'Grey's Anatomy': Gone too far?

For a minute there it looked like "Grey's Anatomy" had chosen medicine over soap, character-driven drama over silliness. When this season opened with the Chief kicking butt and taking names because Seattle Grace had lost its prestigious rating, it looked like the writers room was calling itself on its own occasional lapses into absurdity and was attempting to find footing once again in the land of grown-up television.

For a minute there, it seemed like everything would be just fine.
Now, of course, even the most dedicated "Grey's" fan has had her (there cannot be a single male fan left, can there?) faith rattled to the point of simple bone weariness. After the departure of Last Real Doctor Standing Erica Hahn (Brooke Smith), the entire hospital seems to have just given up. They might as well start serving mai tais in the OR. Thursday night's episode may have pretended to center on which resident would get the first solo surgery, but seriously, did anyone actually care?

No, we were all too busy watching Izzie (Katherine Heigl), who we all now know, courtesy of Entertainment Weekly,  is not really having "the best sex in the history of sex" with Denny's ghost, she's having it with a brain aneurysm.  Which is different from a brain tumor, which showrunner Shonda Rhimes repeatedly denied for weeks. Either way, it's clinically gross. And pure soap. Up next: Izzie's evil twin and her possession by Satan. In fact, if rumors are correct and Heigl is indeed leaving the show (and really, Katie, now would be the time, even if you have to buy yourself out),  there's always Diedre Hall. After playing Marlena Evans for 107 years on "Days of Our Lives,"  Hall recently got the ax. Who better to play Izzie’s long-lost mother. She’s blond, she’s pretty, she's a doctor (okay, a psychiatrist), and she’s certainly played 19 different flavors of crazy.

If it were only Izzie run amok, there would still be hope.  But we also have the new heart-surgeon-with-Asperger’s (Mary McDonnell) rocking around critical care avoiding all eye contact and muttering naked truths — "your sister is dead and I'm here to harvest her organs" — like some craven soothsayer. Meanwhile, Callie (Sarah Ramirez) has transformed, as if by secret potion, from ambivalent, taken-by-surprise mid-life bisexual into giggling, eye-batting lipstick lesbian, getting the vapors any time new gal Sadie (Melissa George) flashes her pearly whites. (Sadie being the slim and pretty object of Sapphic desire preferred by male television executives everywhere.) Sadie's also the one who allowed Lexie (Chyler Leigh) and the other interns to take out her appendix while she was watching because that’s just the kind of "Desperately Seeking Susan" gal she is.

The only benefactor of all this nonsense is Meredith, who, by comparison to all this nonsense, suddenly looks like a tribal wise woman. Strangely, it wasn't any of these Bald Character Manipulations that made me realize that there are limits, you know, even in television. No, it was when Lexie showed up at Mark Sloan’s (Eric Dane)  door, presumably in the middle of the night, and began taking off her clothes saying "teach me, teach me" like … actually, I don’t think that scene  has precedent in modern culture, and for very good reason. The only sane viewer response was "click." (Which was not, I must admit, as dramatic a gesture as it sounds, since this was the final scene.)

"Grey's" has a terrific cast that every week does its level best to create believable characters under often strange and chaotic conditions. A good show always leaves viewers with questions, but one of those questions should not be: What on earth are the writers thinking? Literally. What kind of show are they trying to create?  One in which likable and sassy young people explore issues that are real enough that they resonate with thousands of viewers or a place where good actors can make steady money showcasing plotlines ridiculous enough to make the show a hot topic on blogs and chatter pages, which may, or may not, turn the heat up on the ratings?

Watching Izzie roll out of her sweaty brain-aneurysm-fueled bed of hallucinated sex to scrub in on that first solo surgery, it was hard not to think that it doesn’t really matter. Things may have simply gone too far.

-- Mary McNamara

(Photo courtesy ABC)

Comments

[Sandy]

TO far already---hope next show Izzie realizes she is "sick" and then hopefully get Grey's back on track---the writer's r ruining it as is Sondra---AND where r our main character's MER/DER---NEED to get back to that chemistry they have!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Mer is healed so lets see them TOGETHER----- Little Grey and Sloan-- where did that come from??? Miss Mer and Christina!!!

