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‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Inspired By Shonda Rhimes’ Teenage Volunteer Job

By Stacey Cole
Published on: 04:38 PST, Nov 15, 2015

Grey’s Anatomy is one of the most popular shows on television and has been for twelve years. For a TV show to have a long run like that these days, it has to have staying power. But the inspiration behind the show might be surprising for fans. Grey’s Anatomy creator and producer Shonda Rhimes recently sat down with People and spilled it all.

When she was in high school, Rhimes volunteered as a candy striper in a local hospital.

“I had been a candy-striper in high school. I always found medicine very interesting but being a candy-striper was all about the people in the beds and how late the doctors were working.”

She also revealed to People how the stories in the rooms, those of the patients and doctors, became the fodder that has fueled the story line of Grey’s Anatomy year after year.

“It felt like there were a thousand stories in every room and there is something really great about that idea. And then surgery, just the idea that you could hold a human being’s heart in your hand and you are responsible for life or death.”

Not only was Rhimes inspired to create the show from her life experiences, TV Guide reports that she wrote in her memoir that she was particularly connected with the character Cristina Yang.

“During my darkest hours, my quietest saddest moments, my loneliest times, writing Cristina Yang fortified me. I leaned into Cristina, wrote her more eloquently, colored her more brightly, drew outside her lines.”

Despite the excellent inspiration of Rhimes’ first-hand experience working in a hospital setting, there are those who feel that some of the plot lines in Grey’s Anatomy have been overdone, that the show is beginning to drag its heels. According to Hypable, there are three plot lines in particular that are far too repetitive now that the show is in Season 12.

The plot lines discussed include the Grey Sloan Memorial taking their anger out on Penny, Richard and his feelings of guilt over his affair, and the fact that April is constantly turning every situation into a reason to discuss her marriage with Jackson without ever working it out. Apparently, there are fans who are eagerly awaiting this particular reconciliation between April and Jackson.

Hypable also says that more focus on the interns on Grey’s Anatomy would be ideal, rather than introducing another doctor to the mix. But bringing in another doctor is precisely what is happening.

Dr. Nathan Riggs (played by Martin Henderson) has joined the cast of Grey’s Anatomy, and this has brought out the opportunity to create conflict between him and Owen Hunt (played by Kevin McKidd). Design & Trend reports that McKidd reveled in an interview with TV Line that his past would come back to haunt him through a character that joins the team on the show.

“Somebody comes along during the season from Owen’s past.”

So, what will happen in Episode 7, Season 12 of Grey’s Anatomy? It’s hard to say, but according to Design & Trend, clearly Maggie has no idea Nathan has joined the team. This is obvious in the show teaser trailer, which is sure to pique the interest of fans everywhere.

It seems Nathan is jumping right in, and it is also obvious that right from the beginning Owen doesn’t want him there.

Grey’s Anatomy Episode 7, Season 12 is the last show before the big winter finale that will leave fans hanging until after the holiday season. It looks like it will be a whopper of a finale.

[Photo by DFree / Shutterstock]

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