Grey’s Anatomy [TV show review]

Five out of five scalpels 

Would recommend if: You are in the mood for something simple but entertaining. ‘Simple’ in the way that it’s not one of those ‘discovering the meaning of human existence’ type of shows that require you to think long and hard about the ethics, it’s more like hanging out with friends, except if you talk to them they don’t answer… This show has the type of characters who can carry a show without much interference, and they are allowed to. The effect is characters that start feeling like intimate friends, like family, and even if you’re not really that interested in hearing about their day you still find yourself missing them, wanting to see them again, and just wanting to hang out. Potentially with a few tequila shots.

The negative side (because I don’t believe in the existence of perfection): While the show is entertaining and the characters engaging, there isn’t really much of a plot there. The show is entirely character driven, and they do lose quite a few characters over the seasons, so if your favorite character is no longer in the show there is little to keep you watching. That being said, there are so many capture-your-heart characters that the loss of one, while deeply felt, is not enough to ruin the show completely since they also bring in new characters regularly.

Plot: Constantly evolving. That is the core of it, the appeal. There is no overall plot, no great story arch that continues over the seasons, the plot is constantly evolving, the characters are changing, new characters come along, and everything changes with them. The setting is Seattle Grace Hospital, and we follow Meredith Grey on her journey from intern and along her career and life to… well, the show is still going, so where it will end I really can’t tell. The plot is basically much like life, you have a setting, you have people who come and go, you have dreams and plans, and you never really know where it will end.

What makes this one stand out: The continuity. The writing. The balance. Last week I did a post on balance in fiction where I talked about rats in a maze. One of the points I made was about writers shaking things up in a way that seem illogical or as too big of a coincident. Grey’s Anatomy does have these things occur, like medical miracles, but always, always, in a way that fits with the tone of the show, with the character’s personalities, with medical realities. While the show has a tendency to protect its main characters from death and lasting damage, they never do it in impossible ways, and they also keep a nice balance over time with characters leaving and new characters coming back.

On top of that the characters in the show range from dark and twisty, lovable and endearing, smartass, badass, and all the way to annoying, morally compromised, or just good old fashioned mean. As I mentioned before, it really feels like life, like family, and sometimes there’s an uncle or a cousin who gets on your nerves, but you take the good with the bad because deep down, they’re family, they are a package deal, and you know you love them no matter what.

Personal comment: Bingeable. Totally bingeable, and the characters will become like a second family.

Details: 
Title: Grey’s Anatomy
Created by: Shonda Rhimes
Year: 2005
Genre: Medical drama.
Number of Seasons: 15 so far.