Shonda Rhimes is not just ruling the roost in Hollywood, she’s showing everyone else how it’s done.
And that, in and of itself, is a huge achievement and proof of the long-overdue shake-up in the industry.
Her critically-acclaimed offerings, with the real-life inspired TV series “Inventing Anna” becoming a talking point around the globe of late, speak directly to her prowess as a trailblazing showrunner.
She pushes boundaries. And she gets viewers to catch feelings for her well-etched characters.
At the same time, she doesn’t forsake ardent fans of her magnum opus “Grey's Anatomy”. When the series aired in March 2005, it became a benchmark for medical dramas.
Over the years, interest has yo-yoed. And she’s killed off some of the show’s best-loved characters, too.
After watching the first two episodes of season 18 of “Grey’s Anatomy”, I can’t help but marvel over Rhimes’s genius.
The series bounces back from the Covid-19 cloud that it was shrouded in last season.
And the showrunner knows how to hook her viewers and does so with an almost giddy revelry. Of course, her lucky mascot Ellen Pompeo (Meredith Grey) hasn’t failed her either.
Aside from Giacomo Gianniotti, who played Andrew DeLuca, being killed off in the series, last season marked the end of fans seeing Jesse Williams, who steamed up the small screen as Jackson Avery, and Greg Germann as Thomas Koracick, who ruffled everyone but Teddy Altman’s (Kim Raver) feathers.
This season, Scott Speedman has been upgraded to the main cast list as Nick Marsh. He’s also Meredith’s romantic interest.
And Kate Walsh will be making a few cameos as Addison Montgomery. Just to add to the show’s star clout, Peter Gallagher has a recurring role as Dr Allen Hamilton.
There are a few other new faces but fans will appreciate the story arcs being anchored by Pompeo, Chandra Wilson (Miranda Bailey) and James Pickens, Jr (Richard Webber).
In the new season, Rhimes hits the reset button with several characters. Meredith has a wonderful new opportunity to follow in her mother’s footsteps while also carving out her own path, especially when it comes to moving on from mourning her deceased husband Derek Shepherd.
Jo Wilson (Camilla Luddington) is finding out that motherhood isn’t without its challenges. In season 17, she adopted a premature baby named Luna after her mother died in childbirth. On the subject of being a mom, it hasn’t softened Amelia Shepherd’s (Caterina Scorsone) stance on marriage.
Teddy and Owen Hunt finally decide to take the plunge after all their ups and downs. But their plan, literally, get knocked over.
It's clear that Rhimes is mindful of not getting carried away by her whimsies, which saw the series get some flak for its soapie deflections in the past.
Where others fail, she succeeds. And by restoring the show to it former glory, Rhimes proves why she is the bees knees in Hollywood.
“Grey’s Anatomy” season 18 airs on M-Net (DStv channel 101) on Monday at 8.30pm.