2008 Woodie Awards
'Grey's Anatomy' makes for a successful operation
Katie Broderick
Issue date: 2/2/06 Section: Culture
After being somewhat forced by roommates and friends to watch a variety of cheesy shows over the years, I sat down to "Grey's Anatomy" a few weeks ago with the same cynical attitude. Now I can safely say that this television show is one of my guilty pleasures.
The show centers around the lives of five first-year surgical interns balancing their personal lives while working an insane amount of hours at Seattle Grace Hospital. Several of them live together, several of them sleep together and they all have a passion for medicine. All in all, it's just witty banter and completely unrealistic fun.
Sandra Oh, who plays Dr. Cristina Yang, recently won a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress in a Series, Miniseries or Movie, and I'd have to say she's one of my favorite characters. Dr. Yang wants nothing more than to be working constantly, but her work is complicated by her relationship with one of the prominent surgeons. Her character is sloppy, aggressive and sometimes a bit arrogant, but she doesn't always know the right answer, which makes her seem like she could actually exist.
Another thing I like about the show is the fact that the characters are so diverse, reflecting what life is really like in America.
There are several African-American doctors, including the chief of surgery, and there is also an Asian intern.
I also appreciate the fact that several of the characters have somewhat real-world problems. For instance, the interns' boss, Dr. Miranda Bailey, becomes pregnant and has to decide how to combine her career and a child. Another of the interns, Dr. Meredith Grey, has to deal with taking care of her mother who has Alzheimer's disease.
One drawback about "Grey's Anatomy" is that it's mainly just a soap opera set in a hospital. I have heard from friends that the actors frequently mistake medical terms and procedures.
Also, the show centers more on the characters' personal drama instead of the fast-paced energy of a hospital that made shows like "ER" so popular. Furthermore, I've never seen anyone who works so much look so fresh and well-rested. Go figure.
In general, though, I'd recommend checking out the show … hey, it airs after "Desperate Housewives" … what's one more hour?
The show centers around the lives of five first-year surgical interns balancing their personal lives while working an insane amount of hours at Seattle Grace Hospital. Several of them live together, several of them sleep together and they all have a passion for medicine. All in all, it's just witty banter and completely unrealistic fun.
Sandra Oh, who plays Dr. Cristina Yang, recently won a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress in a Series, Miniseries or Movie, and I'd have to say she's one of my favorite characters. Dr. Yang wants nothing more than to be working constantly, but her work is complicated by her relationship with one of the prominent surgeons. Her character is sloppy, aggressive and sometimes a bit arrogant, but she doesn't always know the right answer, which makes her seem like she could actually exist.
Another thing I like about the show is the fact that the characters are so diverse, reflecting what life is really like in America.
There are several African-American doctors, including the chief of surgery, and there is also an Asian intern.
I also appreciate the fact that several of the characters have somewhat real-world problems. For instance, the interns' boss, Dr. Miranda Bailey, becomes pregnant and has to decide how to combine her career and a child. Another of the interns, Dr. Meredith Grey, has to deal with taking care of her mother who has Alzheimer's disease.
One drawback about "Grey's Anatomy" is that it's mainly just a soap opera set in a hospital. I have heard from friends that the actors frequently mistake medical terms and procedures.
Also, the show centers more on the characters' personal drama instead of the fast-paced energy of a hospital that made shows like "ER" so popular. Furthermore, I've never seen anyone who works so much look so fresh and well-rested. Go figure.
In general, though, I'd recommend checking out the show … hey, it airs after "Desperate Housewives" … what's one more hour?
