Will GREY’S ANATOMY Ever Come Back to Us?
January 9, 2009 by Kath Skerry
I had the strangest sensation while putting together yesterday’s ‘TV Spotlight’. It was something I hadn’t felt in quite a long time (…and let me stop you right there you dirty birds) – I’m talking about the feeling of excitement I had when I realized there was a new episode of GREY’S ANATOMY. I was genuinely looking forward to seeing the Seattle Grace crew back in action. I haven’t felt that way in a long time.
Then I watched the episode. The excitement I was feeling dissipated within the first few minutes.
I can’t be bothered to spend a lot of time thinking about just what has gone wrong with GREY’S ANATOMY. The show has just completely lost its spark. There were so many little things that came together to make the show so special in the early days, and now there’s nearly a hint of that anywhere save a few scenes with Dr. Bailey and the occasional dalliances with Callie and Mark.
In it’s first few seasons GREY’S had mastered the combination of drama and humor. The sharp dialogue pierced through to your heart and you were left crying real tears of sadness or laughter. The characters were interesting and the patients coming through the hospital doors were complex and valuable in furthering the themes of the episode. Now I struggle to even see a point in the stories they are trying to tell, none the less a thematic arc.
The main cast of characters are shells of their former selves. I don’t think it was until last night’s episode that I really understood why T.R. Knight was making such a fuss about leaving the show. George O’Malley, one of the most popular characters on the show since day one, often seen as the heart of the show, was barely heard from. He was given a few obligatory lines in an episode arc which could have easily been left on the editor’s floor.
And then there’s the Izzie/Denny mess. It looks like we finally might be rid of Denny Duquette. Thank God. But shame on the writers in the room who didn’t have the balls to stand up and recognize that this was an arc that was riddled with issues. It reeked of desperation and it went on far too long. And in the end, the appearance of Denny didn’t serve a real purpose. Is Izzie all of a sudden a new woman now that she has finally let Denny go? Was Denny sticking around just to prepare Izzie for her life with Alex? Come on, if anything his presence hindered the audience from caring about Alex and Izzie’s relationship. I care less about the two of them now as a couple because for weeks I’ve seen Izzie choose Denny over Alex time and time again. She chose a dead guy over her boyfriend. And now I’m supposed to root for them as a couple?
As for Meredith, Derek, Christina, Lexie…Zzzzz…sorry but the only things we are getting from these characters are insights on their overactive egos and their overactive libidos. There once was a time when each of the characters were deeply developed and who they were played an important part of how they performed as doctors. Last night we learned that Derek’s father was murdered. In the year’s past that story would have been beautifully laid out and we would have really felt the impact on Derek. But now the writing has become so hollow that what could have been an interesting storyline was used as a convenient catalyst to show faux tension between Dr. and patient.
I did like Derek’s impromptu dance party last night. It was adorable. I’ll give him that.
Callie and Mark’s ongoing sexual banter remains one of the only amusing bits on the show. But even that I’m almost over. Find something interesting about yourself other than you are an oversexed doctor with zero self control. We get it. There’s a lot of sex in the hospital. The interns are hot and you would like to have sex with them. Yup, we get it. Move on.
Dr. Bailey still remains as the strongest character on the show, but her light doesn’t shine as bright when the rest of the stories are so very dim. And the Chief? What’s his contribution this season other than bitching about the hospital being 12th. What’s missing there is that the audience doesn’t care. Being 12th doesn’t impact our view of the characters or the hospital setting. Twelth in the country still sounds pretty good to me.
Clearly this post is a self indulgent bitchfest about a show that I once loved. If I didn’t once care I wouldn’t be writing this. But I’m sad to say that I don’t think things can be turned around. I have to wonder if the writers are past the point of no return. Between GREY’S and the PRIVATE PRACTICE, I have to wonder if Shonda Rhimes, much like her shows, has just lost her spark.
The show has been in a ratings free fall for a while now. It’s still pulling in the numbers to be considered a success. I’m just wondering how much longer I can stick with it hoping that I see a glimpse of the show that once was.
Talk to me GREY’s fans. Are you feeling the same way about the show or am I just being too harsh? Has your love for the show stayed steady or have you too seen flaws?
