. In contrast to Meredith's grief, Cristina's coldness, George's naivety, and Alex's attitude, Izzie was the ray of sunshine among her peers. Always choosing to see the bright side of things, lift up her friends, and connecting emotionally with the patients she treated.
Around Season 4, Izzie's storylines began to seem more and more unrealistic and less important than that of the other doctors at Seattle Grace. A lot of her behavior from earlier episodes was contradicted, and she acted out of character when it came to friendships and relationships alike. Simply put, a lot of her plots just didn't make sense.
10 Never Meeting Her Daughter
It is established early on that Izzie became pregnant as a teenager and gave her daughter up for adoption in order for them both to have brighter futures.
Later on, Izzie's daughter, now named Hannah, arrived at Seattle Grace as a leukemia patient in need of a bone marrow transplant. She is happy to help, and hopes to formally meet her child. Hannah objects to this, and Izzie never interacts with her in the timeline of the show. It seems as though this would've been brought up when Izzie went through her own cancer journey.
9 Her Employment Post-Denny
After her fiancé Denny Duquette tragically passed away, Izzie quit before she could be fired for her actions. She spent her days grieving and baking, and could not even enter the hospital she once worked in.
When she decided to return, she was rightfully placed on probation, although it is still unlikely that she would get a second chance at such an established medical institution after breaking several protocols and then dropping out of the internship program altogether.
8 The Clinic
Because she was (briefly) engaged to Denny, she was the recipient of his inheritance, which granted her an 8.7 million dollar check. She didn't know what to do with it initially, but worked with Bailey to establish the free Denny Duquette Memorial Clinic.
The clinic was an integral part of seasons 3 and 4, and then slowly started to become less utilized. There was so much early emphasis on the importance of a free clinic at the hospital, all for it to be abandoned later on.
7 Her Feelings for George
Izzie and George's friendship was one of the most wholesome aspects of the show. The two loved each other unconditionally and more importantly --- platonically.
After George's elopement to Callie Torres, Izzie initially grew jealous as a friend. She wanted her best friend back, and didn't think Callie and George were a good fit, which to be fair, they weren't. All of their wholesomeness was washed away when they drunkenly slept together, leading to George's divorce, and then attempted to have a romantic relationship that failed because of a complete lack of chemistry. It was a total waste of time that made no sense at all.
6 Ghost Denny
In Season 5, Izzie was finally getting back on her feet following Denny's death and her failed romance with George.
She reentered a relationship with Alex, and it finally started to seem like the two were going to be happily (and healthily) in love. However, she began to hallucinate Denny, and even had sex with his ghost. It's a cringey storyline that lasts way too many episodes, and it makes viewers question Izzie's capability to be a doctor when she does not notice that there is something worrying about her imaging her dead fiancé.
5 Her Rivalry with Callie
It made sense that Izzie would be protective of her best friend George and wouldn't want to see him unhappy, but her absolute distain for orthopedic surgeon Callie Torres.
She completely disrespected hers and George's marriage, and was willing to physically fight Callie at their job, no less. As Izzie was usually a force of positivity and one who preached unity, it seemed uncharacteristic for her to be as cruel to someone as she was to Calie.
4 Her Wedding
While treating her cancer, Izzie takes it upon herself to plan Meredith and Derek's wedding, as it gives her something to look forward to.
When she begins to fall more and more ill, Meredith gives her wedding to Izzie and Alex, as it is completely Izzie's vision, and she might not have much time left. The wedding is made up of all of Meredith and Derek's guests who most likely have no clue with Izzie and Alex are, but nobody seems to question it. Additionally, how did Izzie fit into Meredith's dress perfectly?
3 Her Sudden Departure
Once Izzie is cleared to return to work, she becomes angry that she can't do things like she once did, and is even more bothered by the Mercy West residents migrating into Seattle Grace.
She overworks herself and ends up messing up pretty badly, which didn't reflect well given that they now have an abundance of residents and need to cut some. Richard fired her, which she believed to be Alex's doing, and she took off without so much as a goodbye to her husband and friends.
2 Returning & Leaving Again
Some time later, Izzie returns to get a cancer scan, and attempts to reconcile with Alex.
Heartbroken by her disappearance, Alex rejects her, believing that he deserves someone that will stay. Instead of staying at Seattle Grace to be with her friends and resume practicing medicine, Izzie decides once again to leave, this time once and for all. It feels unlike Izzie to completely give up, especially after everything she had gone through.
1 Reconnecting with Alex
In Season 16, it's revealed that Alex has left to visit Izzie after learning that she had his children with the frozen embryos they created when she had cancer.
Their time together is offscreen, and only referenced in the letters Alex writes to his current wife and his closest friends. The fact that it would take five years for Izzie to contact Alex after giving birth to his twins is out of character, and even more out of character that she would do such a thing without letting him know first.