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Post by betinad on Mar 31, 2011 22:08:20 GMT -5
The Grey's Anatomy Musical Event: Was It Perfect Harmony, Or a Bit Off-Key?[The following story contains spoilers from this Thursday's episode of Grey's Anatomy.] Can Chyler Leigh sing every week? That was one of my main takeaways from the Grey’s Anatomy Music Event, which sought to merge medical drama with (spoiler alert!) music. The hour picked up instantly with the car crash that closed last week’s episode, deployed airbags and all. While Arizona summoned help, we saw Callie (bear with me here) “exist outside of her injured self” to survey the damage and then segue into the night’s first song, Snow Patrol’s “Chasing Cars.” That number was delivered as the distraught Seattle Grace team greeted the ambulance carrying Callie and (relatively unscathed) Arizona, with characters taking turns with the tune. By and large, that was the pattern for the episode. Set up a sequence of drama, introduce a song, then let the doctors have at sections of lyrics — not actually singing there in the OR, mind you, but setting a mood and at times underscoring a theme with the sung words. I’m not here to detail the song list, or who sang what. In addition to Leigh, Kevin McKidd, no surprise, reminded us of his dulcet tones. Ellen Pompeo’s pipes were pleasant enough. Kim Raver… listened well to Scott Foley. Filed under Whoa!: Justin Chambers’ rockin’ style seemed short-changed, time-wise. (Rachael Taylor, meanwhile, made for a fine music video-caliber writher.) Sara Ramirez’s vocal stylings were, of course, stellar and on par with what we want from a Tony winner. I want to think that her closing number — a performance of “The Story” that started slow and built into a robust, plaintive and melodious bid for mercy — somehow qualifies for a Grammy and Emmy in one fell swoop. (Someone check the rule book on that.) When all was sung and done, here are the story points that were covered: * Mark and Arizona made peace, with him recanting a very angry and pointed outburst lobbed at his baby mama’s lady love upon her arrival at the hospital. “You’re not nothing,” he mea culpa’d. “We have a kid together. You’re a mom; I’m a dad.” * Jackson tried to cut bait and get out of his “thing” with Lexie while the gettin’ was good, having seen her react to Mark throughout the drama: “I’m not the sort of guy who waits around for a girl still in love with someone else.” Lexie, though, waved him back to her side, saying, “Let’s go home.” Aww. * Teddy severed her teacher-student relationship with Cristina — zzzzz. Cristina and Owen, like, totally went at it – !!!!!!! But beyond Callie’s “wake-up” song at the end there, the most moving moment had Meredith breaking down (as Shonda Rhimes previewed for us) as she admitted to being “jealous of Callie, because she got pregnant without trying. And we try. The universe says, ‘Screw you, Meredith,’ and gives Callie a kid… and then puts her through a windshield. What the hell is going on?!” Derek sought to soothe his Post-It wife with the words, “I will make sure we have a baby, one way or another.” And you believed him. www.tvline.com/2011/03/greys-anatomy-musical-event-reader-reviews/
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Post by betinad on Mar 31, 2011 22:56:46 GMT -5
‘Grey’s Anatomy,’ Season 7, Episode 18, ‘Song Beneath the Song’: TV Recap If “Glee,” and “E.R.” had a baby it would be tonight’s episode of the medical drama “Grey’s Anatomy” titled “Song Beneath the Song.” The staff at Seattle Grace had a patient that was one of their own. That tends to happen a lot at this hospital. After a car accident sent Callie Torres through a windshield, the pregnant orthopedic surgeon spent much of her time on the operating table and floating around the hospital singing lite rock and pop as the staff fights to save her life and the life of her unborn child. And, of course, at one point everyone sings “How to Save a Life.” We’re not joking. It happens. At least nobody sang “Calling Dr. Love.” Due to Mark Sloan’s relationship to Callie (he’s her best friend and the father of her child), Dr. Webber won’t allow Mark to be a part of the surgical team. He is forced to sit this one out as the mother of his child bleeds on a gurney on her way to surgery. But Mark only agrees if he’s allowed to be in the room. The drama is packed on thick in the first seven minutes of the drama. And, the reaction on Twitter was mixed. A sample of the tweets: Glee meets Grey’s Anatomy and I underwhelmed…I’m alone? This stupid and I don’t want my doctor to start singing at my next appt…#imdone
Did you guys just see that? #GreysAnatomy just jumped the shark #smh
I’m really liking #greysanatomy…but I like musicals…I feel like I’m watching a Broadway medical drama
The doctors are unable to agree on what to do about Callie’s condition. The doctors sing to Callie as she’s being wheeled to surgery. It’s unclear if she was crying from the pain or the sound of their voices, which were equally painful. Callie survives, for now, and is sent up to the ICU while the doctors worry about pre-term labor and other complications that could crop up. Mark finds a place on the stairs and cries “She’s my best friend.” Oh, McSteamy. A hole in the heart leads to a dispute outside the operating room as the staff tries to figure out what to do. (Happily, nobody sings Cyndi Lauper’s 1988 song “Hole in My Heart (All the Way to China)” )Arizona and Sloan try to make a decision for Callie. The two lash out at each other. When Arizona calls Mark a sperm donor, he calls her “nothing.” (Sadly, he doesn’t break into Prince’s “Nothing Compares 2 U.”) Why are we even talking about the baby? Mark wonders. The father is more concerned with his best friend than the life of the unborn child and says, What’s her life going to be like if she’s dead? When Callie’s vitals take a turn for the worse, the medical staff ends up back in the operating room. The staff gets a pulse back from Callie and attempt to save her 1 pound baby daughter as The Fray’s “How to Save a Life” plays in the background. We told you that was going to happen. Everybody drink! After the miraculous life saving day, Mark apologizes to Arizona for his earlier behavior.