In Anatomy of a Scene, we ask directors to reveal the secrets that go into making key scenes in their movies. See new episodes in the series each Friday. You can also watch our collection of more than 150 videos on YouTube and subscribe to our YouTube channel.

Theres a moment in Greta Gerwigs new film adaptation of Little Women that ignites the screen with as much energy as a fire that sets ablaze a characters dress in the scene prior.

Jo March (Saoirse Ronan) is at a party with Theodore Laurie Laurence (Timothe Chalamet). He asks her to dance. But shes accidentally scorched a part of her dress and doesnt want other guests to see. Laurie takes Jo outside, and they have their own mini-dance party on the front porch bathed in the light of the larger party inside.

They dance in ways that are refined, silly, playful and buoyant all at once. The moment, choreographed by Monica Bill Barnes, has a bit of a punk-rock rebellion quality to it, but also keeps with the time.

I wanted it to feel both totally modern and period accurate, Gerwig said during an interview at The Times.

I didnt want them to be doing dances they wouldnt necessarily know. But I did want it to feel joyful and young, like kids dance.

Gerwig said the idea for this dance came from a Saturday Night Live sketch that features Gilda Radner and Steve Martin, where the two meet in a nightclub and trip the light fantastic.

For our film, we wanted it to be this shimmery moment that feels like maybe it almost didnt even happen, she said.

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How Little Women Throws a Dance Party - The New York Times

Grey's Anatomy ended its 2019 run with a major cliffhanger leaving the lives of many fan-favorite characters in danger. The January winter premiere will address the tragic accident at Joe's Bar in a two-hour crossover that includes the Season 3 premiere of Station 19, and Grey's actress Jaicy Elliot says the episodes are not to be missed.

The actress behind surgical resident Taryn Helm told PopCulture.com the winter premiere will mark a new era for the medical drama, as showrunner Krista Vernoff unites the ABC medical drama with its firefighter-focused spinoff series more than ever before.

"I think from now on you're definitely going to want to watch both shows if you want to keep following what's going on," Elliot told PopCulture.com in a phone interview Tuesday, Dec. 10. "With Krista Vernoff now showrunning both shows, we're all subcategories of this world, this ABC-Seattle version of reality.

"We're all now working together and it's very exciting," she continued. "We love the cast at Station 19. I'm very close with a few of them. This season it's basically just double the stories and double the drama and the love and all of that. And I think that's really exciting."

Grey's Anatomy set the stage for an action-packed crossover event in January when the fall finale ended with a car crashing into the iconic Joe's Bar, with Helm, Ben Warren (Jason George), Pruitt (Miguel Sandoval), Levi (Jake Borelli) and other Grey's and Station 19 characters left in danger.

A preview for the upcoming two-hour premiere event shows the race to rescue the people trapped in the bar, with the possibility the whole building might collapse before getting the beloved characters to safety.

While Elliot stayed mum on specifics for the upcoming episodes, she revealed the cliffhanger ending was just as shocking for the cast.

"In a joking way, we know on Grey's that your time can be limited because that's kind of the MO at Grey's," Elliot said. "[However] as good as it is to be on the show, to die on the show is also iconic. So we're placing bets and we're kind of all joking about it. I think we were excited to find out and we're all pretty pleased with the results.

"I think as a fan, I can never get too much information. And I think this second part of the season is going to be very exciting for everyone," she added.

Tragedy struck the ABC medical drama once again on the heels of Helm and the other residents having a big fight with Levi Schmitt, following the reveal he was involved in Meredith's (Ellen Pompeo) firing from the hospital at the end of Season 15. Though Meredith is back at the hospital, the friendships have not yet healed.

Elliot said that it might take some time before the doctors mend fences, but the events of the crossover event will have a big impact.

"I know that for Taryn it's going to be a new beginning," Elliot teased of Helm's journey in the second half of Season 16. "She's going to go through a lot and I think she ... A lot happens to Taryn and I'm hoping that she finds a little love for herself in the process."

The Grey's Anatomy/Station 19 crossover event airs Thursday January 23 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC. The following week Station 19 will take over the 8 p.m. ET timeslot, with Grey's moving to Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET.

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'Grey's Anatomy' Actress Jaicy Elliot Teases 'Double the Drama' for 'Station 19' Crossover in Winter Premiere (Exclusive) - PopCulture.com

Over the past 15 and a half years,Greys Anatomyfans have been put through the trenches with devastation. There were severalcar crashes, a plane crash, a bus crash, a train crash, and a sinkhole.

