A Hard Day's Night (Grey's Anatomy)

Last updated

"A Hard Day's Night"
Grey's Anatomy episode
Grey's Anatomy Season 1 Cast.jpg
The cast of the first season of Grey's Anatomy, excluding Alex, all of whom appear in the pilot episode.
Episode no.Season 1
Episode 1
Directed by Peter Horton
Written by Shonda Rhimes
Featured music"Cosy in the Rocket"
"Portions for Foxes"
"Super Cool"
"They"
"Dance"
"Ready to Rise"
"Life is Short"
"Into the Fire"
Original air dateMarch 27, 2005 (2005-03-27)
Running time43 minutes
Guest appearances
Episode chronology
 Previous
Next 
"The First Cut Is the Deepest"
Grey's Anatomy season 1
List of episodes

"A Hard Day's Night" is the pilot episode and series premiere of the American television medical drama Grey's Anatomy , which first aired on March 27, 2005 on ABC. The episode introduces the main characters and surgical interns Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo), Cristina Yang (Sandra Oh), Izzie Stevens (Katherine Heigl), George O'Malley (T. R. Knight), and Alex Karev (Justin Chambers), as they begin their journey into the world of surgery at Seattle Grace Hospital. Other key characters introduced in the episode include Derek Shepherd (Patrick Dempsey), Miranda Bailey (Chandra Wilson), Richard Webber (James Pickens Jr.) and Preston Burke (Isaiah Washington).

Contents

On its initial airing, the episode garnered an American audience of 16.25 million viewers and received positive reviews from television critics. [1] [2]

Peter Horton received a nomination for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series for her work on the episode.

Plot

This episode chronicles the new surgical interns' first 48-hour shift at Seattle Grace Hospital. Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo) is shocked to discover that Derek Shepherd (Patrick Dempsey), with whom she had a one-night stand the night before, is not only an attending physician but also the Chief of Neurosurgery. [3] [4] The interns are introduced to their resident supervisor, Miranda Bailey (Chandra Wilson), nicknamed "The Nazi" for her strictness and serious demeanor. [5] They also meet Richard Webber (James Pickens Jr.), the Chief of Surgery, and Preston Burke (Isaiah Washington), the head of Cardiothoracic Surgery, who catches the attention of Cristina Yang (Sandra Oh). [6]

Meredith struggles with her first case, involving a teenage pageant contestant named Katie Bryce (Skyler Shaye), who suffers from unexplained seizures. Izzie Stevens (Katherine Heigl) initially dislikes Meredith, suspecting her of trying to get ahead by sleeping with an attending surgeon. [7] It is revealed that Izzie previously worked as a model to pay her way through medical school, a fact that Alex Karev (Justin Chambers) teases her about. [8]

George O'Malley (T. R. Knight) earns the nickname "007" (a reference to "license to kill") after botching his first surgery, an appendectomy. He inadvertently tears the bowel after pulling too hard on the sutures, and the patient is only saved by Burke.

It is also revealed that Meredith is the daughter of renowned surgeon Ellis Grey (Kate Burton), who had an affair with Richard years earlier while she was married to Meredith's father, Thatcher Grey (Jeff Perry). [9] [10] Ellis is now suffering from Alzheimer's disease, and Meredith secretly visits her at an assisted care facility. [11]

Production

Sandra Oh originally read for the role of Bailey, but preferred Cristina, who was originally envisioned as an antagonist without power. Sandra Oh Peabody Awards, June 2021.png
Sandra Oh originally read for the role of Bailey, but preferred Cristina, who was originally envisioned as an antagonist without power.

The voice-over that opens the pilot episode of Grey's Anatomy was not part of the original script. Shonda Rhimes explained, "In the editing room, it felt like a piece was missing, so we added it." [13] Director Peter Horton had envisioned a different opening for the series, one he later regretted not using. Due to time constraints and Rhimes' desire to "start with a bang", they opted for a different approach. Horton recalled, "My original opening for the pilot was Ellen [Pompeo] lying naked on the couch. The opening scene of the pilot was Derek and Meredith having just slept together in a one-night stand. We had a very tight lens that was out of focus, going over all the curves of her body. You didn't even really know what it was as the credits were rolling. [Her body] would come into focus as her eyes opened. It was this beautiful description of Grey's Anatomy." [12]

