Grey's Anatomy Examines Various Relationships

In the course of one hour, a husband and wife struggled with their disappointing sex life; best friends argued and were then reunited as roommates; a woman who swore off dating took a chance with a new man; and a new mother was exposed to one of the downfalls of that role by her boss.

Indeed, the doctors on Grey's Anatomy deal with relationships that extend far the beds of their patients. And viewers are glued to television screens as a result. The reasons behind the constantly growing success of this ABC hit are myriad - from a talented, diverse cast to intriguing story lines - but above them all are the bonds between characters that fans can't get enough of.

It would've been easy for creator Shonda Rhimes to tailor this show around a love triangle between its troubled star, Meredith, and her struggle with former love interest (and superior), Dr. Derek Sheperd and his wife, Addison. And we get plenty of voice over angst from Meredith, don't get me wrong. But Grey's Anatomy delves deeply into other relationships, as well. We've all seen the lonely single, wondering when or if he/she will find love (heck, ABC dedicated an entire new hour to the concept - What Abour Brian?) ... but the allure of this drama is how it explores the anatomy of other pairs, also. To wit:

- Izzie/George: Best friends that don't just finish each other's sentences and get along all the time. They fight over issues as small as tampons or as large as being there for one another. There's no sexual tension, no possibility of romance, just battles that even the closest friends often go through.

- Miranda Bailey/Richard Webber: A boss and his underling ... who doesn't exactly enjoy being told what to do. Dr. Webber is consistently trying to fulfill his role as chief, but Bailey isn't always listening. Or doesn't need any help in the first place.

- Meredith Grey/Dr. Ellis Grey: A daugther and mother relationship with a twist: mother doesn't know who daughter is. Meredith doesn't know how to get through to her Alzheimer's afflicted matriarch, loneliness encompasses both characters.

- Preston Burke/himself: One of the most skilled surgeons in the country, Dr. Burke occasionally opens up to his girlfriend, Cristina. But the audience is often left with insight into a man who expects the best from himself in every aspect of life, from violin-playing to early morning jogging.

There's also the daily interactionn between doctors and patients, attending surgeons and their interns. This isn't the Brady Bunch, everyone doesn't make up by the time the credits roll. There's actual tension, mistakes made by characters we've grown to know and love, struggles that every viewer can relate to. This is the anatomy of a brilliant show.