The incredibly popular ABC show Lost started the trend of having a lead character die in every sweeps period, and it was a stunningly effective ploy in terms of ratings at least. Fans would tune in religiously each week to find out which of their favorite or least favorite characters would be the next one to bite the dust. The tactic quickly caught on with other popular shows and eventually it nearly because a pre-requisite for top billing shows to lose their main characters on a regular basis. Not surprisingly the cast members weren’t too crazy about this formula.
Like any new trend, it had its day. What was considered good dramatic tension before began to be viewed as old hat and predictable. Viewers and critics alike were scathing when the new NBC show Heroes tried the the same method, but for some reason Grey’s Anatomy managed to pull it off. What made Grey’s Anatomy so special? On February the 16th they killed off their lead character and the ratings soared like never before. What was it that had TV audiences so excited? Possibly that it wasn’t just any old lead character, it was THE lead character – Dr Meredith Grey, that was the victim.
It might not seem like a good idea on the surface, to kill off your lead character, your title role, the very character that the show is centered around and named after. it might not seem like a good idea to most, but the production team of Grey’s Anatomy would seem to have a greater understanding of their business than we could imagine. They very cunningly set about manipulating their audience’s emotions with a series of information leaks, letting it be unofficially known that Dr. Meredith Grey was going to be killed off, creating in the process a whole new buzz surrounding the show.
Fans of the show all over the world speculated on the rumors and argued, and hoped that the hearsay could not possibly be true. Such a drastic move seemed impossible, and yet something about the dreadful nature of the reports seemed to give the rumors credence. The word on the street became: “Prepare yourself for the worst” and fans seemed to resign themselves to an end of an era.
Their fears were realized and Meredith did indeed get the old ‘heave ho’ and the producer’s bold scheme was rewarded with a huge ratings boom. They had taken a risk and pulled it off. Not that there wasn’t any criticism. Meredith’s death conveniently allowed for a come-back in a future series, and this infuriated critics and fans alike. The reputation of the show and the plausibility of the story line was drastically called into question. Buddytv, in ‘Grey’s Anatomy: So, Who Died?’ accused the makers of the show of having a “lack of creativity” and reported a less than enthusiastic response from fans.
In conclusion, it seems that while the death of the title role certainly did boost ratings in a big way, it also may have alienated some of its fans in the process. The question is, will the revival of said role have the same effect on ratings, or will it only drive away fans who may be weary of this hackneyed story-line. We won’t have to wait long to find out, and going by the increasing chat and speculation surrounding the show on the internet, it seems likely that the former is the case.
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