Dont forget the active shooter, two explosions in the hospital, the earthquake, and the ferry crash. Somehow, viewers love every minute. Lets take a look at themost devastating momentsin Greys Anatomy history.

For Greys Anatomys second season, Rhimes amped up her writing for the Prime Time slot after the Super Bowl. For two back-to-back episodes of full-out gut-wrenching drama, viewers sat on the edge of their seats, hoping that Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo) would not explode.

A patient came into the ER with live ammunition in his chest and paramedic, Christina Ricci, as the only thing holding off an explosion. Of course, Meredith ends up with her hand on the bomb inside the persons chest. When Meredith manages to remove the explosives successfully, she passes it to bomb squad leader Dylan (Kyle Chandler).

Fans let out a sigh of relief until Dylan blows up as he is walking away with the bomb. This event marks the first indication of the devastation to come on Greys Anatomy.

Next, we witnessed the first tragic demise of a fan-favorite character. The beginning of the bus accident episode during season five started as a typical case at Seattle Grace. John Doe jumped out in front of a bus to save a womans life, and he is rushed to the ER.

Fans are left in the dark the entire episode as the surgeons work to save John Doe. It is too late for George OMalley (T.R. Knight) when Meredith finally realizes that he is spelling out 0-0-7 in her hand. At the same time, Izzie Stevens (Katherine Heigl) flatlines and sees George in his Army uniform. Viewers are still distraught that George died, and Izzie did not.

Season six took the devastation to a whole new level with a two-part finale involving an active shooter. A grieving widower enters the hospital with a gun and proceeds to hunt down the doctors who he feels are responsible for the death of his wife.

He shoots both Alex Karev (Justin Chambers) and Derek Shepherd (Patrick Dempsey). Meredith suffers a miscarriage right after Derek flatlines. Reed (Nora Zehetner) and Charles (Robert Baker) are murdered, and Bailey (Chandra Wilson) is dragged out from under a hospital bed, where she was hiding after trying to protect her patient (Mandy Moore).

Richard Webber confronts the shooter when he has one bullet left. Instead of shooting Webber, the widower takes his own life.

After helping several people out of a dangerous car accident, Derek got back in his car to return home, only to be hit by a semi-truck. When he is rushed to a local ER, he is conscious but cannot speak. He is silently begging the doctors to rush him in for a head CT scan, but they skip the scan and send him straight into surgery.

Derek dies on the table, leaving Meredith unable to say goodbye to her husband. Many fans ugly cried during this tragic episode. Viewers still argue that Derek deserved a better ending. However, Rhimes could only do so much when Dempsey wanted out of his recently-extended contract earlier than she expected.

Although some viewers might argue that the death of McDreamy should be at number one, others whole-heartedly sob during the plane crash you will never forget.

At the end of season eight, Meredith, Cristina (Sandra Oh), Derek, Lexie (Chyler Leigh), Arizona (Jessica Capshaw), and Mark (Eric Dane) board a small plane to Boise, Idaho to perform an epic surgery, separating conjoined twins.

On the way there, the plane crashes in a forest, leaving over half the cast of Greys Anatomy fighting for their lives. Lexie dies as Mark confesses his love to her. Mark soon follows after spending an entire month on life support back in Seattle. Arizona loses her leg and is never the same again (at least not for many seasons). It was the tragedy fans are still not over.

If you are ready for more devastation, Greys Anatomy is still going strong in its 16th season. It will return from winter break on Jan. 23, 2020, to ABCs9 p.m. time sloton Thursday nights.

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'Grey's Anatomy': The 5 Most Devastating Moments Ever RankedFor When You Need a Good Cry - Showbiz Cheat Sheet

Relationships on Greys Anatomy have been all over the place over the last 16 years, with a lot of them being more creative than the usual prime-time soap. Many of the romances there have led to some interesting insights into how people treat one another, if also some incredulous moves that bothered some viewers.

One of the hottest relationships in the history of the show was the marriage between Derek Shepherd and Addison Montgomery (first), then later Meredith Grey. Of course, she became a widow as a result of his death, leading to one of the biggest romance heartbreaks in TV history.

Since then, some fans think the show has floundered on the relationship front. On Reddit, fans think the show has simply run out of gas and pulling out far too many tired romantic devices.

Theres definitely still fans for Greys Anatomy based on the response to critical analysis pieces and ratings, including those who use DVRs to watch. This kind of fan devotion should make the writers happy, though any writing team will feel burned out after 16 years.

Most writers start to run out of ideas within a decade and may feel like they want to expand their horizons with movies or a different TV genre.

