“Greyʼs Anatomy” focuses on young people struggling to be doctors and doctors struggling to stay human. Itʼs the drama and intensity of medical training mixed with the funny, sexy, painful lives of interns who are about to discover that neither medicine nor relationships can be defined in black and white; real life only comes in shades of grey. The show centers around Meredith Grey, a first year surgical intern at Seattle Grace Hospital. Sheʼs a woman trying to lead a real life while doing a job that makes having a real life impossible. The show also stars Ellen Pompeo as Meredith Grey, Patrick Dempsey as Derek Shepherd, Sandra Oh as Cristina Yang, Isaiah Washington as Preston Burke, Katherine Heigl as Isobel “Izzie” Stevens, Justin Chambers as Alex Karev, T.R. Knight as George OʼMalley, Chandra Wilson as Miranda Bailey and James Pickens, Jr. as Richard Webber. The five interns struggle to form friendships in this most stressful and competitive atmosphere. Meredithʼs medical ambition is overshadowed by a troubling secret: her mother, a noted pioneering surgeon, is struggling with a tragic and devastating illness. Cristina is a study in contradiction; highly competitive and driven, she eschews any favors in order to make it on her own. Isobel “Izzie” Stevens is the small-town girl who grew up dirt poor and, despite having paid for her medical career by modeling, still struggles with her selfesteem.
George OʼMalley is the warm but insecure boy next door who always manages to do or say the wrong thing at the wrong time. In spite of his attraction to women, heʼs treated as “just one of the girls,” and Alex Karev, the other intern. When I sat down to watch I thought this show was going to be centered around first year interns at a Seattle Hospital. I wasnʼt expecting Meredith Grey to be the central character. I love watching Sandra Oh and Patrick Dempsey; they are both excellent actors themselves.
Overall, though, I would say this is an average show. It does not have the sort of hard edge that “House” and “ER” have, which I think will hurt the showʼs chances for success in the long run. However, I like the fact that Meredith is the daughter of a famous surgeon who now does not remember her own name, possibly because of Alzheimerʼs disease.
I do not understand networks who keep trying to use the same familiar surroundings like a hospital or a police station in dramas. There are too many dramas on today. I would much rather have had something original. Since it comes after “Desperate Housewives,” it is not a bad show. It just needs time to grow.