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| Grey's Anatomy; I have to admit I kinda love it | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Oct 21 2008, 04:31 PM (2,813 Views) | |
| abzug | Oct 21 2008, 04:31 PM Post #1 |
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In love with a prisoner
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I didn't see a Grey's Anatomy thread anywhere, but I apologize if there's somewhere it's being discussed already. Anyway, the show has been awesome in its depiction of a lesbian relationship this season. They seem to be building things up slowly, rather than treating the relationship like a fling or experimentation. I'm totally loving it, I guess because I love both the characters, and they actually seem believable as lesbians and as a couple. Plus Brooke Smith and Sara Ramirez are totally awesome, acting-wise. Here's a link to the pertinent scenes in this past week's episode: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zhVbBwsYUdo |
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| ekny | Oct 21 2008, 07:59 PM Post #2 |
In love with a prisoner
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I've been skimming the AE summaries, perhaps you could clear this up for me: was there no second episode this season, like... it didn't air bec of the debates? Or did AE just not summarize it or what? Mildly puzzled. --e |
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| abzug | Oct 22 2008, 01:40 AM Post #3 |
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In love with a prisoner
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The season premier was 2 hours long, so it counted as the first and second episode. Oh man, there have been some sneak peaks released for this upcoming episode which look super good. I am having such fun with this storyline! |
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| Jeanna | Oct 22 2008, 09:59 PM Post #4 |
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I said SIT IN THAT CHAIR
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I was looking forward to it from last season, but I have to say that so far I am unimpressed. These are supposedly mature women, and doctors besides. And they are behaving like silly schoolgirls who don't know the first thing about s-e-x. The euphemisms alone had me rolling my eyes and groaning. But, yes indeed, they are both very gay 'types' and quite believable in that regard, so maybe it's just coy heterosexual (?) writing that has been annoying me? I am glad there's something in this regard happening on u.s. prime time tv, but...compared to other similar love stories from other countries (including, at the top of the list, the one for which this board is named) and even a few of our own, I, so far, find this disappointing and rather regressive. |
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H&N Music Vid by me and ekny Something To Talk About YouTube My BG Music Vids On YouTube My vids You Tube removed Click Here OR HERE BAM for Beginners BAM Channel | |
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| ekny | Oct 22 2008, 10:13 PM Post #5 |
In love with a prisoner
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Nice call, I have to agree. These women are doctors, fer god's sake. They are rooting around through people's innards all day long. A bit of skin is really such a fuss it merits endless euphemism? I do enjoy Smith, she always looks like she's comfortable on the screen & comfortable inhabiting her characters, as well. I just can't put up with the rest of the show in order to watch her. I know a lot of people are newly-obsessed with this relationship, & am not getting it; maybe if I'd watched the first small twitches happening two years ago I'd be more invested & feeling vindicated &... like that? I also find myself wondering if part of the landscape is changing--the ability of people to watch online, follow threads/forums, and get (as Abzug says) juicy tidbits about forthcoming things in an ep... this seems much more pronounced than in the past, & much more interactive, for the viewers. So I'm wondering how much of the external stuff contributes, or contributes differently, than in the past, perhaps. Not sure ht phrase it. |
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| rivergal | Oct 23 2008, 02:07 PM Post #6 |
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Down the Block
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I'm hooked on Grey's Anatomy and find that some of its characters occupy my mind more than I might care to admit. Despite its cringeworthy moments (Meredith's sometimes-grating voice, George's mannerisms, lousy writing for Izzie last season, the boy-craziness of the women doctors), I can't help it. I've found Callie's character to be wonderfully complex, and am enjoying the slow build of her relationship with Erica. The pace is not unlike the sloooooooow development of the H&N story. What their relationship lacks, however, is that underlying chemistry and passion. Even when Helen was deeply in the closet, the pull was palpable. Rivergal |
| "You're a woman, innit?" | |
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| abzug | Oct 23 2008, 08:53 PM Post #7 |
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In love with a prisoner
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I have two thoughts about this: 1. The entire premise of Grey's Anatomy is that all the characters are in arrested development. They never became fully emotionally mature because they always had their heads in their books, studying to become doctors. So the adolescent behavior is just part of the show's style. For that reason, it doesn't bother me in the context of Callie and Erica's burgeoning relationship, because it's not like the lesbians act like adolescents while everyone else is mature and functional. 2. There's no other way they could have talked about oral sex on network tv at 9 pm. I mean, I think they went overboard, definitely, but on the other hand I love that Callie's anxiety was about SEX, and that it was so explicitly addressed (explicit even with the euphemisms).
Well, nothing compares to Helen and Nikki, truthfully. But when I think of other examples from American tv, including cable, I can't think of any I liked better. Kim and Kerry from ER were pretty decent, but too angsty for this day and age. I like that they're dealing with the angst of sexual identity with a light, humorous touch, rather than showing it as a huge trauma. That's progress, in my mind, not regression.
