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Why I’m Giving Shonda Rhimes A Second Chance

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Georgia Southern chapter.

 

I have been going on a no-Shonda Rhimes (creator, writer, and producer of hit shows Scandal, Grey’s Anatomy, and How to Get Away With Murder) binge since April 23, 2015. So whenever anyone would ask me about her, I’d respond with this:  

 

Shonda Rhimes has rid Grey’s Anatomy of many characters, so I’ll just name a few:

Derek Shepherd (at this moment I was done with Shonda. How do you kill your lead’s husband?! DR. SHEPHERD? IT’S A BEAUTIFUL DAY TO SAVE LIVES. HOW?!?!?!) George O’Malley with the bus accident (Rest in Peace Syph Boy, 007) Denny Duquette, Lexie Grey and the one that hurt me the most, Mark Sloan.

Not only was Mark the best eye candy on the show, the tandem between him and Jackson in plastic surgery was one that I looked forward to every day that I binge watched Grey’s Anatomy during the summer. Not to mention that him and Lexie and their back-and-forth— he loves me, he loves me not, “Yeah I’m gonna die my hair blonde so he can notice me.”—was tiring, but I’m sure her younger viewers including myself could relate to their story.

Guess what Shonda did? Killed them. I couldn’t get over it. I cried my tail off about it for weeks, months. A whole year later, too. My eyes are getting watery as I rant about Shonda Rhimes killing them. THEY HAD A FUTURE. THEY HAD PLANS. THEY WERE MEANT TO BE.

Nonetheless, I gave Shonda a chance to redeem herself. The show was still good and it still had my attention, up until she ruffled the entire’s fandom feathers and announced that the character Cristina was leaving in the tenth season.

When Cristina Yang went off of the show, I didn’t know what to think of the show. I thought that maybe she’d be gone only for a little bit. THE Cristina Yang? Leaving? “Who would of thunk of it?” I mean, she’s Meredith’s person, amirite? 

The last time I’d let Shonda step on my heart and do the heel toe on it was with the death of Derek Shepherd, on April 23, 2015. Not only did she decide to kill Derek, she decided to kill him in the most unfortunate way possible. He was involved in an automobile crash, went to the nearby hospital where inept doctors worked to bring him back to health. Get this though, Derek talked himself through his dead. He died knowing he was dying, (yeah, I know, who doesn’t?) but he died TALKING through his death as the narrator. Homegirl (the doctor) didn’t even know what she was doing. With all of my Grey’s training, I could’ve brought Derek back to life. It was the most trifling thing I have ever witnessed in my life. At that moment, I came to the conclusion that Shonda Rhimes had no emotion nor empathy. Sheen (She ain’t/she did not) care about her show’s fans whatsoever. 

Despite Shonda and all her tom foolery, by much suggestions from my friends, I will give Ms. Rhimes another chance. I have went cold turkey on Shonda. I stopped watching Scandal along with Grey’s. HTGAWM? Never even gave that show a chance. Now, now I’m giving her and all of her publications another try. I think Shonda has done enough killing, but I’m sure she has a few more in her. I think my heart can take it. For now though, this rant is over.

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Jordan Wheeler

Georgia Southern '22

Jordan Wheeler is a Junior Pre-Law Philosophy major who attends Georgia Southern. Jordan loves writing, singing, and hanging out with friends.