[SeaShark]

GREY'S ANATOMY has devolved into a live action Mad Magazne satire of GREY'S ANATOMY. Two words for all involved who wanted to leave the show with their professional reputations enhanced: Too Late!

[Anonymous]

Mary
I agree so much with your assessment of Greys these days. I am an avid Grey's watcher since the beginning. The show has so much potential and when it is working, it is one of the best things on TV. But more often than not, it just frustrates, especially these days and I question why I still watch a show that is mostly not enjoable anymore.

My big beef is that there is never any real payoff. The show rarely explores anything in depth. For example, after watching meredith and derek for 5 seasons, I would love to know more about them individually and as a couple. I would like to konw why Derek decided he couldn't be with that nurse and wanted Meredith again. The show skips over this stuff and I guess we are left to assume things. Yet, the show wastes precious screentime delving into Izzie's fake sex life with a ghost.

I know the show takes lots of liberties and can be overly sexed up and soapy. That's okay. But, I need just a tad more substance and I want to see real development in the core cast - not all these new characters that don't mean anything to me.

One of my least favorite storylines this season is the intern fight club where I'm supposed to believe that med school grads from Harvard and the like are going to operate on each other so they can learn. I find that as implausible and idiotic as Dead Denny. Again, I ask myself, where are the storylines for Alex, meredidth and Derek, or even just Derek. Or George. What the heck happened to George?

I suppose I should just give up. But, I keep holding out hope.

[Sammie]

What are you all talking about? If you all have gone off Grey's that much then why watch it at all???? The writers are doing a great job, as soon as I seen Izzie with Danny and it was ongoing I knew it was going to be medical...Every single episode cannot impress everyone ALL the time, put yourself in the writers shoes, their schedules, their hectic lives, the pressure to do something 'out there', they probably have 10 suits sitting at a table demanding something different or a bit weird....I just think that they have kept fans intrigued for 4 years and now they have one off (not bad) couple of episodes in their fifth year and 'so called' fans are ready to stop watching it, this is the reason why great shows end up being cancelled and ruin it for the rest of us.

[Michelle]

ha ha ha, that was SO true! Thank you for writing that. Grey's has just gotten laughable. Now, I used to love the humour in grey's because it was subtle and often SO funny. But now, the show is just crazy. Last week's show ALMOST redeemed itself for me when Meredith ALMOST got to scrub in on that surgery..... but to have crazy Izzie who could care less get to say she got to be in on the solo? Ridiculous.

The only good? That maybe Meredith will stop having more screen time with Christina than Derek. Mind you Derek is MIA... maybe he wised up and quit before the going got really bad.

[Bill]

I agree with most of the previous comments and wont reiterate those. However, Tina Fey should be looking over her shoulder on Emmy nomination night- GA has become almost as laughable as 30 Rock.

Lets have Izzie die as a result of Dereks surgery. Should make the House dynamics interesting and maybe put things somewhat more back on the rails.

Speaking of House, could watch it too except it also suffers from Poor Writeritus.

[Lynn]

I have to say that I agree with most people on this board. This show has totally gone down hill since the begining of the season. There is no George - Mer or Der - the Izzie story is RIDICULOUS, im pretty sure I have seen it somewhere before...oh yeah... General Hospital - and Christina & Hunt - im not sure about that one yet.

I have to say that the one thing that I am tuning in for is the Mark and Lexie storyline. Yes, he may be older then her - but I think they make a good couple. It seems he just wants to love someone and have someone finally love him. And Lexie wants the same thing. The show is trying to show Marks more tender caring side (remember the little girl with her dad - how he let her sleep on his shoulder). And I for one can't wait to see where this goes.

[Lynn]

I have to say that I agree with most people on this board. This show has totally gone down hill since the begining of the season. There is no George - Mer or Der - the Izzie story is RIDICULOUS, im pretty sure I have seen it somewhere before...oh yeah... General Hospital - and Christina & Hunt - im not sure about that one yet.

I have to say that the one thing that I am tuning in for is the Mark and Lexie storyline. Yes, he may be older then her - but I think they make a good couple. It seems he just wants to love someone and have someone finally love him. And Lexie wants the same thing. The show is trying to show Marks more tender caring side (remember the little girl with her dad - how he let her sleep on his shoulder). And I for one can't wait to see where this goes.

