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Grey's Anatomy season 2 ongoing thread (1 Viewer)

Greg Thomas

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What's BSG?

Grey's Anatomy was always good from the start for me. Much better than the outrageousness of Boston Legal.
 

Mikah Cerucco

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Yes, BSG = Battlestar Galactica 2003, which is my favorite show on TV. The only shows on TV I watch are...

1) Battlestar Galactica, Prison Break, 24, Grey's Anatomy, Lost, American Idol
2) Alias, Stargate SG-1, Stargate Atlantis, The West Wing,
Boston Legal

The first group is TV I go out of my way to see. The 2nd group is mostly shows I continue to watch because I've been watching them. I pretty much tape them and see them whenever. I also like Veronica Mars but prefer to watch the DVD's.

My point is it's pretty significant to me that Grey's Anatomy is in the first grouping when I haven't yet determined what I like about it. I know why I like all the other shows. Why do I care what happens to these people? It'll come to me. I actually have emotional reactions while watching the show. I feel sad, I smile, I laugh, I have hopes, I watch them get dashed, and I end up feeling that even if things don't go as expected, it'll be OK. I just find it impressive that the show manages to do that, even if I can't quite put my finger on why I care about this one more than all the other shows I don't care about.
 

Kong Chang

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I, for one, hate most medical shows, even the popular ones because, well, they are so hokey.

This has been the first medical show that I've enjoyed because it isn't a medical show as much as it is a relationship drama show, and more to the point, about internship.

We really got to feel why Grey went out of her way to try to become a doctor, even though her mother was opposed to her being one from the getgo. In all of season 1 episodes, including the 3 eps that was a spill over from season 1 into season 2, we got a glimpse of each of the interns and as to why they wanted to be working as doctors. I think it is that human side to everything that makes this show work for me. It's not the typical, I am a doctor, hear me roar, I am much more important than you and everything around me attitude that other shows try to portray. I have loved each of the characters as they continue to grow and the sparks that flies. Even seeing the glimpse of that resident doctor (who is the head of the interns) shed off her hospital attitude, and get into a dress for her anniversary dinner with her husband, really shows a human softer side to those you wouldn't see. Even displaying the tears of lost patients, when doctors are not supposed to display them in public, shows that doctors are there and do care for people and are not money-hungry doctors who just wanna jack you for your insurance.

Moreover, this show really shows the hell interns go through. It's not a pleasant adventure. One must really love this job to take all the BS that transpires in the hospital hiearchy.
 

Mikah Cerucco

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I don't normally watch medical shows, either. In fact, I've never watched an episode of ER, Chicago Hope, St. Elsewhere, or any other the others. It doesn't mean they weren't/aren't good shows, but I just wasn't interested. I didn't watch Grey's Anatomy last year when it replaced Boston Legal. I ended up catching it later, and liked it from episode 1.

I'd like to pass out the Halo's, but I don't see the show that way. While there's an element of wanting to help people, I still think ambition and money play a huge part in why these interns want to do this. The thing is, I don't see that as a bad thing. Money played a part in my career choice as well, though I also think it is my calling.

I am doctor, hear me roar? Well, my experience tells me that doctors do have that as an aspect of their personalities, and it is often schooled into them if they don't. I think these interns have it as well.

One thing I know I like about the show is it isn't afraid to show the flaws and virtues of its characters. They may play to type to a degree, but they aren't cardboard cutouts. McDreamy may be a master surgeon, but he still has emotional struggles. Christina may often be cutthroat and closed off, but she still wants love. George may seem sappy and a bit weak on the surface, but he continually steps up to the plate as the situation requires. Alex seemed like nothing more than a conceited jerk, but that's as much his protection mechanism as anything.

I don't expect these characters to always make the best moral choice. I do expect to see them struggle with determing (and doing) the right thing versus doing the thing they want to do.

Speaking of which... Dr. Yang was pretty clear about not talking to the Chief about the relationship at this point. I don't begin to understand why Dr. Burke would discard her wishes and do it anyway. Seems to me they should have made time to discuss it further and either come to an agreement or gone separate ways. But again, that's my idea of what the "right" thing is. As I said, the folks on this show struggle with objective interpretations of what "right" is. Dr. Burke no doubt thinks he's doing th right thing so that the relationship can continue, but how right can something be when it discards the desires of one of the parties?

I also think the music choices in the show are quite effective in supporting the intended mood.
 

Patrick Sun

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11/13/05

While not one of the best episodes of the show, it still brings the poignant, and thoughtfulness of choices that people make with medicine and how it impacts their quality of life.

