TONIGHT, ON DOCTORS WITH PROBLEMS HAVE SEX: In large part because I've been watching them on significant DVR delay, I haven't written about our friend Shonda Rhimes' two Thursday night shows, which have both been having pretty darn solid seasons, though through two very different paths. Grey's Anatomy has reaped big dividends from committing to making the dramatic events of last season's finale have consequences for the characters. After two seasons where external events have required cast changes, we have a stable cast, and we're following them as they cope with trauma in unexpected ways. In particular, we've seen very good work from Sandra Oh and Chandra Wilson, and the Callie/Arizona plot has been an interesting one. Sure, not everything is working--Sarah Drew's character often comes off as more annoying than endearing, and Kim Raver's character isn't fitting in entirely--but this is easily the best season in several years.
Private Practice, on the other hand, has reaped benefits from fairly quickly getting past the "Maya gets married/has a baby and Del dies" ending of last season and instead going in a different direction, with Audra McDonald disappearing for most of the first half of this season. In part because she was added after the backdoor pilot and was originally written as an outside antagonist, KaDee Strickland always seemed a little outside the scope of the show--she's slowly moved into the spotlight with her relationship with Cooper and joining the titular practice. However, with the current plotline, she's finally gotten some really meaty material to work with, and is knocking out of the park pretty consistently. Again, not everything is working (the Sam/Addison relationship is kind of boring, "Sheldon is a sex god" played childishly, and the Pete's mother plotline was silly), but this one storyline has been so well executed that it's elevated the entire show.
I am so all in on Grey's right now. And I know it really is good because I both a) want something so desperately that it makes me yell at the tv-my Christina to get back to being a doctor and b) not really want to be instantly gratified because that road is so rich-so if you fixed Christina right away Shonda (if you are reading this because you might be) I would miss so much good stuff and so I trust you.
ReplyDeleteIt is just so wonderful!
And I just ditto everything Matt says about Ms Strickland and PP.
Very strange -- there was a comment here a few minutes ago that has disappeared.<span> </span>
ReplyDeleteMy comments have been disappearing and reappearing all day.
ReplyDeleteAnd that's why we don't want to pay Echo $120/year.
ReplyDeleteAnd it was from Our Distinguished Visitor, in fact.
ReplyDelete(We've got 12 days to switch, FWIW.)
Found it on another screen. From Shonda: "<span>It's weird to come to my favorite website and see y'all discussing me. Talk about something else! Something awesome and less embarassing!"</span>
ReplyDeleteYup. That's what I said...
ReplyDeleteI ccouldn't agree more, Heather K, on your thoughts on the Christina storyline. Good stuff!
ReplyDeleteI'm loving Grey's more than ever right now. But what I can't wrap my head around with the Cristina Yang storyline is her assertion that had it been anyone other than Derek on the table, she would have walked away, and that's why she blames Meredith for her condition. Somehow, I can't accept that Cristina would have ever just left a dying patient on the table, even with a gun to her head.
ReplyDeleteI don't know, maybe I'm overanalyzing it. I am confident that the payoff for this storyline will be great.
I think Christinia is telling herself that as a way to deal with her reaction. She wouldn't have walked away, no matter who was on the table, but telling herself that she stayed because it was Derek allows her to focus her anger (however wrong it may be) on Meredith.
ReplyDeleteI can't believe how good Grey's has gotten again - there may be parts of the audience that left it and are never going to come back, but the ones who stayed all along are getting rewarded with a really terrific bounceback in quality.
ReplyDeleteI think KaDee Strickland has become the most interesting thing about PP, which is saying a lot, since I really didn't like her character (or the writing for it, really) from the beginning. I don't think the Sam/Addison relationship is working. I mean, both Kate Walsh and Taye Diggs have chemistry with a lamp post, but somehow they don't work together for me. And, FWIW, I haven't missed Naomi very much at all, even though I like Audra McDonald.
I'm also sad that Shonda's tiny human has allergies which means Addison's cat fell down the Mandyhole.
Loving BOTH series this season! Hating that I have to wait a month now to see new episodes,
ReplyDeleteShonda, at least you know that when we talk about you, we do it with love!
