Get ready for the 'real' 'Grey's Anatomy'

May 23, 12:49 PMGrey’s Anatomy ExaminerErin Nolan

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E! has gotten their hands on a CW casting notice looking for a hospital willing to open their doors to a camera crew who will "document the extraordinary experience of Emergency Medicine residents at a world-class hospital..."

The casting notice goes on to say, "Residents are at an incredible crossroads as they complete their medical education. ...We would like to present a portrait of these hard-working physicians during this incredible period in their lives."

Although they don't come right out and say it, surely, the producers of this project are hoping that besides capturing the residents' medical education, this "portrait" will also include on-call room hook-ups, syphilis outbreaks among the staff, affairs between residents and attending surgeons (or even residents and patients), and all the other types of melodrama that makes 'Grey's Anatomy' such juicy, soap operatic fun.

Reality knock-offs of scripted shows are nothing new. MTV's 'Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County' was created to capitalize on the success of the Fox teen drama 'The OC'. Bravo's 'The Real Housewives' series was initially conceived as a reality version of ABC's 'Desperate Housewives'. While failing to live up to the ironic wit and sly satire of the dramas they copy, these reality shows have become spin-off bearing mega-hits in their own right.

But chronicling the outlandish behavior of trophy wives and spoiled teenagers is one thing, and parading out the private lives of young doctors working to establish their professional reputations is another. Medical residents may not be so keen on the idea of starring in their own reality show, no matter how much free publicity it garners for their hospital. Even if the CW does find a group of telegenic young residents who fancy themselves the real-life versions of Meredith, Cristina, Izzie, Alex and George, the 'real' Grey's Anatomy on the CW probably still won't be as fun to watch as the real 'Grey's Anatomy' on ABC.

Photo: ABC