If you do not know what Shondaland is, you need to do some binge watching. Shondaland is Shonda Rhimes’ production company that created Grey’s Anatomy, Private Practice, Scandal, and How to Get Away with Murder. These are creative, incredible shows that everyone will fall in love with. Here is the list of the top ten reasons why you need to hop on the Shonda Rhimes bandwagon:
1. Meredith Grey in Grey’s Anatomy
She is the beautiful, powerful, and smart woman you want to be and the loyal, honest friend you need. Not only is she a world-class surgeon, but also she has a tragically wonderful life with amazing friends and a fantastic mom. With her “dark and twisty” life experiences, she gives the most touching monologues with life advice that comes through the television and makes you realize important life lessons. Meredith is never afraid of a challenge: she has held a bomb, been in a plane crash, stood in front of a shooter, and almost drowned. She continuously stands up for what she believes in and will not hesitate to help someone.
2. Olivia Pope in Scandal
Olivia is smart, beautiful, and caught in the juiciest love triangle ever. Olivia Pope does not take no for an answer. She wears the “white hat.” She deals with cases as a crisis manager from sex scandals to murder to secret CIA missions. On top of this, she is having a secret affair with the president. Her scandalous life is one you will envy.
3. Annalise Keating in How to Get Away with Murder
You can’t help but wish Annalise was your professor. She is passionate, intelligent, creative, glamorous and charismatic. However, she is also dangerous. Annalise is a defense attorney for some of the cruelest criminals around. You do not want to get on her bad side because she knows her power and how to use it. She is not afraid to use her beautiful looks to her advantage and get mixed up in plenty of romantic relations. Annalise is dynamite in the courtroom and passes on her wisdom to her students.
4. Addison Forbes Montgomery in Grey’s Anatomy and Private Practice
Addison is a smart, sexy double board certified neo-natal surgeon. She is the definition of brilliant. She was so loved on Grey’s Anatomy she earned herself a spin-off show called Private Practice. Addison is strong and she knows it. This often leads her to trouble in the romance side of life. Addison knows she wants a family and it is not something she is willing to give up. She believes in her dreams and knows she can accomplish them, so she will not let anyone stand in her way.
5. Wine
Shonda Rhimes just gets us. In almost every episode of her shows, wine is present. All the female leads are definite winos. But who wouldn’t want a glass a wine if they had the characters’ stressful, drama-filled lives?
6. Hot Doctors
I mean, look at them…
7. A Sexy President in Scandal
I have a feeling more people would watch the presidential debates if every candidate looked like this.
8. Powerful Women
Shonda Rhimes does this beautiful thing where she makes the women in her shows strong and powerful. She illustrates that women are just as capable as men. It is truly inspiring to see women televised as resilient, smart, and feisty. Every female character knows what she wants and is not afraid to go get it.
9. Great Romance
Rhimes has all different types of relationships in her shows. She has the love triangle, the long marriage, the broken marriage, the on-and-off-again relationships, the young love, and everything in between. No matter what situation you are in, there is always a character you can relate to.
10. Drama
Where can you have shootings, plane crashes, intense surgeries, murder, kidnappings, and stabbings all in one place? Shondaland. Shonda Rhimes pulls on your heartstrings with intense drama and devastating accidents that often leave your favorite character in danger. You sometimes have to remind yourself that it is not real, but wouldn’t it be wonderful if these people that you care about and connect to so deeply were real?
Although the drama would be a lot (and you probably would not have these kinds of lives in reality), if Shonda Rhimes was guiding you, you could survive and do anything.