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Grey's Anatomy

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This article is about the television series. For the textbook, see Gray's Anatomy. For other uses, see Gray's Anatomy (disambiguation).
Grey's Anatomy
The Grey's Anatomy Logo
Genre Medical drama
Romantic drama
Created by Shonda Rhimes
Starring Ellen Pompeo
Sandra Oh
Katherine Heigl
Justin Chambers
T. R. Knight
Chandra Wilson
James Pickens, Jr.
Isaiah Washington
Patrick Dempsey
Kate Walsh
Sara Ramirez
Eric Dane
Chyler Leigh
Brooke Smith
Kevin McKidd
Jessica Capshaw
Kim Raver
Sarah Drew
Jesse Williams
Camilla Luddington
Gaius Charles
Jerrika Hinton
Tessa Ferrer
Caterina Scorsone
Kelly McCreary
Jason George
Giacomo Gianniotti
Martin Henderson
Narrated by Ellen Pompeo and various other characters
Theme music composer Psapp
Opening theme "Cosy in the Rocket" (season 1–7)
Composer(s) Danny Lux
Country of origin United States
Original language(s) English
No. of seasons 12
No. of episodes 253 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producer(s) Shonda Rhimes
Allan Heinberg
Betsy Beers
Debbie Allen
James D. Parriott
Jeannine Renshaw
Jeff Rafner
Joan Rater
Kent Hodder
Krista Vernoff
Mark Gordon
Mark Wilding
Marti Noxon
Nancy Bordson
Peter Horton
Rob Corn
Stacy McKee
Steve Mulholland
Tony Phelan
William Harper
Zoanne Clack
Producer(s) Ann Kindberg
Austin Guzman
Elisabeth R. Finch
Gabrielle G. Stanton
Harry Werksman
Jeff Rafner
Linda Klein
Mark Foreman
Mimi Schmir
Peter Norwalk
Stacy McKee
Tammy Ann Casper
William Harper
Zoanne Clack
Cinematography Herbert Davis
Editor(s) Susan Vaill
David Greenspan
Edward Ornelas
Brittany A. Jones
Briana London
Sarah Boyd
Camera setup Single-camera
Running time 43 minutes
Production company(s) ShondaLand
The Mark Gordon Company
ABC Studios (as Touchstone Television 2005–2007)
Distributor Buena Vista Home Entertainment
Disney–ABC Domestic Television
Release
Original network ABC
Picture format 480i
1080i (16:9 HDTV)
Audio format Stereo
Dolby Digital 5.1
Original release March 27, 2005 (2005-03-27) –
present
Chronology
Related shows Private Practice
A corazón abierto (Colombian telenovela)
A corazón abierto (Mexican telenovela)
External links
Official website

Grey's Anatomy is an American medical drama television series that premiered on American Broadcasting Company (ABC) as a mid-season replacement on March 27, 2005, and is currently in its 12th season. The series focuses on the fictional lives of surgical interns and residents as they gradually evolve into seasoned doctors, while trying to maintain personal lives and relationships. The title is a play on the name Gray's Anatomy, an English-language human anatomy textbook originally written by Henry Gray. The show's premise originated with Shonda Rhimes, who serves as an executive producer, along with Betsy Beers, Mark Gordon, Krista Vernoff, Rob Corn, Mark Wilding, and Allan Heinberg. The series was created to be racially diverse, utilizing a color-blind casting technique. While the show is set in Seattle, it is primarily filmed in Los Angeles, California.

The series' protagonist is Dr. Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo), who originally is accepted into the residency program at the fictional Seattle Grace Hospital. Meredith is assigned to work under Dr. Miranda Bailey (Chandra Wilson), along with Dr. Cristina Yang (Sandra Oh), Dr. George O'Malley (T. R. Knight), Dr. Izzie Stevens (Katherine Heigl), and Dr. Alex Karev (Justin Chambers). Following O'Malley's death and Stevens' departure, the hospital's merger with Mercy West brings in Dr. Jackson Avery (Jesse Williams) and Dr. April Kepner (Sarah Drew), in the sixth season.