ReplyDeleteCongrats on a great season of Grey's. I've been so impressed with how you have embraced the aftermath of the shooting, and with how the writing has been this season. It's become appointment television for me again.
Second ditto on your thoughts on the Cristina storyline, Heather. I just think what they're doing with the post-traumatic stress story is so brave and interesting and different. Yes, I want Cristina to go back to being her kick-ass, unemotional, "all I want is to cut into a heart" doctor. But this story feels true, even to this character (given her past of being so strong, even while watching her father die in a car accident). And I thought it wsa heartbreaking - but again, it felt real - that she would turn it on Meredith, for being okay, for not breaking down like Cristina and being the strong one, and leaving Cristina alone and feeling weak. And I love the reactions to the other characters in relation to Cristina - Teddy feels guilty because she was Cristina's mentor, Derek feels he owes her for saving his life, Owen has been there himself but still can't seem to help his wife, etc. Really great television.
ReplyDeleteAlso loving Callie and Arizona and the complexity of their issues (whether or not to have kids, what happens when someone's career takes them far away and the other doesn't want to go). I liked the doctor boyfriend for Bailey and was sad to see him go, but I'd be happy to see her spend time with the hot nurse - it would just be nice to give Bailey some happy/sexy stories. Alex hasn't had much to do this season, but it's been a crowded season and I hope to see more of him. And while Sarah Drew's character can be annoying, I'm really enjoying watching her start to fit into the gang.
I had to stop watching Grey's after Denny died. Oh, I managed another season or so and still watch the occasional episode here and there, but I get too invested in the characters to watch it all the time. On a show like this where people get killed off and stuff like that, eh, maybe not for me.
ReplyDeleteBUT. Sunday night I was up late finishing some work and had the TV on in the background. ABC re-ran the first two episodes of Grey's and I was immediately sucked right back in for them. So good. The combined power of great writing and Patrick Dempsey's hair cannot be denied.
I had to stop watching Grey's after Denny died. Oh, I managed another season or so and still watch the occasional episode here and there, but I get too invested in the characters to watch it all the time. On a show like this where people get killed off and stuff like that, eh, maybe not for me.
ReplyDeleteBUT. Sunday night I was up late finishing some work and had the TV on in the background. ABC re-ran the first two episodes of Grey's and I was immediately sucked right back in for them. So good. The combined power of great writing and Patrick Dempsey's hair cannot be denied.
I had to stop watching Grey's after Denny died. Oh, I managed another season or so and still watch the occasional episode here and there, but I get too invested in the characters to watch it all the time. On a show like this where people get killed off and stuff like that, eh, maybe not for me.
ReplyDeleteBUT. Sunday night I was up late finishing some work and had the TV on in the background. ABC re-ran the first two episodes of Grey's and I was immediately sucked right back in for them. So good. The combined power of great writing and Patrick Dempsey's hair cannot be denied.
I had to stop watching Grey's after Denny died. Oh, I managed another season or so and still watch the occasional episode here and there, but I get too invested in the characters to watch it all the time. On a show like this where people get killed off and stuff like that, eh, maybe not for me.
ReplyDeleteBUT. Sunday night I was up late finishing some work and had the TV on in the background. ABC re-ran the first two episodes of Grey's and I was immediately sucked right back in for them. So good. The combined power of great writing and Patrick Dempsey's hair cannot be denied.
I had to stop watching Grey's after Denny died. Oh, I managed another season or so and still watch the occasional episode here and there, but I get too invested in the characters to watch it all the time. On a show like this where people get killed off and stuff like that, eh, maybe not for me.
ReplyDeleteBUT. Sunday night I was up late finishing some work and had the TV on in the background. ABC re-ran the first two episodes of Grey's and I was immediately sucked right back in for them. So good. The combined power of great writing and Patrick Dempsey's hair cannot be denied.
I had to stop watching Grey's after Denny died. Oh, I managed another season or so and still watch the occasional episode here and there, but I get too invested in the characters to watch it all the time. On a show like this where people get killed off and stuff like that, eh, maybe not for me.
ReplyDeleteBUT. Sunday night I was up late finishing some work and had the TV on in the background. ABC re-ran the first two episodes of Grey's and I was immediately sucked right back in for them. So good. The combined power of great writing and Patrick Dempsey's hair cannot be denied.