Review: Grey's Anatomy - I Like You So Much Better When You're Naked
(S06E12) This episode of Grey's Anatomy reestablished Meredith as the core character of the show: she was the one who had to deal with Derek's problems with the chief, the aftermath of Alex and Lexie, Christina's driven nature, and had to console the chief. Fortunately for her, it was one of those weeks where she actually had the time to brush her hair.
I've gotten some criticism when I declined to watch the Private Practice crossover. After seeing this episode, I don't think that I needed to watch the crossover episode at all. Mark was devastated about Lexie, had sex with Addison because he was so depressed, and was upset that Lexie acted so immature. He quickly explains that in one minute. There goes that relationship.
Continue reading Review: Grey's Anatomy - I Like You So Much Better When You're Naked
Review: Grey's Anatomy - Blink
(S06E11) I'll be the first person to admit that I loved Addison on Grey's Anatomy, but I hate Private Practice. Whenever crossovers happen, I never watch the Private Practice half and yet the storyline isn't lost by me. It's one of those ABC ploys for me to watch another show, and I'm not having it. The episode did make me miss Addison. She melded perfectly into Seattle Grace with her interactions with Callie, Bailey, Mark, and Derek as if she wasn't a guest character.
Overall, the episode continued its strong, character-driven direction this season and felt like a return to the core characters with Bailey's frankness, Cristina's determination, and Meredith's stereotypical facial expression she gives.
Continue reading Review: Grey's Anatomy - Blink
Best TV of the '00s: Dramatic Actress
Television has always been good to the ladies. Actresses have flourished in dramatic series, and in the past decade, we've seen some amazing performances. There have been lawyers, cops, a U.S. president, nurses, doctors, judges, mothers, daughters and even a real housewife from New Jersey whose husband was in the waste disposal business.
Many of these women have already been honored with Emmys and Golden Globes... and now they get the recognition of TV Squad.
Here, then, without further vamping, the best dramatic actresses of the past ten years:
Continue reading Best TV of the '00s: Dramatic Actress
Review: Grey's Anatomy - Holidaze
(S06E10) In the last episode of 2009, Grey's Anatomy combines Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years all in one eventful episode. I'm still not in the holiday mood, but the show got me there, except for the fact that they played Christmas music on New Years. Christmas music should stay between Thanksgiving and Christmas.
What happened to Alex in this episode? This would probably be the hardest time for a husband who doesn't have his wife for their first Christmas together. Wasn't he invited to Christmas Dinner? At least Meredith could have mentioned that he was stuck at work?
Continue reading Review: Grey's Anatomy - Holidaze
Ask TV Squad: Chuck, Katherine Heigl and where to watch shows online
To submit questions to the "Ask TV Squad" column, you can post them below in comments or email them to asktvsquad@gmail.com.
This week, I answer questions about Chuck, Katherine Heigl, and where to legally watch shows online for the U.S. and Canada.
Continue reading Ask TV Squad: Chuck, Katherine Heigl and where to watch shows online
Review: Grey's Anatomy - New History
(S06E09) "According to Google, you don't exist" - Cristina Yang
We've reached a maximum capacity on Grey's Anatomy where all the billed characters showed up for a few seconds on the show then disappeared; even the bartender showed up. This left a lot of characters segregated to the side. Meredith returned and was out of the loop for most of the episode, stuck in a room practicing her craft on a plastic dummy.
We also found the return of Izzie and the introduction of a new cardio doctor, Dr. Teddy Altman. While I grew to like Teddy, I really wished that Izzie would just go home and never come back.
Continue reading Review: Grey's Anatomy - New History
Review: Grey's Anatomy - Invest in Love
(S06E08) This episode of Grey's Anatomy shows that Grey's can be strong without having a Grey sister (or Izzie) involved. All the other characters are strong on their own, and it's nice seeing Arizona evolve as a character. Sadly, these episodes will come to an end next week.
I still laugh that pagers are still the standard for communicating with doctors outside of work. It's interesting to see the doctors dreading the fact that they didn't get enough sleep.
Who thinks of throwing a surprise birthday party anymore? I guess I'd rather take the $25 million donation to the hospital.
Continue reading Review: Grey's Anatomy - Invest in Love
Review: Grey's Anatomy - Give Peace a Chance
(S06E07) This week's episode of Grey's Anatomy focused on Derek and evolved the character as someone that's not just McDreamy. The show should start with Patrick Dempsey talking more often. I didn't realize how mellow his voice was, though saying the words "calm," "quiet," and "peace" automatically sound calming. I hope he narrates a Disney movie soon.