Stephen McPherson, then-president of ABC Entertainment, initially had little faith in the pilot and disliked the title Grey's Anatomy. At one point, he requested the show be titled Complications. After the producers turned in the pilot, McPherson halted production. Krista Vernoff, who was a staff writer at the time and later became the showrunner, recalled in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter 12 years later, "He hated it. He said to [then ABC executive] Suzanne Patmore Gibbs (1967–2018), 'This show is going to be the chapter in my book titled "Why I Should Trust Myself or Why I Should Trust People I Hire."' Because she forced that program on the air. And then it was a great big hit, and he got all the credit." [12]

However, Rhimes raised concerns to writer Eric Buchman about the title Complications because Atul Gawande had written a book by the same name, which also revolved around a "young doctor working for a hospital for the first time". The network even optioned Gawande's book "just so they could officially use the title", but Rhimes later stated that she wasn’t sure who made the call to return to the title Grey's Anatomy. [12] Kate Burton, who portrays Ellis Grey, recalled that when she was called to audition, the working title of the show was Surgeons. [12] Buchman also remembered someone pitching the title Miss Diagnosis, which Rhimes "just outright hated". [12]

Casting

Justin Chambers was not part of the original Grey's Anatomy pilot episode, which was filmed in March 2004. Tony Phelan explained that one of the notes after testing the pilot was, "You need a bad boy. You need a male member of the intern class who's not just an asshole, but male." As a result, Phelan noted, "If you go back and watch the pilot, you can see how they surgically put Justin in everywhere." [12]

The character of Preston Burke was initially conceived as Caucasian and intended to be played by Paul Adelstein, who would later star in Grey's Anatomy's spin-off, Private Practice . However, due to conflicting schedules with a film Adelstein was committed to, he had to drop out, and the character was reimagined. [14] [15] Isaiah Washington was originally considered for the role of Derek Shepherd, which ultimately went to Patrick Dempsey. [14] Washington later received a callback from Shonda Rhimes to play Burke, and he recalled, "I knew I could never be wrong in my heart about something so good and so genuine. Her writing just seemed very complex, very honest." [16] He added, "I said that I would only do it if I didn't have to be like that guy on that other medical show who was always struggling with his anger." [17]

Stacy McKee, writer and later showrunner, revealed that the original script was an "unmakeable draft" and "too long", with a version of the script possibly portraying Burke and Richard Webber as related. [12] Additionally, Ellen Pompeo, who was cast as the lead, Meredith Grey, was initially hesitant to join a medical drama. She shared, "I hate medical shows! They make me think I'm gonna die all the time"m but was encouraged to meet with Rhimes for lunch at Barney Greengrass in Beverly Hills. After their meeting, Pompeo stated that she liked Rhimes and trusted her vision. [12]

Reception

"A Hard Day's Night" received positive reviews from television critics upon broadcast. [1] [2]

ReviewStream.com gave positive feedback on the pilot episode of Grey's Anatomy, particularly highlighting the undeniable chemistry between Ellen Pompeo and Patrick Dempsey from their very first scene. [2] Regarding Miranda Bailey's appearance, the site noted, "She's such a small woman, but wait until she speaks." [2]

On the other hand, HomeTheaterInfo.com provided mixed-to-positive perspectives, acknowledging that the storylines bore similarities to the fellow ABC series Desperate Housewives, but also calling the pilot "brilliantly written, extremely well acted, and directed to near perfection." [18]

The New York Daily News named Grey's Anatomy a "winner" following its first season, while Newsday expressed a similarly positive opinion, stating, "You simply can't stop watching." [19]

Related Research Articles

<i>Greys Anatomy</i> season 1 Season of television series

The first season of the American television medical drama Grey's Anatomy began airing in the United States on the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) on March 27, 2005, and concluded on May 22, 2005, and consist of only nine episodes, making it the shortest season to date. The first season introduces the main character, Meredith Grey, as she enrolls in Seattle Grace Hospital's internship program and faces unexpected challenges and surprises. Season one had nine series regulars, three of whom have been part of the main cast ever since. The season initially served as a mid-season replacement for the legal drama Boston Legal, airing in the Sunday night time slot at 10:00, after Desperate Housewives. Although no clip shows have been produced for this season, the events that occur are recapped in "Straight to Heart", a clip-show which aired one week before the winter holiday hiatus of the second season ended. The season was officially released on DVD as two-disc Region 1 box set under the title of Grey's Anatomy: Season One on February 14, 2006, by Buena Vista Home Entertainment.

