Shonda Rhimes' New Decree Is Rather Odd

Listen, I know that this is Shonda Rhimes' world and I am just a tax-paying resident. I know that as a woman of color who is also a television addict I owe the lady a lot, for both her contribution to representation and because no one writes a jaw-dropping twist quite like Shonda Rhimes. I also know that show's can get a little kooky ten seasons in, and Shonda Rhimes' new rule that Grey's Anatomy 's tenth season will only play '80s covers as its background music is...well, it's kooky, alright. And weird. And..confusing?

"I called [Grey's music supervisor] Alex Patsavas with what I worried was a bad idea: I wanted to see if we could find covers of '80s songs. I didn't know if this '80s covers project was a good/tasteful idea or not but I knew that Alex would know," Rhimes told THR about the decision to use modern covers of '80s songs from hereon out this season. "Happily, Alex told me she loved the idea. She then asked me to make a list of songs I wanted to hear covered. I went off and wrote down every '80s song that I ever loved, and I made this very long list. Then Alex did what Alex does best — she went out and found amazing bands that had covered these songs. It's honestly become the most fun part of my job."

I like a good '80s cover just as much as the next ear-possessing human being with a soul — "Total Eclipse Of The Heart" in the pivotal moment in this season's twelfth episode was very well employed. But here's what's getting me: Why?

I see the allure of '80s covers, but while Rhimes' explanation points to that shared enjoyment, it doesn't really point to a reason that they have to be the sole type of music used as opposed to, say, a nice highlight. I'm all for creative experimentation, and this doesn't seem like the type of thing that could go as badly as the Ghost Sex Incident Of 2008. But...why?