Overview: Enjoy all the romance, laughter and heart-stopping moments of one of television's most celebrated dramas with ABC's 'Grey's Anatomy: The Complete Eighth Season.' No matter how hot it gets - in the operating room or in the bedroom - the doctors of Seattle Grace know they can always lean on one another. As fifth year residents, it's do or die for the doctors, and things get bumpy when the chief makes a decision that rocks the entire staff.

DVD Verdict: In 2005, 'Grey's Anatomy' became a critically acclaimed television series that would become ABC's top rated dramas and winner of two Emmy and Golden Globe Awards.

Created by Shonda Rhimes ('Private Practice'), the drama series revolved around a group of interns and their experience at Seattle Grace Hospital. As well, as a few of the other doctors of the hospital. Throughout the first few seasons, we see these interns become residents and experience relationship problems and also the stress and challenges they face as resident doctors.

And so here we are today, celebrating season eight of the incredible show. That said, I just don't know how it has survived all the chops and changes on TV to still be ahead of the pack re: survival and renewal each year! Sure it's still great wholesome TV family viewing, but it's definitely same old same old these days re: plots, death stories, and McDreamy!

Anyway, the season kicks off with "Free Falling," where a giant sink hole opens up in the middle of Seattle, causing April to step up as Chief Resident! Also while Meredith must deal with the professional ramifications of her actions last season of messing with the medical trial. And if all that wasn't enough, Cristina and Owen have yet to see eye-to-eye regarding their feelings for their unplanned pregnancy.

In the conclusion, “She’s Gone,” the sinkhole crisis continues while Meredith and Derek maintain the rocky state of their relationship, which becomes a concern for the adoption counselor, as Cristina makes a decision regarding her unplanned pregnancy and Alex realizes that he is the outcast after revealing Meredith's dishonesty.

As we progress we also get episodes that deal with a stampede at a comic book convention that leads to an influx of patients; Owen organizing a baseball game against Seattle Presbyterian; Richard's 10,000th surgery is a liver transplant for two sisters; An escaped lion puts lives and relationships in danger; The residents travel to San Francisco for the oral boards; and in the season finale, "Flight," their plane crashes in the woods and now they are the victims. And so the doctors fight to stay alive while trying to save their peers, but it is too late for one of them. Mark also makes a confession to Lexie. And the future of Derek's career may be in jeopardy, as Ben and Miranda make a decision about their future together. Teddy gets a tempting offer, while Richard plans a dinner for the residents. And Owen fires his friend and discovers some of his doctors are missing!

And so, coming full circle and therefore in closing; and to answer my own question above, the situations within the walls of 'Grey's Anatomy' are all realistic and without spoiling the series, fans of the series who didn't have a chance to watch these eighth season episodes will be very content with them. These are well-written episodes, the acting was well-done and while people may feel a bit 50/50 on the inclusion of the musical back in season seven(!), it did at least show that Shonda Rhimes was willing to take chances - which really weren't too much on display here in season eight, in truth. These are all Widescreen Presentations (1.78:1) enhanced for 16x9 TVs is packed with Special Features such as:

Extended Episode: “If/Then”
“A Journey Home with Kevin McKidd”
“Dissecting Grey’s Anatomy: Deleted Scenes” (12 of them)
“In Stitches: Season Eight Outtakes”