“You’re not nothing,” says Sloan. “We have a kid together. You’re a mom. I’m a dad. I’m sorry.” On the elevator Meredith opens up to Dr. Shepherd declaring through tears she was jealous of Callie for being able to get pregnant without trying. Is there a reason for this, asks Meredith, in an attempt to understand how the universe could be mean enough to not give her a baby and throw Callie through a windshield. Arizona shares the news about the birth of her one pound daughter. And, by the end, like any musical, Callie opens her eyes and agrees to marry Arizona. “Spider-Man Turn Off the Dark,” meet “Grey’s Anatomy: The Musical.” Some of the songs from tonight’s episode: Kate Havnevik’s “Grace” Snow Patrol’s “Chasing Cars” Anna Nalick’s “Breath (2AM)” Get Set Go’s “Wait” Jesus Jackson’s “Running on Sunshine” KT Tunstall’s “Universe & U” The Fray’s “How To Save a Life” Brandi Carlile’s “The Story” What did you think of tonight’s episode? Leave your thoughts in the comments. blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2011/03/31/greys-anatomy-song-beneath-the-song-tv-recap/?mod=google_news_blog
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Post by betinad on Apr 1, 2011 0:19:44 GMT -5
WRITERS BLOG ----------------------------- HOW AND WHY WE DID THIS: So, on about the third day of filming the pilot episode of Grey’s Anatomy (way back before it was even called Grey’s Anatomy, back when it was called The Untitled Shonda Rhimes Pilot), I turned to exec producer Betsy Beers and said, “I can’t wait to do a musical episode of this show.” See, I have this wild obsession with musicals and an unhealthy love of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer musical and also, I’m a geek. Which is why I said it. “I can’t wait to do a musical episode of this show,” I said. And Betsy, who is wise and funny and wry, just nodded. “Okay,” she said. And we went back to watching Patrick Dempsey pretend to do brain surgery. One hundred forty-four episodes and seven and a half years later, we began filming the Grey’s Anatomy Music Event. Explaining what the heck took us so long is too complicated to go into here. There are a lot of reasons – I was busy telling other awesome stories at Seattle Grace, I got a second show (what up, Private Practice peeps!), I was raising my tiny human, my musical talent involves oboe-playing and nothing else, the network thought it was the dumbest idea they’d ever heard of and refused to do it. And, oh yeah, one other thing: I had no idea how we would do it. So I forgot about my musical episode dreams. Then a thing happened in Season Four of the show. The Writers Guild of America went on strike. Which meant that, instead of writing my TV show inside my studio office, I carried a picket sign up and down the street in front of my studio office. It also meant that I got worried. About the crews who work hard on TV shows and movies. I got worried about how they would pay their bills. And so a bunch of us at Private Practice and Grey’s Anatomy got together and decided to throw a benefit concert to raise money for the crews. I stood backstage at this concert and I listened to members of both of my casts sing (Audra McDonald, folks, she has four Tony Awards and the chick can BLOW -- buy a ticket and hear the woman sing sometime). Sara Ramirez closed the benefit. And when she opened her mouth, she brought the house down. I know people say that – brought the house down. It’s a thing people say. But Sara Ramirez (who has a Tony of her own) BROUGHT THE HOUSE DOWN. She’s a superhero. Singing is her super power. Now, most of us have a super power. Dempsey has that twinkle in his eye. Also, he can juggle. And babies, all babies, every baby in the world, ALL BABIES love him. It’s amazing how much babies love him. They just stop crying when he’s around and stare at him and smile. It’s awe-inspiring. The man commands the hearts and souls of babies. He’s a baby-mesmerizer. If I ever have another baby, I am going to bring her to work and hand her to Patrick and walk away for hours at a time. She will be the happiest baby in the world. I’m telling you, every baby in the world seems to get that he’s McDreamy. Super. Freaking. Power. But I digress. Anyway, most of us have super powers. But not a lot of us have super powers that involve opening our mouths and having God come out. I’m not a big God person but that’s really the only way to describe what happens when Sara sings. God, or whatever you want to call the magic of the universe, comes out. You know who else has that super power? Chyler Leigh. And she didn’t even know she had it. Also Kevin McKidd. Who knew he had it but is all Scottish and humble and didn’t reveal it. Also Justin Chambers. Who is just so cool that it makes sense that he has it. Also Chandra Wilson. Who has it but gets nervous when she has to sing. Also- You see my point. Our bench is deep. (It is also deep on Private Practice, scary deep, shockingly, brilliantly deep, but I’m talking about Grey’s here so I’ll save that for when I meet you and you ask me about it.) Anyway, it was Season Four and we hadn’t met Kevin McKidd yet and I still hadn’t come up with an idea for a musical episode and I still only play the oboe and the network was still saying no. But it made me think about it again. It made all the writers sit around and say, “We wish we could do a musical episode of Grey’s Anatomy.” Two more seasons went by and…nothing. Then at the very beginning of Season 7, I said to the writers that Callie should get pregnant with Mark Sloan’s baby and that it should be complicated and horrible and really