Give Grey’s Anatomy’s Sara Ramirez her Emmy today

When Sara Ramirez joined the cast of Grey’s Anatomy back in season two, I can’t say I was her biggest fan. She was kind of weird to be honest, and her relationship with George never really “cliqued” for me (with the exception of the moment when Callie told Meredith that George was her McSteamy). Over the next several years, however, both the character and the actress have grown on me, and as I look at it today, she could very well be the best part of the show.

I’ve liked how the writers have approached the storyline surrounding her sexuality. They came under a bit of fire during Brooke Smith’s departure, but I agree with the idea that her character wasn’t working, and it had nothing to do with the nature of the relationship. Enter Jessica Capshaw’s Arizona Robbins, and Callie has become a much happier person.

This season, Ramirez has come into her own (not disparaging what’s she’s done before, but this year? Damn!). I was blown away by her work in the premiere, first with George’s death (the scene where she found the birthmark) and, obviously, her confrontation with the Chief that I’ve quoted again and again. I was a bit worried when she ended up at Mercy West, but that storyline was, fortunately, short lived.

Nothing, however, could top her work with Hector Elizondo tonight. I’ve never seen a scene written for television that handled religion, and the implications of homosexuality, as beautifully as this week’s did. The writing was brilliant and the acting was brilliant. The poetry of quoting scripture back and forth, and the exclamation mark that Callie put on the whole conversation, was incredibly powerful.

Like I said, the The Academy of Television Arts and Sciences should go ahead and engrave her name on the statue now.

Other stuff:

• You knew it was going to be one of the newbie’s to take George’s locker.
• I liked the different colored scrubs on the Mercy West people … it helped me keep them straight.
• “You can’t pray away the gay” almost as good as “That’s right, I said rue!”
• I still say, as much as I like McKidd, that Capshaw has been the best addition to the cast in a long time.
• The new guy has a point about guys named Charlie.
• “Are you having the dark and twisties?”
• New doc Reed was Eden on the first season of Heroes (remember, back when it was good?).
• Meredith throwing the tissues “at” Cristina because that was all she could do.
• Loved the story behind Arizona’s name.
• Poor Izzie … I mean, I’ve suspected this was coming, but that doesn’t make it any more fun.
• “She’s not a vegetarian is she? I don’t know how much more I could take.”
• “Go hug him!”

Clacked by Ivey West
on Oct 16, 2009 @ 00:19 EST5EDT