Shondaland

  
 Shondaland is a company by Shonda Rhimes that produces shows you may have heard of like Grey's Anatomy, Private Practice, Scandal and How To Get Away With Murder which air every Thursday night (TGIT)

If you follow me on twitter, you may have seen how ive been raving about Scandal these past few days (and maybe a few weeks back). I have been totally OBSESSED with Shondaland shows ever since March.



My obsession innocently started with an epsiode of Grey's Anatomy. I was on my holiday and I started browsing through the television and landed on Grey's Anatomy. Ive heard about the show because im a huge Swiftie and I know how Taylor is obsessed with Grey's that she even named her cat after the main star Meredith. Im not gonna spoil anything just incase you'd want to start watching it but I can guarantee it is a really really good show. After sleeping at 4 am almost everyday, I successfully finished 10 episodes which consisted of 22 episodes that lasts for 43 minutes in 4 weeks.

Grey's Anatomy is more than doctors, hospitals, dying patients, code blacks and other medical jargons but it actually also teaches you life lessons (as well as an intro to premed haha). Expect LOTS of crying and cherish your favourite characters because you may never know what would happen next. After watching Grey's, expect yourself examining and diagnosing yourself even with the most minor injuries you get. This show actually also inspired me to take medicine in the future.


Shonda's other show, Private Practice also somehow connects with Grey's Anatomy but I didnt really enjoy it the first time I watched it but I'd probably try to start it again over the Christmas holidays.

Here are a few of my favourites on the show: 
basically these arent all my faves because this would end up being a loooooooong post. Aside from these 4, I love Lexie, Mark, Cristina, Derek, Amelia ++




Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo), how can you not love Meredith Grey. She's the star of the show and well you'd get to know her more once you've seen the show.


Izzie Stevens  (Katherine Heigl). Most people dont like Izzie but well I love Izzie and I really miss her on the show (ooooops). She made me cry A LOT




Jo Wilson (Camilla Luddington) I ADORE THIS GIRL! her character is so badass (considering her past) yet she's still very loveable


HOT GUYS ALERT: Justin Chambers plays the role of Alex Karev (right) whos been part of the original set of interns of Seattle Grace whilst Jesse Williams plays the role of Jackson Avery (left) who comes from Mercy West which merges with Seattle Grace during the 5th season.


 You may think that HOW DO YOU STAY UP UNTIL 4AM WATCHING A TV SHOW?!?1!?!?


Basically me everynight

"Okay im putting my laptop down after this episode"
*something interesting happens*
"... Maybe after the next one"

*cycle repeats*








The second Shondaland show I watched was How To Get Away With Murder. I decided to start watching this because I really loved Grey's and I know Shonda wouldnt fail me (and ofcourse she didnt). During term break, I was able to finish all episodes in half a week since there are only 2 seasons so far. This show can kinda get confusing slight spoiler alert: The show starts with the Keating Five (Annalise's intern students) carrying a dead body and debating on what they should do with it like WERE JUST ON EPISODE ONE AND IM ALREADY LOST LIKE WHAT IS THIS WHAT IS HAPPENING??1!?!?! Things will clear off once you've watched the next episodes trust me.


Here are a few of my favourites on the show: 


Laurel Castillo (played by Karla Souza) is the ideal law student and is also part of the Keating 5. I can say she's the most matured and serious compared to the other 4. 





Jake Falahee plays the role Connor Walsh (whos gay) and is also part of the Keating 5.







And the most recent one ive caught up on was Scandal. For me, amongst the 3, this was the show that made me cry the most for some reason. (maybe 20% more than Grey's did). Scandal is basically about Olivia Pope and her oh so complicated life because of being the mistress of the president of the United States of America. Well its not just that, I can say she has a really dramatic life but its so cool and badass.

Honestly, I had to force myself through the first 2 and a half seasons of it because it was quite boring. I actually attempted to watch this back in May but I didnt appreciate it so much and I gave it a try again this November. After you get through the first few seasons, its a non stop roller coaster of emotions.I cant make a list of my favourite characters here because I'll end up putting them all.


but CAN WE TAKE A MOMENT AND APPRECIATE JAKE BALLARD (played by Scott Foley)


He was one of the reasons I cried a lot and got emotionally unstable.  JUST LOOK AT HIM LOOK AT HIS EYES AND OHMYGOD.



I love all these 3 shows but Grey's Anatomy will always be on top of my list, followed by Scandal and HTGAWM


HERES A FEW TIPS IF YOU WANNA HOP ON THE SHONDA LAND TRAIN
(dont say I didnt warn you)

1. Its gonna be a wild ride of emotions (crying, screaming, perfect storms)
2. Prepare tissue (a lot of them), an inhaler, and a stress ball

3. Shonda doesnt care about your emotions, TRUST ME SHE DOESNT AT ALL
4. She loves to drop bombs on the last 3 minutes of an episode so you have to be miserable for a week waiting til the next episode comes back on
5. Whats worst is she loves making you wait til the series comes back from a midseason break so you have to be miserable for months
6. She has no mercy for your favourite characters, she'd kill or make them disappear in a blink of an eye
7.  You'll start thinking like Meredith, Olivia or Annalise
8.After watching, there may be times wherein you'd just curl up and stare at the wall thinking why Shonda is so cruel and torturing us
9. Heres the start of sleepless nights (especially when youre catching up)
10. You may really really hate Shonda but in the end you'd still love and thank her for making shows like these




Sorry for this super long post but I just had to share my love-hate-relationship with Shondaland! I hope you enjoyed this and you would also start to watch some of her shows. Honestly, these are the things I look forward to every week. These shows keep me sane especially when I have tons of things to do! What Shondaland shows would you like to see/have you seen? Til next time!

xx
Maria Mikaela