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Weigh In On 'Grey's' Ousting of Erica Hahn & Which TV Issues Are Irking You Today...
So Grey's Anatomy has given Erica Hahn (Brooke Smith) her walking papers... Heidi & Spencer may cameo on an upcoming episode of How I Met Your Mother... And Pushing Daisies could possibly get canceled. A lot of controversy in the TV world today, a myriad of topics that many of us have strong opinions on.
Late last month, several of you voiced your concern regarding Grey's swelling cast and suggested the ousting of Hahn as a solution. But now that we're hearing Melissa George's incoming character will no longer be bisexual (as originally planned), the implications surrounding Brooke Smith's firing become much more complicated...
And I know how the majority of you feel about Heidi and Spencer possibly showing up on How I Met Your Mother. And I can't say you don't have a point. Why are these two dimwits and their estranged co-star Lauren Conrad so famous off a vapid reality show like The Hills when the uber-talented cast and writers of a series as brilliant as Pushing Daisies might be out of work next week?
I love the passion with which we all care about these stories, and today -- in honor of election day -- I ask you to weigh in on the issue that's irking you the most. Let's get a discussion going in the comments section... But not before you make the effort to go out and cast your vote in today's historic presidential election. For all things are related, you see, and it's important to give yourself a voice in the civic arena, as well as the TV world, right?
If you're over 18 and a U.S. citizen who is registered, take some time to google your local ballot right now, read up on the props, figure out how you want to vote, and go get it done, son (and then come back so we can talk TV again). This is a seriously important day, and having participated, you will be a part of history.
HAH-LAAAAAAA! I already voted today Korbi and I would also like to say that I'm sad to see Erica Hahn go. She was such a bitch last season with Cristina and she was just starting to become human. I was just starting to like her. Stupid Greys.
P | Nov 4, 2008 12:55:01 PM | #I didn't like Brooke Smith's character to begin with. I'm glad she's leaving the show. Not only did she have no chemistry with Callie, she had no chemistry with the rest of the cast. I do, however, like the addition of Kevin McKidd, and hope Melissa George will find her home.
SirMac | Nov 4, 2008 12:58:29 PM | #Hmmm, it's kind of an old TV issue, but I'm still perturbed with reality TV and the fact that because it often gets colossal ratings and is cheaper to make means that we have less intelligently-written fictional television for 2 reasons - one, because it's being canceled because of lower ratings in comparison to reality television, and two, because writers are having to resort to more and more "tricks" for ratings and advertisers.
AndreaC | Nov 4, 2008 1:32:04 PM | #I can get on board with that AndreaC.
P | Nov 4, 2008 1:39:07 PM | #But people seem to love the reality, whatre they going to do? I guess they're trying to put on what people like.
P | Nov 4, 2008 1:39:50 PM | #I never like the character of Dr. Hahn, so I'm happy to see the character leave.
Pamela | Nov 4, 2008 1:43:23 PM | #I've got to agree with SirMac, I was never fond of that character at all, and thought she lacked any kind of chemistry with the rest of the cast. I traced my growing impatience with this show back to when Burke left, and she basically replaced him. McKidd, on the other hand, feels like a breath of fresh air. Make his a series regular!
janlew | Nov 4, 2008 1:45:06 PM | #Love to see Hahn go, hate to see more people come on. Cast size is swollen enough let more people go!!
Liza | Nov 4, 2008 1:49:59 PM | #The fact that there is a very real chance that PD will be cancelled makes me want to go eat my weight in pie. ABC is going to be responsible for putting me into a sugar-induced coma if they don't pick up the back nine.
Shocked about Brooke being fired from GA. Even more shocked that they managed to keep it this quiet this long.
Speidi on HIMYM? Kinda hoping the gang will run into them and then completely make jokes at their expense for the rest of the episode.
Marisa_Roffman | Nov 4, 2008 2:13:49 PM | #I would hate to see Pushing Daisies get cancelled. It is one of the most original, well-written shows on tv today. Not to mention the entire cast is great! Not one weak link!
