“Grey’s Anatomyâ€â€“ Physical Attraction … Chemical Reaction
At the beginning of the season, I wrote about my low expectations for season premieres, but now during November Sweeps I want the best a show can offer. I might not have invested millions of dollars in ad buys for the month, but I have cozied-up on this cool, crisp fall evening and want to be entertained.
As always, pretty Seattle aerial shots and great music starts the episode (as does a TV-14, SV rating, perfect for Sweeps), and then—eww! George and Izzie are sweaty and panting and in bed. Mer’s voiceover kicks in rasping about physical chemistry; something George and Izzie do not have. They too realize there is a problem and spend the rest of the episode trying to recreate their first rendezvous of drunken, adulterous sex. I stress drunk and adulterous. At least Izzie figured alcohol might be a needed but some actual on-screen chemistry could have helped, too. They should have taken a lesson from this week’s Gossip Girl. More after the jump…
The theme of physical attraction and chemistry allowed Grey’s to do what it does best—construct a medical drama around choice character moments. Some of the doctors made (baby) steps toward personal growth—Meredith. Others found career success—Bailey. Or a personal struggle was revealed—Lexie. And then there’s Mark being a manwhore, but that’s really just a generalization. Like Alex and Addison in previous seasons, Mark has become more than a one-note character (read: manwhore) to someone with true emotion and motivation behind his actions, as well as great interaction with the other doctors. His renewed friendship with Derek alone is a treat to see develop this year. Plus, he’s awfully pretty.
My one worry though is that the medical aspect of the show is veering a little too close to ER territory. But perhaps I am drawing that comparison because there is a surgical patient from the Pit or clinic every week. It is one thing I am keeping my critical eye on, though, especially if the show starts approaching Hearts and Scalpels levels of melodrama.
