Running head: GREYS ANATOMY: NOT AM EQUAL TV DRAMA AFTER

ALL

Greys Anatomy: Not an Equal Television Drama After All

Cara Tripodis
Georgia Southern University
July 1, 2016

GREYS ANATOMY: NOT AN EQUAL TELEVISION DRAMA AFTER ALL

Abstract
In this paper I analyze a short scene from a television drama to further prove that modern
shows follow the same form as ones in the past. With help form several scholarly journals
I explore the elements from the scene that proves Greys Anatomy does not portray men
and women in an equal light. Gender and dominance go hand in hand especially in this
scene. The characters demonstrate the problems we have in our society today. The use of
positioning, clothing, and motivated editing allow someone watching from a critical
cultural standpoint to see what messages the TV drama is really sending.

GREYS ANATOMY: NOT AN EQUAL TELEVISION DRAMA AFTER ALL

Greys Anatomy: Not an Equal Drama After All

Shonda Rhimes Greys Anatomy has previously been referred to as a television drama
to break race and gender norms, yet according to Kellner and Fiske, this drama follows
the same form that most of television always has. What is happening on a television show
is always changing to keep our attention; content, yet the structure of all of that content is
not changing; form. It is important to analyze television with a critical cultural studies
perspective to better understand the reality the media helps us as individuals, create. The
purpose of this paper is to analyze how a scene from Greys Anatomy poorly reflects
gender and dominance from a critical cultural standpoint. First, I will expand on research
already done, by Lauzen, Dozier, Horan (2008) to prove that knowledge of a characters
social role provides content for gender stereotypes. Secondly I will analyze the gender
dominance, determined by personality traits (Barbatisis, Wong, Herek, 1983). Lastly I
will briefly discuss how film techniques construct dominance between characters. .
Analyzed from a critical cultural standpoint, it can be found Greys Anatomy uses gender
roles and dominance to construct social codes.
In a scene in Greys Anatomy season three episode 20, Izzie went through a bone
marrow transplant for her secret eleven year old daughter whom she gave up for
adoption. This scene takes place with her best friend and recent lover, George. Izzie isnt
a surgeon here, she is a woman with a past that she is ashamed of while George continues
to identify as his role as a surgeon. In this stereotypes offer generalizations about people
on the basis of their group membership (Donelson, 1999, p. 40), often maintaining and
reinforcing the power of the in-group while subordinating members of out-groups (Fiske,
Xu, Cuddy, & Glick, 1999). When Izzie initially tells George about her daughter that she

GREYS ANATOMY: NOT AN EQUAL TELEVISION DRAMA AFTER ALL

gave up years ago, she says to him in a shaky voice Dont look at me (see appendix).
This shows her inferiority to George because of how ashamed she is to have gotten
pregnant young. This conventional representational code that getting pregnant as a young
woman is frowned upon hinders Izzies role as a female surgeon on the show. She lets her
group membership to her past slutty young self take over and then relies on George for
strength. It is obvious that the TV drama aligns females and inferiority by a woman
having this extremely personal issue play out in her place of work. Generally researchers
have found stereotypical depictions, with females underrepresented, younger, more
provocatively dressed, more domesticated and having less job status than males (Davis,
1990; Signorielli & Kahlenberg, 2001), Males typically have been found to be more
dominant (Lemon, 1977) and physically aggressive (Signorielli, 1989) while females
have been depicted as more emotional and affectionate (Busby, 1975; Greenberg, 1980)
Similarly, the personality traits associated with male characters generally reflect an
instrumental dimensionself-confident, persistent, and independent, while those of
female characters generally reflect an expressive dimensionsupportive, emotional, and
dependent (Levinson, 1973; Long & Simon, 1974; Turow, 1974). This proves true that
Izzie chooses George to confide in and cry to while dealing with this personal issue. The
same study also goes on to state that men usually identify themselves by a profession
and are generally presented as capable of career success in a variety of occupational roles
(Allen & Heckel, 1978; DeFleur, 1964). On the other hand women define themselves
with their role in relation to men. Izzie is in love with George so she identifies herself
with him by looking for his comfort and approval. . In the midst of telling George about
her daughter out of wedlock that she had a 16, Izzie completely halts the story to tell him

GREYS ANATOMY: NOT AN EQUAL TELEVISION DRAMA AFTER ALL

how much she misses him. According to this scene, women should feel as though their
identity comes from a man. This dominant ideology that men are superior is proven true
by this short interaction between the two characters. We have socially constructed that
having a baby, young, and giving it up for adoption is a bad thing and looking to man for
a resolution to problems is a good thing.
Power is shown by having the male character stand and the vulnerable female
character sitting on a hospital bed to once again imply masculine power over inferior
femininity. Before Izzie tells George about her daughter whom the transplant is for, he
puts on her pants for her and squats down low to do so. As soon as she begins to explain
her personal issue to him, George is soon standing tall over her. Their physical positions
alone allow viewers to identify who is in control in this situation. When the camera is on
George the viewer is looking up to him, as Izzie looks to him for answers in this scene.
Izzie is not only sitting but she is hunched over with her back exposed, how much more
vulnerable can an individual become? Since George and Izzie are both interns at this
hospital they are usually wearing the same uniform, blue scrubs. In this situation the
uniforms are different. Izzie is wearing a white hospital gown while she drowns in her
tears compared to George still in his scrubs listening to her break down. The implications
that women are emotional and need to identify themselves in men are social constructs
that that cane be taken away from this one scene. This scene also demonstrates motivated
editing by utilizing the shot to shot technique between the two interns, making it so
George being charge in the situation is normal.
Gender roles play a huge part in television and a lot of the time the viewer does
not even realize it. Television has made the submissive and vulnerable female character a

GREYS ANATOMY: NOT AN EQUAL TELEVISION DRAMA AFTER ALL

common role. Since many of us have not been watching television from a critical cultural
standpoint we think that males are dominant to females is normal. Like Fiske says, we
need to view television as it creates or reconstitutes reality. Dramas rely on social norms
to get them their ratings and because viewers see what they think is normal on TV they
keep tuning in to these popular shows.

GREYS ANATOMY: NOT AN EQUAL TELEVISION DRAMA AFTER ALL

Appendix
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZrMVFSm76s

GREYS ANATOMY: NOT AN EQUAL TELEVISION DRAMA AFTER ALL

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Fiske, John. (1989). Television culture. London ; New York :Routledge,
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