If the show continues to be strong with character driven development per episode, I suggest keeping Meredith bed ridden. She's already forgiven her father and has strengthened her relationship with her sister. Let's evolve the rest of the one-dimensional characters while she stays in bed.
Continue reading Review: Grey's Anatomy - Give Peace a Chance
Grey's Anatomy works just fine without Izzie or Meredith
For the first time since the announcement of her temporary departure from the show, Katherine Heigl wasn't in this past week's episode of Grey's Anatomy and Ellen Pompeo, who's on maternity leave, was only featured in two very brief scenes that book-ended the hour.
The episode expertly blended the Seattle Grace docs with the Mercy Westers and featured a very cool Rashomon-esque story (CSI did the same thing a few years ago).
Continue reading Grey's Anatomy works just fine without Izzie or Meredith
Review: Grey's Anatomy - I Saw What I Saw
(S06E06) There were so many people on screen last week on Grey's Anatomy that I didn't even realize that Mark Sloan wasn't in the whole episode. Luckily for any Mark fan, he becomes an essential character when burn victims show up.
This week, one of many hotel fire victims dies because of negligence; everyone tells their side. The multiple perspectives became more and more difficult to keep up with, because the original Seattle Grace doctors defended each other, while the Mercy West doctors tried to throw any of the Seattle Grace doctors under the bus.
Continue reading Review: Grey's Anatomy - I Saw What I Saw
Grey's Anatomy: Invasion
(S06E05) We've finally reached the big merger episode of Grey's Anatomy. The orange doctors of Mercy West have invaded Seattle Grace Hospital. I can't get warmed up to all of the new characters that this show is shoving down my throat in one episode. All of them seem too pushy in a place where they're foreigners. If the show wants me to warm up to these Mercy West characters, they shouldn't act like dumb jocks or pushy girls with low self esteem.
In the end, the only losers are the patients that were being fought over. All of them went through hell because of the competition.
Continue reading Grey's Anatomy: Invasion
Does Justin Chambers have the best girly scream ever?
And there's still the issue of the Mercy West merger, which docs will get the axe, and the usual patient drama and staff angst. But what stood out for me happened in the first few seconds of this episode, when Alex stepped outside of Derek's trailer and came face to face with a bear. Alex screamed! The bear screamed! Everyone screamed! But mostly Alex!
I wonder how many takes it took for Justin Chambers to get that awesome girly scream. Or perhaps it was dubbed in? Whatever the case, it surely is one of the best TV screams I've heard in quite some time, and Michael agreed that Alex should get more storylines with funny situations.
What did you think of Alex's scream? Are there any others in recent TV history that even come close?
Grey's Anatomy: Tainted Obligation
(S06E04) I love how Grey's Anatomy can bounce between serious and hysterical moments. Old people wanting penile implants, bears attacking a groggy Alex, and a witty jab at CSI in the first ten minutes of the show counterbalanced with Mercy West drama, Christina being ignored, and Lexie's father arriving at the hospital hacking blood.
One interesting point that clears up one question is how much the residents make. According to Izzie, she and Alex barely make $30K a year. I'm not sure if that's combined or individual, but it makes me solidify why a) Lexie lives with Mark and b) Christina and Callie are still roommates.
Continue reading Grey's Anatomy: Tainted Obligation
Jane After Dark: Grey's Anatomy season five; Private Practice season two
I've been on board with Private Practice since the beginning, and was especially interested to see what happened with Violet and her baby in the season three premiere. Happy ending there, thank goodness! And while Grey's Anatomy has certainly ebbed and flowed since it began in 2005, I've stuck with it because I've grown to love the dysfunctional characters with all their baggage. It makes my life seem just that much better.
Grey's Anatomy, Season Five
There were parts of this season that drove me a little nuts, like Izzie having "mind-boggling sex" with dead Denny. That whole storyline made me want to jump off a roof, but there were plenty of highlights to the season, as well...
Continue reading Jane After Dark: Grey's Anatomy season five; Private Practice season two
Grey's Anatomy: I Always Feel Like Somebody's Watchin' Me
(S06E03) The paranoia kicked in on Grey's Anatomy with the fears of merging with Mercy West. Everyone was on pins and needles wondering whether or not they would get cut. Tonight's episode focused mostly on Lexie and Christina's reactions on how to guarantee themselves positions in Seattle Grace. I still don't see why they were worried because they are good at what they do and even if they got cut, they could easily find jobs.
We also see how much of a loving husband Alex is, being concerned for his wife's health and making sure that she takes her medications.
Continue reading Grey's Anatomy: I Always Feel Like Somebody's Watchin' Me