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| image = [[File:Grey's Anatomy Season One DVD Cover.jpg|200px]]
| image = [[File:Grey's Anatomy Season One DVD Cover.jpg|200px]]
| caption = DVD art cover
| caption = DVD cover
| show_name = [[Grey's Anatomy]]
| show_name = [[Grey's Anatomy]]
| dvd_release_date = '''[[DVD region code#Region codes and countries|Region 1]]''': February 14, 2006<br> '''Region 2''': October 11, 2006
| dvd_release_date = '''[[DVD region code#Region codes and countries|Region 1]]''': February 14, 2006<br> '''Region 2''': October 11, 2006

Revision as of 00:50, 8 February 2010

Grey's Anatomy season 1
Season 1
DVD cover
No. of episodes9
Release
Original networkABC
Original releaseMarch 27 (2005-03-27) –
May 22, 2005 (2005-05-22)
Season chronology
Next →
Season 2
List of episodes

Season one of Grey's Anatomy, an American medical drama television series developed by Shonda Rhimes, began airing on March 27, 2005 on ABC. The season concluded on May 22, 2005, after 9 episodes aired. Season one regular cast members include Ellen Pompeo, Sandra Oh, Katherine Heigl, Justin Chambers, T.R. Knight, Chandra Wilson, James Pickens, Jr., Isaiah Washington and Patrick Dempsey.

The season initially served as a mid-season replacement for the legal drama Boston Legal, immediately following Desperate Housewives. The first season was aired Sundays at 10:00pm in the United States, averaging 18.46 million viewers a week. It was ranked #9 by viewership.[1] The season was originally intended to run for fourteen episodes, but was shortened by the network to nine, making the episode "Who's Zoomin' Who?" the first season finale, instead of the planed finale, "Bring the Pain", which aired instead as episode 5 of season 2.

Production

The show was announced in late 2004 as a mid-season replacement for Boston Legal.[2] It was originally scheduled to run in the Boston Legal timeslot for just four weeks, however after receiving high ratings, remained in the timeslot for the remainder of the season.[3] ABC Entertainment President Steve McPherson commented on the scheduling decision: "Ultimately we decided that, without having adequate lead time or marketing dollars to devote to moving either show so late in the season, we'd continue to let 'Grey's' build on its tremendous momentum through May."[4] Prior to broadcast, it was announced that the show's title would change from Grey's Anatomy to Complications, although ultimately this did not come to pass.[5] Francie Calfo, executive vice president for development at ABC Entertainment, commented on the show's conception: "I think there was a need for this kind of show on our air, specifically a medical show. And Shonda found a twist on it that made it perfect for where we're at right now. Medical shows are hard, and it was hard trying to figure out where ours could be different. But where everybody else is speeding up their medical shows, she found a way to slow it down, so you get to know the characters. There's definitely a strong female appeal to it."[3] Rhimes explained that she had found the idea of a show about smart women competeing against one another an interesting one.[3]

Crew

The series was created by Shonda Rhimes and was aired on the ABC Network in the U.S. The season's executive producers were Rhimes, Betsy Beers, Mark Gordon, James D. Parriott, Krista Vernoff, Rob Corn and Mark Wilding. The staff writers were Rhimes, Parriott, Ann Hamilton, Vernoff, Kip Koenig, Mimi Schmir, Gabrielle Stanton and Harry Werksman, Jr.. The directors throughout the season were Peter Horton, Tony Goldwyn, Adam Davidson. John David Coles, Scott Brazil, Darnell Martin, Sarah Pia Anderson and Wendey Stanzler. Rhimes served as the season's show runner. She and Horton, who wrote and directed the first two episodes respectively, would also have written and directed the season's final two episodes, had they not been transferred into the second season.

Cast

Nine actors had star billing in the show's first season. Series creator Shonda Rhimes wanted a diverse cast, and so created characters without pre-specified races.[6] Determined not to have a show in which "all the extras are white, except the lone janitor", she has created what the New York Times have called "one of the most colorful backgrounds in television".[6] Rhimes used a "blind-casting" technique, which resulted in several roles going to actors of different racial backgrounds than first envisioned. Isaiah Washington, eventually cast as Preston Burke, was originally considered for the role of Derek Shepherd, while Burke was initially to be played by a white actor who dropped out at the last moment.[6] Chandra Wilson was cast in the role of Miranda Bailey, who Rhimes had imagined as a blonde until auditioning Wilson.[6] The Campus have observed that the Grey's Anatomy cast is actually more diverse than the city it emulates, noting that Seattle is actually 70% Caucasian.[7]

