I Forgive You

I started to blog this Friday when it first came to my attention but my hectic schedule prevented me from writing. I’m referring to the startling announcement that Isaiah Washington was fired from Grey’s Anatomy. The producers have put a creative spin on it but it boils down to disaster for the highly rated drama.

Washington’s exit is troubling on two fronts. First, is the theme of redemption. We all know he was a dimwitted homophobe to call a co-worker the f-word but after you’ve asked for forgiveness and made amends including PSAs, how do you redeem yourself. It seems incredibly judgmental and self-indulgent to not move on. Who knows? There may be more to the story.

Pop culture dictates a special fickleness. We love your movies; therefore we will forgive the fact that you cheat on your wife. We adore your music; therefore we will forgive the fact that you perform sexual acts on underage girls. However, you’ve produced some of the best movies of all time but we can’t forgive your drinking and drug problem. We simply choose to forgive what we feel like forgiving. The idea of forgiveness is subjective.

On another level, his absence leaves a big hole in another character. Cristina Yang (Sandra Oh) will be hard pressed to find another man that will bring out her tender side and stand up to her tough exterior. The show spent a lot of time setting up Burke as her perfect partner. Who will be able to match her moxie? It’s enough to overcome the debacle that is Izzie sleeping with George. Now we are to belief that Burke was all-wrong for Yang. It was hard enough to belief that he would back her into that huge wedding.

The writers of Grey’s Anatomy are crafty. Let’s just hope they can write themselves out of this void.

What are your thoughts? Great move or bad major mistake?