The first shift for new surgical interns Meredith, Cristina, Izzie, George, and Alex proves eventful and backbreaking.The first shift for new surgical interns Meredith, Cristina, Izzie, George, and Alex proves eventful and backbreaking.The first shift for new surgical interns Meredith, Cristina, Izzie, George, and Alex proves eventful and backbreaking.
- Nurse
- (as Lynn Marie Stewart)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThe cut scene of the sun rising in fast motion (midway through their 48 hour shift) is actually a shot of the sun setting in Norfolk, Virginia that is played in reverse to make it look like a sunrise. Look closely and you can see the cars are going backwards.
- GoofsWhen Dr. Grey first sees Dr. Sheppard for the first time in the hospital, while she speaks to Dr. Bailey you can see the legs of the cameraman in the glass next to the door.
- Quotes
Dr. Richard Webber: Each of you comes here today hopeful, wanting in on the game. A month ago, you were in med school being taught by doctors. Today... you are the doctors. The seven years you spend here as a surgical resident will be the best and worst of your life. You will be pushed to the breaking point. Look around you. Say hello to your competition. Eight of you will switch to an easier specialty. Five will crack under the pressure. Two of you will be asked to leave. This is your starting line. This is your arena. How well you play, that's up to you
- ConnectionsFeatured in The 57th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards (2005)
- SoundtracksPortions for Foxes
Written by Jenny Lewis and Blake Sennet
Performed by Rilo Kiley
Courtesy of Brute/Beaute
The main problem seems to be the fact that when you name a show after the leading character, said person should be a little out of the ordinary. Exhibit A: Buffy (and its spin-off Angel), Huff and, again, House - three programs featuring edgy, scarred protagonists who would like to make a difference but struggle to accept themselves. What does Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo) have that makes her so special? Nothing. Absolutely nothing. In fact, the Seattle Grace Hospital intern who got in because of her famous mother (Kate Burton) is the least interesting character of the first episode, and that's something that stuck for the rest of the inaugural season.
Not that the concept itself is bad: having Meredith endure a 48-hour shift on her first day at work and then realize her boss, Dr. Derek Shepherd (Patrick Dempsey), is actually the man she slept with the night before is a fun idea, if used the right way. Unfortunately, the right way is not blasting the viewer's ears with pseudo-philosophical reflections, told in a never-ending voice-over that is more often than not annoying: sure, it worked for Sarah Jessica Parker in Sex and the City or, staying in the medical field, Zach Braff in Scrubs, but those shows are funny and original - Grey's Anatomy, on the other hand, sets out to satirize the clichés of the genre, and succeeds admirably: the gallery of supporting characters is amazing, from the hard-working overachiever (Sandra Oh, the cast's standout) to the anxious momma's boy (T.R. Knight) via the strict supervisors (Isaiah Washington and Chandra Wilson). Shame creator Shonda Rhimes sacrifices their screen-time in favor of Meredith's pointless musings.
And yet I like the show. How come? Well, the writing gets sharper in later seasons, and so does the narrative impact of the surgical procedures (whereas Season One is a soap opera, with less operating tables and more sex); the supporting cast is perfect (Oh and Dempsey especially); and despite the overall uninspired narration the series never gets boring, courtesy of a pace that leaves no room for dead air.
In short: a polished, if rather shallow opening episode. It ain't E.R., but hey, no one ever said it had to be.
- MaxBorg89
- Feb 18, 2008
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Languages
- Filming locations
- Veterans Hospital - 16111 Plummer Street, North Hills, Los Angeles, California, USA(as Seattle Grace Hospital)
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro