rashomon

(S06E06) There were so many people on screen last week on Grey's Anatomy that I didn't even realize that Mark Sloan wasn't in the whole episode. Luckily for any Mark fan, he becomes an essential character when burn victims show up.

This week, one of many hotel fire victims dies because of negligence; everyone tells their side. The multiple perspectives became more and more difficult to keep up with, because the original Seattle Grace doctors defended each other, while the Mercy West doctors tried to throw any of the Seattle Grace doctors under the bus.

Felicity co-creator Matt Reeves has a high concept series in development for ABC. (That's poor Matt on the right, sitting behind Felicity's more famous half J.J. Abrams.) Called Ordinary Joe, Reeves' new series follows the story of a man, who at 21 had to decide whether to go after the girl he always wanted, choose the girl who always wanted him or remain single. The show picks up 12 years later and flashbacks to the three different versions of his life that would have been depending on what choice he made. Each episode intertwines the series of events that follows the three different life choices - connecting them via theme.

It's a little Sliding Doors, a little Run Lola Run. All of my favorite themes are there -- fate, regret, choices, connection, what's unchanging about a person and what's not. Ever since 24's success, networks have been looking for high concept shows like this. Hugh Jackman has a Rashomon-like project in the works. There are a slew of part-scripted, part-documentary Borat-y projects in the works, too. What will float, and what will sink? We'll have to wait and see. Let's just hope the lead in Ordinary Joe gets a haircut in each version of his life so we can tell the difference.