Since the writing team is headed by Shonda Rhimes, theres a powerful figurehead who seems to always stay inspired in her storytelling. Even so, Rhimes has probably felt burned out herself more than once juggling dozens of characters.

All possibility exists she let some characters stagnate a little over the years and ultimately wrote them out as a result after not being able to fix their story trajectories. In some peoples view, it was because she had some personal issues with actors like Patrick Dempsey and Katherine Heigl.

Those rumors have never been confirmed. Still, its worth looking at some of the overused romantic tropes the show has used in the last season to prove the shows writing team might be tired.

Anyone who reads Reddit regularly will see that many Greys Anatomy fans chat on there as well, sometimes critically of the contrived plots the show concocts in recent seasons. Someone wrote in recently complaining about three overused romantic tropes the show leans on when they seem to run out of ideas.

One of those is the romantic triangle, something seen recently with Owen, Amelia, and Teddy during the previous season. Outside of being a reliable complication in romantic entanglements, triangles have probably been done more than any other romantic plot in TV sitcoms and dramas.

Setting them up always seems contrived and usually resolve in typical disastrous ways.

Then theres the so-called catastrophe card where one of the characters finds out they have a disease, or maybe even discovering theyre pregnant. No medical drama has ever done more character health/event catastrophes like Greys has.

Maybe theyve done it better than anybody else, yet they seem to be copying themselves in the last few years.

Any Greys fan would probably argue the above tropes are a major part of the shows brand and shouldnt be deviated from. Perhaps this is why the show continues to bring in respectable viewer numbers.

Shonda Rhimes hasnt addressed the above plot devices in interviews. Regardless, most should expect theyll continue to tap into them as convenient plot devices because fans probably like the familiar stories theyve seen for years.

There is such a thing as comfort TV. This might be the first medical drama to maintain classic tropes as a form of nostalgia rather than reinvent the wheel late in the game.

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'Grey's Anatomy' Fans Criticize Writers For Repeating This Tired TV Trope -- Again - Showbiz Cheat Sheet

Augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) are helping health and science students at the Bendigo campus of Australias La Trobe University to better understand the intricacies of human anatomy.

As reported, the recently installed technology in the campus anatomy laboratory and library is being used by students studying biomedical science, dentistry, occupational therapy, physiotherapy and speech pathology, among other disciplines.

Background

La Trobe Vice-Chancellor Professor John Dewar said the Universitys latest investment in new technology further demonstrates the Universitys commitment to building a strong rural health workforce.

There are students at the Bendigo campus who all need a deep and sophisticated understanding of the human body.

These students are in new courses like the Bachelor of Biomedical Science (Medical), as well as dentistry and a suite of allied health programs.

The state-of-the-art technology, combined with the newly refurbished anatomy labs, is helping students develop the knowledge and skills many will need when they start work in a rural health clinic or regional hospital after graduation.

A Lecturer in Anatomy, Dr Anita Zacharias, explained that technology makes the study of human anatomy more affordable and flexible for students. Also, it makes the learning experience an enriching one.

About the initiative

The anatomy students already learn from working with skeletons, models, and human specimens.

Adding AR and VR to the mix enables them to visualise and manipulate anatomical structures, which deepens their understanding of muscle function, and improves spatial awareness.

Furthermore, this means that students can access highly detailed 3D images, clinical cases and quizzes anywhere. It may be in their homes, on public transport, or wherever they have access to a phone, tablet or computer.

With AR, students can superimpose images of anatomical structures over a peer who can perform movements along with the app, to better understand muscle function.

While AR is completely transportable and available 24 hours a day, VR is used on campus with University supplied headsets.

The cost of using the AR technology is AU$ 10 per student, compared to more than AU$ 100 for a single textbook.

Expanding reach

La Trobe has invested AU$ 2.6 million this year on building and refurbishing science laboratories at its Bendigo and Albury-Wodonga campuses.

This was done in part to accommodate students in the new Bachelor of Biomedical Science (Medical), which launched in 2019.

Fifteen new students will start in the program across the two campuses in 2020, bringing the total number enrolled to 30.

Compared to last year, first preferences through VTAC and UAC for the Bachelor of Biomedical Science (Medical) are up 56% in Bendigo, and 146% in Albury Wodonga.

The selection process targets students with rural or regional backgrounds, who are seeking a career in the rural health workforce.

More than 77% of students studying health-related disciplines at La Trobes regional campuses are from a rural or regional background.

The AR and VR technology has been rolled out across La Trobes Melbourne, Bendigo and Albury-Wodonga campuses in recent months.