The surgical wing is primarily supervised by Dr. Richard Webber (James Pickens, Jr.), who is eventually replaced by Dr. Derek Shepherd (Patrick Dempsey), then, later, Dr. Owen Hunt (Kevin McKidd) and finally, Dr. Miranda Bailey. Dr. Arizona Robbins (Jessica Capshaw) is head of pediatric surgery, Hunt is head of trauma, and Dr. Callie Torres (Sara Ramirez) is head of orthopedics. Dr. Shepherd was the head of neurosurgery but is later replaced by his sister, Dr. Amelia Shepherd (Caterina Scorsone).

Dr. Preston Burke (Isaiah Washington) departs at the conclusion of the third season, after a failed relationship with Dr. Cristina Yang, and is replaced by Dr. Erica Hahn (Brooke Smith), who leaves the show during the fifth season, and later Dr. Teddy Altman (Kim Raver), who departs at the end of the eighth season. Introduced at the end of the first season is Dr. Addison Montgomery (Kate Walsh), who leaves the show at the end of the third season, in order to launch her own spin-off medical drama, Private Practice. Dr. Callie Torres (Sara Ramirez) and Dr. Mark Sloan (Eric Dane) also enter the show in the second season, while Mark Sloan dies in the premiere of the ninth season. Meredith's half-sister, Dr. Lexie Grey (Chyler Leigh), appears in season three and dies at the end of season eight. Dr. Arizona Robbins is given series-regular status at the beginning of the sixth season. In the ninth season, a new set of five recurring interns were introduced, with four – Dr. Josephine "Jo" Wilson (Camilla Luddington), Dr. Shane Ross (Gaius Charles), Dr. Stephanie Edwards (Jerrika Hinton) and Dr. Leah Murphy (Tessa Ferrer) – becoming series regulars in the tenth season.

Grey's Anatomy is one of the highest-rated dramas in the key 18–49 demographic. While the ratings have fallen over the past few seasons, it was once among the overall top 10 shows in the United States. Grey's Anatomy has been well received by critics. Considered an impact on culture, the series has received numerous awards, and has also been included in various critics' top ten lists. It is the recipient of the 2007 Golden Globe Award for Best Television Series — Drama, and multiple Emmy nominations, including two for Outstanding Drama Series. The show has produced several specials, as well as distributed all seasons to DVD, and released a collection of merchandise. In 2012, Grey's Anatomy was named the fifth-highest revenue earning show, in terms of advertising per half-hour.

On May 7, 2015, ABC renewed the series for a twelfth season which premiered on September 24, 2015.[1]

Production and development

Conception

Shonda Rhimes, the series' creator, wanted to make a show that she would enjoy watching,[2] and thought it would be interesting to create a show about "smart women competing against one another".[3] When asked how she decided to develop a medical drama, Rhimes responded: <templatestyles src="Template:Blockquote/styles.css" />

I was obsessed with the surgery channels. [...] My sisters and I would call each other up and talk about operations we'd seen on the Discovery Channel. There's something fascinating about the medical world—you see things you'd never imagine, like the fact that doctors talk about their boyfriends or their day while they're cutting somebody open. So when ABC asked me to write another pilot, the [operating room] seemed like the natural setting.[4]

The series was pitched to the ABC, who gave the green light, and the show was picked up as a mid-season replacement for Boston Legal in the 2005 television season.[5] Francie Calfo, executive vice president of development at ABC Entertainment, commented that ABC was looking for a medical show that was unlike the others airing at the time. She pointed out that "[m]edical shows are hard, and it was hard trying to figure out where ours could be different. But where everybody else is speeding up their medical shows, [Rhimes] found a way to slow it down, so you get to know the characters. There's definitely a strong female appeal to it."[3]

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"ER is high-speed medicine. The camera flies around, adrenaline is rushing. My show is more personal. The idea for the series began when a doctor told me it was incredibly hard to shave her legs in the hospital shower. At first that seemed like a silly detail. But then I thought about the fact that it was the only time and place this woman might have to shave her legs. That's how hard the work is."

