Gray's Anatomy

[JasonEvans]

It has jumped the shark. That whole "lets send the surgial interns into the field for an ER-type emergency and then let Meredith drown" storyline was the last straw... right?
--Jason "discuss..." Evans

[Jumbo]

Not only that, but Grey's Anatomy has jumped the shark too.

Jum "Jason's my biyatch" bo

[JBDuke]

It has jumped the shark. That whole "lets send the surgial interns into the field for an ER-type emergency and then let Meredith drown" storyline was the last straw... right?
--Jason "discuss..." Evans

Never watched Grey's, or Gray's for that matter...

[devil84]

No, I don't think it's jumped the shark -- yet. This tri-part episode had a lot of things that advanced the plot. Meredith now has mom's approval; Meredith has seen that she's been taking a course of least resistance; Derek has had to come to grips with the fact that there are some medical emergencies he's not equipped to handle and he's not Meredith's knight in shining whatever; Richard's realizing that all the women he loved are out of his life, Bailey's really a candidate for Chief Resident...and there are plenty of others.

I like the fact that in the first season, Derek tells Meredith, "You were like coming up for fresh air. I was drowning and you saved me." He gets to return the favor. Not only does he literally save Meredith from drowning, he also is the catalyst for Ellis Gray being able to tell Meredith that she really doesn't see her daughter as "ordinary." He is her knight in shining whatever -- sort of. He can't fix her using his medical skills, which is his usual mode of accomplishment. He did, however, unknowingly become her knight in shining whatever regarding his handling of Ellis.

All that said...I really don't want to see another ferry wreck. I'm not fond of Addison's bet with McSteamy (if he can abstain for 60 days, she'll take him back) -- surely she's smarter than that! We're about out of close relatives who can die (Izzie's fiance, George's dad, then Meredith's mom) -- so I'm content to keep any deaths to medical cases. Their handling of the future episodes will determine if it has jumped the shark or not.

If you haven't already, you might check out the writer's blog: Grey Matter, at http://www.greyswriters.com/. Start at the "bottom" of the page with the oldest entries, then read to the most current (there's some stuff in the blog that will only make sense if you read it chronologically). I love that blog (well, except for the last entry, which was not at all satisfying, but may have explained a few things).

Given the fact that our band booster meeting was the shortest ever recorded (by an hour!) due to nearly everyone wanting to see Part 2 of this episode arc, I'm guessing that there is still massive interest in this show. I'll see this same group the next two Thursdays for more band concerts, and I'm sure Grey's will come up. Thankfully, there are reruns until March 15 (Day 1 of March Madness -- don't make me choose!), so we won't have to stay up late watching the DVR'd Grey's after the concerts!

- della

[ajtrublu]

While I think that you have some interesting points, Della, I have to agree with Jason that it's jumped the shark. I personally found much of the writing in the 3 part story arc almost physically painful to sit through. I'm not sure how Katherine Heigl got through that hideous "I believe..." monologue with any sort of sincerity. And they're ready to call TOD for Meredith until Cristina comes in at the last moment and insists they try one more supposedly futile time.

I firmly believe that when dramas like this go for the big plot extravaganza, it just means they can't come up with interesting character driven story lines.

[DevilAlumna]

I agree with Jason that this latest move seems really over the top -- the ferry incident was a good move; the Meredith drowning line seems desperate. Where do they go from here?

I've also been a fairly loyal ER watcher since way back when Dr. Green still had some hair left, so I'm trying to figure out how they have managed to keep my attention, whereas with GsA, I'm thinking of cancelling my Tivo season pass.

I think what has kept ER on top is how they're always rotating in new cast members -- be it a nurse or set of residents coming in each season, they freshen up the story line, add in new romantic interests, etc. Even a bit character (I'm thinking Sally Fields as Abby's mom) that comes in for an episode or two every other season adds a good dimension/diversion.

I like how Grey's has added the spunky resident (Bailey's rival), and the Chris McConnell vet role was great, but honestly, I think the current cast has played out all possible interpersonal dramas -- bring in more newbies!

[devil84]

I personally found much of the writing in the 3 part story arc almost physically painful to sit through.

The latest entry in the writer's blog seems to have new names in it, and the cites an ill Shonda Rhimes -- and I don't find that blog entry nearly as interesting as the other entries. Maybe that's the reason for the train-wreck (or is that "ferry-wreck"?) of the writing. I'm hoping that Shonda and Betsy Beers take more control and show that this ferry incident really was necessary to advance the characters.

- della

[Mal]

I'll be upfront and disclose that I dislike Grey's Anatomy and have from the start, so feel free to bash me or totally disregard this. Nevertheless, in my humble opinion, soap operas are not candidates for Jumping the Shark, and Grey's Anatomy is a soap opera disguised as comedy.

I'm gathering that there was a boat accident and the title character almost died, but I would submit that's not a strong departure from the show's standard m.o. My wife watches it, and just from the 5 minutes per episode I'm exposed to, I've gathered that in only a couple seasons, every main character has slept with at least two other main characters, and heard of friends and parents dying, doctors in other accidents, doctors having babies and miscarriages, a regular character with Alzheimer's, a regular character with v.d., multiple people quitting or retiring or threatening to do so, bombs going off, a doctor being left millions of dollars by a patient, and dozens of bizarre, one in a billion medical situations (and no other doctors in the hospital seem to be involved in treating them). Ladies and gentlemen, that's a soap opera. I don't begrudge anyone their tastes or guilty pleasures (I like Heroes as much as anyone else on this board), but let's call a spade a spade here.