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Study of human anatomy made easy with Augmented and Virtual Reality - OpenGov Asia

It was the electrician I had called to repair the TV in my flat, where I live alone. He was slight of build. There was something oily in his talk, a slipperiness like he did not believe what he was saying and knew I did not, too. And he did not care.

I think he sat on the sofa. And alarm bells went off.

I think he asked me what I did for a living. Which he had no reason to.

But I am not sure, because the details have dimmed in the blinding brightness of my fear. Even after I forced him to leave and my breathing returned to normal, the fear lingered. I can still smell it, feel it in my bones. Its shape its anatomy.

***

I recall two occasions when my father refused to let me do something I wanted to. The first was when I was in school and a group of us decided to go to Goa for a weekend.

No, he said. Its not safe.

Why not? I asked in sullen rebellion.

I did not realise then that he was not being adamant. He was merely unable to express the truth. Because our collective vocabulary is too limited to put fear into words. How do you tell a schoolgirl of the worlds hidden savagery? Of its disguised brutality? Of losing her womanhood when she did not know that she had it?

But he need not have worried. Because I knew it already. Most schoolgirls do. If they are lucky, it will only be an unwanted touch. A hungry look. An inappropriate comment. If they are not, the fear takes early residence. Disillusionment creeps in. Dreams become dried-up husks.

It is only that, at that age, I had not fully understood its dynamics. I feared without knowing what exactly I feared. I did not know yet the ways in which the hollow of my fearstill formless, still vaguecould fit the contours of a mans perversions.

***

As I grew up, I became more familiar with fear. It was there the time I was alone in the lift with a man who kept staring at me. It was there the time I went to the bathroom on the deserted top floor of a restaurant, found the latch to be stuck and was terrified that someone had locked me inside. It was there the time I took an auto-rickshaw at night and realised that the driver was drunk. It was there the time I saw something like a camera in the changing room of a shop and assumed the worst.

I also learnt that fear was mutable. It was a shape-shifter that could take the form of various emotions.

It could be the helplessness I felt when I heard about a friend who was repeatedly molested by an uncle.

It could be the anger I felt when a politician said that rape could be sometimes right and sometimes wrong.

It could be the pain I felt when I heard the gruesome details of what happened to Nirbhaya or the Hyderabad vet.

Men would condemn these incidents for their brutality, their violence and their inhumanness. But women would inhabit these incidents. They would see themselves in the victims. They would wonder what if it had happened to them.

The full force of our fear lies in that what if. That is its home.

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The anatomy of fear - THE WEEK

In the nearly 15 years that Greys Anatomy has been on the air, the show has seen its share of couples come and go.

Fans thought some couples were an odd match, such as step-siblings Jackson Avery and Maggie Pierce. Other couples on the show were loathed by fans, such as the pairing of the ever sleazy Mark Sloan and his best friends wife, Addison Shepherd. Love them or hate them, however, the shows couplings have been undoubtedly interesting. That is, until now.

In season 15 we began to see a confident and jock-type orthopedic surgery fellow, Nico Kim (Alex Landi), pursue the bumbling and nerdy surgical resident Levi Schmidt (Jake Borelli). The romance has a lot of potential, and fans are here for it, even giving the coupling its own name, Schmico. Who doesnt love to see a jock and a nerd falling in love?

The couple was off to a rocky start as we soon learn that Levi has never been with a man, and Nico refuses to be the sherpa guiding him through the process. Levis heartfelt confession to Nico after the two end up in an ambulance during a storm changes all that, and is, by far, one of the couples more interesting moments together.

As their relationship progresses we see Levi begin to change and come alive, even saying of the effects of finally being with a man, Its the most me Ive ever felt in my whole life. Nico, on the other hand, stays pretty stagnant and at times even seems set on continually sabotaging the budding romance.

Despite a few touching scenes, many fans think the characters are not developed enough to make the romance interesting. Though the character of Levi is endearing, it relies too heavily on nerdy tropes, without which he may fall completely flat.

When it comes to characters shortcomings, however, Nico brings the term undeveloped to a whole new level. His character has almost no moments of his own to flesh him out, aside from when hes shown using his Korean skills to translate for a patient. Nico isnt given a lot of screen time and mostly functions as a device in Levis storyline, who is already just a supporting character.

The frustration with Nico extends past his limited development, however, and right on to what he does with the little time hes given, which is not a lot. One Reddit user went as far as to say, Nico is basically a walking cardboard cutout at this point, while a Twitter user wrote, nico on greys is so boring and annoying and has zero emotion when he talks bring back callie and arizona for the beautiful gay love story nico and levi are so meh.