As for Hahn getting the boot, I'm not overly upset, but I was warming up to her and would actually rather see Callie go.
HIMYM - stopped watching the show. I don't even find it funny anymore, and the inevitable Barney/Robin re-hookup does not make me want to come back to it. Why can't main characters date outside the main cast?! That's what turned me off That 70's show way back when. Was there any guy Jackie didn't hook-up with? That's my rant for the day!
Marc | Nov 4, 2008 2:28:43 PM | #The TV issue that's irking me right now is House. I miss Chase and Cameron. I think Olivia Wilde is a lousy actress and her nor her lame character deserve the amount of screentime she's currently getting. The show and the audience would be better served by seeing Jesse Spencer and Jennifer Morrison in a more prominent roles again, building upon the strong foundation laid by those charaters, and getting back to the show that people fell in love with. That the show has lost so many viewers since Season 3 ought to tell the people in charge exactly where they went wrong.
Becky | Nov 4, 2008 3:17:14 PM | #What's irking me is that the days of television being a somewhat creative medium are OVER! No longer will a show be allowed a season or two (or three) to build an audience. A series is either drawing "X" number of viewers for a specific time slot or it's cancelled.
At the four major broadcast networks (ABC, CBS, NBC & FOX), it’s now become strictly a money-based, bottom-line, ratings-driven industry.
No wonder the best shows, creatively speaking, are on cable or premium pay channels like HBO & Showtime
Today, television shows are under such tremendous pressure to attract an audience right from the pilot episode that show creators are now forced to come up with ‘wow’ storylines and arcs in the very first season (i.e., Lost), then continue at that level for as long as possible. It’s this recent competitive “hit the ground running” paradigm we’re now stuck with.
Simple put, today TV series are no longer allowed to gradually develop and find their audience. It must be immediate. Think back to how different everything was when syndication was still going strong, or more recently, when there were still independently-owned UPN and WB networks. Some series were allowed up to two or three seasons to work out all the bugs (cast dynamics, writing staff, production elements, etc.).
Examples:
- Seinfeld and Friends were not perfect and consistently funny in their first couple of seasons (check IMDB’s episodes rated by user rating and look at which seasons make up the top 20 or 30 episodes). Today, most new sit-coms are inevitably compared or referenced to those two shows.
- Remember how bad the animation and voices for The Simpsons was in the first season? Now it’s an iconic show coming up on 20 years.
- How about the X-Files? Would that show even be allowed to finish one full season in today’s environment?
Times have changed with media ownership consolidation and we, the viewers, are the big losers.
The thought of no Pushing Daisies makes me want to cry! I love that show. People will watch complete crap, but they are missing out on this. Boo.
The ousting of Erica and the de-bisexualizing of the new girl is somewhat sketchy. I mean, yes, Greys has a few too many characters right now, but I don't think getting rid of Erica in the middle of this storyline is a great idea. I think maybe the pressure from the nay-sayers got to be too much?
I love Pushing Daisies. It actually makes me happy to watch it because of the production value, not to mention the great cast. I hope it doesn't get canceled. And if it does, I hope that a good basic cable channel will scoop it up. This show is too good to go so soon!
Hate Hahn. Never liked her. Boring character. The minute they brought her on as a regular, after Addison left, I thought, THIS is who you're putting in Addison's place? Is Melissa George going to be regular cast member too? Why not try them out as guest/recurring first before making the leap Grey's?
CL | Nov 4, 2008 4:58:01 PM | #I loved Hahn on Grey's but I can see why she was let go. There was just not much chemistry between her and Callie, certainly not as much as Callie has with McSteamy. As a gay man, I'm disappointed that the new character won't be Callie's new love interest. I hate to see the bigots win!
