SHANNON URTNOWSKI
A&E Editor
I’m torn, and that’s the way they wanted it. What’s worse — I think they planned it.
Some of my favorite shows have been on hiatus since early summer, and finally, after months of reruns and patience, they are returning to the small screen.
This week has already welcomed some old favorites (like Fox’s “House” and NBC’s “Heroes”) and many new hopefuls for the season (like CBS’s “The Big Bang Theory” and NBC’s “Journeyman”). However, these are not the shows for which I have been waiting because, truth be told, tonight is my night.
I should be excited, right? Well, I would have been had things stayed the same as last season. It used to be so easy to watch my two favorite shows — I would switch on “The Office” at 8:30 p.m. and then click over to ABC at 9 p.m. for “Grey’s Anatomy.” It was a great system, and it was my system.
But, did ABC and NBC think the time slots were great? I guess not because both shows will air Thursdays at 9 p.m. this season. I am being forced to choose.
This is the first time that I’ve ever had to decide which show I would rather watch, and there is not a whole lot I can do to get around making this choice. I can’t just TiVo them (I don’t have that kind of equipment), and it’s not like I can wait until they come out on DVD (I think I’ve been patient enough, waiting five months already for the new season.)
I know, I know — “Just pick one,” you might say. But, it isn’t that easy, my friends. Both season finales, which aired May 17, left me on the edge of my seat, and I am especially anxious to find out how the seasons kick off tonight.
For those of you (truly unfortunate) people who missed out on these shows last season, let me recap what happened during the finales.
“The Office’s” season finale leaves viewers with a lot of questions — some answered, some not. To start, a job at the corporate Dunder Mifflin in New York opens up after Jan, who has an on-and-off-again love affair with Michael, is fired.
Michael is the main character of the show and plays the boss of the Scranton office. Jim, a Scranton branch employee and main character, applies for the job and doesn’t get it. This means he won’t be leaving any time soon, so Pam and Jim’s romantic tension from season one can still be addressed. Pam is the receptionist at the office, and the season ended with Jim asking her on a date — what viewers have been waiting for since the very beginning.
Scooting over to “Grey’s Anatomy,” the show’s season finale didn’t end on such a high note. For starters, Burke calls off his wedding to Cristina. A relationship that has been building over seasons crumbles in one episode. In addition, Derek turns down the Chief’s job offer to take over his position at Seattle Grace Hospital. He told the Chief that he should not give up his position.
Adding to the shock, viewers discover that George is the only character to fail the big intern test, making his fate on the show unknown. He must decide whether he wants to redo his internship at the hospital or leave altogether. The entire fate of the show seems unknown at the end of this episode.
With so many cliffhangers and open windows, how is one to choose? I certainly do not know. These shows are not two that you can simply substitute — “The Office” is a comedy and “Grey’s Anatomy” is a drama, only one of their many discernable differences.
Well, wish me luck tonight. I hope you have better luck with your TV-viewing endeavors this week.
If I can offer up what I’ve learned from all this: Find one show and stick with it. You’ll be much happier.
09-27-2007
