For those of you that don't know, I love Shondaland TV shows. This is the affectionate nickname given by ABC to any shows created and/or produced by Shonda Rhimes. I've watched almost every single show she's been behind. "Grey's Anatomy" is my favorite show of all time. I've discovered from watching these shows that there are a lot of common themes among them. In this article, I'm only going to be focusing on shows she herself created, those of which are "Grey's Anatomy," "Private Practice," and "Scandal."
1. Addiction
This is a super common theme for Shonda Rhimes tv shows. Richard is addicted to alcohol on "Grey's," Amelia is addicted to pills on "Private Practice." Lots of characters get addicted to things and spend most of the show struggling to overcome their addictions.
2. Elevator scenes
Both on "Grey's" and "Private Practice," elevator scenes are a really big deal. They're the scenes of dramatic confrontations, sad revelations, and intense make out sessions. They are some of the most dramatic and also most romantic scenes in all of Shondaland.
3. Love triangles
I mean, where do I even begin? Meredith/Derek/Finn, Addison/Mark/Derek, Mark/Lexie/Jackson, Addison/Sam/Jake, Olivia/Jake/Fitz... the list goes on and on...
4. Cheating
I swear, no couple in Shondaland is allowed to be happy. Everybody cheats on everybody. Infidelity is like an infectious disease around Shonda Rhimes. I can't think of a single couple in any of her shows that hasn't had some kind of infidelity involved in it.
5. Romance in the workplace
This kind of goes along the same lines as #4. Everybody dates everybody. Practically every doctor at Seattle Grace/Seattle Grace Mercy West/Grey Sloan Memorial has dated each other, Addison dated almost every guy at Oceanside Wellness, and Olivia can't seem to choose between the two main guys in her life. The drama never ends.
6. Using the same actors across all of her shows
I'm currently watching Private Practice on Netflix. Every few episodes I see a character and I'm like, "He was on Grey's!" or "She was on Scandal!" The most common character carry over has been on Scandal. Kate Burton, who played Ellis Grey on Grey's, plays Sally Langston on Scandal. Scott Foley played Henry on Grey's and now plays Jake on Scandal. Jeff Perry played Meredith's dad on Grey's and now plays Cyrus Beene on Scandal. I could go on forever, the use of the same actors is common for Shonda Rhimes. Basically what I'm saying is this- if you want to be an actor on one of her shows, you can probably get in on more than one if you get lucky.
7. LGBT characters
This is also a really common theme for Shonda. A lot of her characters are gay. Callie and Arizona, Cyrus Beene, various patients on Private Practice, etc. She has been a pioneer for the LGBT community in television.
8. Characters of color and interracial relationships
I could have made these two separate things, but I decided to keep them one. In addition to being a pioneer for LGBT characters, Shonda has also set the bar for people of color on her television shows. Two of her shows, "Scandal" and "How to Get Away with Murder," feature African American women as the lead. Several of the doctors both on "Grey's" and "Private Practice" are people of color or of multiple races. There are also lots of interracial relationships on her shows. Cristina and Burke, Cristina and Owen, Addison and Sam, Naomi and Archer, Jackson and April, the list goes on.
9. Strong female characters
Shonda Rhimes is a very powerful woman who creates very powerful women on screen. Her leading ladies are compelling and dynamic. Their supporting cast of women is equally powerful and fun to watch. I love every single woman on all of her shows and can relate to all of them in some way.
10. Really. Attractive. Actors.
Let's face it: 90 percent of the actors in Shondaland are really, really hot. Patrick Dempsey, Eric Dane, Kate Walsh, Kerry Washington, Scott Foley, Taye Diggs, etc. There's a lot of eye candy to go around and Shonda likes herself some hot.
11. Super sad storylines
A lot of sad stuff happens on her shows. They're called dramas for a reason. I've spent many a night crying over something Shonda did.
12. Impossible cases
Every single doctor or lawyer on her shows is the same thing- the best at what they do. They all take on the most impossible cases and save so many lives by the skin of their teeth.
13. Death
I saved the most common thing for last. Lots of people die at the hands of Shonda Rhimes. Whether they're characters we love or random people we barely know, it all hurts just the same. I'm not going to give away any spoilers in terms of who dies, in case you are behind or haven't seen the shows, but it's a lot of people. Some are more tragic than others (trust me, I've gone through several boxes of tissues.)
Even though she has hurt me in the past, I still think Shonda Rhimes is one of the most talented people in the industry. She creates, writes, and produces killer drama and fantastic tv. Her shows will always be some of my all time favorites and I will keep on watching her work for a really long time.
