Grey's Anatomy--Much More than a Sunday Night Drama

To go along with Candice's post on Elizabethtown, I too saw the effective power of voice overs in the episode of Grey's Anatomy. At the beginning of each episode, the narrator, Dr. Meredith Grey, sets up the theme of the episode with a short voice over. The episode is then concluded with another short voice over to tie in with the beginning theme. One of the things I've noticed about Grey's Anatomy is that each episode is set up like a mini-film with an overall idea and theme for each, plot and action that goes along with the theme, and background music that always fits perfectly with the on-going action. On last night's episode in particular, I noticed the use of camera angles during moments of intense emotional strain for the characters. The camera focused on each character's face during the dialogue, giving the viewer a more personal feel to make a connection with the character. The thing that impresses me the most with this series is that it could easily have become a stereotypical hospital show; however, Grey's Anatomy takes this to the next level by artistically representing a good drama with wit and philosophical themes. Discussing the mystical technique of "mise-en-scene" in class on Friday really made me apply this even to this television show, which to me is basically like a series of short films that tie in together with a common theme.

Nicole