Indeed, though Levi certainly has more personality than Nico, fans want a lot more out of the shows first gay male couple.

Not every fan is on the Schmico is boring train. Many are excited to finally be represented on a show that has otherwise provided very little representation for the gay community. Others find the simplicity of the relationship refreshing.

One fan tweeted, nico and levi are the best relationship greys anatomy have had for so long.

Whats going to happen for Schmico in the future? Well, we havent seen the last of them yet, and there are bound to be some dramatic events. Jake Borelli told ET in a recent interview, Greysisnt known for completely smooth-sailing relationships. We also need to remember these are two young people and this is Levis first relationship with anybody. We can certainly expect some bumps.

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'Grey's Anatomy' Fans Still Think This Is the Most Boring Romance of All Time - Showbiz Cheat Sheet

Imtiaz Alam, an event organiser and PR professional who lives in Delhi's Jamia Nagar, is flooded with offers of help for the students of the city's Jamia Millia Islamia University. Alam, who is in his late thirties, is assisting students find alternative accommodation and extending other help that they may need as the varsity campus is out of bounds for students and semester examinations stand deferred in the aftermath of the student protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the brutal Delhi police crackdown that followed.

An uneasy calm prevails in Jamia Nagar, a predominantly Muslim locality where the university is located. But Alam is pleasantly surprised by the show of support that has poured in from a wide section of the people against the police action at the Jamia campus. "People from all walks of life and communities have come forward to help the students," he says.

Follow live updates of CAA protests here

Students recount the horror of December 15 evening, when a seemingly peaceful protest went out of control, leading to the torching of buses, vandalism of public property and police storming the Jamia campus, firing teargas shells and lathi-charging students. Meeran Haider, 29, a PhD research scholar at Jamia's Centre for Management Studies, says 95 per cent of the students were protesting around the campus and perhaps only a handful were at the protests in New Friends Colony, which turned violent. "We are protesting against the Citizenship Amendment Act as it is against democracy and the country's secular and socialist character," says Haider, who is busy working with other students to chart out the future course of the protests that have spread to campuses across the country.

MORE FROM INSIGHT | General Naravane's challenges

Nabiya Khan, a 24-year-old student from a private university, was pursuing a master's degree at Jamia until last year. "Nothing had prepared me for what happened on December 15. I was at the campus. The students were protesting and then the police started the lathi-charge," she says. "People started running inside the campus. We were so sure that the police will not enter, but they did. It was pitch dark. The lights were out and the police were beating up everyone." Khan describes CAA as an "organised way of turning India into a Hindu rashtra where Muslims would be treated as second-class citizens".

In solidarity, students of elite colleges have come together to stand up against how the Delhi police dealt with the Jamia protesters. According to India Today's Data Intelligence Unit, at last count, 22 campuses across the country had joined the agitation.

History shows how student-led protests can galvanise quickly to reflect a national cause or sentiment, and governments can afford to be blas at their own peril. Some of the most defining protests in the country have emanated from universities. Several prominent leaders of the present government are products of the protests against Emergency imposed in 1975 by then prime minister Indira Gandhi-several cabinet ministers were college students at the time. The list includes the late Arun Jaitley and late Sushma Swaraj. They went to prison and were hounded by the police of the day. The Emergency period, from June 1975 to January 1977, is remembered for the suspension of civil rights. Even today, any dark phase or incident in India's democracy is referred to as an 'Emergency-like' situation.

Jamia is a centrally funded university with 50 per cent of seats reserved for Muslim students. While the police excesses at the campus have given critics of the Narendra Modi government a handle to paint it as 'anti-minority', sympathisers of the government point out that the anti-CAA protests are mainly concentrated around universities with a high concentration of Muslim students, notably Aligarh Muslim University and Jamia Millia Islamia.

MORE FROM INSIGHT | While Bengal was Burning

In many quarters, the protests are being seen as a tipping point for the Muslim community as a series of developments this year have heightened its vulnerabilities-the legislation scrapping the practice of triple talaq, which has not gone down well with hardliners in the community; the withdrawal of special status of Jammu and Kashmir and its downgrading from a state to a Union territory; and the Supreme Court's ruling on the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid title dispute. What has certainly not helped is the fact that the ruling BJP does not have a single Muslim member in the Lok Sabha.

Students at Jamia Millia say they are in solidarity with the protesters in Assam, who are up in arms against the CAA, albeit for different reasons. The protests in Assam are driven by the onslaught of Bengali-speaking settlers from Bangladesh and other countries, who, locals say, are putting their livelihoods and culture at peril.