Someone else contrasted with E.R. I think the fundamental difference is that that show at least seems somewhat grounded in reality and more concerned with the central issue of how doctors and nurses treat patients (sometimes even patients with everyday issues, instead of things picked out at random from an encyclopedia of rare diseases). Yes, characters couple up and split apart, and there's interdepartmental rivalry and the like, but somehow the show seems more determined to portray the world and difficulties of modern medicine and how a hospital and its caregivers function in that world (I should admit that this may be an outdated impression, as I stopped watching E.R. regularly back when Clooney and Edwards left, and entirely when LaSalle and Wyle left. Also, their ads consistently promise that the current week's episode will be the most special, heartbreaking, or incredible episode of the year, which is really annoying and may indicate it too has become a soap opera). Grey's Anatomy, by contrast, seems to have chosen the medical profession simply as a backdrop for it's zany characters.

There are operating room scenes and consultation scenes and conflicts regarding treatment on Grey's Anatomy, but mostly they're subtext on the incestuous relationships amongst the doctors. The characters are far too selfish and flawed and generally ridiculous to provide any real insight into human nature, in my opinion. They instead substitute a condescending voiceover to give viewers the themes supposedly being depicted, a la Desperate Housewives.

Ergo: Can't jump the shark. Always been on the other side of said shark.

[Exiled_Devil]

I wrote elsewhere that Gray's anatomy is basically General Hospital now. However, until this afterlife/purgatory bit, it was more what someone on the web called a dramedy - a drama/comedy hybrid. Showes can be dramas without being soaps, and Gray's was. Not so much anymore. Unfortunately for me, I still like the characters, so it brings me in past the plots.

Random pet peeve- my grandmoather's maiden name was 'Grey' - I have to fix every post I ever write about this show as a result.

[JasonEvans]

There are operating room scenes and consultation scenes and conflicts regarding treatment on Grey's Anatomy, but mostly they're subtext on the incestuous relationships amongst the doctors. The characters are far too selfish and flawed and generally ridiculous to provide any real insight into human nature, in my opinion. They instead substitute a condescending voiceover to give viewers the themes supposedly being depicted, a la Desperate Housewives.

Ergo: Can't jump the shark. Always been on the other side of said shark.

This may be the best post on GA that I have ever read. You nailed it for the most part. I think your post has changed the way I will watch the show. It is not a show about docotrs, it is a soap opera.

Seriously, thanks. I will feel better about liking it less and less now

But, soap or not it still can jump the shark... and it has.

-Jason "wanna know something scary? There are tons of people out there who do not know/never saw the TV show that Jump the Shark comes from!! I feel old" Evans

[ajtrublu]

"wanna know something scary? There are tons of people out there who do not know/never saw the TV show that Jump the Shark comes from!! I feel old"

OUCH! Was that necessary to point out? I'm still coping with the fact that in April, when I go down for my ::gulp:: 20th reunion, half of the current student body wouldn't have been born yet when I was a student. Pardon me while I go cry.

[Exiled_Devil]

This may be the best post on GA that I have ever read. You nailed it for the most part. I think your post has changed the way I will watch the show. It is not a show about docotrs, it is a soap opera.

Seriously, thanks. I will feel better about liking it less and less now

But, soap or not it still can jump the shark... and it has.

-Jason "wanna know something scary? There are tons of people out there who do not know/never saw the TV show that Jump the Shark comes from!! I feel old" Evans

I didn't understand the reference for the longest time, but man do I ever remember the 'to be continued', stuck in midair. I actually didn't even like that show before it jumped the shark. But the idea that it wasn't finished in 30 minutes was shocking.

On a tangent, there is an interesting book out, about 2 years ago, called Everything bad is good for you. One of its hypotheses is that more complex television - more characters, multiple story-arcs in an episode, multiple episode arcs, and even the running gag or easter egg - makes television a cognitively challenging activity, and we are all smarter for watching it. Little science behind the work, but very interesting read.

The best long time-frame reference/running joke this year? how I met your motherand Marshal slapping Barney 4+ episodes after he gained the right from a 'slap bet'. If you aren't watching HIMYM, you should - second funniest TV, behind Office. And humor Office haters might enjoy.

Exiled

[JasonEvans]

The best long time-frame reference/running joke this year? how I met your motherand Marshal slapping Barney 4+ episodes after he gained the right from a 'slap bet'. If you aren't watching HIMYM, you should - second funniest TV, behind Office. And humor Office haters might enjoy.

I am a huge HIMYM fan. It is right behidn the Office in terms of humor on TV today. One interesting thing I find-- when I am messing around with my TIVO and look at shows HIMYM fans are also watching, it tends to be mostly shows that I already watch, like Lost, Heroes, and The Office. That tells me that all these programs are appealing to a similar demographic of person. Interestingly, several high-rated TV shows just do not seem to dovetail with Lost and The Office. I rarely find folks who are big CSI fans who also watch The Offfice.

-Jason "I think this thread has officially been hijacked" Evans

[NashvilleDevil]

Jason I am one of the rare ones that likes a couple of the CSI shows (Miami and New York) and the Office. I watch CSI: Miami because David Caruso is so unintentionally funny that I cannot pull myself away from the TV. The Office is in my top 3 shows on TV the other two being Entourage and House.