Related Posts
Filed under #1 featured, Grey's Anatomy
The minute JDM showed up as Denny again, everyone in my living room let out a huge “are you frakking kidding me” groan. At one point, I said “He (meaning JDM) deserves so much better”.
Also, remember the “going to Denver” line? Yeah, how predictable was it that Mark was going to use it as a euphamism for intern-sex. Seriously? I used to never know what was coming next. Now I could probably write a generic episode in my sleep.
…I agree with everything on this post; it kind of makes me sad but I’m no longer able to watch the show, although I read recaps, just to be informed because my sister doesn’t get ABC and she is one season behind and she asks me what’s going on…Grey’s lost me when they had George and Izzie hook up, and that storyline seemed endless…another thing that bothered me was how the writers are alwats finding ways to keep Meredith and Derek apart; I didn’t fint it cute, I thought it was annoying…and in a way, I lost respect for Grey’s because of Private Practice; I mean, that the writers took this great character, Addison, and made her act like a silly teenager on another show was just wrong, wrong, wrong…I think that in order to save Grey’s, ABC must cancel Private Practice…
It’s funny that you chose to write this post after last night’s episode. I’ve spent the last few weeks re-watching the first couple of seasons of Grey’s. I’m only 1/2 way through the 3rd season, but I took a break last night to catch the new episode of Grey’s. I’ve noticed the show slipping ever since the 4th season, but after re-watching the first few and watching the new episode last night, the stark contrast between old and new episodes was more apparent to me than ever! Watching the old episodes, they still tug at my heartstrings- the season 2 finale with Denny’s death still had me sitting on the edge of my seat (even though I knew what happened). This season really is just completely lackluster for me. As you mentioned, the only bright spark of the episode was Derek’s dance fest at the end. I’m seriously disappointed with this season. I kinda gave up in the 4th season, and then picked back up again this season, and it’s hard to believe, but I think this season is even worse than the 4th.
I also agree with the post above- the only hope might be to cancel Private Practice and bring back Addison…at this point, I’d even vote to bring back Burke, even though my feelings on the actor who plays him are a completely different story…
I don’t know what the solution is, but ABC better do something soon.d
A loyal watcher of the first two seasons, I loved the characters of George and Izzie. Now I only watch the show intermittently. It’s really sad for me to see these characters destroyed. I was always of the mind the show should have been named O’Malley’s Anatomy, but it doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue, and George’s Anatomy sounds too pervy.
The show is officially dead to me once T.R. Knight leaves.
very disapointed last night……
the charactors don’t seem real anymore…..
its lost its MOJO……
I gave up on Grey’s a few episodes ago, but to find that Denny is STILL around really irks me. Really, Shonda? Really? I know JDM is adorable and Denny was taken from us (and Izzie) way too soon, but to bring him back in that way? So not cool. I’ve seen the recent previews, and honestly nothing in them made me want to start watching again.
I do think you are being too harsh. Though, I agree that the show isn’t what it was. With Grey’s these days, I still watch every single episode, and for about 50% of them, I feel the episodes are solid (again, not as magical as they once were – but still emotion-inducing and complex and funny enough to make me think that the show is still special enough to be devoted to). And then 50% of the episodes I feel are pretty awful. I liked this week’s episode. The first episode where Denny appeared, though, I was beside myself with disappointment and fury with the writers, and I probably could have written something along the lines of what you’ve written here. I’m saying – I take this episode by episode. My hope for Grey’s fluctuates. Right now, it’s higher because I liked this week’s episode. I stick with the show no matter what because I still feel that Grey’s has something to offer. It seems like sometimes it just goes too far out there. I think it does best when it sticks with intense internal drama (brought about by the crossing of patient drama with doctor drama) instead of bringing in crazy outside circumstances (i.e., the reappearance of a dead person) to stir things up.
Okay here’s what I think. I paid money for Grey’s seasons I-V. I didn’t just catch it on TV and TIVO it, I actually bought each season pass from iTunes. So from a purely financial standpoint, Grey’s hasn’t been worth the money since Season III. I agree with you. Grey’s Anatomy pretty much sucks dirt. Sympathy for the Devil has been the one redeeming spotlight in an otherwise very dark and dismal season. I want Burke back to bust up this whole Owen/Christina thing.
Wow, ce paragraphe agréable , ma soeur est d’analyser ces ,
donc donc je vais dire faire connaître elle.