Shonda Rhimes’ winning formula,
Shonda Rhimes maintains her formula for success with new series, The Catch
It’s no secret that when it comes to salacious and successful Thursdaynight dramas, producer, creator and writer extraordinaire Shonda Rhimes has the winning formula.
There’s a reason ABC has dubbed Thursdays TGIT after her prime time lineup of shows. Between Grey’s Anatomy, Scandal and How to Get Away With Murder, she’s given viewers an array of successful female characters and hired people of colour on a scale unlike any other slate of TV shows.
“Shonda just has a magic formula to make these shows that are beloved,” says Mireille Enos, who debuts in ShondaLand’s latest show, The Catch, on Thursday.
“She writes big, emotional stories and journeys for her characters and then hires these wonderful performers who ground those stories in reality. There’s this larger-than-life quality to what her characters have to go through and then she sets it in these beautiful settings and puts everyone in beautiful clothing.”
So what is that magic formula? One part leading lady Rhimes has always written (or taught her fellow showrunners to write) interesting and dynamic female characters. From the moment Ellen Pompeo walked the halls of Seattle Grace as Meredith Grey, she and the leading ladies who followed captivated a new wave of viewers with each debut. Now, the hospital on Grey’s Anatomy is mostly run by females; Kerry Washington’s Olivia Pope has the ear of the president anytime she chooses; and Viola Davis’s Annalise Keating is one of the most sought-after lawyers in the country. That trend continues with The Catch, as Enos’s Alice Vaughan not only proves she’s one of the best private investigators around, she shares a powerful partnership with co-star Rose Rollins. Two parts newbies Viewers have always entered ShondaLand shows through fresh eyes. Adding characters who would naturally have to ask questions allows for quick world-building while never talking down to viewers, making them feel as though they’re along for the ride. We’re talking about the interns of Grey’s Anatomy, new Gladiator recruit Quinn (Katie Lowes) on Scandal and the Keating Five on Murder. Although The Catch features a little less of that concept, new hire Sophie (Elvy Yost) allows for the blanks to be filled in the world of
private investigators. One part heightened reality In real life, people don’t begin speaking in monologues to prove a point. For that matter, they probably wouldn’t be able to keep up the ridiculous workloads these characters do without a heart attack, stress leave or mini-vacation. Adding that heightened reality of a hospital staff, political fixer, criminal lawyer or private investigator gives the audience a salacious hook to hold onto while still enjoying the series guilt-free. Or at the very least, without having to take too hard of a look at the world they’re trying to escape for a few hours. At the end of the day, that’s what makes these series so fun. A sprinkle of hot men We’ve come a long way from McDreamy and McSteamy, but the men on these shows have always been more than arm candy. Some come with muscles and dashing smiles; others win hearts with their quirky sense of humour, intellectual wit or ability to let down their emotional guard — something men on TV haven’t typically been able to do in the past without making a big hoopla over it. The latest male to join the melee is The Catch’s Benjamin Jones (Peter Krause). While his motives are unclear and he comes across as shady in the pilot, he quickly becomes an equal for Alice to tango with as the series unfolds. Adash of haute couture No expense is spared when it comes to the wardrobe departments. Although the doctors of Grey’s typically don scrubs, they clean up nicely in cocktail attire or fundraising frocks when the occasion permits. Meanwhile, Olivia Pope and Annalise Keating have inspired a fashion line or two on Scandal and Murder. It’s a trend that continues on The Catch. In the pilot alone, Alice melts into a beautiful wedding gown custom made for Enos, promising to send bridezillas everywhere into a frantic frenzy. A generous helping of diversity While there’s still a long way to go, series like these that have begun to finally change the whitewashing that Hollywood has demonstrated for far too long and changed the conversation about how to cast characters from the early stages of the TV-planning process.