Grey's Anatomy Prepares to "Reboot"
Without question, Grey's Anatomy pushed the envelope in its third season, resulting in the cavalcade of kudos from the lords of the Emmys - and more than a little criticism from fans.
As it comes into Season Four, Grey's Anatomy sits on the verge of what has become a fad for drama series exiting their sophomore years, BuddyTV notes.
The show is heading for a reboot.
Grey's Anatomy will now be shifting into a whole new dramatic space, a new chief, a flock of new interns, and, of course, a bunch of newly upgraded physicians.
As with all the other shows making changes to their dramatic architecture this year, Grey's Anatomy seems poised to either sink or swim:
- The Preston (Isaiah Washington) and Cristina (Sandra Oh) histrionics that helped form the path to the Season 3 finale are over.
- Meredith (Ellen Pompeo) and Derek (Patrick Dempsey) have fallen apart, or almost fallen apart, so many times that their dangling over the edge of shattered romance seems more held back by rubber bands than the viewers' empathic heart strings.
- O'Mizzie, the disastrous pairing of Izzie (Katherine Heigl) and George (T.R. Knight) has reportedly been nixed. But did we detect a gleam in George's eye when he spotted Meredith's sister, Lexie Grey?
Rumors have it that Jane Doe (Elizabeth Reaser) will, thankfully, return to challenge Alex's aversion to attachment, but beyond that, no one knows what this "reboot" holds for Grey's Anatomy.
A change in structure and authority suggests an attempt to create a blend of some of the resident drama from the first three seasons mixing with a faculty drama that was confined mostly to the over-40 set.
If one thing is clear, it is that Shonda Rhimes and the Grey's Anatomy writing team have always handled everything, even their failings, with a sensitivity and inventiveness that is uniquely Grey's.
The beauty of the reboot will be not knowing what to expect, but knowing it comes from some of the best in the business.
Steve Marsi is the Managing Editor of TV Fanatic. Follow him on Google+ or email him here.
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Mark: I love you. Lexie: You don't have to say it. Mark: I've always been in love with you. I'll always be in love with you. Which is why you have to stay al...
August 21st, 2007 5:06 PM
CLAIRE,
YOU ARE SOOoo MY HERO. Everything you said . I've been saying for the past year. THANK YOU THANK YOU. I AM NOT ALONE .!!!!
Sabrina: Hi I'm Gloria I agree with the POOR WRITING. The problem is the ORIGINAL (9) WRITERS FROM SEASON 1 & 2 ARE'NT DOING THE WRITING. I follow each epis. and these people are NOT THE ORIGINAL (9). I HAVE NO IDEA where these people came from. But, WE THE FANS NEED THE ORIGINAL WRITERS FROM SEASON 1 & 2 AND PETER HORTON. EVERYONE ELSE CAN HIT THE SIDE WALK.!!!!
Note: Fans= RATINGS=ADVERTISERS=$$=SHOW.
No Fans, No Ratings, No advertisers, No $$, No Show.!!!
August 20th, 2007 1:35 PM
Although there were moments in S3 which I enjoyed, there were a lot of moments that I felt the ship was without a captain. Some of the characters became caricatures and others lacked purpose.
I invested 3 season with Shonda and Co. and they disappointed me. I am not willing to continue to dangle at the end of the stick while waiting for promises that don't materialize about better writing, character development and cutting edge storylines which if you recall Shonda and Co. promised on their blogs and podcast all of S3.
I will probably sample from time to time to support my favourite Canadian actress, Sandra Oh but am no longer a devoted fan.
I vote with my viewership and support, there are many fans like me who want to demonstrate to Shonda, Co. and ABC that the ones who matter the most are the paying public.
August 19th, 2007 11:19 PM
I agree that season 3 had it's problems. However, due to the backstage drama that happened in the second half of the season, I will give the writing staff some time to redeem themselves on a set free of a hostile work environment.
August 19th, 2007 8:59 PM
Hmm, seson 3 was not my favorite, it had big problems, mainly that there were too much deaths and despair and not enough happiness. But the scenes with George's dad dying gave us some wonderful acting, mainly by TR, and Burke elaving gave us some of the ebst acting sandra Oh has ever done.
Season 3 has also given me George and izzie. I don't care if you thought it was disastrous. To me and to my friends who watch with me, those two were the saving grace of the show in season 3. I wish to God it had happened before he married callie, but there is no way you can deny the pure chemistry between TR and Katherine and the love those two share.
If they end, I am not sure I could bear seeing them with other people or back just as friends when Shonda and those two actors did such a fabulous job at convincing me those two were soulmates and totally in love.
August 18th, 2007 8:17 PM
Wow Suzanna, you don't know me, yet you pool me into a hate group.
Obviously you did not read my post all the way through, but if you had, I do say I LOVE the show, but I question season three's writing with a passion, and I have EVERY right to do so.
I cannot come on here and "blindly" say I am in love with the way this show was written in season three. Had I NOT seen it done much better ( and in the first two seasons I certainly did) I would not be questioning it now. Even the some of the actors on Grey's Anatomy itself have done interviews over the summer hoping the show will "come back to what it was in the first two seasons" Are you calling them haters too?
And are we not allowed to have an opinion? I am hardly a member of some "haters group." Who are you to judge me so? The writing was poor. Do you write all the magazines and online critics that share this opinion? If you do, then you'd hardly have time to lay some guilt trip on me because I have issues with las
August 18th, 2007 3:11 PM
Susanna,
Your condescension is a cheap tactic, particularly when you have no idea who you are communicating with on the web. Some of us are having a dialogue about quality television writing.
You are the kind audience members that let Shonda & the writers get away with dumbing GA down with their crappy scripts over the last half of season 3. Oh, and by the way, some of us know that the GA couples are characters written for actors to play.
Thank you for sharing.
August 18th, 2007 10:42 AM
Claire and her croonies have invaded yet another comment page. You must be proud. I guess spewing hate at Teenagers Without Perception is getting tiring for you. Oh, well, I guess with all of the hate mongers out of the way, Shonda can continue to do the excellent job she has been doing for the last 3 seasons. I completely enjoy the show, and will continue to do so. I have children of my own, and they don't even hold their breath to get their own way, so I find it hard to respect adults who think that they can get their way using this tactic. Pathetic at best. I adore George and Izzie together, and have always liked Meredith and Derek together. Hopefully, next season will bring more of the excellent character development we have seen in the past.
Note: For all the haters out there, kindly realize that there are as many lovers out there, if you look at the comments and polls that have come up lately. I do realize that the haters claim that the lovers are spamming, which I d
August 18th, 2007 10:19 AM
Wow, what a load of bull this article is. MerDer and Gizzie are the things I love the most on the show. A whole lot of people love Gizzie (I know they have lots of haters too, but they have many fans) so I would not call them disastrous. I hate how they got together, but they have amazing chemistry and belong together. If Shonda drops them because of one stupid pabnel, I will lose all respect for her.
August 18th, 2007 10:12 AM
George and Izzie were hardly disastrous, they are the reason I stuck with the show in the second half. I was this close to jumping ship until I fell in love with them. I have friends who had dropped the show who came back because of them.
August 18th, 2007 8:15 AM
you're right claire, i hope they have something worth watching on this new season. i personally don't want to watch it anymore with my man IW being gone, he was my main reason for veing a fan of the show, but if they make it interesting enough i may take a look, especially since the bionic woman is going to be on wednesdays and it won't conflict. if it did then i would have to choose my man's show. at first i was too mad to care and never wanted to watch the show ever again, but now that IW is happy and i've cooled down, i may reconsider. i mean, it is a pretty good show.