upset Arizona. And suddenly, I knew what the musical episode should be about. So I started begging people. I begged the studio people. I begged the network people. I took these people to dinner and begged. I jumped out at these people in bathrooms and begged. And they all smiled politely but what they were clearly really thinking was, “This woman is an idiot.” So I did the only thing I could think of. I got Tony Phelan (one of our writers, as you know, but also a great big musical theatre geek like me only he has real musical theatre talent) to help me. I also got Chandra and Sara and Kevin to help me. And then I dragged all of the studio and network executives in to work on a Saturday. Sandra Oh showed up to be our cheerleader. There was an amazing band. And in front of the studio and network execs (who are all very nice and very smart but clearly thought I might be a Grade A Idiot), we threw a great big concert. I pitched my idea and Chandra and Kevin and Sara sang. And God came out of their mouths. And the studio and the network stopped thinking I was an idiot and they said yes. Seven and a half years. One hundred and forty-four episodes. We started rehearsals a full four months before we filmed – unheard of for our show. We usually prep a show for eight days. Sara Ramirez was the one who gave me the idea that we should sing the songs our show had made famous. Tony Phelan was the one who directed the episode. The entire writing staff helped me make the script make sense. Bossy McBossy Rob Corn never once complained about how overbudget we were. The crew went all in, leaping off this crazy cliff of music with us. And every single member of the cast got excited and came together like the family they are to do this right. Even Pompeo. Who is funny and kind and who has never once hesitated to do any of the crazy things I write for Meredith to do but who was also a little worried I might have turned into an idiot. She came up to me after the table read for the episode and said, “This is amazing. I want to sing more!” And when I walked on stage and watched the episode being filmed, I felt like it was worth every minute of begging to get it done. I hope you think so too. “I can’t wait to do a musical episode of this show,” I said way back then. And Betsy nodded. And now we have done it. On Monday (yes, just this past Monday) I stood on the mixing stage, watching the final playback of the musical episode on a giant movie screen (and boy, how I wish you could see it with surround sound on a movie screen), and then I went to Betsy and I said, “I can’t wait to do another musical episode of this show. I want to see Ellen Pompeo sing Rilo Kiley.” And Betsy nodded. So now I have another dream to dream. I kind of like to think that dreaming is my super power. That or oboe playing. But nobody likes it when I play the oboe so, you know, I’m gonna go with dreaming. Thank you so much for watching. I mean it. My gratitude is large and my appreciation is limitless. www.greyswriters.com/2011/03/shonda-rhimes-on-song-beneath-the-song.html#comments
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Post by betinad on Apr 1, 2011 1:22:25 GMT -5
Grey's Anatomy Musical Episode Redux: Singin' Through the Pain Grey's Anatomy has taken us on some wild rides before (remember when Izzie's brain tumors made her have sex with dead Denny?), but the episode, "Song Beneath the Song," might be the most extreme outing of the show to date, as a near-death experience opened the door to doctors breaking out in song at Seattle Grace Mercy Death. So can Callie (Sara Ramirez) and her baby survive a musical? Strap on your seatbelts, suspend your disbelief and find out what went down on the big musical extravaganza Grey's Anatomy: The Music Event. WHAT WE LEARNED Welcome to the Other Side: We were going to make an off-color joke about diving headfirst into this episode—but that would be in poor taste, right? As good TV addicts we watch a lot of bloody CSI-type shows, but nothing could prepare us for the bone-chilling image of poor Callie lying bloodied and broken on the hood of the car. Yikes. Honestly, we could have gone our whole lives without seeing that. Chills, They're Multiplyin'~ There is usually a lump of ice and cynicism where our heart should be, but we'll admit we got chills when Lexie (Chyler Leigh) sang "Breathe". There's been a lot of talk about Sara Ramirez's awesome pipes, something about a Tony, but we are going to give tonight's rookie award to Chyler Leigh. She can sing and while her best notes may have been the backdrop to a melodramatic search for Mark Sloan (Eric Dane), it was sweet and awww, Lexie doesn't hate him. There's your hope, Mark-Lexie shippers. Hold on to it, because even though this episode is all Callie-trauma-focused, coupledom dramz doesn't get left behind. Callie Versus Baby: We understand that Mark and Arizona (Jessica Capshaw) are stressed and under a lot of pressure but their fighting was truly awful. Fighting over saving the baby or Callie? Mark saying that he and Callie can hook up later? All while Callie lies unconscious in the other room?! We like to believe that that argument was in the deep bleeding broken recesses of Callie's mind because at that point we would have been happy to toss both Arizona and Mark off a cliff and save Callie and the baby instead. Floating Cloud Roadtrip Redux: Need a break from all the tears and stress? Good. So did Callie so of course she imagines an intermission where all her coworkers got in on, in grand Grey's Anatomy fashion. Kinky Callie, kinky. That whole interlude was really bizarre. Let's stop talking about it. O Cruel World: When it comes to babies, Meredith has been seeing jealous green, not pink or blue. We think maybe Meredith should lay low and not tempt fate. We mean really, does she know what show's on? P.S. Did anyone else think that when Derek (Patrick Dempsey) they would have a baby that he might