— Rhimes on the creation of Grey's Anatomy[4]

Rhimes initially conceived Grey's Anatomy as a statement against racism. She endeavored to create a show that featured a racially diverse cast that allowed viewers to relate to characters regardless of race.[6] While creating characters, as well as writing the first script, the series' writers had no character descriptions in mind, and hoped to cast the best actor available for each part. Rhimes has explained that if the network did not allow her to create characters this way, she would have been hesitant about moving forward with the series.[4] Female roles in particular were developed as multi-faceted characters. Rhimes offered her insight on this: "I wanted to create a world in which you felt as if you were watching very real women. Most of the women I saw on TV didn't seem like people I actually knew. They felt like ideas of what women are. They never got to be nasty or competitive or hungry or angry. They were often just the loving wife or the nice friend. But who gets to be the bitch? Who gets to be the three-dimensional woman?"[4]

Before the series debuted on March 27, 2005, there were a few early releases to close friends and family of the producers and actors. The show was scheduled to run in the Boston Legal time slot for four weeks. However, high ratings and viewership led to it holding onto the slot for the remainder of the season.[3] ABC Entertainment President, Steve McPherson, commented on the scheduling change: "Ultimately we decided that, without having adequate lead time or marketing dollars to devote to moving either show so late in the season, we'd continue to let [Grey's Anatomy] build on its tremendous momentum through May."[7] The show's title, Grey's Anatomy, was devised as a play on words: a reference to both Henry Gray's medical textbook, Gray's Anatomy, and the title character Dr. Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo).[8] Prior to broadcast, it was announced that the show's title would change from Grey's Anatomy to Complications, although ultimately this did not come to pass.[9]

Production team

Grey's Anatomy is produced by ShondaLand, in association with The Mark Gordon Company, and ABC Studios (formerly Touchstone Television).[10] Rhimes, Betsy Beers, Krista Vernoff, Mark Gordon, Rob Corn, and Mark Wilding have all served as executive producers throughout the course of the series.[11] In subsequent seasons, Steve Mulholland, Kent Hodder, Nancy Bordson, James D. Parriott, and Peter Horton have also been executive producers, with Allan Heinberg joining the show in 2006 in this role.[11] As of season eight, the current executive producers are Rhimes, Beers, Gordon, Vernoff, Corn, Wilding, and Heinberg.[12]

Rhimes is the series' most prolific writer. She often promotes the show by answering fan questions on her Twitter account.[13] Other members of the writing staff are Vernoff, Wilding, Peter Nowalk, Stacy McKee, William Harper, Zoanne Clack, Tony Phelan, Joan Rater, and Debora Cahn.[11] From the second through seventh seasons, the writers maintained a blog entitled Grey Matter, where the writer of an episode discussed the motives behind the writing.[14] Directors vary by episode, with Rob Corn directing most frequently, followed by Tom Verica. Horton, Edward Ornelas, and Jessica Yu have also directed a substantial number of episodes.[11] Cast members Chandra Wilson and Kevin McKidd have both directed multiple episodes.[15]

Grey's Anatomy has been edited by Susan Vaill since the show's inception,[16] and David Greenspan was named an editor in 2006.[17] Casting directors Linda Lowy and John Brace have been a part of the production team since 2005. Production design is led by Donald Lee Harris, assisted by art director Brian Harms, and costume design is led by Mimi Melgaard. Working alongside Melgaard, Thomas Houchins supervises costumes, Ellen Vieira is the makeup artist, and Jerilynn Stevens serves as a hair stylist. The Director of Photography is Herbert Davis. The music coordinator is Danny Lux.[16] Karen Lisa Pike, M.D. is the on-set medical consultant, alongside Linda Klein, a RN.[18] The production staff is part of a Grey's Anatomy softball team that competes against other television shows, such as CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.[19]

Casting

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Main article: List of Grey's Anatomy cast members

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"She brought this energy that felt very fresh. From the beginning, I've been shaping Cristina around Sandra a little bit. One of my favorite things to do is take as much of her dialogue out of a scene as possible because she does so much nonverbally. Then I just watch what she manages to do without having a word to say."

— Rhimes on Oh's audition[20]

Grey's Anatomy uses a color-blind casting technique, resulting in a racially diverse ensemble. Each role is cast without the character's races being pre-determined, in keeping with Rhimes' vision of diversity.[21] The production staff began casting with the program's titular character, Meredith Grey,[4] which Rhimes stated was a difficult role to cast.[22] "I kept saying we need a girl like that girl from Moonlight Mile[a]," said Rhimes, "and after a while, they were like, 'We think we can get that girl from Moonlight Mile."[22] The next to be cast, Sandra Oh (Dr. Cristina Yang), was initially invited to audition for the character of Bailey, but pressed to read for the role of Cristina instead.[23] Many actors read for the role of Dr. Derek Shepherd, but when Patrick Dempsey read for the part, "he was just perfect", according to Rhimes.[22]