<i>Greys Anatomy</i> season 2 Season of television series

The second season of the American television medical drama Grey's Anatomy commenced airing on the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) on September 25, 2005, and concluded on May 15, 2006. The season was produced by Touchstone Television in conjuction with Shondaland production company and The Mark Gordon Company, the showrunner being Shonda Rhimes. Actors Ellen Pompeo, Sandra Oh, Katherine Heigl, Justin Chambers, and T. R. Knight reprised their roles as surgical interns Meredith Grey, Cristina Yang, Izzie Stevens, Alex Karev, and George O'Malley respectively. Previous main cast members Chandra Wilson, James Pickens, Jr., Isaiah Washington and Patrick Dempsey also returned, while Kate Walsh, who began the season in a recurring capacity, was promoted to series-regular status, after appearing in 7 episodes as a guest-star. Internationally, the season was distributed by Buena Vista International Television.

<i>Greys Anatomy</i> season 3 Season of television series

The third season of the American television medical drama Grey's Anatomy, commenced airing on the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) on September 21, 2006, and concluded on May 17, 2007. The season was produced by Touchstone Television, in association with Shondaland Production Company and The Mark Gordon Company, the showrunner being Shonda Rhimes. Actors Ellen Pompeo, Sandra Oh, Katherine Heigl, Justin Chambers and T. R. Knight reprised their roles as surgical interns Meredith Grey, Cristina Yang, Izzie Stevens, Alex Karev and George O'Malley, respectively, continuing their expansive storylines as focal points throughout the season. Previous main cast members Chandra Wilson, James Pickens, Jr., Kate Walsh, Isaiah Washington, and Patrick Dempsey also returned, while previous guest-stars Sara Ramirez and Eric Dane were promoted to series-regulars, following the extension of their contracts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Derek Shepherd</span> Fictional character in Greys Anatomy

Derek Christopher Shepherd, often referred to as "McDreamy", is a fictional surgeon from the ABC medical drama Grey's Anatomy, portrayed by actor Patrick Dempsey. He made his first appearance in the series' pilot episode, "A Hard Day's Night", which was broadcast on March 27, 2005.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Meredith Grey</span> Fictional and titular character from Greys Anatomy

Meredith Grey, M.D., F.A.C.S., is a fictional and titular character from the medical drama television series Grey's Anatomy, which airs on the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) in the United States. The character was created by series producer Shonda Rhimes and is portrayed by actress Ellen Pompeo. Meredith made her first appearance in the pilot episode, "A Hard Day's Night", broadcast on March 27, 2005. She also appears in the spin-off series Station 19 as a recurring character.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cristina Yang</span> Fictional character in Greys Anatomy

Cristina Yang, M.D., Ph.D., F.A.C.S. is a fictional character from the medical drama television series Grey's Anatomy, which has aired for 20 seasons on the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) in the United States. The character was created by series producer Shonda Rhimes and is portrayed by actress Sandra Oh. Cristina was introduced as a surgical intern at the fictional Seattle Grace Hospital, and over the course of the series, she rose to become a cardiothoracic surgical fellow. Her relationships with fellow doctors Meredith Grey, Izzie Stevens, Alex Karev and George O'Malley were central to the show's early seasons.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Izzie Stevens</span> Fictional character from the television show Greys Anatomy

Isobel Katherine Stevens, M.D. is a fictional character from the medical drama television series Grey's Anatomy, which airs on the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) in the United States. The character was created by series producer Shonda Rhimes, and was portrayed by actress Katherine Heigl from 2005 to 2010. Introduced as a surgical intern at the fictional Seattle Grace Hospital, Izzie worked her way up to resident level, while her relationships with her colleagues Meredith Grey, Cristina Yang, Alex Karev and George O'Malley formed a focal point of the series.