steal one? Our brains might have crossed over to super-dramatic mode somewhere during this episode. Still, we get the vibe that Mer-Der might become parents through some other means than pregnancy. We see an adoption storyline coming. Gross Fake Babies: Sorry. Spoiler Alert: Gross fake babies. We can take branch hands and a two-by-four in the skull like it's nothing, but gross fake babies creep us out. It's one of our continuing problems with Grey's Anatomy, they freak us out with their tiny gross fake baby hands and rubbery skin. We guess you can't find good one-pound premature baby actors in this town. Huh. Anyway, welcome to the world, Baby Torres-Robbins-Sloan! Your daddy and mommies love you. And hopefully Mark and Arizona have finally buried the hatchet and not in one another. Sara Ramirez is a Pretty Good Singer: Ha. That was our understatement for the night. We admit it we cried through the final minutes of the episode while Sara Ramirez belted out "The Story" and the song might be already downloading from iTunes. But the real tears came when Callie woke up and said "Yes" to Arizona's pre-accident proposal. There's nothing like a baby and a life threatening accident to bring a couple together. WHAT'S TO COME Cardio Catfight: Cristina (Sandra Oh) and Owen (Kevin McKidd) might not be arguing about future babies, the big Chief Resident decision looming and Cristina and Teddy on the outs it'll likely put Owen in the middle of a cardiac catfight. Torn Between Two Lovers: While the musical may have revealed Lexie's often present feelings for Mark, she still went home with Dr. Pretty Eyes Avery; if you haven't read it yet, we spoke to Chyler Leigh about the upcoming Lexie-Mark-Jackson triangle drama in the episodes to come. And Baby Makes Four: Judging from the next episode promo, one pound Baby Torres-Robbins-Sloan is not out of danger yet. Come on, wee micropreemie. You can do it! We've been talking about the Grey's Anatomy: The Music Event for months now, so did it live up to you expectations, or are you going straight over to DVR DOA to file a complaint? Did the music heighten the emotion, or just distract from what could have been a pretty respectable medical story? Hit the comments to rant or rave! www.eonline.com/uberblog/watch_with_kristin/b234096_greys_anatomy_musical_episode_redux.html?cmpid=sn-000000-twitterfeed-365-kristin&utm_source=eonline&utm_medium=twitterfeed&utm_campaign=twitterfeed_kristin&dlvrit=51396
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Post by betinad on Apr 1, 2011 11:13:08 GMT -5
'Grey's Anatomy' Musical Episode: What the Critics Are Saying One writes "the concept works," while another derides the stars' "painful voices." ABC aired its much-anticipated Grey's Anatomy musical episode Thursday night. Twitter was mixed on the show -- which featured Tony winner Sara Ramirez (Callie Torres) having an out-of-body experience after a serious car accident, causing her and the doctors to sing during surgery. But what did the critics think? "Overall, the concept worked since music really has always played a big part in the show. Some songs were more appropriate and/or better performed than others, though," opined blogger Nicole Golden on TVfanatic.com. "During surgery, the whole cast sang 'How to Save a Life' by the Fray while operating. The song seemed perfect for the particular scene, although it was a little weird that the doctors were singing from behind their masks," Golden added. "One of the stranger moments in the episode involved a flashback to the car scene pre-crash," Golden noted. "The concept also worked in part because it was so new to the show. The format would probably not have the same effect if used in future episodes. The Boston Herald thought several of the actors pulled off notable performances, but overall was not a fan of the concept. "I really wanted to love this episode," wrote Herald critic Mark Perigard. "But the Grey's Anatomy 'event' proved how tricky it is for an established show, especially a drama, to pull off a musical episode." Perigard was a fan of Ramirez, and wrote that, "Chandra Wilson and Chyler Leigh (whom I never have anything good to say about) delivered some impressive vocal work..Eric Dane did some of his best acting of his career last night as an anxious father-to-be terrified he would lose his best friend. Jessica Capshaw was appropriately numb as Arizona, bleeding, trying to figure out how her proposal went so awry." (Arizona had just proposed to Torres when she crashed into a truck, causing Torres to fly through the windshield.) "Other shows have done musical episodes before - “Scrubs,” “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” (Shonda Rhimes' inspiration) - but we're talking about shows that are either light-hearted or fantastical in nature. This felt like an episode of “Cop Rock” - out of tune," he said. The Wall Street Journal had few very positive things to say about the episode. "If Glee, and E.R. had a baby it would be tonight's episode of the medical drama “Grey's Anatomy” titled “Song Beneath the Song," wrote The Journal's Lyneka Little. "The doctors sing to Callie as she's being wheeled to surgery. It's unclear if she was crying from the pain or the sound of their voices, which were equally painful," she adds. "Spider-Man Turn Off the Dark, meet Grey's Anatomy: The Musical." The stars admitted they were nervous about how the show would be received. Capshaw, who performed KT Tunstall's "Universe & U,” told the Hollywood Reporter before it aired: “There were many times where I felt like, ‘Oh my gosh, we're doing the best episode of Grey's Anatomy ever. And there were other times where I thought, ‘Did we drink the Kool-Aid and we're all terrible?’ ” www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/greys-anatomy-musical-episode-what-173925
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Post by betinad on Apr 1, 2011 11:15:41 GMT -5