The only character developed with a racial description in mind was Dr. Miranda Bailey, who is portrayed by Chandra Wilson. The character was written as a tiny blonde with curly hair, but when Wilson began speaking, Rhimes reported: "[Wilson] is exactly who Miranda is."[4] James Pickens Jr. was selected to appear as Dr. Richard Webber in the series' pilot and first season.[24] Katherine Heigl wanted to portray Dr. Izzie Stevens as a brunette, but was requested to retain her natural blonde for the part.[25] Isaiah Washington, who portrayed Dr. Preston Burke, initially read for the role of Shepherd, but was cast as Burke, because the original actor to play Burke had to withdraw.[21] T. R. Knight signed on for the pilot as Dr. George O'Malley, expecting that the role might be short-lived, because he liked that the character was multi-faceted.[26] Rounding out the season one cast was Justin Chambers as Dr. Alex Karev.[27]

Eric Dane originally auditioned for the pilot episode of Grey's Anatomy, but did not receive a role.

The second season marked the introduction of Eric Dane (Dr. Mark Sloan) and Sara Ramirez (Dr. Callie Torres). They were initially cast as recurring characters, but both were given star billing at the opening of the third season.[28][29] Ramirez was cast after ABC executives offered her a role in the network show of her choice,[30] Dane had previously auditioned unsuccessfully for a role in the pilot episode.[29] Kate Walsh (Dr. Addison Montgomery) also joined the show in season two, after making a guest appearance in season one.[31] In October 2006, Washington allegedly insulted Knight with a homophobic slur, during an on-set altercation with Dempsey, and ABC terminated Washington's contract at the end of the third season.[32] Washington also made a guest appearance in season 10. At the conclusion of the third season, Walsh also departed the show to pursue the Grey's Anatomy spin-off, Private Practice, but continues to make guest appearances.[33]

Chyler Leigh joined the cast as a main character in the fourth season as (Dr. Lexie Grey); Lexie had appeared as a guest star in the final two episodes of the third season.[34] On the selection of Leigh for the role of Lexie, Rhimes said: "Chyler stood out...It felt like she could be Meredith's sister, but she had a depth that was very interesting."[35] Brooke Smith (Dr. Erica Hahn), who first appeared on Grey's Anatomy in the second season, became a series regular in the fourth.[36] Shortly after the announcement that Smith would be a regular member of the cast, Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello, reported that her character, Hahn, would depart from Grey's Anatomy on November 6, 2008.[37] E! Online's Kristin Dos Santos asserted that Smith's dismissal from the show had been forced by the ABC network, as part of an attempt to "de-gay" Grey's Anatomy,[38] but Rhimes countered these claims, saying that "we did not find that the magic and chemistry with Brooke's character would sustain in the long run".[37]

Season five introduced actor Kevin McKidd (Dr. Owen Hunt), who was signed as a series regular after originally being cast for a specific story arc.[39] In addition, Jessica Capshaw (Dr. Arizona Robbins) was originally introduced for a three episode arc, but received a contract extension until the end of the season and then became a series regular in the sixth season.[40] Knight departed the show at the conclusion of season five, citing an unhappiness with the development and lack of screen time for his character.[41] Directly following Knight's departure, it was reported by Entertainment Weekly that Heigl had not returned to the set as scheduled after her maternity leave,[42] and it was later confirmed that Heigl would not return to the show at all.[43]

Kim Raver, who was cast as recurring character Dr. Teddy Altman in the sixth season, was given star billing later in the season.[44] Sarah Drew (Dr. April Kepner) and Jesse Williams (Dr. Jackson Avery), who both made their series debuts as recurring characters in the sixth season, received star billing in the seventh.[45][46]

