Haven't We Met Before?

When I was a Disney Writing Fellow in 2003 I read two interesting pilot scripts. One was called SURGEONS which played like high school in a hospital and the other was LOST, a seriously twisted GILLIGAN'S ISLAND. Both of these scripts were solidly written but I couldn't ignore that nagging feeling of Deja Vu.

In scripted television concepts are recycled. SURGEONS which became GREY'S ANATOMY and LOST were blatant extractions of specific shows from the past.

GREY'S, with it's stories revolving around medical interns and their insanely tough mentors, reminded me of a CBS show from the '70's called, well, THE INTERNS. That show was created by veteran television scribe, William Blinn, and starred a group of up and coming youngsters at the time including Mike Farrell (Pre-Mash). Rounding out this group of idealistic youths you had the swinging single guys, the embattled doctor and nurse marriage, and the earnest black doctor. Broderick Crawford was the crusty mentor with a soft spot. Because this was the early 70's stories dealt with were racial prejudice, pyschotic war vets, and the spread of VD often in somber soapbox fashion.

GREY'S, conceptually the same, is quikier. Instead of one black intern, you have black mentors in charge. Though Shonda Rhimes, the creator is African-American, the racial angle is not played up---there's no need to. Meredith Grey is the main character but everyone is given room for growth and depth as they deal with social and political issues of the day. Progress?

In 1969, THE NEW PEOPLE, created by Aaron Spelling and Larry Gordon and developed by Rod Serling became one of two 45 minute shows to air. It concerned a group of exchange students who crash land on an island in the South Pacific. Richard Kiley, the one adult, dies in the pilot episode so the young people must fend for themselves and build their own society. Fortunately the island is an abandoned government installation so there are supplies but no way to leave. The show was bursting with relevant themes like rape, gun control, women's rights, racial pride, and touted a diverse cast of characters. (That means one black guy!) The group was diverse in social class also including, hippies, establishment squares, hard core militants and druggies. Add to this that one creepy episode where the kids discover shallow graves on the far side of the island leading them to believe they may not be alone.

It's no surprise that JJ Abrams, the guiding force behind LOST, is a Rod Serling fan. While LOST deals with a diverse group of people who crash land on a seemingly deserted island, they use flashbacks to inform us of the characters motivations and comment on the theme. Also as the show progresses it moves farther into science fiction territory. If not always credible, the show is mostly compelling.

Three decades plus later, our society is still dealing with war, race relations, the conservative/liberal clash, drugs, and greed. No wonder THE NEW PEOPLE and THE INTERNS have been re-invented. Besides computers and other technological advances, it's the '70's all over again.