Losing My Religion (<i>Greys Anatomy</i>) 27th episode of the 2nd season of Greys Anatomy

"Losing My Religion" is the twenty-seventh episode and the season finale of the second season of the American television medical drama Grey's Anatomy, and the show's 36th episode overall. Written by Shonda Rhimes and directed by Mark Tinker, the episode originally aired on May 15, 2006, on American Broadcasting Company (ABC), as part of a two-hour season finale event alongside "Deterioration of the Fight or Flight Response".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Didn't We Almost Have It All?</span> 25th episode of the 3rd season of Greys Anatomy

"Didn't We Almost Have It All?" is the twenty-fifth episode and the season finale of the third season of the American television medical drama Grey's Anatomy, and is the 61st episode overall. Written by Tony Phelan and Joan Rater, and directed by Rob Corn, the episode originally aired on the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) in the United States on May 17, 2007. Running for 53:05 minutes, it is the longest single episode of the series, excluding two-part episodes. The episode title refers to the song "Didn't We Almost Have It All" by American singer Whitney Houston.

"It's the End of the World" is the 16th episode of the second season of the American television series Grey's Anatomy and the show's 25th episode overall. Written by series creator Shonda Rhimes and directed by co-executive producer Peter Horton, the episode is the first part of a two-part storyline, which concludes with the following episode, "As We Know It".

"As We Know It" is the 17th episode of the second season of the American television medical drama Grey's Anatomy and the show's 26th episode overall. Written by series creator Shonda Rhimes and directed by co-executive producer Peter Horton, it originally aired on February 12, 2006, and is the second of a two-part story, following the first part, "It's the End of the World".

Time Has Come Today (<i>Greys Anatomy</i>) 1st episode of the 3rd season of Greys Anatomy

"Time Has Come Today" is the first episode of the third season of the American television medical drama Grey's Anatomy, and the show's 37th episode overall. Written by Shonda Rhimes and directed by Daniel Minahan, the episode aired on the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) in the United States on September 21, 2006. The episode primarily focuses on Dr. Izzie Stevens coping with the unexpected death of her fiancé, Denny Duquette, while dealing with the decision to quit the internship program. Further storylines include Dr. Preston Burke facing the repercussions of his being shot, and Dr. Meredith Grey dealing with the aftermath of her affair with Dr. Derek Shepherd, which puts a strain in his already troubled marriage to Dr. Addison Montgomery-Shepherd.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I Am a Tree</span> 2nd episode of the 3rd season of Greys Anatomy

"I Am a Tree" is the second episode in the third season of the American serial drama television series Grey's Anatomy, and the 38th episode of the overall series. The episode focuses mainly on Cristina Yang, as her romantic relationship with Preston Burke is tested through the arrival of his parents. The episode is the first to feature Diahann Carroll, who begins a recurring role as Jane Burke, Preston's mother. The installment marked Eric Dane's second appearance in the series and first appearance in the season, despite not being credited. The episode was instrumental in the producers' decision to have Dane promoted to series regular status in the following episode.

"A Change Is Gonna Come" is the fourth season premiere of the American television medical drama Grey's Anatomy, and the 62nd episode of the overall series. The premiere focused on the aftermath of the main characters' promotion to residency, following the conclusion of their internship. The episode was the first not to feature Isaiah Washington, portraying Preston Burke, due to his being fired from the series at the conclusion of season 3. The episode also marked Chyler Leigh's promotion to series regular status, following her guest appearances in the last 2 episodes of the previous season. Also featured were one-time guest actors Mark Pellegrino, Stephania Childers, Sandra Thigpen, and Steven Porter.

Now or Never (<i>Greys Anatomy</i>) 24th episode of the 5th season of Greys Anatomy

"Now or Never" is the twenty-fourth episode and the season finale of the fifth season of the American television medical drama Grey's Anatomy, and is the 102nd episode overall. Written by Debora Cahn and directed by Rob Corn, the episode was originally broadcast on the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) in the United States on May 14, 2009.

Flight (<i>Greys Anatomy</i>) 24th episode of the 8th season of Greys Anatomy

"Flight" is the twenty-fourth episode and the season finale of the eighth season of the American television medical drama Grey's Anatomy, and the show's 172nd episode overall. It was written by series creator Shonda Rhimes, and directed by Rob Corn. The episode was originally broadcast on the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) in the United States on May 17, 2012.

