Sad is mine, go find your own pretend emotion.
It’s been a long week at work. And coming home after another day, all I wanted was to watch some quality television. 30 Rock got it right; The Office, too; but what about Grey’s Anatomy? Well, it didn’t meet my expectations this week. Since Mer was VO-ing about the consequences of telling the truth in the episode, I will do the same. More after the jump…
Anyone want a toaster in exchange for carnage?
Flashback to spring 2005, at a happy hour with co-workers a conversation about television starts. “Lost, blah blah, Desperate Housewives, blah blah, HBO. Has anyone started watching Grey’s Anatomy?†I reply, “Ooh, Hot Doctors!†with great enthusiasm. From that point on, the show—especially when it’s good—has always been known to me as Hot Doctors and this week’s episode was no exception.This episode had all the elements that make Grey’s Anatomy a quality series. Mer’s voice over about addiction established the theme and the patients of the week, of course, related to it. A meth lab explosion in an apartment building brought the meth makers, an addict, an addicted baby, and an innocent apartment resident (played awesomely by Ben Vereen) to Seattle Grace. And our doctors actually got to be doctors. I was surprised how effortlessly the Resident Foursome are growing into their new roles as residents. Since Bailey was their teacher, I shouldn’t be surprised, but even the way the actors are carrying themselves on screen shows a new air of responsibility. While the transition from students to teachers continues to leave Bailey in a state of flux, her scolding of Alex in the O.R. gallery was one of the best scenes of the episode.
Shut up, Lexie.
Let me introduce myself: I’m Liz, and I’ll be writing about Grey’s Anatomy here because I don’t have enough time to run my own TV blog.
I am always hesitant about first episodes of returning series because they never seem to live up to my expectations. (The upcoming new season of The Wire, you are excluded.) The months between May Sweeps and the new fall TV season hold such promise, mainly hinging on how cliffhangers will be resolved? Grey’s Anatomy, as expected, ends its seasons on emotional cliffhangers rather then physical ones—unless you count Meredith turning her head back and forth between whatever love triangle she is involved with at the time as a physical cliffhanger. So where did we last leave our hot doctors…
I think this is a still from the show, though I’m not entirely sure since I don’t watch it.
It seems like a sure thing. Take a likable (but not altogether necessary) character from ABC’s No. 1 show and give her a spin-off. Assemble a strong ensemble cast (Taye Diggs, Amy Brenneman and Tim Daly). And, finally, tease the show in a two-hour backdoor pilot that will be seen by 21.2 million people, essentially guaranteeing a spot on the network’s 2007-08 schedule.
But here’s the problem: The spin-off sucks so far.
Replace Seattle Grace with Oceanside Wellness Group, McDreamy with Dr. Feelgood, and surgical interns with old med school buddies and you have Private Practice. The cookie-cutter cast include a gynecologist who knows nothing about women (get it?), a fertility specialist who wants love (of course!), and a therapist who is as neurotic as her patients (d’oh!). And Addison? She became a babbling Ally McBeal knock-off.
What makes Grey’s great television (and PP not) are, simply, the characters and the writing. Sure the Grey’s doctors are emotionally stunted and sleep around and complain a lot. And it’s not that they are relatable (unless you are a horny intern too) because which characters on TV really are these days. In short, they are appealing and sexy and smart and you want to get to know them. This is thanks in large part to the writing. I can’t recall another show in recent history that has so affected the national lexicon (i.e. “Seriously?†and va-jay-jay). The mix of soapy goodness, romantic comedy and intense medical drama makes for perfect escapist television.
Prediction: The spin-off will happen, duh. ABC will air a sneak preview after Grey’s this fall and then move it Monday, its weakest night of television (Sorry What About Brian and The Bachelor). It will take on another hit in the CSI franchise, CSI: Miami. Ratings-wise it will do less than Miami and Grey’s but will improve on the timeslot ratings for the network, thus ensuring its renewal. During November, February and/or May sweeps I smell a crossover. Grey’s and PP can coexist, albeit on different nights. And Grey’s is here to stay on a competitive Thursday night for the foreseeable future. If only Addison stayed when she returns to Seattle Grace tonight). Seriously.
–AeA