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Post by betinad on Apr 1, 2011 11:37:54 GMT -5
Seattle Grace sings, but do they soar? The curtain on the "Grey's Anatomy" musical episode was pulled back last night and audiences found a car wreck. Both literally (Callie & Arizona were in one) and figuratively (the whole outing was a conceptual mess) -- so let's discuss. The essential element that must be believably addressed when a drama presents a musical is, how? As in, How Do All These 'Real' People Spontaneously Burst Into Song? "Grey's'" solution for that problem was theorizing that the brain does crazy things after an injury, so a post-crash Callie was hallucinating that everyone at Seattle Grace was bursting into song. Which made sense ... for a while. The first song, "Chasing Cars," saw the entire staff (were no other patients in need of care last night?) attending to a freshly arrived Callie as she dipped in an out of consciousness. But there were immediate hints that the show was having problems committing to its concept as Bailey's musical moment began outside of Callie's vicinity and therefore had invalidated their original conceit. From this point on, the majority of songs were not performed with any proximity to Callie, so this became a musical episode with zero grounding in reality. Or however much reality you can assume a show about horny doctors strives to maintain. But that doesn't mean it was all bad -- in fact, there were some shining moments. In particular, Chyler Leigh's voice! It's always fun to predict who will have the best singing voice in a dramatic ensemble, and while we knew Sara Ramirez, Chandra Wilson, Daniel Sunjata and Kevin McKidd had all previously been a part of musicals, Chyler's absolutely astounding voice shone through as the night's best. Particularly in her cover of "Breathe." As for the middling musicians, Justin Chambers, Ellen Pompeo, Patrick Dempsey, Jessica Capshaw and Eric Dane were mostly relegated to the choir, but this episode's Alyson Hannigan (least capable singer) was Sandra Oh. In fact, Yang didn't utter a single note last night, letting you know that singing is not among Sandra's vast talents. As for the night's worst use of the format, well that was undoubtedly "Running on Sunshine," which saw the cast (including guest star Scott Foley!) express their libidos lyrically -- and with light choreography in some cases. An uncomfortably light moment considering how much hung in the balance. In the end, this episode should snag Sara Ramirez a Best Supporting Actress Emmy Nomination -- not just because she is a phenomenal singer, but because she acted the hell out of this Callie-centric outing. And while songs like "The Story" gave her the chance to get all Broadway on our asses, I found myself continually impressed by the emotions Sara was able to convey using just one eye. As the episode began, and the songs started, Callie was terrified as to why everyone was suddenly singing (I feel ya there) and expressed a radical rainbow of feelings using a lone eye. And for that, the episode was worth it. www.nypost.com/p/blogs/popwrap/grey_sings_but_does_it_soar_cPfRM6vEqyOQcPQj23wZbP
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Post by betinad on Apr 1, 2011 11:39:50 GMT -5
The Morning After: Grey's HarmonyI'll have to admit that, TV-critic triage being the necessity that it is, I haven't watched Grey's Anatomy regularly for a couple seasons. So while the musical episode last night, "Song Beneath the Song," was a good chance for me to catch up and an interesting curiosity, I can't really review it in the context of the show's arc, which is the important thing. As a "musical event" in itself, though... well, that was, um, something. I probably could have gotten used to the device of the cast (not all of them with, shall we say, musical theater stage presence) bursting into song, even if I didn't love the jukebox-musical choices (e.g., Jesus Jackson's "Running on Sunshine," above). But one of my issues with "Song" was that it didn't really commit to a musical approach. Sometimes the musical device was an outgrowth of Callie's brain trauma, except when it wasn't. Sometimes the episode was staged like a musical, and other times, it simply used the cover songs the way Grey's has always used its soundtrack, to slather emotion on top of already emotional moments. (At some points, characters delivered dialogue over their own singing, which was odd.) Musical episodes have become a reasonable common stunt (to say nothing of TV musicals like Glee and the failed Viva Laughlin), and at this point you really need to either go big—like Joss Whedon did, commiting to an entire episode's worth of songs for "Once More with Feeling"—or go home. To me, "Song" was just odd enough to feel awkward, without being enough of a creative departure to really invigorate the show. Then again, it might have worked better for me if I were more invested in the ongoing storylines, so I'll ask the regular Grey's viewers in Tuned Inland: how did it sound to your ear? Read more: tunedin.blogs.time.com/2011/04/01/the-morning-after-greys-harmony/#ixzz1II40aj00
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Post by betinad on Apr 1, 2011 13:41:50 GMT -5
'Grey's Anatomy' Fan Columnist: Taking Risks, Taking Flight
