An Open Letter...

An Open Letter to Grey's Anatomy

 

Dear Grey’s Anatomy,

We need to talk. We’ve been apart this summer and it's given me some time to think. Things just don’t feel the same between us anymore, Grey's. I admit it took me longer than it should have to get to know you. For a while you were just a show my sister watched. Sure, I might have tuned in for a ferry crash or bomb scare, but those were novelty episodes. I didn't really get to know you, Grey's, until three summers ago. 

Ah that fateful summer when our relationship really exploded. Remember those late nights as I desperately searched for you on Megavideo? And then I finally broke down and got a Netflix account and things really began to heat up. I could watch you all night long, as many times as I wanted. Ours was a whirlwind romance, Grey’s. Five seasons in two months. You asked me to pick you, choose you, love you, and I did Grey's Anatomy, I did.

I’d never seen anything like you before Grey’s. I never told you this, but you were my first medical drama. And you were so good Grey’s. So sexy. So fresh. You had a young cast, hip music and a near-perfect balance of comedy and drama. There were patients to care about and romances to follow. Do you remember those days Grey’s? They seem so long ago. Back when Alex was a jerk and George loved Meredith. Back before Burke (Burke!) and Cristina were an item. Back when Bailey was called the Nazi and Meredith was dark and twisty. 

You took me places I’d never gone before, Grey's. You introduced me to Denny and just as quickly ripped him away from me. Then the interns Spartacus-ed it to save Izzie’s job and I fell in love with you all over again. You magically transformed Addison from a villain to a redheaded goddess. George got syphilis, Meredith got drunk, the Chief got sober. George performed heart surgery in an elevator, Cristina hid Burke's tremor, and Mark Sloan got a stupid McNickname. 

It hasn't all been fun and games Grey's. You made me cry harder than I've ever cried before. When George’s dad died, when Cristina lost her baby, when Bailey did her peds residency. You made me feel Grey’s. You melted my cold, cold heart and left me sobbing in my bed at 2am. But I loved you for that Grey’s, I loved you for making me feel in ways I didn’t think possible. 

You've done some other great things, Grey's. In an era noted for a gradual whitening of television, you feature an ensemble of powerful characters of many races and genders. And that’s a big deal Grey’s. You have one of the most diverse casts on TV and I love that about you. Even more importantly, you don't feel the need to define any of your characters based solely on their race. Bailey isn’t awesome because she’s black, she’s awesome because she’s Bailey. 

You’ve changed over the years Grey’s. You introduced new characters. Some, like Callie, I loved. Others, like Hahn, I hated with the passion of a thousand suns. There's no denying  things got weird sometimes. Like when Meredith died and went to limbo, or when Izzie was banging Denny’s ghost. Even though I didn't say anything, I noticed the weirdness. Izzie nursed a deer back to health, interns started doing surgeries on themselves, George and Izzie slept together (I know, I want to forget it too Grey's, but we both know it happened). But every time someone shouted "Get out of my OR!" or started a passionate declaration with "You don't get to..." I was sucked in all over again. I learned to love Lexie Grey and lusted after the Adonis-like Avery Jackson. I cried when George walked a cancer-striken-Izzie down the aisle to marry Alex. 

I think we can both admit that the past few years haven’t been your best. Sure Hunt is one of my favorite characters and Arizona is pretty adorable, but some of that initial spark is gone. Maybe because you keep killing people Grey’s. (Seriously, I think you should probably talk to someone about that). Denny, Ellis, George, Susan Grey, Reed, Charles. And if you don’t kill them, you banish them forever. Burke, Izzie, Teddy, Addison, Sadie, Ava/Rebecca. Where have they all gone Grey’s? 

This might be hard to hear, but I've thought about leaving. Like when Arizona went to "Africa." But then you gave me one of the most heart-racing two hours of television when that shooter took down the hospital Rambo-style. How could I leave you after that Grey's? You needed me. And I needed you too. 

Don't think it was easy for me to make it through that musical episode. I can tell you were as embarrassed by that as I was, but we've all made mistakes and I'm willing to forgive you. But this isn't just a one time thing Grey's. You seem determined to destroy everything I loved about you in the first place. Why is Kepner suddenly a religious-nut? Why would Owen cheat? Why does Cristina get pregnant every other episode? (Seriously has she never heard of birth control?) 

And that plane crash Grey's, what was that about? I know Lost was popular, but this is just making you look desperate. I admit, I liked last night’s episode more than I expected. The weird timeline reversal between this and the premiere may have robbed this episode of some tension but, hey, I can get onboard with some good-old-fashioned-dramatic-irony. You’re racking up some more deaths though, Grey’s, and that makes me nervous. It's only a matter of time before the hospital is subjected to a nuclear explosion and everyone turns into radiation-zombies who occasionally perform songs by The Fray. 

But you know what Grey's, I'd probably stick around for that too. Because no matter how hard you try to drive me away, I just can't abandon those plucky doctors of Seattle Grace. I picked you, chose you and loved you, Grey's, and you don't get to tell me when to stop watching. Now get out of my OR.