'Grey's Anatomy' Opens the Season with a Whimper Instead of a Bang

Despite the anticipation of a bang of a season opener, furthered along by the misleading commercials that promised some real excitement, the two-hour premiere of "Grey's Anatomy" came and went and was quite uninspired.

Things are changing at Seattle Grace, and yet some things remain dismally the same. Meredith still can't seem to make a decision to commit to any degree that isn't constantly fluctuating. Derek keeps coming back for more punishment and just when we thought he was going to man up and move on; he makes the decision to move in with Meredith, who may kick him out by the next show for all we know. Alex is still the same dog he always was and Izzy can't keep a real man. But they did throw in a scene with her and Denny at the end of the show. Unless she is going to commit suicide later in the season and join him in the afterlife, I don't see what possible reason there was to have her and Denny walk off into the light together.

I have long been an avid, eager and religious "Grey's Anatomy" fan; but I am disappointed to see some of the turns the show is taking this season. I am willing to give some artistic license to the creators and writers, but even a die-hard fan finds it hard to believe that you can have the best cardiac surgeon, the best neurosurgeon and the best plastics guy and your hospital suddenly drops to number 12 among teaching hospitals. This is not a plot that holds a promise of an interesting season for me.

Callie and Erica's now budding romance, while not morally offensive to me, is also not a very interesting plot development. Frankly there is enough fraternizing and sleeping around going on amongst the staff that one more relationship, even a lesbian one is not going to be much cause for surprise or anticipation of where that is going. Like Lexie becoming smitten with George; it is just one more relationship triangle that has become commonplace on the show.

The possibility of a new romantic interest for Cristina is probably the only part of the show that has me wondering what is going to happen there? Will he come back? Will they get involved? Will Cristina quit being so dark and become one of the relationship converts?