Watching It, Watching Me: Bring the Pain
[The following is an editorial column by contributor Alison Coffey and does not necessarily reflect the views of the Austinist staff. --The Editors]
I realize that I should be blogging about the new season of 24, but four hours of Jack Bauer and company is a lot to commit to, and so it's waiting on my DVR for a few long evenings of reruns. Or at least next weekend.
Instead, let's talk about Grey's Anatomy. Because just like the machinations of your best friends, enemies, aquaintances, and coworkers, it is just so much fun to talk about. If you tune in regularly to Grey's Anatomy, you know how absorbing it is--how easy it is to find oneself affected by the tumultuous lives of Meredith, McDreamy, Christina, Izzie, George, Dr. Burke, Dr. Bailey and the rest.
I have to admit I was a latecomer to the phenomenon that is Grey's Anatomy. During its first season I had other commitments, and although it was receiving great press I figured that if I'd missed the first season, why bother with the second?
Then, this past summer, I kept happening upon it during channel surfing and I couldn't turn away. Sometimes I'd only catch the last 10 minutes and I'd still be hooked. When the third season started I felt I had no choice but to watch. I was now an offical Grey's fan. I couldn't wait for each new episode every Thursday night, moreover I've been playing catchup on DVD with seasons one and two. If allowed, I could spend a whole day on the couch wishing McDreamy would look at me the way he does Ms. Grey. Sick.
"Yes," you might be saying, "What else is new? Lots of people love this show, so tell us something we don't know, lady." I have to wonder what makes this show take off in a way other dramas don't. What is the magic formula? I mean, we all have lists of favorite shows that never made it past one or two seasons (Hello "My So Called Life," "Relativity," "Once and Again"). What secrets does writer (genius?) Shonda Rhimes know?
I think it starts with truly likeable characters.
Meredith Grey may be a little bit too, uh, easy, a little bit too whiny, and way way too skinny, but dammit if she's not interesting, and, well, sort of fun to hang around. Cristina Yang has intimacy issues for sure, and she's not the biggest softie on the planet, but she knows how to make a good wisecrack. Plus she's talented, balsy, and, yes, fun. Izzie knows how to listen and she makes great muffins. George is every girl's dream best guy buddy. McDreamy (fine, Derek Shepherd) is the emotional steady we wish all our boyfriends and husbands could be. And he's cute. And he's a doctor. And he loves dogs.
The show seems to have achieved the absolute perfect stew of drama, melodrama, comedy, and romance. While bombs in ORs, gunshots, conjoined twins, sex on operating tables, fiances in need of heart transplants, and the everybody-has-a-tumor (what, you don't?) plotlines may not be the most realistic portrayal of life at a private hospital in Seattle, we certainly can relate to the range of emotions and intricacies of relationships that these characters experience. Of course a good bomb scare never hurt our interest either.
Happily, it looks like we are headed into some smooth, romantic sailing for at least a little while with Dr. Grey and Dr. Shepherd. George and Callie have been bonding and--kind-of--kissing, so perhaps with the possible loss of George's dad (the previews don't look good), Callie and George will reunite over grief. I don't know how I feel about the almost-kiss between Alex and Addison. Certainly they are both beautiful, but as their characters are set up, it doesn't seem like it could be much more than a fling. Don't forget, McSteamy is still in the picture and apparently somewhere in that hot body of his there is a heart that pines for Addison. And he seems rather persistent too. And of course we've all figured out by now where Izzie's money will be going. Her first patient in need of a new life and without the bucks for it has presented herself--a sassy seventeen year old with a severely deformed spine. Now Izzie's got a bank account to match the size of her heart. Help is on the way.
Grey's Anatomy
Thursdays, 8pm
ABC
photo by Alison Coffey
Grey's Anatomy photo from abc.com