I knew what was up with Bailey as the chief continued to badger her about her choice for a fellowship after receiving a handful of offers from other hospitals. It should be interesting to see how Bailey handles her situation in the coming year.

George seems to always want to find out the backstory of his patients and heal them in ways otherwise than just via medicine or surgery. How he can with his schedule must mean he's a master of time management in spite of his normally dishelveled appearances.

Burke and Christina's date brought to light how much they don't know about one another, but it also illuminated how much they have in common as well.

Alex and Izzie coming to confront each other's reaction to Addison's friend's choice to be super-proactive in eradicating cancer by undergoing removal of her breasts, ovaries, and uterus, was useful in undercovering Izzie's insecurities about her feminine identity, but Alex finds a way to show her that he's not just about body parts.

Meredith's simple 3 word proclamation of her state of mind and heart in the elevator at the end of the episode was just heartbreaking because you can just eat up the chemistry that exists between her and Shepard, but he's committed to try to patch up his marriage, while not really committed to Addison as a person he wants to share quality time with for now.
 

Mikah Cerucco

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Good summary.

Watching that date bordered on painful, and I shudder to think how it would have proceeded had the medical emergency not occurred. I expected them to be far more tolerant of each other as they got to know each other, especially Burke. You wouldn't just assume that someone else doesn't eat red meat.

Alex gave the right answer about the preemptive surgery, but I think it was a reasonable concern on Izzy's part. It has always been that a person's physical attractiveness plays into our overall attraction to that person. At such an early point in their relationship, maybe he would react to her differently. If it'll affect a husband who has all those years with a wife he loves, I have to believe it might affect someone in the beginning stages of a relationship. Body isn't everything, but it's a part.

I had no clue about Bailey.

I didn't see George having the time he has. The writers set that up pretty well in earlier episodes. If something with their schedule has changed, they haven't showed it to us.

All of which brings us to Grey and the Shepards. The writers are giving me nothing that leads me to believe in the long term viability of that marriage. It's a shame Shepard and Grey can't just talk. You know.. she says "I miss you," and he says, "I miss you, too." And they talk about what happened to him, where he was emotionally, what he did right, what he did wrong, what he's trying to do now, etc. In other words, if you want to conquer the best, you need to make it not quite so scary. Denying their affection for each other the way they are is playing with fire. It'll build up and end up spilling over. Better to transform it into something appropriate everyone can live with. Since they won't do that, we get to watch the train wreck. The only thing we don't know yet is who will be the collateral damage.

McDreamy needs some non-functional time with his wife. Not just talk about cheating and career locations and living arrangements. He needs to smell her hair, watch her fall asleep, or play her in Scrabble. Until he can relate to her again on that level and remember the person he loved, they have little hope. He's shared a lof of those types of things with Grey in the recent past, and it's difficult to truly let go (as opposed to walking around like a Zombie).

I'm not sure what the position is called, but I'll just call it Music Editor. Whoever does it for this show does an excellent job of supporting the intended emotional landscape.
 

mattCR

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You know, though, I do have concerns with how this was treated. We've seen it on ER and now Grey's this year, in which certain women (I think it's mostly Jewish women, correct?) have a genetic pre-disposition to ovarian/breast cancer. So, I understand that. But a full hysterectomy and double masectomy carries significant risks in that surgery as well. I would have thought that one of the doctors would have said "maybe this is the right choice, but we can't do this on a snap judgement when you are so emotional. You need to also think about the risks that surgery will involve." But that's just me.

The music on this show is incredible. George continues to be my favorite.
 

Patrick Sun

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11/20/05

Okay, I give up, I've run out of weekly superlatives for this show. Once again, a simple case forces the viewer to confront a poignant situation on a personal level (the guy who wakes up from a coma after 16 years, and has to find out his wife has finally moved on, and has missed seeing his son grow up). Can you imagine waking up, finding out that life has moved on, with a reduction in familial ties, and having to face a surgical decision that is a 50/50 proposition? Luckily for the coma guy, Meredith's bedside manner is one of her strengths as a doctor.

George and his dad and brothers provided some good laughs, though I knew his dad was going to get popped with buckshot, like the irony considering the family was on a turkey hunt. T.R. Knight does a great job with the comedic bits as George. He could be played as a spineless sap, but there's more than a hint of a spine, and definitely more surgical aptitude than you'd think just by looking at his disshelveled appearance, but he's got it going on in spite of his schlumpy predisposition.

Having Christina sneak out for booze and surgery was just so Christina. Having Christina and Bailey communicate regarding Bailey's pregnancy and Christina's recent pregnancy was a nice touch given the tough exteriors both women project as a basic personality trait.