The six original actors' contracts expired after season eight, but in May 2012, Pompeo, Oh, Dempsey, Chambers, Wilson, and Pickens renewed their contracts with the show for another two years.[47] At the conclusion of the eighth season, Leigh's character departed from the show at Leigh's request, and with Rhimes' agreement.[48][49] Raver's character was also written out of the show during the season eight finale, and Rhimes stated that Raver was offered a contract renewal, but declined.[50] In July 2012, Dane confirmed that he was departing the show to pursue other projects; he made his final appearances in the first two episodes of the ninth season.[51] With the start of season 10, Camilla Luddington, Jerrika Hinton, Gaius Charles & Tessa Ferrer were introduced to the show as series regulars. They were first introduced to the show in season 9 as new interns. On August 13, 2013, Oh announced that the show's tenth season would be her final season.[52][53] On March 2014 it was announced that Isaiah Washington, who portrayed Preston Burke in the first three seasons of the show, would make a guest appearance to coincide with the departure of series regular Sandra Oh, his former on-screen love interest.[54] As of March 25, 2014, both Charles and Ferrer's contracts were not renewed for season 11.[55] On May 2, 2014 it was announced that, in addition to Pompeo and Dempsey, all original remaining cast members — aside from Sandra Oh — signed two years deals, extending their contracts through seasons 11 and 12. Despite joining the series in its second season, Sara Ramirez is on the same negotiation schedule as the first season cast and has also inked a new two-year deal.[56][57][58]

Filming locations and technique

File:Seattle Space Needle Crop.jpg
The Space Needle, in Seattle, is the background to many exterior shots.

Rhimes considered setting the medical drama in her hometown, Chicago, but eventually decided to go with Seattle, to distinguish Grey's Anatomy from the Chicago–based ER.[22]

Fisher Plaza, which is the headquarters building of Fisher Communications and Fisher's ABC affiliated KOMO radio and television stations in Seattle, is used for some exterior shots of Grey-Sloan Memorial Hospital. In particular, air ambulances land on the KOMO-TV newscopter's helipad. This suggests the hospital is close to the Space Needle (which is directly across the street from Fisher Plaza), the Seattle Monorail, and other local landmarks. However, the hospital used for most other exterior and a few interior shots is not in Seattle; these scenes are shot at the VA Sepulveda Ambulatory Care Center in North Hills, California.[59] Most scenes are taped at Prospect Studios in Los Feliz, just east of Hollywood, where the Grey's Anatomy set occupies six sound stages. Some outside scenes are shot at the Warren G. Magnuson Park in Seattle. Several props used are working medical equipment, including the MRI machine.[60] When asked about operating room scenes, Sarah Drew offered this: <templatestyles src="Template:Blockquote/styles.css" />

We work with Bovine organs, which is cow's organs. The smell is repulsive and makes us all gag. And we use an actual soldering tool to solder the organs. It smells like burning flesh. There's also a lot of silicone and blood matter, red jello mixed with blood and chicken fat. It's pretty gross.[61]

Costumes are used to differentiate between attending surgeons, who wear navy blue scrubs, and residents, who wear light blue scrubs.[62] The series is filmed with a single-camera setup, as are many dramas.[63] Grey's Anatomy is often filmed using the "walk and talk" filming technique,[64] popularized on television by series such as St. Elsewhere, ER, and The West Wing.[65]

Series synopsis

Overview

The title screen of Grey's Anatomy
Title screen

Grey's Anatomy follows the lives of surgical interns and residents at the fictional Grey-Sloan Memorial Hospital (formerly Seattle Grace Hospital, Season 1–6, Seattle Grace Mercy West Hospital, Season 6–9, and then Grey-Sloan Memorial Hospital, Season 9–present), as they gradually evolve into seasoned doctors, with the help of their competent mentors. Every installment, typically, commences with a voice-over narrative from Meredith Grey or a season regular, foreshadowing the theme of the episode.[66][67] Each season tends to represent the physicians' academic year, with each completed year qualifying the residents at a level higher in the surgical field.[68] The season will always end with a finale, typically involving a tragic event such as a death or character departure.[69] Most installments revolve around the doctors' everyday lives as surgeons, but the show puts an emphasis on their personal, rather than professional, lives.[66] The series sets aside medical ethics concerns to focus on character development and relationships. Although the physicians treat the illnesses of their patients, often through complex surgeries, their primary motivation is customarily praise and competition.[70]

