McDreamy's New Gal: Just What the Doctor Ordered
Patrick Dempsey and Chyler Leigh in Grey's Anatomy by Scott Garfield/ABC
I know, I know - it was just one scene. But as those who read
Ask Ausiello know,
Chyler Leigh - aka the "forward" young woman who cozied up to
Patrick Dempsey's Derek at the end of last week's
Grey's Anatomy - is likely a keeper, and that gives
this fan of ABC's top drama a new hope.
See, "dark and twisty" Meredith is
not working for me. Of course, I am the same guy who took the character to task for not being serious about her work, her supposed career, but what
Grey's has been attempting via Mer's own near-death experience and the actual passing of her mother and stepmother isn't solving the problem. Sure, it's giving
Ellen Pompeo some "meat" to chew on - assuredly a welcome respite from the "I don't snore" silliness - but it doesn't make an especially enjoyable character to watch. When you're not entirely aghast that your protagonist just got wailed on by her drunken dad, something is wrong.
Enter "forward" gal. Her and Derek's meeting was likely meant to evoke the doc and Mer's first encounter as libido-driven strangers, but so what. It worked. We, as Derek did, realized throughout the entire past episode that Meredith is not including him in her life, and has in fact shut him out. He's barely a boyfriend anymore. Preying on the vulnerability of a neglected McDreamy is not an entirely moral act, but I'm a fan of Machiavelli in such matters. Whatever gets the job done and makes Derek realize that he has been all but left at the altar. Dempsey gets the magazine covers and "sexy" accolades, yes, but the actor beholding that stellar 'do deserves a story line that makes use of his rom-com roots. (Yes, I worship
Can't Buy Me Love and still have a search team out for
Amanda Peterson.)
Plus, as icing on the cake, Chyler has a great quality about her, a lightness. Look around at the
Grey's women. Disgruntled, angry, conflicted, conflicted for no believable reason (a special category for Izzy), frustrated with barrenness, "dark and twisty".... What happened to the interns filled with joy and vigor? Excited by the unpredictable onset of each new day and case?
So "forward" gal, we welcome you as a wake-up call for McDreamy's slumber.