So after months of anticipation and buzz and speculation, last night we finally got to watch and hear the Grey's Anatomy music event, "Song Beneath the Song." When this project was first announced my gut reaction was that the result would either be completely amazing or a total train wreck. As is usually the case, the truth fell somewhere in the middle. The concept was actually very clever. The show focused on a single storyline: saving the lives of Callie and her unborn child after a horrific car accident. Wisely, the show gave the heavy lifting to its strongest singers. Tony-winner Sara Ramirez (Callie) was the centerpiece, with terrific support from Chandra Wilson (Bailey) and Kevin McKidd (Owen). Other cast members participated in varying degrees, from solo work delivered by Chyler Leigh (Lexie), to snippets here and there and chorus work from pretty much everyone else. Neither Patrick Dempsey (Derek) nor Sandra Oh (Cristina) sang at all, but they both turned in exceptional dramatic performances in their signature styles. Seven years later, it's almost hard to remember that Grey's Anatomy's use of music was once ground-breaking, particularly in the first few seasons. The songs are like another character in the cast, and the music choices are a reflection of the times, filled with non-traditional, often independent artists and tracks. Lots of shows do this now, but GA was the pioneer, and the music chosen for this show featured iconic tunes that are tied to some of the drama's biggest moments. The two big ensemble scenes featured "Chasing Cars" and "How to Save a Life," and I couldn't help but marvel at the logical complexity of it all. Two of my other favorites were the pounding intensity of "This is How We Operate" (you GO, Kevin!) and the montage set to "Running on Sunshine," which featured our couples in moments ranging from cute to flirty to sweet to playful to downright hot (Owen and Cristina!). Did I really see what I think I just saw? Smoking! And by the time Callie was singing "The Story," I was pretty much an emotional wreck. Well done, Sara Ramirez. For me, the episode worked best if I didn't concentrate too hard on the details and, instead, let the whole effect wash over me like an impressionist painting. I think it's a lot like going to a Broadway musical. If you can get over the fact that characters are bursting into song all over the place, the net result is pretty great. Just go with it. Having said that, I also loved these little moments: Alex comforting Arizona in the gallery. Lucy being a big enough person to admit she was in over her head. The return of Addison (who acts like a completely different person, by the way, on Grey's than on Private Practice... I like GA Addison so much better). Owen taking charge of the crisis and handling the situation like the pro that he is. Cristina's moments of brilliance and the emergence of a cardio-goddess. Teddy getting knocked down a peg or two (a long-time coming in my view). Meredith, Cristina, Alex and their familiar, comfortable banter. Meredith and Derek in the elevator. Bailey being Bailey. Richard ... our Chief, our anchor, our keystone. I already know there will be strong, varied, and likely polarizing opinions on this episode, so sound off in the comments section. I also encourage you to vote for your favorite song or offer some suggestions of your own, also in the comments. Did you comment? Did you vote? Good, now strap in because it will be four long weeks before the final batch of episodes for the season. See you then. The next all-new episode of Grey's Anatomy airs Thursday, April 28 on ABC. www.buddytv.com/articles/greys-anatomy/greys-anatomy-fan-columnist-ta-39852.aspx
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Post by Leanne on Apr 1, 2011 13:54:49 GMT -5
ABC’s ratings gurus are surely singing this morning, given that the Grey’s Anatomy “music event” — with 12.7 million total viewers and a 4.8 demo rating — delivered increases of 26 and 32 percent, respectively, over the show’s week-ago outing. What’s more, Grey’s built audience over the hour and scored its most watched episode since the season premiere. www.tvline.com/2011/04/ratings-greys-anatomy-musical-episode/
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Post by Leanne on Apr 1, 2011 13:59:39 GMT -5
The musical episode of Grey’s Anatomy, “Song Beneath the Song” had moments of beautiful singing but sometimes I just wanted them to stop so the exciting storylines could continue! 5Share I’m feeling very conflicted about “Song Beneath the Song”, the musical episode of Grey’s Anatomy. There were times where I thought “Shonda Rhimes pulled it off!” and other times where I groaned when the cast started singing and thought “Okay, enough now, get back to the story.” But I have to admit, each commercial break felt agonizingly long and I was riveted by the storylines and genuine Grey’s moments sprinkled throughout the hour. And can we please talk about Sara Ramirez and her amazing voice? My favorite performances were the ones where the cast sang completely iconic Grey’s songs like “Chasing Cars” and “How to Save a Life.” I feel like I got ahead of myself by watching the spoilers which already included these songs, and I think I expected too much by hoping that the entire episode would feel like this. But admittedly, I squealed when Owen Hunt (Kevin McKidd) started singing and did his duet with Callie (Sara Ramirez). Bailey (Chandra Wilson) was lovely as well, although no surprise there. Oh, and “Breathe” by Chyler Leigh (Lexie)? Already listened to it twice. When the “Running on Sunshine” scene started with Callie and Arizona (Jessica Capshaw) in the car, the cheesiness made me cringe. But it ended up being an entertaining relief from the rest of the episode and I absolutely loved when Alex Karev sang in his trailer. Justin Chambers, hello there! I wish we had more of his singing. I think the part I most loved about this episode was hearing the actors and actresses I didn’t know could sing, sing. (P.S. Where was Patrick Dempsey’s voice? Don’t tell me McDreamy is incapable of serenading, not with that hair!) I don’t know if most of the songs shouldn’t have just been an “extras” part of a DVD rather than an entire episode, but it was interesting to hear who had pipes. Especially when you learn fun tidbits like Chyler Leigh has only really sung before to her children. She was beautiful singing “Breathe”, but what I truly loved was her interaction with a crying Mark (Eric Dane). “I don’t hate you,” she said to him, and gave away much, much more with