Thursday, January 31, 2013

Evaluate

Honestly, I am so in love with this show that finding weaknesses is very difficult. I remember thinking that the seventh season was very different than the first six. The characters and situations were more dramatic and it took a while for me to get used to this change. However, once I did, I fell in love all over again. The cast of the show is wonderful and the story line always has something knew up its sleeve to keep you engaged and wanting to watch more and more. Even though I don't believe that a doctors life is this hectic, all of the medical cases used on the show are of real events that have happened in the Untied States and around the world. While they may not have happened all in one hospital, they have happened.

 Of the entire show, my favorite thing about it is Meredith and Christina's friendship. It reminds me very much of my own friendship with my friend Hailee. The two of them claim to be each others "person," a term that Meredith describes in one of the earlier episodes when her and Christina get really close. The humor they have and the secrets they are able to tell each other represent the perfect friendship to have in that crazy world of the hospital. Sometimes, however, the show can get a little too dramatic, like three of the main characters dying in a plane crash! It was honestly just too much to handle.Also, the relationship between Christina and what looks like her soon to be ex-husband Owen is really getting on my nerves because I just want them to be together and happy like they were before. You can obviously tell that they both still love each other  Nevertheless, I am happy to discuss my disgust and joy with my Alexia who is also a huge fan of Grey's.

After reading some reviews and comments on the release of season nine, I found that I am have a lot of the same opinions as other Grey's fans. I cried when one of the main doctors died after the plane crash, just as many of the commenters had exclaimed. Also, I wanted Christina Yang to return to Seattle Grace because she had transferred to a very prestigious hospital in Minnesota  She did end up coming back after her old man friend died in the middle of a surgery. The season so far has made me laugh, cry, and feel very anxious as to what is going to be in the future. I try to watch the show every Thursday, but if i cannot get around to it, I will watch it on ABC before my work on Saturday's. Typically I watch it alone, or maybe with my boyfriend if I cook him a beautiful meal before hand. Sometimes the show will post spoilers or keep me posted on Facebook as to when the episodes will be delayed a week or two. When they are delayed, it usually ruins my day.

After doing this project, I can see that I have a slight obsession with this show. However,  I did learn quite a bit more about it such as that it is not filmed in Seattle, I got to know the actors and actresses real names, and I found it interesting how they chose Seattle instead of Chicago where ER took place. I was really surprised to realize that this show is going on its tenth season and how I just barely found out about it on the seventh! Overall, i'm excited too see what Grey's has in store for me next. I'm thinking there is going to be a kidnapping of some sort or the hospital will catch on fire. Its hard to say, but something terrible is coming soon. If one thing isn't going wrong at Seattle Grace, something else is.

Interpret

When you really think about it, Grey's is filled with stereotypes about doctors and surgeons. The interns are always stupid and the attending's are mean and demanding. There is a constant flow of wild medical cases and bad luck flowing through the hospital. Everyone is sleeping with everyone all over the hospital and eventually they will form a relationship, but usually it doesn't last.There are no unattractive doctors. After work, they go to the bar, especially when it was a bad day and a patient died that they really liked. All of these things, and many more, are seen regularly on Grey's as if they are implying that this is the life of a medical doctor in a large city. Either way, they do a good job of giving people a heavy dose of romance, drama and action, all in one sitting. Based on the commercials, you can tell that the shows target audience is most likely younger, or middle aged women, single or in a relationship, mothers; this could be for women of any social class also.
I think that the impression that this show would give off to a visitor to the United States would be a sort of over dramatic idea that being a doctor in the United States is a very stressful, yet exciting job to have. Its somehow misleading in the sense that so many horrible things happen on this show to the doctors from hospital shootings to plane crashes. This is typically not the life of a medical doctor. These terrible occurrences may happen to some of them, but not all doctors, all the time, as the show presents.

Analyze

The attitude of the show changes from sarcastic humor, to full blown crazy action in the blink of an eye. All of the characters wear the same scrubs and doctors jackets in every episode. The higher level surgeons wear dark blue scrubs while the interns wear light blue scrubs. This is to make it easier to differentiate the characters rank in the show which helps the viewer understand the attitudes of the other characters towards each other. Also, the doctors are usually very well put together yet they look very natural looking. The show is based in Seattle, Washington but the set is just outside of Hollywood in Los Feliz. They also use hospital scenes from a hospital in North Hills, California. In the beginning of the series, Shonda Rhimes, executive producer, wanted to base the show in Chicago. But in order to give the show some more originality (because the famous show ER was based in Chicago) Rhimes decided to base the show in Seattle. Aside from this show being similar to ER, Grey's is also in contrast with General Hospital, a spin off show of Grey's staring Derek's ex-wife, Addison Gilbert. I am getting the feeling that soon, Grey's and General Hospital will be having a merged episode of some sort. For the most part, I think that Grey's stands out because of all the unfortunate events that occur on the show. There has been deaths, babies born, airplane crashes, hospital shootings, car accidents, fires, bombs; you name it! Its hard to predict what else can go wrong because everything horrible has already happened to them. I'm sure they will always think of something though.