The nine characters who appear as series regulars in the first season all work in the fictional Seattle Grace Hospital. Five of the characters are interns: Meredith Grey portrayed by Ellen Pompeo, who is in a romantic relationship with her attending Derek Shepherd, and is the daughter of the renowned surgeon Ellis Grey, who now suffers from Alzheimer's; Cristina Yang portrayed by Sandra Oh, an extremely competitive intern who befriends Meredith and begins a sexual relationship with Preston Burke; Izzie Stevens portrayed by Katherine Heigl, an ex model who struggles to be recognized as a doctor; Alex Karev portrayed by Justin Chambers, an arrogant intern who initially irritates his colleagues, and George O'Malley portrayed by T.R. Knight, a unsecure intern with a lack of confidence, who developes a crush on Meredith. The interns are mentored by their resident Miranda Bailey portrayed by Chandra Wilson, a disciplined woman who is nicknamed "The Nazi". The surgical program is lead by the Chief of Surgery Dr. Richard Weber portrayed by James Pickens Jr.. In his employ are Preston Burke and Derek Shepherd portrayed by Isaiah Washington and Patrick Dempsey respectively.[8] Guest stars include Meredith's mother Ellis, portrayed by Kate Burton, and nurse Olivia Harper, portrayed by Sarah Utterback, who serves as a love interest for George and Alex.

Episodes

Series
# 		Season
# 		Title Directed by Written by U.S. viewers
(millions) 		Original air date
11"A Hard Day's Night"Peter HortonShonda Rhimes16.25[9]March 27, 2005 (2005-03-27)
22"The First Cut Is the Deepest"Peter HortonShonda Rhimes17.71[10]April 3, 2005 (2005-04-03)
33"Winning a Battle, Losing the War"Tony GoldwynShonda Rhimes17.99[11]April 10, 2005 (2005-04-10)
44"No Man's Land"Adam DavidsonJames D. Parriott19.18[12]April 17, 2005 (2005-04-17)
55"Shake Your Groove Thing"John David ColesAnn Hamilton17.90[13]April 24, 2005 (2005-04-24)
66"If Tomorrow Never Comes"Scott BrazilKrista Vernoff17.88[14]May 1, 2005 (2005-05-01)
77"The Self-Destruct Button"Darnell MartinKip Koenig18.86[15]May 8, 2005 (2005-05-08)
88"Save Me"Sarah Pia AndersonMimi Schmir18.33[16]May 15, 2005 (2005-05-15)
99"Who's Zoomin' Who?"Wendey StanzlerGabrielle Stanton & Harry Werksman, Jr.22.22[17]May 22, 2005 (2005-05-22)

Reception

The Washington Post's Tom Shales was critical of the early series, finding it reminiscent of ER and commenting that: "The show is much more a matter of commercial calculation than an honest attempt to try something fresh and different". He called Rhimes' script for the pilot episode "nothing but a casserole made of equal parts ham and corn", writing that overall: "It's a "new" show only in the sense that Dr. Frankenstein's monster was a new man."[18] Kate Aurthor for The New York Times deemed the show a hybrid of Ally McBeal, Sex and the City and ER, writing of the news that it had become the highest-rated midseason drama in 12 years that: "When you parse its ratings, Grey's Anatomy underscores one of the real lessons of the current season [...] men will watch shows with a female lead. That goes against conventional wisdom, which dictates that it's easier to get women to watch shows aimed at men."[19]

The first season's ratings were consistently high, ranking first in its timeslot and leading its closest competition by 7.2 million viewers. It delivered ABC's best audience retention following Desperate Housewives, was the highest rated show amongst 18-49 year olds in 13 years since The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles, and produced ABC's strongest series performance in the hour in more than four years.[20] Commenting on the first season's high ratings, Magna Global USA media analyst Steve Sternberg stated: "Roughly 80 percent of households during prime time only have one TV set on. People are looking for shows they can watch with other household members. And just as Desperate Housewives reaches a broad audience - younger, older, male, female - so does Grey's Anatomy."[3]

Awards

Sandra Oh won Best Supporting Actress at the Golden Globe Awards and Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series at the Screen Actors Guild Awards in 2005, for her portrayal of Cristina Yang during Grey's Anatomy's first season. The season also resulted in a number of awards nominations: At the 2005 Directors Guild of America Awards, Peter Horton was nominated for the Best Directing in a Drama Series award for his work on "A Hard Day's Night". He was nominated for the same award and episode at the 2005 Emmy Awards, which also saw Grey's Anatomy nominated for Best Casting in a Drama Series, and Oh nominated Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series. Patrick Dempsey was nominated for Best Actor in a Drama Series at the 2005 Golden Globe Awards, where the show was also nominated Best Drama Series. The 2005 Producers Guild of America Awards saw the season again nominated for Best Producer in a Drama Series, while that year's Satellite Awards saw the show nominated as Best Drama Series, and Oh nominated at Best Supporting Actress in a Series or TV Film. Dempsey was nominated for the Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series award at the 2005 Screen Actors Guild Awards, where the whole cast were also nominated for Outstanding Cast in a Drama Series.