the way she delivered that line. As much as I might cheer for her and Jackson Avery, the chemistry she has with Mark is pretty undeniable. I could have done without some of the musical numbers that felt random, like Owen’s song to the other surgeons. If they had cut the songs down to about four total I would have liked it better. I felt like the songs often distracted from the intense storyline of Callie possibly dying, which was amazing all on its own. Arizona’s insecurity over “being nothing” after Mark yelled at her, was heartbreaking. I teared up quite a few times throughout the episode for both Mark and Arizona, and felt terrible for Meredith (Ellen Pompeo) when she opened up about her infertility problems (although I did think the whole “the universe is mean” thing was a little forced. I mean, obviously it’s mean and random… you are the queen of “dark and twisty”, this isn’t news to you). I thought the scene where Mark and Arizona flew down from the viewing room into the O.R. to check on the baby was beautifully shot. (Although excuse me why did Addison and Arizona each have to step in for Lucy Fields (Rachael Taylor), is she THAT inexperienced that she can’t bring a premature baby back to life? Isn’t that her job?) I also was a little bit mad at Teddy (Kim Raver) for telling Cristina (Sandra Oh) she can’t teach her. She seemed bitter. Sara Ramirez, whose ridiculously beautiful voice carried the episode, has me rooting for Callie to wake up when she shook the hospital bed and my smile when her “Yes, I’ll marry you” croaked out was only made bigger at seeing the absolute sheer delight on Arizona’s face. Brilliant acting by both women. All in all, I commend Shonda for stepping out of her comfort zone and delivering a musical episode that didn’t feel like a complete departure from Grey’s Anatomy’s usual tear-jerking drama. And I’ll probably be YouTubing my favorite songs to watch/listen to again. But I’d be lying if I didn’t say I’m relieved regular Grey’s Anatomy is coming back next week, and we can leave the singing to Glee. What did you guys think of the episode? Did you love it, hate it, or were you as torn about it as I am? Do you agree that the singing was sometimes distracting? Did you feel slightly unsatisfied and like you needed more regular Grey’s when it ended? What were your favorite moments? Who were your favorite singers? And what do you think will happen to the baby? Lorena O’Neil www.hollywoodlife.com/2011/04/01/greys-anatomy-sara-ramirez-musical-episode-singing/
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Post by Leanne on Apr 1, 2011 14:00:52 GMT -5
REMEDY JAM REVIEW: NO “GLEE” IN GREY’S CELEBRATION OF GREATEST HITS Saying that Grey’s Anatomy copied GLEE in last night’s episode is taking the easy way out. Grey’s was first to celebrate music, in it’s original form nonetheless, in the perfect scene at that most appropo, usually heart-wrenching moment. It launched the careers of such bands as Snow Patrol and The Fray. The immense talent that is Sara Ramirez led the cast in a celebration of greatest hits from previous episodes. It begins with pregnant Callie’s (Ramirez) body thrown from the windshield from a car accident the moment after her girlfriend Arizona (Jessica Capshaw) proposes marriage. Would GLEE really ever be THIS depressingly dramatic? Describing effects of brain trauma, Callie leaves her body in and out of consciousness, solely being able to hear music. Cut to the rest of the cast getting away with singing throughout the episode. Yes, one had to expand his or her imagination, but clearly there was no other way to make it work. And it worked, strangely enough, especially given the nature of the show since Izzy fell in love with Denny’s ghost. Bravo to Kevin McKidd, who plays Owen, the one standout other than Tony Winner Ramirez. He surprisingly has an incredible voice. Kudos also to Music Supervisor Alexandra Patsavas and Creator Shonda Rhimes. We are big fans. Spoiler alert: Callie and baby live and everyone wipes their tears away. At least for now. Snow Patrol’s “Chasing Cars” Episode Song List: Anna Nalick’s “Breathe (2AM)” by Lexie (Chyler Leigh) Snow Patrol’s “Chasing Cars” by Owen (Kevin McKidd), Miranda (Chandra Wilson) and Callie (Sara Ramirez) Kate Havnevik’s “Grace” by Callie (Ramirez) and female cast Get Set Go’s “Wait” by Miranda (Wilson) The Fray’s “How To Save A Life” by Arizona (Jessica Capshaw) and cast Jesus Jackson’s “Runnin’ On Sunshine,” by cast KT Tunstall’s “Universe & U” by Arizona (Capshaw) Gomez’s “How We Operate,” by Owen (McKidd) Brandi Carlile’s “The Story” by Callie (Ramirez) Along the lines of perfect timing, Grey’s Anatomy: The Music Event Soundtrack and Sara Ramirez’s EP, featuring “The Story” are now available on iTunes! www.remedyjamoutburst.com/?p=878
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betinad
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Post by betinad on Apr 1, 2011 16:55:48 GMT -5
Matt's TV Week in Review No, it wasn't an April Fool's curtain-raiser. Watching the "very special" musical episode of Grey's Anatomy, I was reminded of the even more "very special" live episode of ER back at its height in 1997. My reaction now is as it was then: Take a bow, everyone, and promise never to do it again. The episode itself, a classic Grey's multi-hankie trauma-rama, would have worked just as well (if not better) without the distracting gimmick, dramatizing the frenzied aftermath of pregnant Callie's grievous car injury and coma as the staff of "Seattle Grace Mercy Death" (Alex's inspired new nickname) scrambles and argues at length, and sometimes in song, about how to save her and the baby, which is delivered alarmingly premature — and thankfully does not burst into an aria. This is the kind of creative folly that is sure to be mocked by those fond of playing the "jump the shark" game every time a show does something crazy. And this was nuts, no doubt about