Editorial: Grey's Anatomy Only in Stable Condition
Melanie McFarland of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer writes that lately, her conversations about Grey's Anatomy tend to kick off in the same way.
Try asking someone other than the most hard-core fan what they think about a recent episode, or how a former regular feels about the series itself. In response, you're likely to get more of a pause than praise.
"I don't dislike it," a friend said, sighing heavily. "It's just not must-see viewing anymore." That doesn't bode well for a Thursday night stalwart.
In some sense, Greys Anatomy producers should take this as a sign they're doing something right. Viewers haven't left. It's just that Seattle Grace's surgeons, new residents and their romantic entanglements seem to sometimes inspire more of a passive-aggressive stance among viewers than before.
In terms of ratings, Grey's Anatomy is still holding its own, with the premiere and the subsequent two episodes coming in a close second behind CSI and winning the all-important top slot in the 18-to-49 demographic.
But what about fans' feelings? Well ... we don't hate you, Grey's Anatomy, we just don't like you as much as we should. We won't leave you, but we need to let you know in the gentlest way possible that you're harshing our mellow.
With only three new episodes aired, people are still ready to forgive Greys Anatomy for serving up a Season 3 that many felt was so ... so-so.
There's no reason the steamiest hospital in prime time, with its armada of hot residents and internsw, messy romances and a dramatic felony in George and Izzie, can't right itself by sweeps. But that requires a few minor surgeries.
Continue reading this article in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer ...
October 16th, 2007 10:22 AM
Gosh, I thought the article was alittle harsh! I really think everybody is expecting too much too fast! We have just started the season back and I think we all need to have patience to where we think all the storylines should go! I think things still had to start back alittle "dark and twisty" from last season to be able to move forward into this season. I think the season has started out well so far! Much funnier, lighter and naturally there is drama and we'll always have that...but I think GA is heading back to what we have all grown to love about this show! I naturally wish.... like Patrick Dempsey said in his EW weekly interview that "Derek and Meredith should get married". I think the show needs a stable realtionship and there could be so many storylines that could be drawn from them as a married couple. But who knows, we'll have to wait and see what Shonda has in store for us.
I really wish people would not be so critical of the show just getting started back, I really think things are headed in the right direction and everyone just needs to be patient. Like the old saying says........Good things come to those who wait!
And us loyal GA fans will be right there with them all the way!
Also, GA has won the demo (18-49) all 3 weeks (which is very good for the network) more so than overall viewers from what I read and has been the top recorded show for tivo recordings! It has also increased ratings from week to week even though it has come in behind CSI. So that is certainly impressive, I'd say!
October 16th, 2007 1:23 PM
Hi Kathy
Can i just say i agree with everything you´ve said espiecally with the things you said about Derek & Meredith. I also think they´d make an amazing married couple.
October 16th, 2007 4:18 PM
I live in Seattle and I remember reading this article. I kind of agree with her. The show makes me depressed not happy. But I'm too addicted to it so I watch it anyways...
October 16th, 2007 6:18 PM
The show is childish and ridiculous now. Deer medicine, more annoying Izzie speeches, fake humor, fake sentiments, fake everything. Even the deer was fake.
The writers have lost the show. It's a pity.
Using a quote from the show itself...
"Operation BE KIND, REWIND not going so well?"
Apparently not
October 16th, 2007 7:55 PM
I agree with the writer. Espically when she says that Mer and Der relationship "is getting to be a little like "General Hospital." I loved them together but now I am really annoyed and I am not liking them together at all. In fact I think that they may need a break in order to actually make this really work. If they took a break it would give Mer time to grow-up and Der time to give Mer what she needs which is...TIME.
I don't think the article is harsh at all. In fact her article was a lot nicer than most of the stuff I have read about Grey's, Lost and any other show that were. once red red hot. Give the writers time and they'll get back on track and then Grey's will finally be back on track
October 16th, 2007 7:58 PM
and no I don't think that they need to date other people. But it might work.
October 16th, 2007 8:06 PM
I think that this article was a little bit harsh, but we all don't have to complain about Grey's. If you are a true fan, than have patience. The show will get back on track. Personally I like that the show has lost some of its spice, otherwise what's there to gossip about?
October 16th, 2007 10:39 PM
OK... Too harsh... Seaso 3 was great, on its own way but it was great... And a TV Series is not about what we want to happen... It should by about their writers want for it... I enjoy either way... Because characters are great... Actors and Actresses are great... And stories may sometimes maybe boring, or differente of what we would expect... exactly as life is...
October 17th, 2007 3:37 AM
Kathy, I totally agree with you. And I'm very pacient. Good things will come to me, yeay!!!!!!!
For the cristics: if you don't want to watch the show anymore, don't watch it. But you will lose the good things that come with every episode, every Thursday evening...And watching just the season finale will not help you.
October 17th, 2007 8:31 PM
I agree with the article, I'm not super super excited about Greys like I used to be. And I live in Seattle, so right on Seattle PI.
And all the people I know feel the same way. It's just not as good. A lot of us don't like Gizzie, what was up with that deer, and why can't they just fix Mer/Der?
Sure there are some nice things, but generally we've gone from a resturant to frozen food decline in quality. Sure, it's food. Sure, I'll eat it. But it just doesn't taste right.
October 17th, 2007 9:40 PM
i totally agree with the article. GA is not as fun to watch as before. my roomate totally stopped watching it anymore. i just watch it because i really like sandra oh and i miss the burke-cristina couple. they replaced the amazing chemistry of burke and cristina to george-izzie tandem which is really the worst couple of the 21st century. not really your best idea shonda rhimes.
October 18th, 2007 12:47 AM
The writer totally nailed it.
I was a tremendous Grey's fan until the debacle of season 3. Everything that made Grey's wonderful television from seasons 1 & 2 was pillaged out of the show. Characters lost their personalities and became shells of their former selves. Formerly sharp dialogue and storylines became cliche. It was just sad how the show imploded.
I'm encouraged that this season appears to be an effort in recapturing the magic. They're not there yet, but it's a vast improvement.
October 20th, 2007 1:49 AM
Hi! I'm from Argentina and I just wanted to say that I love the show but I think that the departure of burke is terrible... I have no idea how they are going to fix Christina's story... but I really hope they don't turn her into a "bright and shinny" person that falls in love with the first man she comes across... Izzie can do that :P
I don't like Lexie Gray and I hope she stays away from Derek... she is already a Meredith copycat (not dark and twisted) they'll mess up everithing that's great with the show if they continue on this path...
I like Izzie, she's adorable, but she shouldn't have fallen in love with george (who by the way I used to like but now I can't stand... They should have picked burke to stay instead of him...) I feel sorry for Callie. I hope she can forget George and be happy.
I completely agree with Kathy "I really wish people would not be so critical of the show just getting started back, I really think things are headed in the right direction and everyone just needs to be patient. Like the old saying says……..Good things come to those who wait!" If everyone gets so critical with GA it'll end up like so many other great shows that got canceled for no good reason leaving heart-broken fans all over the world. I really hope it doesn't end up like that, but I've seen it before...
By the way... please forgive my english I know it's not perfect... but I'm working on it :S