Step one to recovery is admitting your problems.
Welcome to another editorial from me, the world's largest Grey's Anatomy fan.
Step one to recovery is admitting your problems.
Grey's Anatomy never got to experience an entire first season. It was a mid-season replacement that was so popular that ABC cut its season short to keep the audience drawn in. So, unlike most television shows, which experience "sophomore slumps" during their second season (for example, Desperate Housewives' second season had a mystery that went nowhere, the Heroes creator actually apologized to the fans for a sub-par season, and even Ugly Betty fans have complained of a sophomore slump), Grey's Anatomy went above and beyond during its second season, perfecting its craft.
The third season had a promising start, when it left all of the characters in uncertain places with uncertain futures. Derek, Finn, Meredith, and the McSex. Izzie quits. Denny's dead. Burke's got a tremor. It goes on and on...
The "sophomore slump" began, a season late. Even die-hard fans (although I'm not too sure how die-hard they are) began to complain about storylines that were too melodramatic, jumping the shark, and they simply didn't want to "leap" with Shonda anymore. They wanted their show back. The uncomplicated, fun, sexy show about competition that they all fell in love with. These fans, well, they were promised all of that in the fourth season, and so these fans stayed tuned into their TV sets every Thursday night expecting that. And there were signs, definite signs, that things were returning to season one and season two-esque Grey's Anatomy, as evidenced by such episodes as "Kung Fu Fighting," but the complaining...continued.
It takes time to recover from a sophomore slump. Desperate Housewives wasn't immediately hailed again when its third season premiered. Unfortunately for Grey's Anatomy, it didn't have enough time to recover, because it got cut off by the writer's strike.
But, see, the thing is, Grey's Anatomy is a different show now. It's still a great, an amazing, show, but it is different. The cast is different, the characters are different, the writers are even different. But, at the core, it's still a fun, sexy show about competition. Unfortunately for the fans, the writers have just veered off into the wrong path. So, what do you do to recover from this?
Step one to recovery is admitting your problems.
OK, so, Shonda hasn't admitted the show has a problem. In fact, she says season three was always planned to be the way that it was (which was described by fans and critics as "emotionally devastating"). But, inadvertently, the show itself has. In the final pre-strike episode, "Lay Your Hands on Me," all of the characters admitted their problems. Izzie doesn't know what she wants. George needs to grow up. Bailey doesn't spend enough time with her family (although, who knows if this can be rectified - but it better). Alex, although not admitting anything, had something really bad happen to him in his past (can we finally learn about this damn event, please?!). Cristina, although not admitting anything either, realized that sometimes, not being a robot can be good. Derek lost Meredith's trust and lost the McDreamy touch. And Meredith...can't trust anybody.
These are all things that the fans have known for months. And, now, finally, new, fresh, completely different storylines have been set in motion. The characters have realized these things for themselves, and Grey's Anatomy can finally return to its funnier, sexier, uncomplicated roots. The only question is...will they?