it, another leap into the emotionally extravagant absurd by Shonda Rhimes, remembered by many as the conjuror of Denny's Ghost. For the record, I find this kind of experiment in form much easier to forgive. Those willing to go along with it, savoring the bravura vocals of Tony winner Sara Ramirez and the willing (and occasionally able) pipes of her co-stars, were rewarded with the rare spectacle of a long-in-the-tooth show taking a considerable risk when it doesn't really need to. For that, I applaud it. Although at times I felt like giving a standing O-No! But ask yourself: How many times in big Grey's episodes have we griped about the intrusive pop soundtrack that swells constantly, often obscuring the dramatics and dialogue? This week, they just cranked the volume to a new level, as the doctors — and an out-of-mangled-body Callie — themselves become the soundtrack, emotively bleating songs from the Grey's playlist as if, in Callie's battered brain, they couldn't bottle up the emotions any longer but had to let it out through music. The tone was less Glee giddiness than a sort of All That Jazz surreality, like minor and mawkish Dennis Potter. Few real show-stoppers, except for Callie's climactically over-the-top "The Story" — which finally and thankfully wakes the poor girl up from her musical echo chamber — and the frisky "Running on Sunshine" montage (my favorite bit) where the various couples find escape through foreplay, including Teddy and Henry, Bailey and Eli, Alex and Lucy, and Owen and Cristina. That routine felt like something from a completely separate, and better, episode. But kudos to the Grey's crew for having the moxie to go there. And still, nothing comes close to the brilliance of Joss Whedon's "Once More With Feeling" Buffy musical — now and forever the standard-bearer for such flights of fancy. (Who's up for a double bill of that and Dr. Horrible this weekend? I am so there.) www.tvguide.com/News/Roush-Review-Greys-1031348.aspx
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Post by betinad on Apr 3, 2011 0:33:20 GMT -5
Grey’s Anatomy Review: Epic Fail
Wow. The last episode of Grey’s Anatomy was….interesting, to say the least. For a second I wondered if April Fool’s Day had arrived a day early, because this episode had to be a joke. I refrained from opining about it last week, because I wasn’t sure what I was in for. All of the commercials leading up to the episode made it clear that the characters would be singing, and I am a fan of the show on Facebook so it was explained there too. I guess I was in denial. I mean, why on earth would the wonderfully creative and brilliant Shonda Rhimes craft such an ill-conceived concept? I’m sure there are some corny folks out there who loved Thursday’s episode, which depicted what happens when award-winning actors take a stab at karaoke. Glee meets Grey’s Anatomy, except it was an epic fail.
The episode picks up right where it left off the previous week. Arizona and Callie have been involved in a serious car accident. As Arizona puts it, “I asked her to marry me and then this truck came out of nowhere.” Not exactly true my stately friend. I seem to remember Arizona being distracted, and she crashed into the rear of the truck, so how exactly did it come out of nowhere? Looks like you ran up on it to me. Anywho, Callie is on the wrong side of the windshield, as she had momentarily taken off her seatbelt when the crash happened. Buckle up people! Callie is having an out of body experience, as she overlooks the scene, and her own body as it lies motionless on the car. And then, she begins to sing. One of the familiar, emo tunes frequently featured on the show. Only it’s the Callie version. Callie is played by actress Sara Ramirez, who has a decent voice, at best. I don’t really want to hear it. I don’t care if every member of the cast could have a second career on Broadway – I don’t want to hear it! This is a drama, not a musical. The entire concept was very corny and it seemed like a parody.
Things worsened for Callie when she was finally transported back to Seattle Grace. Not only was she dying, but now others were singing too. Bailey sang. Hunt sang. Lexie and Alex even chimed in, and they were particularly horrible. The unintentional comedy meter was broken during this episode. I don’t watch Glee, but I’ve seen Fame before. Singing works, when that’s the point of the show. Singing works when your characters are…singers? I don’t think singing works when your characters are doctors. Moreover, with the exception of actor Kevin McKidd (Owen Hunt), none of them have a voice that should be heard outside of a shower! There are some actors who can actually sing (i.e. Jamie Foxx) and some who can carry a little tune (i.e. Gwyneth Paltrow), but for the most part the cast of Grey’s Anatomy should stick to what they do best.
I also take issue with using an experimental concept like this to advance such a pivotal storyline. Callie nearly died, and her baby was delivered early and is in very grave condition. I would have rather had a more traditional episode that was less distracting. My Twitter and Facebook timelines seemed to reflect a mixed opinion of the episode, but I know I was not the only one who disliked it. I laughed out loud and almost found the show unwatchable. Who would think I’d ever say that about Grey’s Anatomy?? I appreciate the creative attempt, but I do not think the end result was successful. Maybe if all of them had good voices I would have liked it a little more. Justin Chambers (Alex Karev), God bless his heart. He was really awful.
This episode was great for laughs, but not much else. At least Callie and the baby are alive (for now). If I had to sit through that awful singing and then they died at the end that would have been even worse. Fail.
Season 7, Episode 18, “Song Beneath the Song” (original air date March 31, 2011.)
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