I love Shonda Rhimes. All things Shonda Rhimes. Including Grey’s Anatomy. I’ve been tuning in to experience the thrill of life as a surgeon at Seattle Grace (now Grey- Sloan Memorial) from the very beginning. Thursday nights I’d choose pajamas, a cup of tea, and the latest episode of Grey’s Anatomy over drinks with friends, dinner with family or even a night out at the movies with my very own McSteamy. Thursday night was Grey’s night, the most anticipated night of television in the week. Lately though, I’ve found my love of Thursday nights fading. The thrill is gone. It’s true I may be slightly biased after having to bid farewell to my favourite character, the formidable Cristina Yang, but the truth is I felt the flames beginning to flicker out long before that.
Many seasons ago I relished the crazed gunman opening fire in the hospital, the bomb in the woman’s chest, the bus accident, the plane crash, the storylines that had our beloved surgeons taking on the uncontrollable chaos of the outside world and coming out the other side. Not all of them came out unscathed; a few favourites didn’t make it out alive, but the struggle to overcome those tragic events made tackling my own uncontrollable chaos a little more bearable. How they took on each devastating case with bravery fed by an ingrained need to help others was inspiring. The doctors at Seattle Grace were ordinary extraordinary people running towards danger for the greater good. Now amidst the mediocrity and recycled storylines (the shocking news that Meredith has a sister came out years ago. Her name was Lexie Grey), they’ve become ordinary people running towards endless personal drama.
There may be a place for the personal drama, but not without the bravery. Grey-Sloan memorial needs to raise the stakes. As I’ve said, I love Shonda Rhimes and I have faith she can fan the flames and restore Grey’s night. Until then, I’ll be at the movies with McSteamy.