I dislike medical dramas.
I’m sorry, let me explain that.
I mean I dislike medical soaps.
Actually, I dislike any kind of soap – the TV product, obv. But my dislike for medical soaps is fuelled by an almost pathological indifference engine.
From Emergency Ward 10 (ask your grand-parents, kids) through to House; all except two are bum-clinchingly awful.
Except two.
The first is the BBCs sitcom Casuality. Causality. Casualty.
Casuality Casualty used to be average, and therefore awful, but in the last few years it has become a mediocre shadow of its very worst nightmare.
It has now been relegated to the foot of the table called ‘unwatchable’.
I hate it.
The other exception to the list of medical soaps that I dislike is Grey’s Anatomy.
I love it.
There is, to be fair, a lot of ketchup.
Blood. Bones. And gore.
But there is no, absolutely none at all – snore.
Grey’s Anatomy is the epitome of televisual excellence.
The post-prod is excellent.
The editing – both video and audio – is, frankly, so good that it makes some big budget film productions look anaemic by comparison.
The soundtrack is emotionally manipulative and yet…
Fantastic.
The Grey’s Anatomy soundtrack features the calibre of top quality indie artists who will never gather in one place, except on a TV show, obv.
The roll-call includes names like
the postal service
kate havnevik
kt tunstall
snow patrol, and the almost ever-present
bon iver
Ear-wateringly excellent.
But that’s only the post-prod.
The prod isn’t, you know, too shabby either.
The acting is highly commended, but the way the actors portray their characters; the conviction they all bring to their roles, these qualities are indicative of a higher order: brilliant on-set direction.
The camerwork isn’t, if we’re being truthful, outstanding.
But that’s OK, because the occasional flips and slips add a quality of realism that Causality Casualty can only dream of.
However the big value is added to the show via the writing team.
The writing is credible, sympathetic, harsh, stark, cold, emotional and, for the most part, joyful to hear.
I love the dialogue.
It is crisp without being wise-cracking, emotional without being drippy and sharp without being (unnecessarily) cutting.
Occasional exchanges of dialogue that briefly throw a shard of light on the deeper motivation of a character; qualities such as this mark distinctive adjuncts in long-term plot developments that lesser writers would weep over.
Touching scenes, laced with a tinge of melodrama, are sometimes played with an oversized funny bone. This adds a combination of sincerity and realism.
Sincerity and realism being qualities that have never been visited upon Casuality Casualty.
Nor Emergency Ward 10.
Nor House.
I too have never been a fan of the medical soaps, unlike the current Mrs Masher who is – and always has been – a
CausalityCasualty watcher.Though even she admits that it is suffering from a lack of Indie bands at the moment.
Never seen Grey’s Anatomy, but I watched ER once and that looked pretty good.
I think the American ones are a bit more pacey than our home-grown fayre.
I haven’t seen Grey’s Anatomy either, although I have heard it has a reputation for breaking new musical artists. I remember reading an interview with the music supervisor on the show, she has become one of the most powerful women in pop music, such is the influence the show has on sales. I used to watch House, but tired of its relentless gloom. I prefer my medical shows with a bit of humour, I loved Jo Brand’s ‘ Getting On’ – it’s about as far away from ER as you could hope to get! I shall put Grey’s Anatomy on my ‘one to check out’ list.
Mya x
Mya, you tart. Two visits in one month – WTF? You have nothing better to do? Do you have broadband yet, or are you still limping along on 56k dial-up?
Masher, they’re definitely punchier. But the writing doesn’t compare with the stodge that our home-grown efforts serve.
Mrs. B loves house. I have tired of it. Hugh Laurie is great, but House is an arsehole. Immeasurable talent does not tip the arsholeness scale one ounce.
Love Grays .. and House (sorry!)… hate all the others though!
No longer limping along in dial-up dead-zone….I’m sprinting along in blistering broadband. It’s all quite dizzying and I shall have to sit down soon and have a steadying cup of Pastis.
Mya x