Grey's Anatomy: Seriously?

What is it about Grey's Anatomy that keeps me tuning in and yet so desperately wanting to tune out? I'm disgusted by the George (T.R. Knight) and Izzie (Katherine Heigl) storyline, which has gone on far too long, but I still want to see how the show's writers wrap it up. Judging by the season finale a few weeks ago, where George failed his intern exam, his departure from Seattle Grace (if not the whole show) could be imminent, signaling the end of the hospital's famously secret love triangle.

Then we have the Mer/Der storyline of will they or won't they stay/get together. Meredith (Ellen Pompeo), perpetually whiney even after her ridiculous near-death experience, seemed to end the relationship in the finale. I actually rooted for her for taking charge of her own life instead of being so co-dependent all the time. Meanwhile, Derek's (Patrick Dempsey) roaming eye and complaints about Meredith pushing him away seem contrived and too easy. Just another way to keep viewers guessing until, and probably throughout, season 4.

The couple we thought had it together, especially after hearing the groom's wedding vows during the finale, was none other than strong-willed Cristina (Sandra Oh) and greatest-surgeon-ever Burke (Isaiah Washington). Sure, they often seem mismatched, but they were getting married! Not since Denny died has Grey's given me a case of "I didn't see THAT coming." Yet again, I'm given incentive to continue watching the show just to find out what happens. I'm just glad that this time it's a storyline I actually care about. Some of the best acting of the whole season found its way into the finale's last five minutes thanks to Oh.

I mean, with the exception of Callie (Sara Ramirez) and, of late, Addison (Kate Walsh), the men and women of Seattle Grace have really gotten annoying. Entertainment Weekly writer Gillian Flynn summed up the women best in a recent article where she wrote, "The majority of Grey's women are bitchy, self-absorbed, moody female characters that people like to call 'flawed' or 'complicated.' Really, they're just nasty."

It's true. The first season of Grey's I felt for Meredith, who unknowingly got caught up in the Derek and Addison divorce. Derek ditched the poor girl in the end! Meredith had every reason to mope.

But by the end of season two, it was clear that Meredith was switching professions from doctor to whiner. When she nearly drowned in season three, I wanted her to die so that maybe the show could finally get back to being about the trials that doctors face inside and outside of the hospital instead of a show about annoying people with complicated lives, much of the complications brought on by themselves. Come on! Why would you take back the guy who dumped you first?

Unfortunately, like Meredith, the show learned nothing from the ferry crash episode. Meredith continued whining and making everything, including Cristina's wedding, about her. Izzie kept making drawn-out metaphor-filled monologues. Cristina kept freaking out about everything.

Even the male characters have gone downhill during season 3. Karev (Justin Chambers), who showed a tender side toward ferry crash patient Ava/Rebecca Pope (Elizabeth Reaser), suddenly went all tough and stone-hearted in the finale, although he did let up a bit in the end, albeit too late. (Karev's past would make an interesting subplot. If we can randomly throw in Izzie's biological daughter, then surely we can catch a glimpse into how Karev became so commitment-phobic. What is he so afraid of?) George continues to walk around the hospital like a lost puppy, lying to his wife with each glance.

Mark has always seemed slimy to me. Burke is boring and self-righteous. And Derek tries to blame problems in the relationship on Meredith when really, Derek just wanted to become chief but knew that Meredith would be neglected and hurt. His excuse that she didn't try to swim when she was pushed into the water may have been on his mind, but I'm still not buying that it's the cause of all his dissatisfaction.

The only decent characters on the show get little to no airtime. Bailey (Chandra Wilson) is often relegated to a few choice lines and mainly kept in the background. She didn't even make chief resident. That title went, randomly, to Callie, who is a strong character that I root for often, especially because she embodies the "when bad things happen to good people" adage. Addison became likeable recently only to be leaving Seattle Grace for sunnier pastures in the spin-off Private Practice. Chief Richard Webber (James Pickens Jr.) finally announced his resignation and tried to make things work with his wife. Who knows where that storyline will go, especially after Derek randomly declined the offer of becoming the new chief of surgery. Where does that leave Chief Webber?

And do you notice my use of the word "random"? How many illogical things will happen on this TV show? The website BuzzSugar.com took a poll recently asking viewers what the most ridiculous moment was on Grey's. Some of the options were�â'¬"see if you can remember these doozies�â'¬""the free clinic opening in eight days," "George doing heart surgery in an elevator," "Callie living in the basement of the hospital," "Dylan the bomb-guy exploding," and everyone's favorite "Meredith drowning, going to hospital heaven, and coming back just fine." That last choice won with 49 percent of votes or 649 votes. In second place was "Izzie cutting Denny's LVAD wire (and not getting kicked out of the program)."

Perhaps season 4 will turn things around. Maybe no one will almost die. Maybe certain characters will take responsibility for their actions. Or maybe not. The most I can hope for from the season premiere is that the loose ends I cared about from the finale are tied up and I can go about turning the TV off after Ugly Betty on Thursday nights from now on.