Students at Jamia say CAA uses religion as a discriminatory tactic and have vowed to continue the protests till the Act is revoked. In the past, galvanised protests by Muslims have forced overturns of even court verdicts. In the Shah Bano case, while the Supreme Court in 1985 ruled in favour of maintenance for the divorced Muslim woman petitioner, the Rajiv Gandhi government gave in to pressure from Muslim hardliners and enacted a law that shifting the onus of maintenance to the relatives or the waqf board. In 1988, the central government banned Salman Rushdie's book The Satanic Verses owing to protests that it projected Islam in a derogatory way.

In the case of CAA, the Supreme Court on December 17 redirected petitions against the legislation to the respective high courts. No protests are apolitical and often end up being exploited by political parties. Whether it is the alleged incitement of violence in Jamia Nagar by a Delhi MLA of the Aam Aadmi Party or the petitions filed against CAA by leaders of political parties, a protest is an opportunity best exploited for political gains.

MORE FROM INSIGHT | Data Protection Bill: Govt breaks silence but secrecy remains

Given the intensity of the anti-CAA protests, the Union government cannot afford to brazen it out. Rather, it needs to show humility and engage in dialogue with the protesting groups, take steps to dispel apprehensions of targeted religious discrimination in the garb of CAA, and prevent politics of polarisation over the contentious issue.

It's tragic that with CAA, the government appears to have committed the same blunder it did when it announced demonetisation in November 2016-lack of groundwork.

While the Hindu-right argues that the country has become accustomed to the politics of entitlement and CAA is a shake-up of a system entrenched in appeasement politics, the ruling BJP, at the moment, runs the risk of turning the aspirational youth away. The same youth that Prime Minister Modi strategically designed his electoral pitch of development and jobs for. A segment that is conscious of its rights, values freedom and has faith in the India story.

Perception has the power to eclipse reality. At the moment, the perception seems to be that the government is bulldozing its way through crucial structural shifts in India. That this has happened before is not good enough reason, because times have changed. In the age of information explosion, every move is a public act. And a state perceived to be aggressive rarely comes off looking good when put face-to-face with agitating students.

FROM THE MAGAZINE | We, the People | ProtestsALSO READ | At the stroke of the midnight, how universities across India united for Jamia studentsANALYSIS | Jamia protest: Can police enter university campuses?ALSO READ | Several students missing after crackdown on AMU protesters: Fact-finding teamALSO WATCH | In Depth: How students' anti-CAA protests spread across the country

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Citizenship Amendment Act: The anatomy of a protest |India Today Insight - India Today

So funny it hurts: The anatomy of Japanese comedy

Japan as a country has always been fascinating for its distinctive culture and traditions, not to mention the unique food dishes that have sent throngs of tourists clamoring for authentic Japanese cuisine. But Japanese entertainment is also in a league of its own, with countless anim series and movies creating cult followings all over the world as well as Japanese dramas and comedy shows getting viewers hooked once they tune in.

Interestingly, Japanese comedy has made its mark for its inimitable approach in making audiences laugh even across different cultures, languages and ages. Its true that some jokes from Japanese comedy shows can only find humor among those who understand the language and relate to the jokes cultural or personal references, but there is just something about Japanese humor that cuts across borders and makes the comedy programs so funny that viewers hurt from laughing too much.

There are basically five types of Japanese comedy: The konto or scripted skits about utterly bizarre situations and strange encounters, the manzai or the stand-up comedy style with gags delivered in lightning-fast speed and often with slaps to one of the actors head, the more traditional rakugo where a kimono-clad storyteller sitting cross-legged delivers a story with a punchline that appeals to older audiences, the suberi where a bad joke given with the proper timing makes people laugh at how bad the joke is, and then theres the owarai which refers to comedy shows on television featuring various comedy acts.

Japanese comedy has gained popularity around the world for its quirky antics and a kind of slapstick humor that is so uniquely Japanese. In fact, there is a number of Japanese comedic acts that have done well on talent shows such as Americas Got Talent and Britains Got Talent. What is so remarkable about Japanese humor is that it can be universally consumed even without any familiarity with the countrys language and culture. For instance, the Japanese comedic duo Yumbo Dump made it to the semi-finals of Asias Got Talent 2017. With crafted actions, they managed to tickle the audiences and made the judges laugh so hard they wiped tears from their eyes.

