Cast Shakeups Continue on Grey's Anatomy
With the death of George O'Malley greeting Grey's Anatomy fans at the beginning of this season, Seattle Grace has experienced a void ... or should we say a vacancy?
Thanks to the merger, however, new residents will be abundant soon enough.
And, as we reported yesterday, Kim Raver will is the latest to join the crowded ranks, playing a surgeon and possible love interest for Dr. Owen Hunt (Kevin McKidd).
Raver's prior credits include 24, Third Watch and most recently Lipstick Jungle, which was canceled after 20 episodes, yet had a surprisingly vocal cult following.
The addition of a known actor like Raver could be seen as a concerted effort to bolster the show's audience, which has shrunk over the last few seasons.
After peaking in Season 3 with an average of 21.3 million viewers per episode, ratings for Grey's Anatomy have tapered off somewhat and now hover in the 13-15 million range (typically depending on who is about to die), though it remains a top 10 show.
** INSIDER NOTE: This website's highest-ever traffic came after the cliffhangers that seemingly left Meredith dead in Season 3, and George and Izzie in peril last May.
It's likely, however, that Raver won't have much screen time with two of the show's biggest leading ladies, as this move is probably also meant to counter the reality that Ellen Pompeo and Katherine Heigl will both be missing a decent chunk of time this season.
With those two literally out of the picture, Raver's task will be to continue the show's tradition of strong female leads ... for better or worse, depending if you like her.
The Raver casting also comes on the heels of the news that Greek star Jesse Williams and veteran actress Martha Plimpton will join the cast for multi-episode arcs.
Is Grey's Anatomy having a resurgence in its sixth season, or are these just preventive measures to try and keep more viewers from being tempted by other shows?
Given the intriguing Owen-Cristina love triangle storyline, will Raver's surgeon serve as an antidote for a show that might be suffering from some character fatigue?
What do you think? Is Grey's Anatomy hitting its stride again? Or are there just too many guest stars and too little time for the regulars we've grown to love?
Steve Marsi is the Managing Editor of TV Fanatic. Email him here.
More Grey's Anatomy News
Grey's Anatomy Caption Contest 299
Grey's Anatomy Music From "If/Then"
Grey's Anatomy Promo: All About Heart ...
Grey's Anatomy Review: Meeting Meredith Webber
Meredith: What if one little thing I said or did could have made it all fall apart?
October 17th, 2009 12:18 AM
I've been watching the reruns and am in love with the show all over, Just can't get into the new season at all. There's just no real substance to the show this year. I hope the writers get it together or I fear this may be the last season.
October 11th, 2009 7:18 PM
I love Grey's, but I am so tired of the runaround with the main characters. I watch the show for them and only them. Having guest stars as patients in the hospital is great, just not coming in and trying to take over. I know Shonda has said most shows don't last past season 6 and she wants to be prepared with her cast and blah blah blah. Has she stopped to think that by messing with the show this way that she will drive away the viewers herself?!?!?! I want my cast of Grey's to be who it has been from the beginning and lets run with storylines of that, I mean are the writers not that good that they can't think of something for these characters to do and go through without having to bring in a whole new person??
October 10th, 2009 10:30 AM
you know they could have gotten someone who is attractive
I hope they don't ruin C/O relationship they right now are the most popular along with M/D and I am getting tired of the some old plot lines two couples fall in love and oh wait there is another person just happen to show up and ruin the entire show I love GA I do but I am loosing interest fast really fast I hope everything works out because people are really upset about this I mean really upset
October 9th, 2009 11:58 AM
seriously they cannot bring a new love interest for owen thats going to really annoy me ...i look foward to each new episode and more of O/C every week, it doesnt matter if a few members are off for some time focus on the other cast as so many have mentioned develop their relationships/characters more...but DONT bring any new love interests for the main characters!!!!
October 9th, 2009 1:35 AM
I agree too many characters as it is . . . but am excited to see Kim Raver on Grey's Anatomy . . . I feel like Grey's lost a spark when Addison left Seattle Grace . . . Addison was beautiful, poise, successful, brilliant and had the moxy and resume to back it all up. If used properly Kim could be someone to bring the sexy back to Seattle Grace! Enjoy!
October 8th, 2009 9:15 PM
Have I missed what is up with Izzie I thought she was leaving with George not that i'm upset I happy she is stll here we need George also. This is going to be a great year...
Rank: Regular Character
October 8th, 2009 5:59 PM
Too many guest characters. To be honest, I don't see the real motive of having long-term guest stars when the permanent cast is already huge. I'd focus on them, especially so in into the show and so far, we know so little of them.
I am trying to understand the motives that they add these new characters but I wish that the writers also saw how we see it.
As for the ratings, I don't care much since it's known that ratings decrease with passing time. ER used to have 30/40 million viewers per week and finished up with 16 million (it's a lot of lost viewers). CSI used to be the most watched show on Thursdays and GA is either winning or really close to it. Ratings decrease, it's not new and GA is still doing well.
Finally, to all the O/C fans,
I don't expect for this to calm you down but as a hard core MerDer fan, I know what you are feeling right now and I can tell you this: don't worry, love interest don't last long, especially if we all know that they'll end up together.
October 8th, 2009 5:20 PM
I love Kim Raver and as long as she brings the feistiness she's usually typecast for, I'll be happy... but let's just give Christina a run for her money, I'm sick to death of all these fickle guys going off with the nearest available female - Owen is bigger than that!
Rank: Extra
October 8th, 2009 5:07 PM
SERIOUSLY!!!!! If they mess with Owen and Cristina I am sooo DONE!!!! Cristina and Owen right now are the best thing on that show and Shonda with her great freakin ideas wants to mess with them!! I don't get it Owen would NEVER cheat on Cristina with anyone I don't care who this freakin girl is, Owen loves her too much to hurt her! I swear if this girl puts the moves on Owen Shonda is going to lose alot of fans!!! This is seriously the dumbest idea ever messing with Owen and Cristina! I think they messed with them enough! SERIOUSLY!!!
Oh and really could they have not done any better casting?! Kim Ravers is a terrible actress everything she has done has been cancelled hopefully she doesn't get Greys cancelled!
Seriously this sucks!!!!! I think Shonda has a lot of angry Owen and Cristina fans!!
October 8th, 2009 3:59 PM
Love intrest for Owen Please no. What got me hooked on this show was Owen and Cristina, without them i will have to say that the show will lose a lot of its viewing desirabilty. Why can they not leave them alone.
I do not know if I will be able to watch if owen and cristina are not together:(