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Underground > Film, TV & Theatre >

Grey's Anatomy

19:49 / 30.04.06

Earlier today I sent a PM to another poster imploring hir to start a topic on whatever F, TV or T xe was currently watching, regardless of whether or not it was 'cool'. Then I realised that if I actually meant what I said, I would be starting a topic on Grey's Anatomy, so here it is.

I would generally claim not to be particularly into medical dramas that aren't Green Wing, but this is three episodes into the first series in the UK, I've seen two of them and I really want to watch more. It reminds me (as, I suppose, it is intended to) of the first few series of Sex And The City. All the leading women are absurdly attractive; it doesn't appear to take itself too seriously; nothing ever gets too complicated for any of the characters, despite the demands of storylines and what may well end up being plot arcs. However, the bad about S&TC is also very much present, specifically the 'in summary' voiceover at the end of each episode, which generally tries to tie up everything that's happened in the episode into some kind of message about how life can be quite serious, really, I mean, when you think about it.

I can quite see how it's all going to end, and seven seasons in I'm going to be complaining about how it's not as good as it used to be, and buying the first five series in a novelty, probably kidney-shaped, box.

Anyone else watching this? Or have entertaining opinions on it?

17:42 / 01.05.06

It's a funny thing, I watch this show and have been trying for a few days to think of something to say about it and am mostly drawing a blank. It's addictive but lacks substance. I'm entertained by the characters, even though for the most part they annoy me... especially Meredith, who I think is an Ally MacBeal ripoff and the low point of the show. I'm hooked on the story lines, and yet it's basically just unrequited love, unrequited love, and more unrequited love. In the end, House is by far the best medical drama on TV right now, but I still watch Grey's Anatomy pretty regularly.

Yotsuba & Benjamin!

18:33 / 01.05.06

I can't be bothered with House, as it airs against Scrubs and, well, duh. No fucking contest which hospital I want to check into.

That said, I really enjoy Grey's Anatomy, mostly due to the performances, which tend to elevate the usually hackneyed storylines and complications into something more interesting by sheer force of authenticity. It also chokes me up on a rather regular basis, usually against my will.

19:43 / 01.05.06

Funny thing is, the writers of Scrubs really really don't like Grey's Anatomy. Neither does Mad TV (not usually a staple of witty media criticism). I find Grey's Anatomy to be plentiful in all manners of cliches: TV Doctor speech, over-sexed employees sleeping with everybody.

Yotsuba & Benjamin!

20:30 / 01.05.06

No Scrubs sure doesn't. Seeing as how they basically stretched a Scrubs episode out to an hour and took out the madcap madcapedness and ended up one of the most popular shows on television (no doubt making any visit from an NBC higher up that more annoying ["Hm. Elliot's a blonde. Can we give her the monologues instead of JD? Kind of Grey it up a bit?"]) so I can see why they're resentful.

I think it's impossible to have a Medical Drama on TV without cliche, even if you try, it seems like you just make new ones (House commercials make me check my calendar, just to make sure it's actually been a week since the last time I saw House stop someone with his cane and stare authority in the face while making a critical medical decision that, apparently, "[I] won't believe.")

21:06 / 01.05.06

I'll start watching House when he fucking shaves, or grows it out. He's like the Don Johnson of doctors: really the next logical step for him is to wear boat shoes and lug a crocodile around the hospital.

21:27 / 01.05.06

Awwww, you guys are mean. I love House. I love him because he's mean, in fact.

21:40 / 01.05.06

matt: I find Grey's Anatomy to be plentiful in all manners of cliches: TV Doctor speech, over-sexed employees sleeping with everybody.

Oh goodness me yes. I feel pretty much the same way as ibis, I enjoy it but can't define why and can think of many reasons not to like it as much as I do. It might be that it is actually the acme of Why Television Is Great: when you are very tired, TV will do the playing for you. And it's not pretending to be serious, the medical content is similar to that in Scrubs and from the opening credits you know it's going to be about people sleeping with each other.

I have never felt quite so much like a target audience as I do when I watch it.

00:52 / 02.05.06

I resented Grey's Anatomy at first. Yes, it's Scrubs, only not funny. I thought it was improving there for a bit, and was actually decent, but it's been lost in the world of crappy soap opera now. So, yes, I'll take House, thank you, and I'll tape Scrubs and watch it afterwards.