In the Philippines, Japanese comedy made waves with iconic TV shows such as Takeshis Castle. Who didnt find themselves rolling in laughter at the crazy antics of those Japanese contestants who risked life and limb to complete their tasks? The thing with Japanese humor is that it has a kind of hypnotic attraction to viewers. Once you start watching, you just want to see the whole act through bellyaching laughter and reactionary slaps and pushes to your viewing companions body notwithstanding.

To date, the best Japanese comedy shows are being aired in the Philippines via GEM, an all-Japanese TV channel from Sony Pictures Televisions joint venture with Japans Nippon TV. Some of the popular Japanese comedies currently seen on GEM include The Quest, Monday Late Night Show, Must Be ARASHI! and even GOCHI: Dinner in on YOU Tonight. The latter features a star-studded cast of comedians and artists visiting a restaurant to order food within a given budget. Since the prices are not listed, the loser who orders way beyond the allocated budget ends up paying for everyones meals. What makes the show so remarkably funny is the quirky interaction among the celebrities who react to the dishes and make exaggerated expressions.

GEM has a whole line-up of comedy shows catering to Filipino audiences who want to indulge themselves with hilarious Japanese humor. For light yet action-driven fun, Beat the Rooms and EXIT are sure to keep viewers entertained with the adventures of Japanese personalities taking on challenges and solving puzzles to get themselves out of do-or-die situations. For those who are into Japanese pop groups, shows such as Must Be ARASHI! (starring the popular five-member ARASHI from Johnny & Associates) and AKBINGO! (featuring the stars of AKB48) are a must-watch for the merry mix of talk, games and variety shows with the signature dose of Japanese comedy.

According to Sony Pictures Television programming director for asian content Shi Ming Wee, the Japanese people are quintessentially creative and they are known for their fresh ideas that are not only new and unique but also trendsetting. The high quality of Japanese humor and innovative ideas have been one of the sources of inspiration and go-to/reference models for some international shows of similar formats which are then adapted and recreated in the localized context, Wee added.

Indeed, judging from how Japanese comedy is breaking bounds across cultures, Japans unique humor can be credited to its peoples creativity and boldness to try out new things. They go all-out with their comedy, and it is this commitment to entertain in a fearlessly no-holds-barred and often death-defying fashion that makes Japanese humor unparalleled and sought after in various parts of the world.

Luckily for us, Filipinos, we get our own dose of Japanese hilarity with what GEM brings to our screens.

GEM is available via SKYcable Channel 116 in Metro Manila; SKYcable Channel 222 in Cebu, Davao, Bacolod, Iloilo and Baguio; GSAT Channel 57; and various provincial cable operators nationwide.

See more here:
So funny it hurts: The anatomy of Japanese comedy - Philippine Star

With Grey's Anatomy in its 16th season, it fair to assume that it still has a popular following. When the show first began, it mainly followed the lives of five interns training to be doctors whilst also trying to cope with the pressures of working in the medical profession.

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Now, look at it. Not only have fans seen them become amazing surgeons, but they have watched them fall in love, break-up, create families, and even become great mentors. However, do you ever wonder what would have happened if the writers went down a different route - especially with the romantic pairings? From Emma & Owen to Alex & Ava, here are 6 romances that ended to quick (& 4 that didn't end quick enough).

Considering that he had recently split from his wife, season 10 started well for Owen. In the episode "Puttin' on the Ritz", Owen attends a fundraiser for the hospital where he meets maternal-fetal surgeon, Emma Marling. They did genuinely seem happy together, with Owen inviting Emma as his plus one to April and Matthew's wedding.

The relationship soon became serious when the pair planned to move in together, with Emma telling the army veteran that she could picture a future with him. However, in typical Owen fashion, he managed to mess this up by cheating on her, and we haven't seen her since.

One couple that manyGrey'sfans disliked was Alex and Ava (otherwise known as Rebecca Pope). The romance that occurred between these two was quite similar to the Denny Duquette storyline with Izzie. Alex started as her doctor, bonding with Ava after he found her among the ferry debris in "Walk on Water."

Although she was married, Alex and Ava soon began a romance that lasted for the majority of season 4. However, problems arose when Ava had a hysterical pregnancy, which later led to the suspicion that she had an underlying borderline personality disorder. The relationship regressed, with Ava being committed to psych. Despite promising to get better for Alex, she has not been seen since (which made this romance pointless).

The romance between Maggie and Ethan has to be one of the worst developed relationships you will ever see on TV. One minute they were flirting in the elevator and two seconds later, Ethan was engaged to someone else after his split with Maggie.

