Archive for July, 2006

KT Tunstall: Grey’s Music Mainstay

KT TunstallKT Tunstall, 31, hates television.

The Scottish singer/songwriter, whose nickname is derived from her initials (her given name is Kate) was raised in a home without a television or stereo, as the devices interfered with the hearing aid worn by her brother, Daniel.

To this day, she doesn't own a TV, considers the entire concept "evil" and once derided the series Friends for making a mockery of female folk singers.

It could be considered a bit ironic, then, that her alternative, bluesy folk rock sound has become a favorite of the Grey's Anatomy producers, whose eclectic musical taste plays such an important role in the series. KT may despise everything TV stands for, but the creators of one of its best shows love her — four tracks from her debut album, Eye of the Telescope, were featured in Season Two. They are, by episode:

  • "Suddenly I See" from Episode 2: “Enough is Enough (No More Tears)”
  • "Other Side of the World" from Episode 7: “Something to Talk About”
  • "Miniature Disasters" from Episode 16: “It’s the End of the World…”
  • "Universe And U" from Episode 26: "Deterioration of the Fight or Flight Response"

Four solid tracks from a great CD that's definitely worth picking up or downloading (legally, of course). Interestingly, the album's best-known track, "Black Horse and the Cherry Tree," was also featured prominently on a television show when American Idol finalist Katharine McPhee covered it on the show's May 2 episode. The song rocketed from #79 to #23 on the Billboard charts the week after McPhee's rendition.

"Black Horse" may be too mainstream by this point for Shonda Rhimes & Co., but its message — of finding one's self on a winding path, of making a difficult choice, of fate and listening to one's heart — resonates in every episode. No wonder KT, who is adopted, and of Irish and Chinese decent, has won over Grey's writers and fans alike.

Grey’s Makes its Mark in Canada, Too

If a recent column in the Ottawa Citizen is any indication, Grey's Anatomy is winning over audiences north of the border as well as here in the U.S.

Katherine Heigl as Izzie StevensThe proliferation of fine programs such as The Sopranos, Rescue Me and The Shield on pay-TV and such specialty cable channels as HBO, FX and Showtime — and in Canada on TMN, Movie Central and Showcase — has raised the bar in terms of what viewers expect from dramas.

Audiences have gotten smarter and forcing networks to pay closer attention to what viewers really want. This past year, what they wanted was Grey's Anatomy.

It's easy to see how much the program has evolved, even since the episodes which aired last week, "If Tomorrow Never Comes" and "Shake Your Groove Thing." In its early stages, Grey's Anatomy was a long-shot, a temporary mid-season replacement for Boston Legal, following the smash hit Desperate Housewives on Sunday nights.

It was the dreaded "serialized drama," a show that demands faithful viewers tuning in every week, lest they be lost in the plot lines.

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Quotes, Recap From Tonight’s Episode

Late July might seem like an odd time for "Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer" (10 p.m. tonight on ABC), but think of it as a time to reflect on the good times of Season 2, and the great times upcoming in Season 3. Izzie (pictured) is doing the same, staring up at the tree, wondering what will become of her career and personal life this fall.

We will have to wait and see.Under the Tree

In the meantime, tonight's episode is a good one as Drs. Burke and Yang experience philosophical differences over a young patient's treatment, and Meredith tries to remind a jaded Izzie of the holiday's true meaning. Our complete list of quotes is definitely worth a read, as is our Episode Guide. Enjoy.

Season Three: September 21 at 9 P.M.!

The Show We Know and LoveABC has officially announced that the premiere of Season Three will take place on Thursday, September 21.

The show will make its highly anticipated return in its new 9 p.m. time slot, where it will battle CBS' hit crime drama CSI, Fox's The OC, and whatever sacraficial lamb NBC throws on the air. NBC already moved its prized new series, Studio 60, out of the slot.

Until then, throughout August, the series will continue to air twice weekly on its current summer schedule — once in the new Thursday time period, and once in its previous Sunday, 10 p.m. time slot — to allow viewers to relive great episodes from each of the first two seasons.

In the meantime, we'll keep you up to date on all the latest Grey's Anatomy news for the next 57 days, 3 hours and 30 minutes, and our forums offer a great way to discuss the show and everything about it with fellow fans!

Another Musical Star of Grey’s Anatomy

Yesterday, we talked about the new Grey's Anatomy video featuring the music of Snow Patrol. Today, we'd like to introduce you to another artist whose music was memorably featured on the show, Brandi Carlile.

Brandi CarlileThe 24-year old singer/songwriter from rural Washington State is known for her rootsy, bell-clear voice and the pure emotion that permeates through every song.

In other words, it's no wonder the producers of Grey's Anatomy decided Brandi, whose style could be described as county and western with folk roots, was such as great fit for the show's music.

Her song "What Can I Say" was featured on the second episode of Season Two, "Enough Is Enough," while an acoustic version of "Tragedy" was showcased during the episode "Damage Case" near the end of the season. Both songs appear on her self-titled, debut album.

Follow the link here watch the scene in which "Tragedy" was featured in "Damage Case." You'll see why music plays such an integral part on Grey's Anatomy, and why industry critics such as Rolling Stone think Brandi is a young artist worth keeping an eye on.

