Grey's Anatomy: Shonda Rhimes Wishes Men Were Like Her Male Characters
With its two decades on the air, "Grey's Anatomy" may seem like other procedurals, but one aspect sets it apart. The focus of the romantic fare in the series is not just dramatic but aspirational. Instead of depicting male characters as how they may be in real life, they're shown as what they should be.
"All the interns are some piece of my personality, and all the men are as I wish men would be," Shonda Rhimes explained in a panel for The Writers' Guild Foundation. The men of "Grey's Anatomy" may not be realistic, but that's the beauty of the characters. Who wouldn't want to hear your future spouse recite a perfectly rehearsed speech dedicated to your love? That is exactly how Rhimes felt about Burke's (Isaiah Washington) wedding vows that moved almost all the women in the OR to tears. "I said: 'This is how come I'm never going to get married,'" Rhimes confessed about the scene. "No man ever says the dialogue I want them to say in my head. It's always disappointing."
The men of "Grey's Anatomy" are not perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but they are romantics at heart. They communicate their feelings and profess their undying love beautifully. Anyone in any relationship knows that there will always be push and pull. But with "Grey's Anatomy," you don't need reality. The poetry of this writing was so strong that even Rhimes was seduced by the words she had written.
One man stood out beyond the rest
McDreamy (Patrick Dempsey), Burke, Sloan (Eric Dane). Everyone has a favorite doctor to pair the main cast with. But out of all the romantic interests that Shonda Rhimes created, one rose above the pack.
"I was so in love with Denny — not the actor. Like, literally, the actor didn't exist for me," Rhimes admitted. "He almost wasn't allowed to talk to me. I was so in love with Denny it was shameful. I joked on the blog he should have a restraining order that couldn't come within 50 feet because I was so in love with him." Even though Denny's (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) death was planned from the beginning, he had one of the most frustrating deaths in "Grey's Anatomy." Morgan had been cast with the full knowledge that he wouldn't last the season, but his vulnerability and heartfelt love story with Izzie (Katherine Heigl) made him a fan favorite. His death was made all the more devastating at the end of Season 2 because he was so likable. Luckily for Morgan, that wasn't exactly curtains for the character. He was brought back intermittently through the series and was so appreciated that the crew didn't even mind the odd ghost story that allowed his return. In a show with a vast array of romantic men who could never exist in real life, Denny was one in a million.