SteveS | Nov 4, 2008 5:00:38 PM | #I like Brooke Smith and I liked the character of Hahn. However, it feels like every show is jumping on the bisexual female character bandwagon (why is it always the women and never any of the men who are bisexual?) so I'm glad this story line shut down. Bringing in Melissa George to suggest that Meredith had a lesbian relationship in the past is pure shark-jumping.
Which brings me to my biggest irk of the TV season, the loss of quality on the show House. It used to be one of the smartest shows on TV, now it's a mess. Between House getting more and more immature, his bad treatment of Cuddy in what is more abusive relationship than love story, the high-lighting of Thirteen,, one of the most boring and annoying characters on TV, (bisexual only as long as it brings in the panting adolescent male viewer), and the sub-par new team, there's not much in an episode that's enjoyable to watch.
I'd like Shore to go back to the extraordinary show he originally created -- the clinic patients, the medical ethics, to bring back Jennifer Morrison and Jesse Spencer again and let House and Cuddy be adults again. If Kutner and Taub have to stay, okay, but definitely back-burner the new team and make the show what it was.
What he's selling this season isn't worth watching.
Kate | Nov 4, 2008 5:01:23 PM | #HIMYM does not need more stunt casting. Britney was enough.
And actually NBC is pretty good at giving low rated shows a chance. But of course they are number 4 in the ratings. I don't understand why: Chuck, The Office, and Friday Night Lights, are so much better than Two and a Half Men, and CSI.
Billiam | Nov 4, 2008 5:11:34 PM | #I was not a fan of the Hahn and Callie hook-up. It never seemed real. I do not like her getting fired though because a storyline was not working. ABC made a big mistake last season by not ordering more scripts for Pushing Daisies after the strike ended. Look across the board and most shows that did not get additional script orders, they are not doing good in the ratings. ABC gets too ego inflated too quick and makes some serious mistakes. A couple of things that I am disappointed about with Pushing Daisies this season is the lack of fairy tale look last season had, and their is too much narative this season. Private Practice is not doing good either. I may be one of the minority but I have always enjoyed it....it has a great cast.
everwood | Nov 4, 2008 5:33:03 PM | #Not overly upset about Hahn leaving. I've always liked Callie and McSteamy together and Hahn was a thorn in my side lately :)
stcl | Nov 4, 2008 5:46:21 PM | #The tv issue irking me the most right now is House. I can hardly believe it's the same show that I fell in love with a few years ago.
Once smart and funny- it's now just one immature, crass, ratings grab after another.
Thirteen has got to be the most annoying, cliche character on television.
It's a real shame that great characters like Chase and Cameron were sent packing in favor of the lifeless crew of replacements who more closely resemble cardboard cut outs for House to hurl snark at than actual characters.
I wish they's get back to focusing on characters that the audience can actually give a crap about.
michelle | Nov 4, 2008 6:11:55 PM | #I admit that I just don't "GET" Pushing Daisies. I don't find it interesting or compelling, at all.
I think it has had a lot more chance than some of the shows I liked such as Journeyman, Eyes, or Women's Murder Club.
Tena | Nov 5, 2008 4:38:50 AM | #I've never liked Hahn, so I'm not sorry to see her go. I think Grey's will be better for it. And my opinion has nothing to do with the same-sex storyline. I simply saw no chemistry whatsoever between her and Callie, and thought they were wasting precious screentime on a character I severely disliked. Bring on someone Callie actually has some chemistry with, and I'd be onboard.
anonymous | Nov 5, 2008 6:08:37 AM | #I couldn't be paid to watch Grey's, but what I can say is that Melissa George's "acting" "skills" nearly killed Alias. Why she continues to find work is beyond me.
ferretrick | Nov 5, 2008 6:22:39 AM | #It would be a huge shame to see Pushing Daisies cancelled, but no surprise. As I said 5 minutes after watching Episode one, this show is too good for network TV, it doesn't stand a chance.
Steve7701 | Nov 5, 2008 7:31:30 AM | #
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