March 2006 News Archive

As awkward, lovable and socially inept intern George O'Malley, T.R. Knight has emerged as a fan favorite on Grey's Anatomy. In many ways, the actor's roundabout road to success mirrors George's unlikely status as everyone's hero.

Knight's multifaceted portrayal ensures that George is never a sad sack, but far from a stereotypical leading man. We've grown to love George like a brother as he's bungled romantic encounters, struggled to fit in, and grown immensely as a surgeon. In an interview with the Arizona Republic, Knight said he was instantly drawn to George's complexity when he auditioned for the pilot.

"I liked that you saw more than just one side of [George]," Knight said of the script. "In a pilot, there's a lot of information you have to get across, and especially in this case, a lot of characters. I saw more than one side to him. He wasn't just someone who sticks his foot in his mouth... You saw him struggle, get hurt. You saw him try to do good."

Despite how badly he wanted the part, Knight, who travelled from New York to L.A. for "pilot season," tried not to get his hopes up.

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Grey's Anatomy continues to earn its place in the popular culture lexicon. The show was referenced on last night's episode of The Office, NBC's hilarious mockumentary centered around the mundane lives of oddball employees at a Scranton, Pa., company.

Having undergone a test for skin cancer, emotionless accountant Kevin Malone (Brian Baumgartner, pictured) is awaiting the results when asked about his hangdog expression by co-worker Kelly (Mindy Kaling, also one of the show's writers).

When he tells her he might have skin cancer, the slightly-airheaded Kelly replies, "Really? I was watching Grey's Anatomy and one of the patients was a lifeguard who had skin cancer. That's so weird!"

This is the second NBC show to mention Grey's Anatomy in recent weeks, following the lead of offbeat medical sitcom Scrubs. Both shows are highly recommended by the Insider, and not just because they give props to Meredith & Co... although it doesn't hurt.

You've seen him play a brilliant, compassionate doctor on TV. Soon, you may see Isaiah Washington in a series of public service announcements aimed at raising Americans' awareness of a chronic neurological disorder.

The Narcolepsy Network announced this week that Washington, who stars as Dr. Preston Burke on Grey's Anatomy, will be featured in three TV spots to increase understanding of the sleep disorder. Researchers estimate that narcolepsy, which is defined as the brain's inability to regulate sleep-wake cycles normally, affects approximately 200,000 men, women and children in the U.S. A vast majority of narcolepsy patients remain undiagnosed.

"Due to my role, I have been exposed to many difficult health disorders that people must deal with every day of their lives," Washington said. "A close friend of mine has narcolepsy, so I have seen how devastating it can be. While we all know what it's like to have a bad night's sleep, most of us can't imagine what life would be like if that happened every night. People living with narcolepsy need to know they are not alone and that they can get help."

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It looks like plenty of developments will take shape when Grey's Anatomy returns with an all-new episode this Sunday. Here's a sneak peak.

While we can't say what the episode's title, "Name of the Game," refers to, we have some info. Inevitably, it looks like George will overstay his welcome at Dr. Burke's place, but on the bright side, his relationship with Dr. Torres may finally take a step forward.

Meanwhile, mercurial Meredith will uncover another secret about her father, perhaps leading her closer to the ultimate discovery (the role Dr. Webber played in her mother's life).

Apparently, Dr. Bailey is concerned about being treated differently by co-workers now that she's a mother. We aren't sure why, but it appears Cristina takes up knitting on this episode, which should be a riot. It also looks like Alex's brutal honestly with patients catches up to him, drawing harsh criticism from one of the older doctors (perhaps foreshadowing his rumored departure). We also daringly predict that Denny will be on the show and almost die. Just a hunch. We go out on limbs here at the Insider.

When it comes to covering America's best TV drama, Grey's Anatomy Insider never stops looking for vantage points. Recently we set out to determine how realistic the show is, and how it is perceived among actual surgical interns. Since we don't know any such people, we settled for the next best thing.

A pediatrics intern.

Dr. Heather Diskin a first-year intern at Massachusetts General Hospital after graduating from UMass Medical School. As a longtime friend of the Insider and a devoted fan of Grey's Anatomy, she was generous enough to endure an interview with our annoying staff. Below are her thoughts on Seattle Grace Hospital's medical realism, interns and attendings fraternizing in the real world, Dr. Shepherd's McDreaminess, and so much more.

THE INSIDER: How realistically does the show portray the medical conditions and sequences? Please explain.

DR. D.: The first two times I watched the show, I found it painfully unrealistic. But then I became totally hooked because of how great the characters are. The various personalities definitely exist in every hospital -- especially among surgeons. But the patients, their conditions (i.e. the woman with spontaneous orgasms), and the interactions between interns and attendings do not.

The other unrealistic feature is how much free time the interns have. There is no time for eating lunch everyday, no midday quickie in the call room, no watching surgeries from above the O.R. There is just too much work!

