Grey’s Anatomy Firing Is Hardly Surprising… And Not Interesting

Brooke Smith has been fired from Grey’s Anatomy, and it was apparently a bit of a surprise.

The first to get the story to me was the L.A. Times, and the news has been rocketing around ever since. It isn’t just news though, every one seems to have a spin to place on it. L.A. Times‘ Mary McNamara works the angle that not-particularly-stunning, older, lesbians do not work for the suits running networks. Some version of that story, or a related statement of general irritation at anti-lesbianism has shown up all over the net.

I’d like to suggest that perhaps things are getting a little too serious here.

First, let’s assume that the character was offed because she is - A) a lesbian in general, B) part of a lesbian couple which was moving down the road toward having a lot of their relationship covered on television, C) a lesbian who isn’t gorgeous, young, really thin, etc., etc. D) whatever mix of the above suits your purposes.

Okay, that assumed — who cares? Look, Grey’s Anatomy is a really stupid show, and that inherently includes the idea that… well, it’s just a TV show. I know, it sounds horrible, but there is actually a pretty good story for getting rid of characters for just about any reason, if you think it might hurt the show… which will hurt the money. TV is like a right-to-work state. But again, this isn’t a “real” woman who was fired her anchor job from the news for being a lesbian, it’s a character on… and let’s clarify again… a really stupid show.

In any case, the assumptions are too easy, and too simplistic. If McDreamy were suddenly fired tomorrow, the internet wouldn’t start buzzing off the hook with, “White, straight guy fired from show! Bastards!” Being a lesbian shouldn’t be a reason to get rid of a character, but it shouldn’t make them untouchable either. Besides, there are a lot of angles to the specific character, the specific portrayal, and the specific relationship/s.

We shouldn’t forget things like the simple idea that I hated the uber-annoying character from the first episode she was ever in, and hoped she was getting offed in some fun, and horrible way ever since. I might not be alone. Or, the fact that the relationship was really spinning off into some weird tangents. The “Show Me How To” bit in particular was… come on… just goofy. The show suffers from more than its fair share of, “Crap, the script has to be in by 8:00, hit me with something!”

Look, Grey’s Anatomy is not a particularly “bad” show. It’s an odd conglomeration of medical dramedy-ish, soap opera, and high school, that’s kind of fun, but still guilty-pleasure nonsense. It may be the case that someone wanted to get rid of Brooke Smith based purely on something to do with being a gay character, or a non-waifish one, whatever, but it’s hardly worth a march. And, I don’t particularly buy it as being the case. Every case of a minority running into difficulty is not worthy of a federal case being made of it… especially when they’re fictional.