REVIEW: Season 11 premier of ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ is typical

With all of the new and returning shows coming this fall, the entertainment staff of the Bark have decided to express their excitement, anticipation, opinions, and sometimes disappointment for various shows. This is the first of a series of reviews about their favorite fall TV shows. From Grey’s Anatomy to American Horror Story, get ready for fellow fans to share how they laughed, cried, and fell in love with TV’s favorite characters.

WARNING: Contains Spoilers

From the death of loved ones, new interns, new staff, new management, and even a new name, Grey-Sloan Memorial Hospital has been through a lot.

Ever since 2005, the world has been in love with the doctors; the patients; and the hospital, previously known as Seattle Grace, of Grey’s Anatomy. After 10 seasons of the show, audiences are still bewitched by the drama, the love triangles, and the turmoil that always finds a way to follow the characters wherever they go.

The show started with a messy love connection between intern Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo) and resident neurologist Derek Shepherd (Patrick Dempsey) which got messier when Meredith found out Derek was her boss. As the show progressed, Meredith and Derek had an on-again-off-again relationship while trying to protect their careers and reputations around the hospital. Meredith made friends with the other interns – like best friend and “person” Cristina Yang (Sandra Oh) – and doctors. Meredith eventually became a resident doctor herself following in her mother’s footsteps despite her mother, star surgeon Ellis Grey’s (Kate Burton) illness and general cold heart.

All of the seasons and their finales leave viewers wanting more and season 10’s finale was no exception. It left Christina-lovers, like myself, heartbroken.

At the end of the season, Christina leaves the hospital to take over a research center in Switzerland leaving behind Meredith, all of their friends, and her ex-husband, chief of surgery Owen Hunt (Kevin McKidd), for whom she still has feelings.

This was a rather unsatisfying exit of my favorite character on the show, but I’m hopeful that she will be back sassier and better than ever.

The end of the season, as always, left off on a cliffhanger. In this case, the audience finds out that Ellis and Richard Webber (James Pickens Jr.) had an illegitimate child named Maggie Pierce (Kelly McCreary) who was selected as Christina’s replacement as head of cardiothoracics.

Like many other Grey’s season finales, this was predictable. After watching 10 seasons of a show, the writing and plot get unsurprising, so I knew a “shock” ending was in store.

As for the premier, the drama was foreseeable.

Meredith and Derek are still fighting over moving to D.C., and Callie and Arizona are second-guessing their decision to have a surrogate. While this is happening, Alex Karev (Justin Chambers) and Miranda Bailey (Chandra Wilson) are fighting over Christina’s seat on the board of directors for the hospital which she apparently left to Alex, which is not shocking considering she had never been that close to Bailey.

As for the half-sister situation, Maggie and Meredith get into an argument about a patient which results in a shouting match that is really about Meredith’s problem with her mother and Richard’s affair.

The episode ends with Derek announcing that he gave up his White House job, and Meredith gets furious because she knows that he will hold a grudge and blame her for giving up the opportunity of a life-time.

With all of the sameness, the writers are clearly running out of ideas for the show, but because of the popularity of the series, they are forced to continue recycling their ideas.

The Maggie-Meredith situation is exactly like the Lexie-Meredith situation. Back in season three, Meredith found out she had a half-sister named Lexie (Chyler Leigh) from her dad’s side. At first, Meredith treats Lexie with hostility but she grows to love Lexie. The cycle appears to be starting again with Maggie whom, so far, Meredith can’t stand. The idea for the half-sister was taken directly from season three with only a slight difference: Maggie is from Ellis’s side.

Derek’s decision to stay was also typical. By already losing Christina, the show wouldn’t get rid of more main characters on the first episode of the new season. Also, the show revolves around Meredith’s life, so without her, there wouldn’t be a Grey’s Anatomy.

This season is, however, going to be different from others. With my favorite character gone and the same old drama, I won’t be as enthused to watch the show, but for some reason, I find myself drawn back everytime Grey’s seems to disappoint me. Who knows, maybe this season will be the best yet. Watch Grey’s Anatomy Thursdays at 8 p.m. on ABC to find out.