Grey’s Anatomy

As we near the end of our time together, CAS 138T, I’ve decided it’s time I write about a TV show I would like to say I consider a guilty pleasure, but honestly I just really, unashamedly love Grey’s Anatomy. This may not be the most high-brow television (I say like I was talking about documentaries before and not sitcoms), but I believe this is quality television. Grey’s is just plain good; it is exciting and emotional, and even funny sometimes. It doesn’t have 11 seasons (and it’s still going) because it’s a boring show. It is cheesy and over-the-top dramatic sometimes, but that’s what makes it so good. In order to give you a taste of how borderline ridiculous Grey’s is, I have chosen some cheesy quotes for you all to enjoy.

Grey’s Anatomy a medical drama, which I have a soft spot for. House is another one of my favorite shows, and it was in looking for a replacement for House that I came across Grey’s. The show, typically, centers around patient per episode, or every few episodes. As the doctors work to save the patient at hand, they also have to deal with the drama that is present at that moment. This can include cheating spouses, mystery half siblings, best friend fights, and much more. Just a warning, this blog contains some spoilers; I usually try to avoid them, but it’s hard to talk about Grey’s without giving something away.

The show focuses on a group of medical interns, who then go on to become attending doctors. Meredith, Cristina, Izzie, Alex, and George all come into Seattle Grace Hospital together and work together to achieve their dreams. Meredith Grey is the main character of the show, who also narrates a majority of the episodes. Meredith and Cristina become best friends, the “twisted sisters”; they’re both a little sad and dark, and they rely on each to get through all the drama of the hospital. The interns all become friends though, with all of them living in Meredith’s house at some point, often a few at a time. The interns also work with the attending doctors, such as Derek Shepherd, called “McDreamy” by the interns. Meredith and Derek end up married eventually, but are now facing marital troubles. Honestly, I want to tell them to just work it out and get over it; I’m kind of over their relationship drama. I may have been watching this show for too long.

Characters on the show come and go as they are either killed off or leave the hospital for various reasons. Only five cast members have been with the show since season one and are still on air today. Actors have left for various reasons, and they always do so with a dramatic exit. Some may argue the departures are too dramatic; the character will often die tragically or discover a terrible secret that drives them away from the hospital. I argue that this is Grey’s Anatomy, I’m watching for ridiculous, over the top drama. The season finale is always the climax of ridiculous happenings, with some sort of disaster occurring each time. Seattle, where the show is set, just has no luck where Grey’s Anatomy is concerned. So far, there has been a horrible storm, an active shooter in the hospital, a failed wedding, a boy trapped in cement, a main character getting cancer, a miscarriage and a plane crash which killed several main characters.

Characters depart the show for many reasons, some exciting, some not. Katherine Heigl left to pursue her movie career, however there are rumors she was not well-liked on set, and the cast and crew were not sad to see her go. Another incident occurred when the actor Isaiah Washington, who played Preston Burke, allegedly used a gay slur towards T.R. Knight, who played George O’Malley. Knight later came out publicly as gay and Washington made some further unfortunate remarks about gay people. Washington’s contract was not renewed after the third season, in an apparent reaction to his comments. Washington did return at the end of the tenth season in order to give closure to Cristina Yang’s storyline, but only for a single episode.

Grey’s Anatomy is a seriously entertaining show. I love the ridiculous drama and over-the-top relationships. You think the show has reached peak craziness, and then it keeps on going. The medical storylines are also awesome, and the main reason I started watching the show in the first place. The illnesses are not as “mysterious” as those on House, but the doctors are always faced new moral dilemmas or difficult patients that keep things interesting. Grey’s is currently in it’s eleventh season, and is scheduled for a twelfth, so if you’re looking for a great drama to binge-watch, Grey’s is just for you. It’s all on Netflix and will definitely keep you busy for a while. Just a warning, you will probably become weirdly jealous of Cristina and Meredith’s twisted friendship and tequila-fueled dance parties. Thanks for reading, CAS 138T!