Stars: Ellen Pompeo, Patrick Dempsey, Sandra Oh, Katherine Heigl, Justin Chambers

Director: Peter Horton

Summary: For viewers bored or distressed by the constant gore and breakneck speed of hospital dramas like ER, GREY'S ANATOMY comes as a breath of fresh air. Unlike other shows set in the world of medicine, this series is just as concerned with its characters' personal lives as with their medical careers, and thrives by stressing the way in which they intertwine. After all, for surgical interns who have chosen to dedicate their lives to medicine, the hospital largely becomes their home. Extremely well-written, the series mixes serious issues like mortality with funny storylines and wit. Each character is well developed and individualized, coming off as real rather than a stereotype. The relationships between the characters are what make the show unique, with interesting bonds developing like the one between vulnerably hardheaded Christine (Sandra Oh in an Emmy Award-winning role) and the show's main protagonist Meredith (Ellen Pompeo). Self-pitying, stubborn, selfless, and determined all at the same time, each character plays a crucial role in the show's pleasing ensemble feel. Rather than standing on its own, each medical challenge sheds some light on the doctors' personal experiences, bringing the hospital environment to a refreshingly relevant level. While the series may not be the most realistic medical drama on television, it is certainly the most compelling and entertaining, containing such juicy plotlines as love triangles, affairs between coworkers, and secret crushes and romances. A thoughtful soundtrack full of indie artists like Rilo Kiley helps give the show its youthful tone, while narration by Ellen Pompeo's character highlights each episode's themes, helping to bridge the gap between the show's lighthearted issues and more somber ones. This release contains every episode from the show's highly addictive first season.

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Just when you wanted to say "Oh no, not another hospital drama," Grey's Anatomy turns into one of the most addicting series on television. With no big stars and no hype, the ABC series debuted last spring as a mid-season replacement and became a bonafide smash in its nine-episode season.

The series, a hybrid of House's medical detectives and Dawson's Creek's hormones and catchy pop-rock soundtrack, follows five competitive surgical interns at the fictional Seattle Grace Hospital. There's optimistic ex-model Izzie (Katherine Heigl), bumbling do-gooder George (T.R. Knight), competitive glacier Cristina (Sandra Oh), cocky womanizer Alex (Justin Chambers), and the show's namesake, Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo), whose medical career is complicated by her famous surgeon mother who now lives with Alzheimer's, and her frowned-upon relationship with another surgeon, Derek Shepherd (Patrick Dempsey, enjoying the best career revival since Rob Lowe). The doctors juggle romance and foster friendships while trying not to stab each other in the back over surgeries.

Grey's Anatomy's first season, while entertaining, went a little far trying to find its groove, overdosing on Meredith's overly simplistic voice-overs ("At the end of the day... faith is a funny thing"), and musical montages. It has the usual trappings of a hospital drama (unusual cases, such as the patient with the 70-pound tumor, and trysts in the on-call room), but with more warm fuzzies and light touches.

Pompeo, who can sound just like Renee Zellweger if you close your eyes, is likeable but not strong enough of a presence compared to her co-stars. Luckily the quirky dialogue and stellar acting by the ethnically diverse cast, particularly by Chandra Wilson (Dr. Bailey, aka "the Nazi") and Oh, who won a Golden Globe for best supporting actress, more than make up for it. --Ellen A. Kim

Main Language:	English
Region:	Region 2
Year:	2005
Release Date:	July 10, 2006
Certification:
Catalogue Number:	B U A 0023301
Keywords:	Season, Comedy, General, Anatomy, Tv, Drama, Grey's
Genre:	Drama