I don't think they have Helen & Nikki's chemistry, but I think they're chemistry is pretty good, when they're allowed to show it. The problem I see so far is that the show is focusing so much on their anxiety (Callie's in particular) that they get very few moments where they can just turn on the heat. The "second base" moment at the end of last week's episode was one, and I thought their chemistry was really strong. Same with the first 2/3 of the moving in scene, and the elevator voyeur scene.
The thing I've noticed is that there's been HUGE anxiety over at TWoP about what's going to happen tonight. It's like the board has worked itself into a frenzy, and the anxiety of others sort of feeds/fuels everyone else. As I was observing it and feeling it, I imagined that this might have been a bit what it was like to watch Bad Girls as season 3 was being broadcast. Viewers' hyper-sensitivity to some imminent betrayal of the relationship on the part of the writers, you know? For whatever reason, I think they're going to do right by these two, at least for the time being, so I'm not anxious about tonight.... |
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| ekny | Oct 23 2008, 09:14 PM Post #8 |
In love with a prisoner
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Abzug, I found your ability to put this in context really helpful. It doesn't change my gut reaction to the show, but it at least offers another framework from which I can try to get a handle on what's happening here, what everyone's so worked up about--cause I am having trouble both getting it but more to the point, buying it. All I can keep thinking is: 1) more lesbian viewers need to see Bad Girls, and 2) I feel like I'm watching Ashley & Spencer Go to Med School. So pointing out that *everybody* does in fact behave the same way helps. A bit. It doesn't lessen the hyper-soapy aspects of the show, or my irritation with the fact that these are supposed to be adults but the only adult I've seen is Hahn, OR the fact that their squeamishness about <gasp> sex, is pretty hard to credit when you figure they're elbow-deep in bloodNguts all day, every day, & boinking like bunnies is one of the things doctors do, in response to all that death & illness. (I'm not commenting on the pace of their relationship, just agreeing w/Jeanna abt the excessive euphemisms. I have trouble with that clip & I haven't pinpointed why: because we're all supposed to agree, & find it funny, I think--so lesbian sex is getting laughed at/mocked just a bit, in the way that humor can be coercive: sooo... sensitive a topic, how DO we talk about it kind of thing. I understand you to be saying: hey, network, at least they're talking. But... mm, not convinced, actually. It's a soap. You know Callie's gonna go back to boyz & Erica's gonna find someone new. No--wait, original plot-twist: Erica's gonna go back to boyz, broken-hearted, & Callie's gonna find a new babe. What is not going to happen is: both of these women deciding seeing women is an option that remains open for them in the future. So it falls under category: Experiment--and probably not even "bi". Which um, does seem likely to be problematic, either way.) Sorry, just meant to say: your post does help me contextualize the show w/in its own world, so for that, I'm grateful you started this thread, maybe I can learn something despite my feelings abt the show proper. Not sure: this show is fascinating in one way, which is that it is the only show in history (I can think of) that continually risks alienating every facet of its audience with the most self-absorbed, thoroughly unlikeable central character I've ever endured. Now that's daring & ground-breaking. Ok--bizarre, but.Also I'd love to hear more about how people respond, the growing-anxiety thing on TWoP you mentioned, frex, all of that--*that* phenomenon is & will continue to be very interesting to me. Thanks! |
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| abzug | Oct 23 2008, 09:28 PM Post #9 |
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In love with a prisoner
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Yeah, well, you might just not like the show. It's totally soapy and emotionally imature, but for whatever reason, this season it's got the right balance of humor, drama and angst for me. I hated hated hated it in S3 and most of S4 (I actually had dropped the show and only picked it up again at the end of S4 when I heard about Callie and Erica).I guess what I'm saying is, I normally don't like soapy shows, but I like this one. Perhaps it's because it's funny as well as soapy. Perhaps it's because it's so female-centric. Even if previously all the female characters were straight, their friendships with each other have always been a central focus of the show. In that way it's not totally unlike Bad Girls.
Well, that goes without saying! |
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| ekny | Oct 23 2008, 09:37 PM Post #10 |
In love with a prisoner
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I tend to stop watching when shows go outside the parameters of what I think is credible inside the world they've set up. So I stopped watching after it became clear Izzy would *not* get fired for her behavior with Noble Dying Guy even though it was beyond over the top & into insane/professionally-liable/seek.help.now. I did admire the show right from the start for simply assuming, in this multi-racial world of the hospital, that everyone running the place was not-white. (It was the single praiseworthy point I could find about 24, a show I deeply hate, as well: that they showed a black man being president--and presidential--was politically quite important. It was clear then, & I'd argue it's damn clear now. )
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| abzug | Oct 23 2008, 09:58 PM Post #11 |
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In love with a prisoner
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I don't believe this is the inevitable outcome, actually. In many ways, they've been privileging this relationship, and I think it could be one which lasts until the show is cancelled. I don't know if you noticed in their date scene, but in the wide angle shots you can see that the table, the two women, and two flower arrangements behind them all together form the shape of a heart. And then within the heart is this white-haired old couple. That's not the kind of symbolism you use on a couple that's just experimenting in the short term.
