ShondaLand: A Study on the Occupation Based Drama

Shonda Rhime’s has created a pantheon of successful shows based on occupations with which grade schoolers often complete the phrase "When I grow up I want to be a…" (Grey’s Anatomy- doctor, Scandal- president, How to Get Away with Murder- lawyer.) This article would be an study on why this model has worked so well, the narrative formula, and the fictions and truths of the occupations that these shows focus on. There should also be an argument for the character driven story and whether or not the occupation matters as more than just a frame for the dramatic storylines.