Erica Hahn
Erica Hahn | |
---|---|
F.A.C.S. | |
Occupation | Attending cardiothoracic surgeon at Seattle Grace Hospital |
Significant other | Callie Torres (ex-girlfriend) |
Erica Hahn,
The character is presented as highly professional, to the point of being a "workaholic". She is notably hard on
Storylines
Upon her first appearance in the series it is established that Hahn is a long-time rival of main character and fellow cardiothoracic surgeon
The character deflects the romantic attention of fellow attending Mark Sloan, admitting that she finds him attractive but wishes to keep her private life separate from her working life. She also develops a friendship with Callie Torres which becomes temporarily strained when Callie is led to believe Hahn has romantic feelings for her.[5] Although Hahn laughs off the notion, she goes on to kiss Callie in front of Sloan, to prove that he couldn't handle a threesome with the two of them, leaving Callie stunned.[6] In the season four finale, Callie initiates a second passionate kiss, which Hahn reciprocates.[7] The two attempt a romantic relationship, but while Erica comes to terms with her sexuality quickly, Callie is slightly confused because it doesn't feel right doing it with Hahn so she quickly goes and sleeps with Sloan to learn how to sleep with Hahn.
Development
Casting and creation
Erica Hahn was initially conceived as a minor character, and occasional guest-star rival of
On November 3, 2008, it was reported by Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello that Erica would depart from Grey's Anatomy on November 6.[11] Series creator Shonda Rhimes issued the statement that:
Brooke Smith was obviously not fired for playing a lesbian. Clearly it's not an issue as we have a lesbian character on the show – Calliope Torres. Sara Ramirez is an incredible comedic and dramatic actress and we wanted to be able to play up her magic. Unfortunately, we did not find that the magic and chemistry with Brooke's character would sustain in the long run. The impact of the Callie/Erica relationship will be felt and played out in a story for Callie. I believe it belittles the relationship to simply replace Erica with 'another lesbian.' If you'll remember, Cristina mourned the loss of Burke for a full season.[11]
I was very excited when they told me that Erica and Callie were going to have this relationship. And I really hoped we were going to show what happens when two women fall in love and that they were going to treat it like any heterosexual couple on TV. And so I was surprised and disappointed when they just suddenly told me that they couldn't write for my character anymore. [...] I found out in mid-September soon after shooting the monologue that aired last week where Erica has the revelation that she's gay. They even came down and told me it was a great scene – one of the best they ever shot on the show. So I was really, really shocked. I was floored when they told me [I was being let go]. It was the last thing I expected. In fact, when they told me I asked, "When is this happening?" And they said, "The [next episode] is your last," which is the one that airs this Thursday. So it was very sudden.[11]
Smith explained that the script for her final episode did not involve her character being written out, and that Erica's final scene on the show is "just [her] heading to [her] car."[11] She agreed with the assessment that her dismissal originated from ABC and not Shonda Rhimes herself, stating: "it definitely seemed like [Shonda's] hands were tied."[11] Rhimes also said: "We didn't have a controversy with Dr. Hahn. The press created a whole thing that had nothing to do with reality."[13]
Characterization
Describing her character's personality, Smith has stated: "Dr. Hahn is a workaholic and she's very professional [...] I think she feels that there should be professionalism at work, and when other people do things that aren't professional she gets a little upset.",
Initially upon her arrival at Seattle Grace,
Despite this assessment, the end of the show's fourth season saw Hahn grow closer to
Before embarking on the storyline, the show's producers consulted with the
Discussing her own reaction to the storyline, Smith has commented; "I was psyched. I thought it was a great idea."