The residents initially arrive at the hospital each morning and argue over who will care for a certain patient.[71] A hospital superior is in charge of assigning cases, often traversing to tense feelings between the residents and superiors.[72] Episodes migrate back and forth from the doctors interacting with their patients, and with their co-workers. Once assigned a case, each doctor diagnoses the patient, with the help of his or her attending physician, which usually leads to surgery.[73] The surgeons tend to form personal connections with their patients, with a patient often conveying a message to his or her doctor, which unintentionally relates to the doctor's private life.[74] The show displays the growth of relationships between the doctors, either friendly or sexual, often stemming to a clash between their personal and professional lives. Emotional scenes are often accompanied by an indie rock background song, something that has become a hallmark of the series.[75] At the conclusion of each episode, one of the characters delivers another voice-over, typically contrasting or following up on her initial one.[67]

Main characters

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Main article: List of Grey's Anatomy characters
Actor Character Seasons
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Ellen Pompeo Meredith Grey Main
Sandra Oh Cristina Yang Main
Katherine Heigl Izzie Stevens Main
Justin Chambers Alex Karev Main
T.R. Knight George O'Malley Main
Chandra Wilson Miranda Bailey Main
James Pickens, Jr. Richard Webber Main
Isaiah Washington Preston Burke Main Guest
Patrick Dempsey Derek Shepherd Main
Kate Walsh Addison Montgomery Guest Main Special Guest
Eric Dane Mark Sloan Guest Main
Sara Ramirez Callie Torres Recurring Main
Brooke Smith Erica Hahn Guest Main
Chyler Leigh Lexie Grey Guest Main
Kevin McKidd Owen Hunt Main
Jessica Capshaw Arizona Robbins Recurring Main
Kim Raver Teddy Altman Main
Jesse Williams Jackson Avery Recurring Main
Sarah Drew April Kepner Recurring Main
Jason George Benjamin Warren Recurring Main
Caterina Scorsone Amelia Shepherd Guest Special Guest Recurring Main
Camilla Luddington Jo Wilson Recurring Main
Jerrika Hinton Stephanie Edwards Recurring Main
Gaius Charles Shane Ross Recurring Main
Tessa Ferrer Leah Murphy Recurring Main
Kelly McCreary Maggie Pierce Guest Main
Giacomo Gianniotti Andrew Deluca Guest Main
Martin Henderson Nathan Riggs Main

The five characters who are first introduced in the series premiere, as surgical interns, are Grey, Karev, O'Malley, Stevens, and Yang.[76] They are initially mentored by Bailey, a senior resident who becomes the hospital's Chief Resident,[77] and later an attending general surgeon, in season six.[78] The surgical program is initially headed by the Chief of Surgery, Richard Webber, who has a preexisting personal relationship with Meredith, having had an affair with her mother when she was a child. In Webber's employ are attending neurosurgeon Derek Shepherd, dubbed 'McDreamy' by the residents, and attending cardiothoracic surgeon Preston Burke. Shepherd is introduced as Meredith's love interest, while Burke begins a relationship with Yang.[79]

Introduced in the show's second season are obstetrician-gynecologist and neonatal surgeon, Addison Montgomery,[80] plastic surgeon Mark Sloan (nicknamed 'McSteamy' by the interns), from New York,[81] and orthopedic surgeon Callie Torres.[82] Montgomery is Shepherd's wife who arrives in Seattle seeking reconciliation with him,[83] Sloan is Shepherd's former best friend, who aided the breakdown of his marriage by having an affair with Montgomery,[84] while Torres is introduced as a love-interest, and eventual wife for O'Malley. The penultimate episode of season three introduces Lexie, GreyMeredith's half-sister who unexpectedly decides to pursue her internship at Seattle Grace Hospital after her mother's sudden death, and begins an on-again, off-again relationship with Sloan.[85] Burke and Yang, having been engaged,[86] endeavor to plan their wedding, while Montgomery departs the show at the conclusion of the third season, relocating to California, seeking a new life. The season three finale sees Burke's exit from the show, after leaving Yang at the altar on their wedding day.[87]

A photo displaying the original core cast members, of Grey's Anatomy
The original lead characters of Grey's Anatomy