Description

Like I previously stated, Grey's Anatomy is a Medical Drama that airs every Thursday at 9|8 central on ABC. It is based at a fictional hospital called Seattle Grace Mercy West Hospital in Seattle, Washington.
Meredith Grey, played by Ellan Pompeo, is the protagonist of the show hence the name, Grey's Anatomy. Meredith is very passionate about medicine and is a natural when it comes to solving medical dilemmas  This is most likely because she grew up in the hospital being that her mother was a very famous doctor in her day before being diagnosed with Alzheimer Disease. Throughout the seasons, Meredith struggles to deal with her mothers disease mostly because she fears she will get it one day too. Eventually she decides to leave this fear behind and live her life to the fullest by adopting a little girl named Zola with her husband Derek Shepherd, played by Patrick Dempsey. Derek is a neurological surgeon who plays the charming, well mannered doctor that one cannot help but love. Throughout the seasons, he has struggled in his relationships and his career but found love in Meredith. Even though it was a bumpy ride, him and Meredith work well together and have a wonderful, ideal relationship in the show. Sadly, in more recent episodes, Derek lost function in his had, almost ruining his career as a neuro surgeon.
Luckily, Callie Torres who is played by Sara Ramirez , the head Orthopedic Surgeon, is looking for a way to fix his hand. She is a skilled, determined and driven surgeon who has lost her husband, babies father, and almost her baby, Sophia. Callie also struggled with sexuality issues but found her true love in the head Pediatric department, Arizona Robbins (Jessica Chapsaw).
 Arizona's cheerful attitude quickly went dark after being involved in the jaw dropping 8th season finale airplane accident and losing her left leg. Recently, she has been struggling with her prosthetic and her relationship with Callie has been on the rocks. However, she recently returned to work and things are starting to brighten up.
Working beside her in the Pediatric department is Alex Karev, played by Justin Chambers. Even though Alex usually finds himself in a bind with sexual partners and friendships, he is still very confident and is a very good doctor. In the past, he has struggled with very intimate relationships with women who both left him when he was deeply in love with them. This is probably why he tells it like it is and has casually sex with all of the interns on the regular.
One of Alex's worst enemies is the outspoken, ambitious Christina Yang (Sandra Oh). Christina is a fellow of the Cardiac program, a program that she fell in love with early in the show. Christina is one of the most intelligent doctors in the show and she knows it. Her bossy attitude gets her into trouble every once in a while. She has been married twice and is on her way to getting a second divorce with the Chief of the hospital, Owen Hunt (Kevin McKidd), who cheated on her last season.
Owen used to be in the Army and struggled with anger and violence issues, once actually trying to strangle Christina in her sleep under the impression that she was a terrorist. What really broke up their relationship was the fact that Christina got an abortion without Owens approval which put up a barrier in their relationship that could not be torn down. Now, Hunt is struggling with a law suit from the hospital about the awful plane crash. He is now getting guidance from former chief, Richard Webber played by James Pickens, Jr. Richards wisdom and compassion has earned him great respect in the medical community.
Sadly, his wife was diagnosed with Alzheimer's and has forgot everything about their relationship and now lives in a home where she found love with another man. Richard has accepted the fact that his wife is not the women he once knew, and has found love in his work at the hospital.
He is closest with Miranda Bailey (Chandra Wilson), the head of the General Surgery department who has a very straightforward and tough attitude when it comes to studying medicine. She has a son and is getting ready to be married for the second time. Even though she comes off as being a tough skinned, she cares about all the doctors and is always there to give them helpful advice about medicine and life in general.

After having searched the web and watching a few Grey's Episodes, I found no ads in the show besides the fact that they show scenes of the city of Seattle. However, if someone chooses to watch the show on the internet such as on ABC or Hulu, they have to watch long commercials.

Friday, January 25, 2013

Introduction to My Grey's Addiction


It all started one cold winters day in 2011. I was home alone and searching the web trying to find something to entertain myself with. It was as if fate brought me and this series together because as soon as I began my search, it appeared. "Grey's Anatomy;" what could this be? I decided to watch a trailer on the show and see just what it was about. Immediately  I was hooked. Who could resist a Medical Drama filled with action, romance, and comedy. Not only that, but the characters were attractive and all had bold personalities that one cannot help but love. That Christmas break, I spent every day indulging myself in the Grey's Anatomy saga. It was an addiction that I didn't want to quit and I haven't since that break. I got all caught up that break on the first six seasons so that after the break, I could begin watching the seventh! Every Thursday from then on, I've been glued to my television at 9/8 central, ABC.