DVD release

Grey's Anatomy: Season One was released as a widescreen two-disc Region 1 DVD box set in the USA on February 14, 2006. It was distributed by Buena Vista. In addition to all the episodes that had aired, it included an alternate title sequence, audio commentaries, an extended pilot episode and a making-of featurette. The same set was released on October 11, 2006 in Region 2, featuring the planned fourteen episodes over three discs.

Grey's Anatomy: Season One
Set Details Special Features
  • 9 Episodes
  • 2-Disc Set
  • English (Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround)
  • Audio Commentaries
    • Pilot - Shonda Rhimes and Peter Horton
    • Pilot - Sandra Oh, Katherine Heigl and T.R. Knight
  • Under the Knife: Behind the Scenes of Grey's Anatomy
  • Anatomy of a Pilot
  • Dissecting Grey's Anatomy
    • Commentary - Shonda Rhimes and Peter Horton
  • Alternate title track
  • Avant-garde trailer
Release Dates
Region 1 Region 2
February 14, 2006 October 11, 2006

See also

Wikiquote has quotations related to Grey's Anatomy Season 1.

References

  1. ^ "Season Program Rankings". ABC Medianet. May 24, 2005. Retrieved July 1, 2009.
  2. ^ Jicha, Tom (May 19, 2004). "ABC gives itself an extreme makeover". Baltimore Sun. Retrieved July 1, 2009.
  3. ^ a b c d Rhodes, Joe (April 14, 2005). "Thriving Ratings for a New Patient on ABC". New York Times. Retrieved July 1, 2009.
  4. ^ "'Grey's Anatomy' Keeps Sunday Time Slot". Fox News. April 11, 2005. Retrieved July 1, 2009.
  5. ^ Staff writer (February 4, 2005). "Breaking News - Development Updates: February 4". The Futon Critic. Retrieved July 1, 2009.
  6. ^ a b c d Fogel, Matthew (8 May 2005). "'Grey's Anatomy' Goes Colorblind". New York Times. Arthur Ochs Sulzberger, Jr. Retrieved May 8, 2009.
  7. ^ Banton, Arthur (13 November 2006). "The Anatomy of Success Is Diversity - Racial Diversity Brings in Green for Grey's Anatomy". The Campus. Retrieved May 8, 2009.
  8. ^ Brennan, Patricia (May 22, 2005). "The Colorful World Of 'Grey's Anatomy'". Washington Post. Retrieved July 1, 2009.
  9. ^ "Weekly Program Rankings". ABC Medianet. March 29, 2005. Retrieved July 1, 2009.
  10. ^ "Weekly Program Rankings". ABC Medianet. April 5, 2005. Retrieved July 1, 2009.
  11. ^ "Weekly Program Rankings". ABC Medianet. April 12, 2005. Retrieved July 1, 2009.
  12. ^ "Weekly Program Rankings". ABC Medianet. April 19, 2005. Retrieved July 1, 2009.
  13. ^ "Weekly Program Rankings". ABC Medianet. April 26, 2005. Retrieved July 1, 2009.
  14. ^ "Weekly Program Rankings". ABC Medianet. May 3, 2005. Retrieved July 1, 2009.
  15. ^ "Weekly Program Rankings". ABC Medianet. May 10, 2005. Retrieved July 1, 2009.
  16. ^ "Weekly Program Rankings". ABC Medianet. May 17, 2005. Retrieved July 1, 2009.
  17. ^ "Weekly Program Rankings". ABC Medianet. May 24, 2005. Retrieved July 1, 2009.
  18. ^ Shales, Tom (March 26, 2005). "'Grey's Anatomy': No Heart, No Brain". Washington Post. Retrieved July 1, 2009.
  19. ^ Aurthur, Kate (May 1, 2005). "Directions: Pilot Watch; A 'Grey's Anatomy' Lesson". The New York Times. Retrieved July 1, 2009.
  20. ^ Staff writer (April 5, 2005). "ABC adds midseason hit "Grey's Anatomy" to growing list of 2005-2006 early pick-ups". The Futon Critic. Retrieved July 1, 2009.
General references
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