[Steph]

This show has finally jumped the shark this season. No matter the cause, the Izzie/Denny saga just drug on far too long. It's one thing to be lesbian, but a total other to have Sloan teach you how to be a good one- with that episode I quit watching but have known to lurk to see if there is any improvement. Hopefully Katherine H gets her wish and leaves the show. I almsot think they gave her this stupid story line to finally get her to exit.

[Disappointed Sadness]

It couldn't have anything to do with spoilers being revealed online thus destroying any sense of anticipation for viewers could it?
The days of creating tv shows and viewers waiting patiently for stories to unfold are over.

It couldn't have anything to do with online bloggers revealing behind the scenes conflicts therefore exacerbating these private conflicts as a result because suddenly the whole world knows something that normally they would not and should not be privy to.

Perhaps someone should blog about the goings on of online bloggers and bring all of their flawed work habits and flawed personal habits out into the cyber world for all to see and critique. Or perhaps we can read these bloggers entries before they are ready to be posted online and rip them to shreds prejudicing readers in advance.

It couldn't have anything to do with armchair critics destroying people's work before it even has a chance to unfold and readers buying into it before they even see the accosted episode could it?

So easy to criticize. Much harder to write your own and then have to deal with the diabolical manifestations of envy.

[Julie]

You're my hero, Mary. Thanks for telling it like it is. "Grey's Anatomy" has become a complete disaster this season, and the complete patheticness of the Mark/Lexie scene at the end of 5.10 was the final nail in the coffin for me. I am indeed clicking off on this show. I will miss greatly the work of Eric Dane, Patrick Dempsey, Chandra Wilson, Kevin McKidd, Sara Ramirez, Sandra Oh, Ellen Pompeo, Justin Chambers, and T.R. Knight, but even their talents can't keep me watching a show that has become so stupid that it is now killing brain cells instead of stimulating them.

[witchlesbian]

Grey's has taken a nose dive. Every since they fired the one main character that was making the show worth watching in the first place, and replaced her with a ghost, a crasy "cutter" type intern who's only there because her daddy has enough pull, and a heart surgeon who has a syndrome so she has an excuse to be off kilter when it comes to relating to people...the show has gone insane. Do you notice that it takes at least 2 if not 3 new actors/actresses to replace one quality actress...go figure. Dr. Erica Hahn is the character that not only kept me coming back every week, but had me counting down the days to Grey's Anatomy Night!!! Brooke added such depth, character, and spirit to the show that can not be replaced! She made a show that is full of fluff, sex, and soap opera type material REAL by showing us a person with heart, who was beyond happy because she was in love for probably for the first time in her life...and she played it soooooo authentically. Grey's thinks they can replace her with a younger (more barbie doll type) actress...this tells me that the writing of the Lesbian storyline on Grey's Anatomy is not for the Lesbians, but for the imature teenage boys and male viewers...of which I am neither...so Goood-bye Grey's Anatomy...you are no longer on my DVR Series Links list. I'm following quality...I'm following Brooke Smith!

[NYWarrior21]

Great article...and true!!! However, easily fixable...

1) Bring back Dr. Hahn (AKA Brooke Smith). Have her come back to perform a surgery ONLY Dr. Hahn can perform and have her BEG Callie for forgiveness for dumping her. Also have Callie BEG for forgiveness for backing Izzie instead of, you know, her GIRLFRIEND?!?!?!?! They've completely botched this storyline. This was supposed to be the story about two grown, professional women who realized their attraction/sexuality. But Callie needs tips from Sloan?!?! Um, ok! And now I'm supposed to believe that Callie's gone all girl-crazy after crazy Sadie? Nope, my Callie has brains...she's not this teenaged girl! Who's writing this storyline?

2) Enough w/ the dead Denny/Izzie thing! Ugh! Nothing against the actors, after all they only spew the crap they've given, but this needs to end. This is in the same ballpark as Gizzie! Also, has Shonda been watching "General Hospital"??? Me thinks so...

3) Have Hahn lock horns with McGyver...er, I mean Dr. Hunt! Whether personally (since she hates Cristina) or professionally, those two would be MONEY in the bank! It could even cause a rift between "non-friends" Callie/Cristina. This has potential!!!

4) Give Sloan a REAL storyline. Granted, I like Sloan and little Grey, but give the man something to do. The "teach me" scene looked forced (and again, I'm ROOTING for them)! If I had someone half naked in my room I'd lock myself in the bathroom calling the darn cops!! Seriously!

