I’m the first to admit that I’m not a Shonda Rhimes person. That’s not to say I wouldn’t enjoy any of the shows that have come out in the past twenty years under the famous writer/producer/showrunner’s name, it’s just that I haven’t been necessarily drawn to any of them. But I’m clearly in the minority–at least for my gender. Among the shows Rhimes is credited with bringing to American audiences are Grey’s Anatomy, Private Practice, Scandal, How to Get Away with Murder and Bridgerton, each one a huge hit, especially with women. Grey’s Anatomy, Private Practice and Scandal were so big, in fact, that Rhimes became the first woman to produce three separate TV dramas to each reach the magic 100- episode milestone, a true achievement, for anyone, not just a woman. Netflix lured Rhimes away from ABC and inked an exclusive multi-year deal with her, and the first series she gave Netflix was none other than Bridgerton, which became
a massive hit for the streaming service. But, like her previous shows, Bridgerton still seemed to aim at the same audience (not me).
Well, Netflix is hoping that Rhimes’s second original scripted series, The Residence, will have a wider appeal and, so far, so good, because it’s the first show from “Shondaland” that I actually wanted to check out. And guess what? I love it.