Who knew Burke would prove to be so capable in the kitchen, and he continued to be the teacher to Izzy, who was hopelessly optimistic about her culinary acumen in preparing a Thanksgiving meal for her new immediate surgical family.

It appears that Meredith is finally getting past the hurt of the her now-dissolved relationship with Dr. McDreamy, and Derek seems to finally be in that place to give Addison and his marriage another chance. The ending stanza in this episode is pitch-perfect bittersweetness.
 

pitchman

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I agree, Patrick, another GREAT episode! I especially liked the little wink to Roswell with Izzy carrying on her tradition of being a control freak when it comes to holiday planning.
 

Ivan Lindenfeld

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It took 4 weeks to see the consistent good writing and acting, but this is now on my DVR timer.

As someone whom is often accused of bringing my technical mind processes to any problem, including cooking, I really identified with Bourke and the surgical lesson re: turkey baking. The pause right before he delivered the line "suction" was excellent.

Really no weak spots this week, and I have completely overcome my fears that this is another E.R.

My wife was busting my chops about it being "just like E.R." and I said, "No, on E.R. the brain surgery patient would have lived through the surgery, Grey would have looked through the window and through which Derek gives her the thumbs up just as a communications satellite crashes into the O.R. killing the patient anyway." :)
 

Lucia Duran

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This show is just fabulous. I am really enjoying it. SO far every episode this season has been awesome.

Gotta luv george!
 

mattCR

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George is easily my favorite character. The show is very strong in generating characters you can care about. Since I've pretty much given up on Desperate Housewives, I have to remind myself to "flick back over" to catch it; but definitely worth the watch.

I loved the ongoing joke regarding "the nazi"
 

Patrick Sun

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11/27/05

Go look up "mortification" and you'll see Meredith's picture in the dictionary after she breaks her one-night-stand's penis and the entire hospital knows about it. Good for some laughs, for sure.

Burke's jaw pretty much hit the floor after Christina shows him what a frikkin' class A slob she is. Whoa. I kept hoping Burke would have just said, "Key, please." and walked out. :)

Alex and Izzy, guess that ain't happening anytime soon now.

Booger's subplot didn't really go anywhere, except for an excuse for him to go nutty with the toilet water.

The quints subplot was okay, quite a bit of surgery needed for those little girls.
 

Mikah Cerucco

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The Meridith storyline felt a bit forced to me as regardless of whether or not you knew Meridith and McDreamy had a previous history, that's just not the kind of thing you'd announce. So I'm at a Dr.'s office and he's working on me and asks me a sexual question. I look at the nurse and go, "Well, when was it... you were there." I don't see it.

I think Burke is moving too fast. They've never been to each other's apts and within one episode he's inviting her to move in?? Christina, in her own dysfunctional way, did just the right thing to throw a little cold water on the situation. I'm not quite sure if the show will take the copout/romantic route and just have Burke say he accepts everything about her, or if it will stay true to the characters and have neat-freak Burke at least struggle with it and try to work out some kind of compromise (like he said earlier, he shouldn't be the one taking all the steps). In the past, the show has taken the real route, so we'll see.

I don't think the path for Alex and Izzy is quite clear. He's not back with the nurse. He also isn't over Izzy. I think he's having trouble because she's a real emotional attachment and relationship rather than his normal hookup. I don't know when, but I believe the show will deal with that at some point. They've gone a long way to set it up.

I'm glad to see McDreamy truly trying to save his marriage.

At some points, I felt the episode wasn't particularly strong, but then "You and Me" by Lifehouse kicked in and all was forgiven. I'm not sure where I've heard that song before, but it was on another TV show (If it was on the Roswell DVD's, that'd just be strange), and I got to know it solely from that. No matter what has occurred before, this show always seems to come together and end on the right note.
 

Patrick Sun

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I think Alex has anxiety issues when it comes to Izzy (due to not passing his boards and his fears of never passing them), and the anxiety extends to not being able to keep up in the doctoring department. But he finds comfort with the nurse because she has lesser expectations of him.
 

Shawn_KE

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I watch this show every now and then with my wife and maily because Katherine Heigl is pretty hot ;)

I always ask here why everyone on this show acts so weird? I know no couples that act like this. Like the Yang character getting a key. She keeps asking everyone what it is, why does she have it, why was it given to here, she wants to give it back blah blah.

Oh well, at least Heigl showed some skin in the episode :D
 

Patrick Sun

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Christina's been an over-achiever academically, with probably little in terms of romantic entanglements, so the key from Burke has thrown her for a loop.
 

Rhett_Y

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Great episode..... I was laughing pretty darn hard when I saw the look on Dr. Burkes face when he saw the "messy" apartment........ Too freaking funny.........

Good show........

R~
 

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