5) Have Bailey choose a specialty -- since she's tired of general surgery and "hates appys".

6) DON'T TOUCH MER/DER!! The article's right -- Meredith is looking like the wise tribal woman in this whole thing.

[Bob in L.A.]

OK, let's see. If Izzy has a brain aneurysm, then ABC can fold Eli Stone into Grey's Anatomy and Izzy can be a prophet-doctor. Or, if she dies from the aneurysm, they can get Melinda from Ghost Whisperer (though cross-network crossovers are rare). Or, they can bring Rebecca Pope (Elizabeth Reaser) back since The Ex List died. It seems like there are plenty of plots possible here. (None of which have much to do with medicine, but then what the heck...)

[David B]

Grey's used to be quite good, not as good as House but OK. Now it is COMPLETE RUBBISH!! They warm us up to a lesbian affair then fire one of the actresses in the affair, suddenly....what??? Izzie is ditzy and when interviewed on TMZ and similar Hollywood shows rightly says she has no chance of an Emmy with the garbage she is being fed. Sandra Oh is a gorgeous and talented actress ("Sideways") totally misused here and, I suspect, just collecting a big paycheck and biding her time. How boring her character is and how bored she must be....

For relief we (my household) have even gone over to House reruns we have already seen and Private Practice, which shows how desperate we are.

Improve it or CANCEL and put it out of its misery!!

[plugh]

I stopped watching this show about two years ago, for the reasons you're all threatening to stop watching it now. It hasn't changed at all. Just stop watching it for goodness sake.

[Stacey]

'Grey's Anatomy': Gone too far? = No.

The symbolism prevails on this show..You cannot just watch the GA. You need to understand what's going on on the background. On metaphorical background.
Read the GreySymbolism board, maybe it will help..

http://greysymbolism.20.forumer.com/index.php

Denny/Izzie is not my favorite storyline, but there are lots of other ideas that are very intriguing. So I don't care about the Ghosts.

[Teah]

I agree 100% with you. One of the few reasons I was even watching this season was the Hahn/Calli/Sloan triangle and of course that is gone. I can't even watch the Denny/Izzy scenes. It's just DISTURBING and weird and STUPID. Sloane should be sleeping with Callie, not Lexy......there is so much wrong with that. Callie sure the hell shouldn't be interested in Sadie, who is just a stereotype of every bad rich girl there ever was and shouldn't even be on the show.
Really, I could go on and on about this, but instead I just quit watching. I used to wait for this show to come on. NO LONGER!

[Crazy]

hmm well...
i like the show
i dont think i have like another show more than this one...

But i do agree with the Izzy and Deny thing going a bit over board i think it would of been better to develop a story between her and Alex
since now he has become very into her

But it just makes me more interested in knowing how its going to turn out...
its a nice twist... that makes it different from all the other Medical type shows like ER

Mer and Mr. McDreamy
are all happy and quiet which is good because i thought it was getting a big annoying on them breaking up... getting together.. then breaking up again... and getting together again..

Sloan and Lil Grey...
mmm not a good idea... because he does look a bit to old for her...
i think him and Cali should get together

I also think they should show more on Merinda's personal life, and more of George too he's been very quiet

Christina and the New doctor...
i think hes very interesting
but i don't know if hooking up with Christina would be the best thing

so i think the show is fine
i think everything they do is different and original which makes it more interesting and more fun to watch...
because if they keep the same characters and just the same thing over and over again..
it will get boring... i used to watch ER and it got boring...
it was the same thing over and over again
this is a good show thats always bringing something fresh, original and new

so i say..
Good Job

[samantha]

I agree that GA has gone too far. I LOVE this show and was hoping with last season's great ending, and the Mer-Der drama being over, that the show would get back to its former glory. When Meredith and Christina would make me laugh out loud and McDreamy would make my heart skip a beat. I miss Addison and Burke and think that Lexie and most of the newer characters on the show are weak and lack depth. Yet George, who has done a wonderful job is barely getting any screen time and Izzie is playing out such a stupid, unbelievable, self absorbed plot line that I am almost through with the show for good.
I don't know what Shonda is thinking, but she and the writers need to take this show back to basics or give up.