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Devoted Grey's Anatomy fans know how big a role music plays on the program. It always succeeds at setting the right mood. It defines the complex characters we love. It gives the terrific writing and acting even more depth. The ambient tracks enhance the emotive power of the show, while introducing audiences to lesser-known and under-appreciated talent.

The Insider has paid tribute to the music of Grey's Anatomy with several special features. Our brief overview of the Original Soundtrack barely scratches the surface. We've compiled a complete song listing of all the music that has been featured on the show, organized by episode, and examined the musical references of the show's episode titles.

All will be updated as new episodes are aired and new information becomes available, and can be accessed by the menu at right. Enjoy!

Yes, last night's episode, "Into You Like a Train," was a repeat. But we watched it just the same. Between two memorable patients, Meredith hooked up to an IV in an effort to sober up, and Cristina running around frantically in search of severed limbs, it was well worth a second viewing. Take a look at our in-depth Episode Guide for a full recap of the events.

Be sure to visit our collection of Grey's Anatomy quotes from the episode as well. Our photo gallery is also live as of Monday evening. Laugh, cry and enjoy!

When Isaiah Washington joined the cast of Grey's Anatomy, the actor knew exactly what sort of TV doctor he did not want to play: The arrogant, standoffish, token Dr. African-American.

Mission accomplished.

"That kind of person can be done without a chip on his shoulder. I didn't want to be on a successful show and just put in a box," Washington said in an interview with Mike Duffy of Gannett News Service.

Washington's Dr. Preston Burke (right) isn't simply an incarnation of Dr. Peter Benton on ER. Burke is evolved. He has depth. He's a consummate professional, but has started to open up and reveal shades of emotion. He's flawed, funny, and taking a chance on romance. You could certainly make the case that Dr. Burke is McDreamy, Two.

After the show's creator, Shonda Rhimes, found Patrick Dempsey to portray Dr. Derek "McDreamy" Shepherd, she chose Washington to portray Dr. Burke, and everything clicked. Rhimes, whose hospital drama has become a highly-rated, wildly-popular phenomenon and was just given the "Future Classic" Award by TV Land, loves that she has two very different leading men.

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Grey's Anatomy was given this year's Future Classic Award for 2005 at last night's TV Land Awards in Santa Monica, Calif. Creator and Executive Producer Shonda Rhimes, along with the show's cast, accepted the honor on behalf of the show. The award, unveiled by TV Land in 1998 and presented annually, recognizes the new show from the past calendar year which best exemplifies the qualities of an emerging phenomenon that will endure for years.

Upon receiving the award, Rhimes (pictured below) was ecstatic.

"We are honored that TV Land has chosen Grey's Anatomy as their Future Classic Award recipient," she said. "TV Land has quickly established itself as a great home for the most loved series to air on television. As we continue to build upon a great start to Grey's Anatomy, we are thrilled to be honored by this institution and look forward to one day joining their elite lineup of fantastic television shows."

Larry W. Jones, President of TV Land and Nick at Nite, had this to say:

"Grey's Anatomy embodies the qualities of a true television classic. The show's complex and emotional storyline, as well as its amazing cast has made it one of the most important television shows to come along in years. TV Land would like to thank ABC, Shonda Rhimes and the entire cast and crew for making every episode a weekly event we look forward to with anticipation."

Hopefully this is not a jinx. Historically, the actual enduring success of past Future Classic Award winners is mixed. Past winners:

• 1998: Sports Night
• 1999: The Sopranos
• 2000: Scrubs
• 2001: Malcolm in the Middle
• 2002: American Dreams
• 2003: Arrested Development
• 2004: Desperate Housewives

An interesting group. One that Grey's Anatomy can most certainly hang with. While it's too early to say for sure, we're confident that Shonda and her co-producers will be bringing us great drama and comedy for years to come.

ABC is considering shifting Grey's Anatomy from Sunday nights to Mondays or Thursdays after its recent surge in popularity, according to the Chicago Tribune. The big discussion at the network's annual development meeting in Los Angeles last week, the big discussion was whether Grey's Anatomy will be moved, prime time entertainment chief Steve McPherson said.

Ratings for the show have jumped since the cliffhanger episode on February 5, which aired right after the Super Bowl and drew 37 million viewers. The series is one of the top scripted shows among young adults and has been ABC's breakout hit for the season.

"The show has a broad appeal and advertisers would feel safe to be affiliated with that type of program. It's not violent or offensive," said Karen McCallum, an ad buyer at Esparza Advertising in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Moving Grey's to the biggest TV weeknight would give ABC the chance to better promote movies or events. It would be a bold move to break up the Grey's Anatomy-Desperate Housewives 1-2 punch, but ABC has historically fared so poorly on Thursdays, it might just try. Needless to say, we'll follow Meredith and friends wherever they go.

Meanwhile, TV Guide reports that during ABC's May sweeps push, Grey's Anatomy will end its sophomore season with a two-part, three-hour event. The finale will begin Sunday, May 14 and conclude the next night, Monday, May 15. If it's half as riveting as the post-Super Bowl "Code Black" drama, there's no telling how high the ratings might go!