"How to Save a Life" is the twenty-first episode of the eleventh season of the American television medical drama Grey's Anatomy, and the 241st episode overall. It aired on April 23, 2015 on the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) in the United States. The episode was written by showrunner Shonda Rhimes and directed by Rob Hardy, marking Rhimes' return to writing for the series since the Season 8 finale, "Flight". The installment is notable for the death of the series’ male lead character, Derek Shepherd, who had starred on the series since its inception.

Only Mama Knows (<i>Greys Anatomy</i>) 4th episode of the 11th season of Greys Anatomy

"Only Mama Knows" is the fourth episode of the eleventh season of the American television medical drama Grey's Anatomy, and is the 224th episode overall. Written by Mark Driscoll, and directed by Jesse Bochco, the episode originally aired on the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) in the United States on October 16, 2014.

Sledgehammer (<i>Greys Anatomy</i>) 1st episode of the 12th season of Greys Anatomy

"Sledgehammer" is the season premiere of the twelfth season of the American television medical drama Grey's Anatomy, and the 246th episode overall. It aired on September 24, 2015, on ABC in the United States. The episode was written by Stacy McKee and directed by Kevin McKidd. On its initial airing the episode was watched by 9.55 million viewers and opened up to positive reviews from television critics. Earlier in April 2015, Patrick Dempsey had revealed that he would be leaving the show after the eleventh season despite having signed a contract through another season. Grey's Anatomy centers around a group of physicians struggling to balance their professional lives with their personal lives.

References

  1. 1 2 "Weekly Program Rankings". ABC Medianet. March 29, 2005. Retrieved June 25, 2012.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Grey's Anatomy Season 1 Pilot Episode A Hard Day's Night Out". reviewstream.com. Retrieved June 25, 2012.
  3. "Derek Shepherd - Biography - Meredith and Derek Online". Archived from the original on June 25, 2012. Retrieved June 25, 2012.
  4. "Meredith Grey - Biography - Meredith and Derek Online". Archived from the original on February 9, 2012. Retrieved June 25, 2012.
  5. "Miranda Bailey - Grey's Anatomy" . Retrieved June 25, 2012.
  6. "Cristina Yang Bio - TV Fanatic". October 15, 2006. Retrieved June 25, 2012.
  7. "Izzie Stevens Bio - TV Fanatic". May 12, 2006. Retrieved June 25, 2012.
  8. "Izzie Stevens - Grey's Anatomy character Izzie Stevens". Archived from the original on March 22, 2012. Retrieved June 25, 2012.
  9. "Meredith Grey Bio - TV Fanatic". November 20, 2008. Retrieved June 25, 2012.
  10. "Richard Webber (James Pickens, Jr.) Bio - Grey's Anatomy - ABC.com". Archived from the original on March 3, 2011. Retrieved June 25, 2012.
  11. "Richard Webber - Grey's Anatomy" . Retrieved June 25, 2012.
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Rice, Lynette (September 15, 2021). "Inside the Grey's Anatomy pilot: 'ABC basically treated the show as if it were a low priority'". USA Today . Entertainment Weekly . Retrieved June 18, 2022.
  13. Oldenburg, Ann (April 26, 2006). "'Anatomy' has all the right parts". USA Today . Gannett Company . Retrieved October 9, 2012.
  14. 1 2 Fogel, Matthew (May 8, 2005). "'Grey's Anatomy' Goes Colorblind". New York Times . Retrieved May 8, 2009.
  15. Cohn, Paulette (July 16, 2012). "Paul Adelstein's 'Grey's Anatomy' Disappointment". American Profile. Archived from the original on August 19, 2012. Retrieved September 3, 2012.
  16. Albiniak, Paige (May 29, 2005). "Why 'Grey' Seems So Bright". Broadcasting & Cable . Retrieved September 4, 2012.
  17. Fonseca, Nicholas (September 16, 2005). "Playing Doctors". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved June 13, 2013.
  18. "Grey's Anatomy: Season One". HomeTheaterInfo.com. Retrieved May 15, 2012.
  19. The reviews by New York Daily News and Newsday can be found on the DVD's back cover.