Dr. Miranda Bailey (Chandra Wilson)
Grey's Anatomy
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Season Finale Episode
The writing on Grey's Anatomy is always excellent and thought-provoking, but when Dr. Bailey uttered her proclamation last night, I came out off my seat, did a fist pump and shouted, "Yes!"
Grey's Anatomy has a brilliant way of commenting on social and cultural trends in our society, and they had done it again, in a way that hit very close to home.The scene took place during the frantic efforts to save a young man who had jumped into a vat of quick-drying concrete to impress a girl on a dare from some of her male friends. As the doctors discussed how he could be saved and all the traumas that were or could happen to his body as a result of the situation, the patient panicked, convinced he was going to die.
Dr. Bailey to the rescue.
She gave him encouragement by comparing him to Han Solo in a scene from Star Wars when he was encased in carbonite, and reminded her patient how Han was freed by Princess Leia (a role Dr. Bailey hinted was being played in this re-enactment by his crush). She then outlined major plot points in the movie and subsequent fiction novels, in detail, until the other doctors gave her wide-eyed stares. At that point, she uttered her classic line above.
Dr. Bailey to the rescue.
She gave him encouragement by comparing him to Han Solo in a scene from Star Wars when he was encased in carbonite, and reminded her patient how Han was freed by Princess Leia (a role Dr. Bailey hinted was being played in this re-enactment by his crush). She then outlined major plot points in the movie and subsequent fiction novels, in detail, until the other doctors gave her wide-eyed stares. At that point, she uttered her classic line above.
Thank you, Dr. Bailey, for saying on your hit series what we've been discussing with enthusiasm on our blogs. It's all right--in fact, it may be the norm--that "chicks dig Science Fiction."
As readers (which we have to be to be writers) we're recognizing the coming trend. Now our job is to help convince the industry that SciFiRom sells to a female readership. I know it's a numbers game for publishing houses, but when fewer SciFiRoms are published than Fantasy, Contemporary, Historical, etc. they can't statistically complete. The more we get the word out about great SciFiRom novels, especially debut authors and established SciFiRom icons' bestsellers, the more potential fans we'll reach and the faster our (sub)genre will grow.
Thank you, Dr. Bailey, and to the fabulous writers at Grey's Anatomy, for putting a voice to the paradigm shift.
I've never seen that show, but it's great to know about that scene. What a great validation of SF!
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely, Heather. And the timing was perfect for those of us trying to promote this imaginative (sub)genre.
ReplyDeleteIf you've never seen Grey's Anatomy, you're missing (IMHO) one of the best written shows with an ensemble cast that I've ever seen (Firefly may have a tiny edge, of course). There's always underlying messages, parallels between the characters' lives and what's going on with their patients and their work. The music is phenomenal and the main character's (Meredith Grey's) overdub, especially at the end of the show, always summarizes the theme with a poignant zinger--something that makes you really stop and think or makes you say "Oooh!"
In the season finale, the last five minutes of the show was so packed with punches and surprises and cliffhangers that it just left me reeling. Yeah, I know, I sound like a squeeeeing fangirl, but even though this show has almost nothing to do with SciFiRom, it's an amazing character study.
I've heard only good things about the show. I don't watch from lack of interest but lack of time. Sigh.
ReplyDeleteOh, I can relate. There are few shows I have time to watch, but this is one I try not to miss, even if I have to record it. :)
ReplyDelete