Drama post
I tried watching Grey's Anatomy when they first broadcasted it over here a few years ago, but tuned quite soon because of all the ContrivedDrama. A while ago,they started showing Private Practice and I tuned in because of (surprise) Kate Walsh. I enjoyed it and her, so when they reran Grey's, I decided to give it another chance.
Now, I just watched the latest PP episode (3x14) and am almost mid-season four on Grey's (4x11). There have been episodes on both series that almost made me stop watching.
The one where Addison and Alex 'get together', because really, she couldn't have honestly thought anything good would come from that. Also, Addison will always be infinitely cooler than him - and I actually do enjoy his brutally honest, goodhearted character.
Izzy has always been my least favourite character and always will be, but the whole thing with George made me want to gauge out my eyes and very nearly drove me away. George on the whole makes me uncomfortable no matter what he does, but at least his scenes are mercifully short since the SadSex with Mer.
Mer, I enjoy most of the time, or at least tolerate with little effort, but she's not why I keep watching.
Initially I kept watcing because of Addison (McSatan rocks dudes). She started out as a nice opposite of Mer and Izzy, an adult who screwed up and tried to fix her mistakes. But then they put her back together with Sloan and then Alex and though I still adored her, it was hard to see the writers turn her into this insecure, desperate girl. Because she's just infinitely cooler than that. Now, she's moved on to greener pastures, sort of.
So now, I watch for Cristina, who just kicks ass all around. If I would've gone into medicine as planned, I would've been more like her than like any of the others. Seriously. The current storyline with Hahn pisses me off a little because here's the one character who's actually completely focussed on her career, who loves being a surgeon more than anything else. Maybe not because she has an inane need to save patients, but because she loves operating more than anything else and wants to be the best at it. If I had to chose, she'd definitely be my surgeon. Alex and Izzy are constantly distracted by either sex or 'love' (or in Izzy's case, anything, really). Mer'd be my second choice. I also really love Cristina's friendship with Mer and the sort-of friendship with Callie.
Callie is another reason I'm watching, now that she's back to being kick ass. The romance with George didn't do her any favours, for sure. It was painful to watch, but she's back now and I'm really enjoying her friendship with Mark. I'm going to pretend all the stuff with George never happened. Trust me, if I could I would physically remove it from my brain.
Right now, I'm not so sure where I stand on Bailey. Sure she kicks ass and might just be the most awesome character on the show, but I just saw the episodes where she turns into a blithering idiot over some guy she knows from High School, and the one where her kid is injured and it's just not a pretty sight.
It's really by virtue of Callie, Cristina and surprisingly, Mark that I'm still hanging on, because I'm really loathing how the writers manages to turn each character into needy, sex/attention-seeking, whiny, unprofessional kids. In Bailey's words: 'Grow up, is my point'. Seattle Grace could be the only hospital in town, but when I need serious medical attention, I'm sure as hell not going there.
Private Practice suffers from the same illness. I like this show, adore Addison (and, of course, Kate Walsh), but come on! The latest episode was the first one that didn't make me cringe in a long time. I loved Addison/Pete and it's possible that's mostly because it prevents Addison/Sam. If that ever actually happens, there's a very good chance I'll give up on this show. Addison/Mark (again) came close to accomplishing that. I just don't get why they had to turn Addison into this whiny little girl who can't survive on her own and be happy as a single woman for a while. And I miss watching her kick ass in surgery.
Watching these shows is a guilty pleasure and sadistic torture at the same time. Parts I really love and other parts make me want to poke out my eyes and cut off my ears. It's an odd feeling for sure and it makes me miss The West Wing so damn much.
There's a show with solid writing, amazing, fleshed out and growing characters (hello Ms. Cregg!) and relationships that are actually realistic and nicely understated. Admittedly, I've never been a fan of CJ/Danny, or Josh/Donna but have to admit they worked better than any relationship I've seen so far on Grey's or PP.
My obsession with CJ / Allison Janney is eternal. That woman rocks on so many levels, Bailey's got nothing on her.
I will probably edit this thing after getting some sleep, but it's 4.30 am now, so I can't be arsed.