Grey’s Anatomy is the best TV show ever. I mean it. M. and I have gotten attached to the characters and that only happens when a show is well-written and well-acted.
The two-episode finale last week (the aptly named Sanctuary and Death and All His Friends.)was almost too much to bear. Spoiler alert, if you haven’t seen it. I know everyone’s been agog with the way it all rolled out, and much has been written. But having watched the two-episode finale online yesterday, I can’t help but want to say a few things.
Bailey. She’s M’s favorite character. If she doesn’t nail an Emmy for her performance, well, it would be a shame. Her scenes let her run the gamut of emotions, more than any other character on the show. She was incredible. The moment when she begs for her life. Everything she did to try to save Charles’ life. And then, when there was nothing left to do, how she sat with him when he died. Well done.
While we didn’t see all that much of Charles this season, his final scene was gut-wrenching. His final speech, the “I know you don’t like me…” leading to his last words: “You were always my favorite doctor.” Brilliant writing. I loved Mandy Moore as Mary, the patient unwillingly drawn into the drama, and especially the moment when she stopped being hysterical and stepped up to the challenge of helping comfort Charles.
I love Bailey, but Cristina Yang‘s my favorite character. Watching her develop from a single tone into the multidimensional character she is today has been amazing. And she pulled out all the stops in this episode. What I like about Sandra Oh is that the audience can see all her emotions play out on her face. Wordless, but saying everything. Kudos to her.
As one of the only two Mercy Westers to survive the carnage, Jackson was the right pick. Not only is he incredibly hot, but he stepped up in Derek’s surgery and saved the day in a surprising manner. We can only expect more depth from this character next season. Owen doesn’t deserve Cristina; Jackson does.
I love Alex. Perhaps it was predictable that he was still in love with Izzy, but it was sad to hear him call out for her. Alex has everything going for him. Lexi belongs with Mark, but Alex? He belongs happy. I hope it happens for him.
The complexity the writers drew into these characters is what makes the show.
Callie and Arizona. Cute. Not that complex or believable, but cute. The Chief? he was the Chief. Derek? Not a fave of mine, either. He’s a lousy chief and always predictable. April is immature and not very likable right now.
What to say about Meredith? She may be the “lead” character but she was never a favorite of mine, either. Like Cristina, she was a monaural character for so damn long. This season, though, now that she’s happily married, she’s matured, started to be less whiny.
I read that her contract only goes two more seasons and it makes me nervous that the series will end then. We all know how TV shows go through their long dying process. Shows get stale. Story lines get wilder. Viewers drift away.
But Grey’s is a show we want to live inside of. We want those characters to be our friends. We want in on all the drama (as long as there’s a happy ending). When the end comes, I hope the show hasn’t already gone stale.
Kudos to the writing team for delivering a memorable finale. And even more so to each and every one of the actors who did such an incredible job with this ensemble finale. I predict Emmy nominations and I hope, some wins.
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