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May 25, 2012

If you're pissed about the Grey's finale, don't read the writers' blog

by Joel Keller, posted May 18th 2006 12:15AM
Grey's Anatomy: Losing My ReligionI find it amazing that the writers of a show like Grey's Anatomy, one that so had the nation's attention after its post-Super Bowl bomb scare episode, managed to squander a lot of the goodwill it had built up with its fans with a sketchily-written finale. If you read the comments from my recap post for that episode, two themes seem to emerge: 1) how could Izzie and the rest of Team Intern get such a light punishment for the Denny Debacle (if you don't know what that means, read the recap), and b) the hospital had a prom? WTF?

To me, it seems like Shonda Rhimes and her writing staff are treading on very thin ice here; the more they stretch the limits of credibility, the less number of viewers are going to want to go along for the ride. The same thing happened to Amy Sherman-Palladino of Gilmore Girls, and you can see how many viewers are now happy to see her go.

So if you're of the mind that the Grey's writers blew it this week, don't go and read the writing staff's blog.

Shonda's excuses as to why she did the prom, for instance, will get under your skin and make you wonder if she's got her head in any semblance of reality. Some of the tidbits she gives about the episode seem to be especially over-thought : why was everyone wearing dark clothes to the prom? Because they were funeral clothes... Denny's funeral. The interrogation speeches? Shonda's Breakfast Club tribute. The prom? Shonda wanted to see the guys dressed up.

Whoa. That's way more levels than any of the viewers were able to perceive. Perhaps next year, Shonda and company should worry about writing believable stories and not worry so much about oh-so-subtle Brat Pack call-backs. At least that's what I thought when I read the blog. But if you did like the episode, it'll give you some nice insight into the writing process. Either way, it's a helluva read.

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Brenna

Love the show. I don't take it seriously.
It's just pure fluff entertainment.
And please...........ABC rethink the move.
Not only will it hurt Grey's but I'm thinking it will hurt Desperate Housewifes too.
At least they are leaving Bosten Legal on Tuesdays.
Another well written piece of fluff.
Good job writers.

May 30 2006 at 11:47 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Elizabeth

Okay it kinda suck if you think of it on a main level thought. I know it is kinda of crazy to think of it like this but here goes. If they did not have the "prom" sceen then how would they have gotten Meredith and Derek back together. They had to have something happen. If Denny did not pass away how were they going to get Alex & Izzie maybe to be able to fix things.

May 21 2006 at 4:51 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
MalcolmJules

I don't mind that the finale was such a let down the prom thing got under my skin-why?-If I wanted teenage shlep I'll watch TRL..however the last two seasons this show has been brilliant the writing has been stellar the acting has been phenomenal by the entire cast. My problem is with (ABC) the network always screwing up the schedule-ABC have the worst programming department in the entire universe they ruled sunday nights now the breaking it up-desperate housewives into grey's anatomy excellant now they are moving to thursdays-idiots..So you want to break new shows-let those shows stand on their own hind legs like desperate housewives and grey's anatomy did when they first started. Oh! by the way what ever happened to Boston Public? I have to say this ABC is consistant in f**king up programming you've done it to so many shows. It's unf**kingbelievable a sunday without desperate housewives and grey's anatomy next season is gonna suck.

May 20 2006 at 6:05 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Calli

One of the great things about this show ia that all of the characters are such flawed people. As Meredith said in a recent episode, "Scary and damaged." Sure, some of the plotlines aren't completely realistic, but that's part of the fun. The reason it's so popular is because of the relationships. They're messy and complicated and engaging.

May 19 2006 at 7:33 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Lila Cohen

I cannot understand why everyone is taking this show so seriously. Remember it is only television; only make believe; stories written out of peoples' heads for the entertainment of the viewers.

I am above the age of the average viewer and maybe this is why when I think about it, I realize it is not reality. Yes Patrick Dempsey is sexy as hell and he makes me feel good. Yes Ellen Pompeo is whinny but that's her part as are the love scenes between Dr. McDreamy and Meredith...for the viewers entertainment. Each actor and actress is wonderful in the role they play, but the key word here is "play"
As for myself, I am an older woman, living alone and I get the biggest kick when I lay my head down on my pillow at night and rehash out the segment I had just seen. The show is fantasy and is taken that way. Everyone seems to get so upset and bent out of shape because they are living the show not just enjoying it.

Shondra Rhimes, thank you and all those who work their a$$'s off for bringing viewers an hour of entertainment, I applaude you all.

May 18 2006 at 11:27 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
johnnypark

uhm.. Her mother has alzheimer and doesnt recognize her half the time; her boss used to sleep with her mother and caused her parents to split up and her not to see her father for i dunno how many years; she has to work with and for the person she fell in love with and who didnt mention that he was married; her dog died of one the rarest cases of cancer (I know cause my dog died of the same thing and the doctors didnt know wtf was wrong with him)..
The fact that people die around her is because it's part of her job, and it sure doesn't mean that she can't have a life or that she can't think about her problems because well, I think what I listed is enough to allow someone to be self absorbed about a life that isn't exactly the best.
I agree that she's whiny but that's one of the few real things about the show so.. I know a lot of women who are just as bad and for the smallest things, she has all the rights to be whiny in my opinion.

May 18 2006 at 2:34 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Erika

Forget about Denny and Izzy. Forget about the prom. What the heck is wrong with Meredith?!?! She has become the most annoying, the most obnoxious, the most whiny character on TV! Everyone complained about Ally McBeal when that show came out, but this character is 10 times worse!
She is so self-absorbed! People are dying all around you - you're stupid problems aren't that important!

May 18 2006 at 1:27 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
jennifer

WHY OH WHY R THEY MOVING GA---ITS THE BEGINNING OF THE END

May 18 2006 at 12:31 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
George

I think it's a mistake to assume that we've seen even a fraction of the career fallout caused by the Denny situation. In the real world, everyone involved would have been disciplined or fired or (in Izzie's case, at least) jailed. It would make for some amazing television if a show could survive the simultaneous replacement of 75% of its cast, but we know that won't happen.

I hated, hated, HATED the whole prom thing from a conceptual standpoint, and was oddly creeped out by Camille's unblinking Stepfordish prom-planning friends, but it set the scene for some pretty damn compelling material. I'd have been far angrier if Shonda (et al) had somehow backed away from killing Denny. His whole purpose on the show was to die, and he took his sweet time doing it.

May 18 2006 at 12:29 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Laura

no, brett - the writers blog does not pay the commentators - at least i have yet to receive a check.
just like you are given the opportunity to voice your opinion on the show here, we're given that same option there.

i understand why people would not have cared for the show - i understand people getting attached to denny and being upset over his death - but did the show ever say that nothing was going to happen to the interns for their actions?
because, i don't remember that.

also, does any show do what you think they should do all the time? don't you guys think that other shows have things that happen solely because the writer wants them to happen? i understand that some of the things that happened on GA may seem totally over the top - but i don't watch any show and expect it to be like real life or anything close to it for that matter - that's not why i watch tv shows - but it is why i watch the news.
if you don't think that such liberties should be taken by any writer - then you guys are really painting yourselves into a corner.

just my opinion.
thanks

May 18 2006 at 10:37 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply

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