Off The Map in review: Keep it or Cancel it?

I have always liked medical shows. For a while, when I was a teenager, I seriously considered going to med school. That was short-lived, however, because I am not a happy camper around blood, so I settled for getting my fix of medical mysteries through TV. I have been an avid ER, House and Grey's Anatomy fan and when ABC announced they were producing yet another medical drama, I was ecstatic.

The fact that it was going to be something like Grey's Anatomy meets LOST (my favorite show of all time) just served to get me even more excited. Produced by Grey's Anatomy creator, Shonda Rhymes, Off The Map is an okay show. They are three episodes into the season and I still haven't run in the opposite direction screaming, so that has to be a good sign. It is not the best drama on television, but it serves its purpose. It's a somewhat entertaining medical show with a good cast and beautiful cinematography.

What bugs me about it, however, is that I can see way too much of Grey's Anatomy in it. I can relate pretty much every single character in Off the Map to their twin in Grey's. That is not exactly a bad thing, but it may not bode well for the show; after all, the audience usually wants to see something different and original. Shonda Rhymes has gotten the medical drama thing down pat, though. She is really, really good at what she does, so why mess with a good thing? I understand that and even embrace it, but I would love to see some originality.

Each character has their own personal drama/tragedy, but I haven't really connected with them yet. In fact, my favorite character so far is Dr. Ryan Clark (Rachelle Lefevre), because she is the only one that is still a mystery to me. The other characters seem either superficial or cliché.

Either way, I am still watching it. It is a nice way to pass the time and the plots have been interesting enough for me not to change channels. I am still on the fence about keeping it or killing it. We'll see how that changes in the next few weeks.

Come on, Shonda Rhymes, I have faith in you. Don't disappoint me.