Grey, Yang, Karev, and Stevens are all promoted to residents, in the season four premiere,[88] while O'Malley is forced to repeat his internship year, following his failing of the intern exam.[87] Subsequently, Torres and O'Malley divorce one another, due to him having a sexual affair with Stevens, initially concealing it from Torres.[89][90] Early in the fourth season, cardiothoracic surgeon Erica Hahn becomes Torres' love interest.[91] During the fifth season, Hahn departs from the series,[92] and O'Malley retakes his intern exam, passing, joining his fellow physicians as a resident.[93] Two new characters are introduced: former United States Army trauma surgeon Owen Hunt,[94] and pediatric surgeon Arizona Robbins.[95] Hunt becomes a love-interest for Yang,[96] while Robbins becomes a love-interest for Torres.[97] When Stevens is diagnosed with stage four metastatic melanoma,[98] she and Karev wed one another at the conclusion of the fifth season.[99] In addition, Meredith and Shepherd marry, with their vows written on a post-it note.[100]

O'Malley dies in the premiere of the sixth season, due to injuries sustained by being hit by a bus,[78] and Stevens later departs Seattle after being diagnosed with cancer and following a lack of communication between her then husband Karev following the Seattle Grace merger with Mercy West.[74] Several new characters are introduced as Seattle Grace Hospital merges with Mercy West.[101] Residents April Kepner and Jackson Avery both transfer to Seattle Grace Hospital from Mercy West, and the latter entertains a brief relationship with Lexie Grey, until she reunites with Mark Sloan.[102] Subsequently, Teddy Altman is introduced as the new Chief of Cardiothoracic Surgery.[103] In the season six finale, a deceased patient's grieving husband embarks on a shooting spree at the hospital, injuring Karev, Shepherd, and Hunt, and killing residents Charles Percy and Reed Adamson.[104][105] In the shooting's emotional reverberations, Hunt and Yang abruptly marry, not wanting to risk separation.[106] Torres and Robbins eventually wed, officiated by Bailey.[107] In season eight, Webber steps down and allocates his job to Hunt.[108] As the final year of residency for Meredith, Yang, Karev, Avery, and Kepner is coming to a close, the doctors are all planning to relocate to different hospitals to pursue their specialty careers.[109] However, all plans are put on hold when several doctors from Seattle Grace Mercy West Hospital are engaged in a plane crash, which kills Lexie and endangers Meredith, Shepherd, Yang, Robbins, and Sloan.[69] At the conclusion of the eighth season, Altman is courteously fired by Hunt as she struggles to decide whether or not to take the job as Chief at United States Army Medical Command (MEDCOM).[69] In the season nine premiere, Sloan dies due to sustained injuries from the plane crash following a brief relapse of temporary health (the surge). And the remaining characters work through their post traumatic stress and Arizona Robbins' loss of limb by way of suing Seattle Grace Mercy West as the hospital was responsible for putting the surgeons on the plane. The season continues with the struggle of the lawsuit and the animosity that creates within the hospital, Yang and Hunt eventually divorce in order to help the lawsuit.[110][111] Robbins cheats on Torres with a visiting facial reconstruction specialist. The doctors who were on the plane won the lawsuit, but the pay out bankrupts the hospital. They all club together and buy Seattle Grace Mercy West, with the help of the Harper Avery Foundation, and they become the Board of Directors, once was called the "Grey-Sloan 7".[112][113][114] One of the changes they implement is renaming of the hospital to Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital. Grey's Anatomy then concluded its 10th season on ABC and saw the departure of one of its major players, Cristina Yang, played by Sandra Oh. Towards the end of the eleventh season, Derek Shepherd witnesses a car accident and pulls over to help the injured, but his car is hit by a truck with him inside as he attempts to leave the scene. He later dies at another hospital following the doctors' mishandling of his injuries.

Recurring Characters

With the drama's setting being a hospital, numerous medical personnel appear regularly on the show, as well as several other recurring characters. Joe (Steven W. Bailey), is first shown as the owner of the Emerald City Bar and Grill, across the street from the hospital, which is a common relaxation area for the physicians.[80] Also introduced in the pilot, is the legendary former surgeon, Dr. Ellis Grey (Kate Burton), Meredith's Alzheimer's-stricken mother, who appeared on the show until her death in season three.[76] In the first season, Olivia Harper (Sarah Utterback), a nurse who appeared on the show occasionally until getting laid off in the merger with Mercy West,[101] engages in sexual activity with O'Malley, giving him Syphilis.[80] Serving as an assistant and secretary to the Chief of Surgery, former nurse Patricia (Robin Pearson Rose), has appeared on the show since its debut.[76] Tyler Christian (Moe Irvin), a hospital nurse, makes occasional appearances throughout the series.[76] Within the second season, Bailey becomes pregnant by her husband, Tucker Jones (Cress Williams),[115] who makes frequent appearances on Grey's Anatomy, until their divorce in season five.[100] While Bailey takes a sabbatical, due to her pregnancy, the cheerful Dr. Sydney Heron (Kali Rocha), fills her position as the resident supervising Grey, Yang, Karev, O'Malley, and Stevens,[116] and makes occasional appearances until the fifth season.[90]