That's about when I stopped watching too. The good news is, they're bringing this storyline back, because in a couple weeks, Hahn is going to find out what Izzie did, and be PISSED because her patient lost the heart due to Izzie's insane behavior. I can't wait to see that shit hit the fan. |
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| solitasolano | Oct 23 2008, 10:00 PM Post #12 |
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I'm on of them...a youtube fan...but hey w/o youtube I would never have been able to explore Bad Girls at my own speed and decide it was even better than I had heard. So now I follow this "Callrica" thing. Any where do I follow it at?....youtube. I don't follow regular tv ....couldn't tell you what day and time anything is on (although punch line to follow below). I'm in the "enough of Callie being all...." group. It's not like she's never had an intimate relationship before....(well I'm guessing as of course, I've never watched the show). I'm also with the....wtf....happened after the Callie initiated kiss at the end of last season; what's the time line; how'd they part from the restaurant and decide what to do; what is we did it "sort of"...you know, the details. I know from working on tv that anything over 60 seconds is a long scene for this type of drama/soap. All the complaints notwithstanding, I'll be following along with the highlights (abzug, thanks for starting the thread as I only allow myself to be a tvwp lurker. LOL...since I never had the pleasure of Season 3 BG angst....think I'll be making an exception for one night and watch an episode...that is if I didn't miss it....see, what day? what time? One last question: are doctors in hospitals really all this female, young, and beautiful? |
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| molsongrrrl | Oct 23 2008, 10:08 PM Post #13 |
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G2 landing
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I have to agree ... Grey's Anatomy certainly has its soapy elements, but it's the humor that always keeps me interested (that and the soundtrack). I think the Callie/Erica pairing will go pretty far - though naturally with bumps along the way (it wouldn't be a soap without that)! I think the actresses have some chemistry - although they haven't been given full opportunities to show it ... its been there here and there (esp during the kiss in the last ep last season and the second base comment at the end of last week's ep). As to them acting like teenagers or something ... I'd agree its a bit annoying, but that's Grey's. All of the characters are pretty immature in their lives outside of work. So at least in that way, the writers aren't just having the potential lesbian pairing act immaturely ... its pretty much everyone! I was not impressed with this show when it first started - it seemed like we'd seen all these same situations with new doctors countless times before and then at the end of the first season - beginning of the second season ... I was hooked. I haven't given up on it yet ... though I have been sorely tempted at times. This season, the show seems to have its mojo back (at least for now) and I'm very happy about that.
Hee that's a funny question. And one of the biggest complaints about this show - esp on forums like TWoP. We have NO idea what the timeline is and even if you try to figure it out ... it makes no sense! You just sort have to go with the flow and not think about things like that! |
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| Jeanna | Oct 23 2008, 10:24 PM Post #14 |
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I said SIT IN THAT CHAIR
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All interesting points. Thanks for all the insight. It just doesn't 'speak' to me and I doubt it will, but I am interested on where they're going to go with it. This is a question that has nothing to do with the lesbian storyline. I watched the season premiere (and really the only thing I liked about it was scottish actor Kevin McKidd's gonzo over-the-top masochistic soldier medic) and...can someone tell me what was up with Sandra Oh being impaled by the icicle (shades of Fenner!) and...it never melted! Not from body heat, or from the heat of the room in her hosp. bed... Is there some scientific principle that I missed that would allow that to happen? It seemed like it went on and on for a good part of the episode...and there was still that damn icicle sticking up from her ribcage. Is this 'magic realism'...? 'Poetic license?' I thought it was a dream sequence at first. |
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H&N Music Vid by me and ekny Something To Talk About YouTube My BG Music Vids On YouTube My vids You Tube removed Click Here OR HERE BAM for Beginners BAM Channel | |
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| molsongrrrl | Oct 23 2008, 10:28 PM Post #15 |
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G2 landing
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Ah yes ... the never melting icicle ... yet another HOT topic on TWoP! It was not a dream sequence (except for when she thought about her and Meredith when they were old) ... so apparently it was a really special kind of icicle. My sister and I laughed everytime they should her with that thing still sticking out of her! |
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Not sure: this show is fascinating in one way, which is that it is the only show in history (I can think of) that continually risks alienating every facet of its audience with the most self-absorbed, thoroughly unlikeable central character I've ever endured. Now that's daring & ground-breaking. Ok--bizarre, but.
It's totally soapy and emotionally imature, but for whatever reason, this season it's got the right balance of humor, drama and angst for me. I hated hated hated it in S3 and most of S4 (I actually had dropped the show and only picked it up again at the end of S4 when I heard about Callie and Erica).


8:45 AM Jul 11