Grey’s Anatomy Caption Contest XVI

It's never easy to pick the winner in our weekly Caption Contest, but it sure is fun reading all the replies. You guys did a nice job again this week, although we still need to get participation up if we are going to start giving out prizes once Season 3 begins. Help us get there starting this week!

As for the image below, it was a tough decision, and a number of you, such as Lauren B., Sondra W., and Emerson came close to winning. But ultimately, we're going with Jerry. Congrats! Thanks to everyone for playing, good luck this week, and tell your friends! The winning response appears below, and beneath that is the complete list of submissions. Enjoy!

Caption Contest: 16
"This is the closest to a threesome I’ll ever get …"

TV Guide Gets An Anatomy Lesson

Michael Ausiello of TV Guide tells of a visit to the set of Grey's Anatomy in a lengthy segment of his blog today. The lucky TV guru, along with 60 other TV critics and reporters, was admitted to Grey's fictional Seattle Grace Hospital last week for a tour of the set and a consultation with the show's cast. Below, he talks about what he got out of this Anatomy lesson:

1. The creator is loosening her spoiler policy.

Well, kind of. If Dr. Bailey is the show's Resident Nazi, Grey's creator Shonda Rhimes is the Information Nazi, never divulging what plot lines we can expect. But she did let on that "the fabulous Miss Diahann Carroll" would be one of the new season's first guest stars, and also dropped a mini-bomb about the premiere:

"It basically takes place hours after the last [finale] ended. It's not like we're going to do a big leap forward in time, and everybody's fine and nothing's wrong with anyone. I don't do that."

Interesting. When asked to confirm a report about Eric Dane (a.k.a. Dr. Mark "McSteamy" Sloan) coming back to the Grey set, Rhimes dodged the question, but acknowledged the popularity of this particular guest star.

"People sent a lot of e-mails and letters for a guy who appeared in one episode," said Rhimes (with cast members James Pickens, Jr., Chandra Wilson, Sandra Oh and Isaiah Washington, below). 

Shonda Rhimes

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Grey’s Anatomy & Snow Patrol: The Video

Who can forget the scene during the season finale when Denny slipped away? When the once unflappable Dr. Burke lay wounded, vulnerable and defeated? When Derek and Meredith snuck away to the exam room and… you know. For fans, months of waiting preceded these moments, and the sheer passion that marked the second season's end left a lasting impression.

So powerful was this culmination of drama that one of the rock songs playing during the finale — "Chasing Cars" by Snow Patrol — has become a bona fide hit, largely due to Grey's Anatomy fans' love for it.Snow Patrol

Riding this wave of popularity, the indie rock quintet from Northern Ireland (pictured) has teamed with ABC and released the Grey's Anatomy version of "Chasing Cars," featuring clips from the season finale, with scenes from earlier episodes intertwined as well. One fan who brought this to our attention calls it "pretty incredible" and we're sure he's not alone in that opinion.

You can see the video by following the link above. For a complete song listing of music featured on Grey's Anatomy by episode, see our directory — and drop us a line if we've missed one. Enjoy!

Two Episodes Scheduled to Air Tonight

Seriously!Seriously? Seriously.

The Insider would not lie to you… and neither would ABC or our local TV listings. A pair of Grey's Anatomy episodes from Season One — "Shake Your Groove Thing" and "If Tomorrow Never Comes" — are being shown tonight, at 8 p.m. and 9 p.m. EDT. Be sure to check these episodes out, if you are new to the show, or if you just want to re-live the early days.

We've compiled a list of quotes from "Groove" and "Tomorrow" for your enjoyment as well. As usual, there are no shortage of memorable lines.

Dr. Karev

"Responsibility. It really does suck." — Meredith

"We are workaholics with God complexes." — Cristina

"Want to grab a drink and hear about my secret pain?" — Alex

Quality stuff. Please see our comprehensive list of quotes for each episode if you are looking for a good laugh, or wondering what the heck a character said during that scene. You can also share your thoughts with fellow Grey worshippers in our forums!

Behind the Scenes With Shonda & Co.

According to an article in yesterday's Buffalo News, Emmy-nominated Grey's Anatomy star Sandra Oh heard a stunning rumor while inside the show's operating room of the show. She immediately shared the rumor, regarding an absent cast member, with co-star Ellen Pompeo.

"Is Isaiah Washington leaving?" asked Oh, who plays Dr. Cristina Yang, the love interest of Washington's Dr. Preston Burke.

"Nooooo," said a perplexed Pompeo. "Where is he going?"

"I don't know," said Oh.

"What is Yang going to do? Wow, you'll be more pathetic. You have to move on… We'll have to go to the bar and have a drink, and I'll tell you the inappropriate things that you did," Pompeo joked.

Of course, the two actresses had no idea if that rumor (which is dead wrong — phew!) or any other, for that matter, has any validity. The reason? Creator Shonda Rhimes (below) is legendary for keeping story lines to herself, and that's not likely to change anytime soon.

Award-Winning Creator/Producer Shonda Rhimes

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