Too Much Drama

When someone asks me what my favorite TV shows are, there are some that I am definetly excited to tell them about. (30 Rock, The Office, The Daily Show, etc.) But there are some shows that don't really have the reputation for being very... good. I hesistate to even list these shows in fear that somehow my non-existent reputation will plummet.  One show in particular that I would like to talk about is Grey's Anatomy. Let me just start off with saying this show is not that bad.  Many of the actor's have been nominated and won Emmy's, Golden Globes, Screen Actor's Guild Awards, and more.  Okay, so maybe the writing seems a little too soap opera-y, but it definetly has it's ups and downs.

For anyone who loves drama, cheesy or not, should watch at least one episode of Grey's Anatomy.  Each season  has crisis, after crisis, after crisis.  There is no relent! This fictional hospital has had patients with bombs inside of them, a mass murder shooting, and several of the surgeons suddenly die or vanish (many of them shot, George gets hit with a bus, Izzie gets cancer and almost dies but then dissapears, and Burke and Hahn also just dissapear from the show).

So why do people like this show? Why I do like this show? After not watching this show all summer I began to ask myself that question.  That is until I watched the season premiere, and everything came back. It's drama.  It may be corny, but I honestly I start crying in almost every single episode.  And the thrill! I mean come on! The things these fake surgeons have to do is pretty intense, it does make for a very exciting and somewhat addicting show.

The writers definetly know how to appeal to their audience. They know they aren't writing to people who are analyzing it or validating it. No, their audience are people like me who solely watch it for the adventure it takes  them on. Whether it's the fast changing romances, the quick-paced emergencies, or just the whole story line going on a roller coaster, it's pretty exciting.

But at some point we must ask is there too much drama? Does this show really need to have some freak accident killing thousands every episode, or can it survive with just day to day hospital problems.  I think it's a little bit of both.  Look at the show House for example.  They rarely ever have huge disasters that Grey's Anatomy periodically has, and yet they are just as or even more successful.  But there are other conflicts that don't have to do with the hospital but instead are surrounded by House's narcissistic, pill-popping life.  So it's more like half and half.

Apparently for dramas to succeed these days there has to be some thrill. It may be a little unbelievable, but it's what gets the viewers.  If all dramas were about normal things that happen on a day to day basis, I'm pretty sure they would be a lot less successful and popular as they are today.