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According to the cardiothoracic surgeon, they dated for six months. Yet, the time jump near the end of season 11 bypassed the relationship. The only thing fans learned was that Maggie got bored and let the romance fizzle out. It was a real shame that the writers didn't let this relationship evolve on-screen as there was the potential to explore Maggie's character outside the work environment.

Many were disappointed to see Stephanie and Kyle's romance come to an abrupt end - although it should have been expected since Grey-Sloan has a poor track record in that department. Kyle and Stephanie met after the musician came into the hospital with a tremor in his hand. After it was repaired, he and Stephanie agreed to keep in touch.

However, the writers ruined this relationship as well when Stephanie left him a Dear John letter, choosing to put her career first. The writers gave them false hope as the pair reunited during his readmittance- with Kyle asking her to go to Europe with him. Yet, he died in surgery and left a devastated Stephanie behind. It was a real shame to kill him off, considering Edwards left a year later to go traveling.

Cristina and Owen had a tumultuous relationship through season 5 to 8. It had enough passion and drama to keep fans on the edge of their seats, waiting for the next episode to see if they could work it out. However, after the "You killed our baby situation," the relationship fizzled out.

From this point, fans knew Owen and Cristina weren't meant for each other. Owen wanted to have children, and Cristina didn't. Their destiny laid on two different paths. So why did the writers continue a will-they-won't-they romance for another two years? They just delayed the inevitable, which saw them divorced.

What a wasted opportunity this pairing was. It was like the writers teased fans with an Arizona and Carina romance, only to rip it from their grasp when the peds surgeon decided to leave for New York. The potential had been there from the beginning, but it wasn't really developed - at least on-screen.

For instance, after dating for a few weeks, Carina and Arizona put their relationship on pause as Sophia was returning. Near the end of season 14, they reunited after spending weeks together working on their project. Just as it was blossoming, Arizona then decided to leave. It's so annoying when you think about it - why couldn't the writers have introduced her in season 13 instead of Minnick.

As soon as Izzie and George got together, everyone knew they were doomed for disaster. Although the best friends-turned-lovers trope has been a success with past romances, it did not work (at all) in this instance. In fact, it only worked when there was another participant involved - Meredith's best friend, tequila.

Related: Grey's Anatomy: 5 Times Cristina Was Meredith's Best Friend (& 5 Times It Was Alex)

Eventually, George and Izzie realized they had no chemistry as the relationship lasted all of 10 episodes. After this, the pair weren't near each other as much, with George striking up a friendship with Lexie and Izzie hanging out with Alex more. It was like the writers wanted to help us try and forget.

In season 3, there was an unexpected romance brewing between Alex and Addison. Although fans now see how perfect Alex is in his specialty, it did come as a surprise when he took an interest in pediatrics. Addison then took a liking to the softer side he displayed - which led to the pair hooking up in the on-call room.

However, the romantic ties of this couple were completely severed when Alex began to express more interest in Ava. With Addison also questioning her place in the hospital, this final rejection pushed her to look for a fresh start in Los Angeles. It was the right choice for her as Alex didn't seem too concerned with the move. At least fans got the chance to see her in Private Practice.

Out of all theGrey'scouples, never has there been as much uproar about a couple as there was with Jackson and Maggie (a.k.a. Jaggie). Maybe it's because fans can't picture Jackson with anyone other than April, or it's because their "parents" are married, but fans could never get on board this 'ship.

It looked as if the writers gave up trying to make the relationship work as they broke up at the beginning of the season 16 premiere. Seems like the pair wants to forget the disaster too, with the plastic surgeon now semi-involved with firefighter Victoria Hughes and Maggie hating him for even breathing in the same space as her.

Although many fans have begged for Scott Speedman to reprise his role as Nick, Scott Elrod should consider coming back as the surgical oncologist, William Thorpe. Fans may recall Will and Meredith had a brief romance in season 12 after the pair hit it off whilst working on a case together.

However, they called time on their relationship when Meredith decided that she was not ready to move on. Will understood and agreed to back off, saying he would be willing to wait for her because she was worth it. Although it looked as if this storyline would be revisited, Will hasn't made another appearance since. It would have been nice to get closure at least.

NEXT: Grey's Anatomy: 5 Characters That Need More Screen Time (& 5 Who Deserve Less)

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A writer, reader and tv fanatic, Kayleigh enjoys reading movie news and your film reviews. She has attained an Undergraduate degree in Creative Writing and is also the creator of the film and television blog 'The Critics' Corner'.

Excerpt from:
Grey's Anatomy: 6 Romances That Ended Too Soon (& 4 That Didn't End Soon Enough) - Screen Rant