Following the announcement that Erica was being written out of Grey's Anatomy, Smith was asked whether she was happy with the direction the storyline had taken. She responded: "You know, I was starting to get there, yeah. I was personally a little impatient with the gay panic, but it was more Callie's thing anyway. I think Dr. Hahn was sort of figuring it out."[11] She deemed the scene which saw Callie sleep with Mark as practice for sleeping with Erica "a little icky",[11] adding: "If you're a woman, don't you know how to please yourself?"[11]
Reception
Mary Macnamara of the
Following the announcement that the character had been written out of Grey's Anatomy, Mary Macnamara wrote a critical LA Times editorial on the decision. She deemed Smith's firing: "a grim reminder that certain prejudices are still ascendant in television",[23] writing that "most gay characters are allowed to have sex on network television only if they are part of a single-episode story line, and all actively sexual lesbian characters must be sylphlike, gorgeous and preferably under 30."[23] She went on to assess that: "Smith probably got the boot not because her character wasn't interesting enough or sympathetic enough but because she, especially when paired with Ramirez, just didn't fit the visual template of "Grey's" or indeed, of most of network television. She is a character actress, not a tabloid star. In other words, and they are words I deeply regret, Ramirez, with all her lipglossed lusciousness, may be beautiful enough to be bi, but Smith is not beautiful enough to be gay. At least not on network TV. Some ground, it would appear, is too calcified to be broken."[23] After Ellen's Dorothy Snarker was similarly critical of the decision, explaining that: "Smith's dismissal means the loss of American broadcast TV's only lesbian/bisexual couple in primetime. It was also the first significant gay relationship portrayed on the hit ABC series. The handful of remaining lesbian/bisexual relationships on TV are on cable, premium channels and daytime television."[24] Detailing the decision to also change a new character's orientation from bisexual to heterosexual, Snarker added: "Besides striking a serious blow for queer women's visibility on the small screen, the moves seem to signal a significant setback in the industry's acceptance of mainstream gay and lesbian storylines."[24] She concluded that: "While Callie had fleeting moments of gay panic where she slept with friend and fellow surgeon Mark Sloan (Eric Dane), the interaction between the two women was both organic and romantic. Callie and Erica's relationship stood out as one of the few bright spots for lesbian and bisexual characters on primetime TV. Now it seems all we’re left with is taillights."[24]
References
Specific
- 17 Seconds". Grey's Anatomy. Season 2. Episode 25. 2006-05-14. ABC.
- From a Whisper to a Scream". Grey's Anatomy. Season 3. Episode 9. 2006-11-23. ABC.
- Haunt You Every Day". Grey's Anatomy. Season 4. Episode 5. 2007-10-25. ABC.
- Pieces of My Heart". Grey's Anatomy. Season 4. Episode 13. 2008-05-01. ABC.
- The Becoming". Grey's Anatomy. Season 4. Episode 14. 2008-05-08. ABC.
- Losing My Mind". Grey's Anatomy. Season 4. Episode 15. 2008-05-15. ABC.
- Freedom". Grey's Anatomy. Season 4. Episode 17. 2008-05-22. ABC.
- ^ a b c Claustro, Lisa (2007-12-13). "Smith "Didn't Really Think" Grey's Anatomy Stint Would "Work Out"". The Daily News. Archived from the original on 2008-09-05. Retrieved 2008-06-30.
- ^ a b c d Sicha, Choire (2007-10-28). "Dr. Hahn, you are wanted in surgery". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2008-06-30.
- ^ a b c d e Ausiello, Michael (2007-10-25). "Grey's Doc is Staying! Now for the Big Question..." TV Guide. Archived from the original on May 26, 2008. Retrieved 2008-06-30.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Ausiello, Michael (2008-11-03). "Grey's Anatomy Discharges Erica Hahn". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on 2008-11-06. Retrieved 2008-11-03.
- ^ E! Online. Retrieved 2008-11-03.
- ^ "TV is a 'journey' for 'Grey's' creator Shonda Rhimes". USA Today. April 30, 2009. Retrieved February 4, 2013.
- ^ McKee, Stacy (2007-11-09). "Stacy McKee on "Kung Fu Fighting"..." Grey Matter. Archived from the original on 2012-02-10. Retrieved 2008-06-30.
- ^ a b c Rochlin, Margy (2008-05-15). "Grey's Anatomy's Brooke Smith Kisses and Tells". TV Guide. Archived from the original on 2008-07-25. Retrieved 2008-06-30.
- ^ Rhimes, Shonda (2008-06-02). "The End of the Beginning... Part II..." Grey Matter. Archived from the original on 2012-03-31. Retrieved 2008-06-29.
- ^ After Ellen. Archived from the originalon 2008-07-01. Retrieved 2008-06-29.
- ^ a b c Rice, Lynette (2008-05-23). "'Grey's Anatomy': Shonda Rhimes on her plans for Erica and Callie". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on 2008-05-25. Retrieved 2008-06-30.
- ^ Rhimes, Shonda (2008-05-22). "The End of the Beginning..." Grey Matter. Archived from the original on 2008-05-27. Retrieved 2008-06-29.
- ^ After Ellen. 2008-07-22. Archived from the originalon 2008-09-01. Retrieved 2008-09-02.
- ^ Kristin Dos Santos. Retrieved 2008-09-02.
- ^ Mcnamara, Mary (2007-11-18). "It's grist for the trysts". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2008-06-30.
- ^ a b c Mcnamara, Mary (2008-11-03). "Critic's Notebook: Brooke Smith's firing is bad for 'Grey's Anatomy,' and the world". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2008-11-04.
- ^ After Ellen. Archived from the originalon 2008-11-07. Retrieved 2008-11-03.
General
- "Grey's Anatomy: Episode Recap Guide". ABC. Retrieved June 19, 2012.
External links
- Grey's Anatomy Archived 2008-10-07 at the Wayback Machine at ABC.com