Thatcher and Susan Grey (Jeff Perry and Mare Winningham), Meredith's estranged father and step-mother, are introduced in season two,[117] with Susan making appearances until her death in season three,[118] and Thatcher continuing to appear on the series.[119] Adele Webber (Loretta Devine), is introduced as Richard's wife,[120] who eventually acquires Alzheimer's, in the seventh season,[121] and continued to make appearances until her death in season nine.[122] Introduced as Preston's mother, Jane Burke (Diahann Carroll) makes occasional appearances until the fourth season. Denny Duquette (Jeffrey Dean Morgan), a patient suffering from congestive heart failure, originates as one of Burke's patients,[123] who goes on to propose to Stevens, after weeks of bonding between the two.[124] Facing death, Stevens cuts Duquette's left ventricular assist device (LVAD), to elevate his position on the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) transplant list.[125] This ultimately ends in his death, marking his initial departure from the show,[120] and placing Stevens on disciplinary probation.[126] Initially conceived as a veterinarian hired for Shepherd's dog, Doc,[117] Dr. Finn Dandridge (Chris O'Donnell) soon becomes a love interest for Meredith, while Shepherd is with Montgomery.[127] Dandridge is included in a multi-episode story arc, consisting of nine episodes, ending when Meredith reunites with Shepherd.[128]

A photo of Elizabeth Reaser
Elizabeth Reaser's character's story arc played a large role in the third and fourth seasons.

In season three, George's father, Harold O'Malley (George Dzundza), is diagnosed with cancer and dies, with his wife Louise (Debra Monk) and George's brothers Jerry (Greg Pitts) and Ronny (Tim Griffin) by his side.[129] Louise goes on to appear occasionally, and was last seen in season eight.[130] A ferryboat accident brings along Rebecca Pope (Elizabeth Reaser), who is initially introduced as a pregnant Jane Doe victim, suffering from Amnesia.[131] Pope eventually embarks on a relationship with Karev, until she is diagnosed with a personality disorder in season four, and makes her final departure.[91] Amidst the crisis of the ferryboat crash, Meredith falls into the water at the disaster site.[131] Although rescued, she goes into cardiac arrest, waking up in what appears to be limbo.[132] Within the limbo, Meredith is entertained by deceased acquaintances Duquette and Dylan Young (Kyle Chandler), who was killed during a bomb crisis in the second season,[133] until eventually being resuscitated.[134] Seeking a cure to her depression, Meredith undergoes therapy sessions with the hospital psychiatrist, Dr. Katharine Wyatt (Amy Madigan),[135] who in addition, serves as a psychiatrist to Hunt.[136]

The season four premiere introduces several new interns, to be trained under Meredith, Yang, Karev, Stevens, and eventually O'Malley.[b] Among them are Dr. Steve Mostow (Mark Saul) who continues to make appearances,[88] and Dr. Sadie Harris (Melissa George) who formed a friendship with Meredith while the two were in college.[137] Harris is fired in the fifth season, due to not actually having a medical degree, and departs the show immediately after.[97] Meredith and Shepherd's relationship reaches a toll, and the two separate, leading Shepherd to entertaining a relationship with Rose (Lauren Stamile), a nurse.[90] Rose appears frequently until season five, when Shepherd rekindles his relationship with Meredith.[94] Throughout the fifth season, Stevens experiences full-out hallucinations of Duquette,[95] signaling that she is ill,[138] and once she is lucid, he departs, marking his final appearance.[136] Following the announcement of her relationship with Robbins, Callie's father Carlos Torres (Hector Elizondo) initially contests his daughter's concurrence in homosexuality,[139] but eventually accepts it,[102] and he reappears several times throughout the series.[107]

The hospital's merging with Mercy West introduces new residents: Dr. Reed Adamson (Nora Zehetner) and Dr. Charles Percy (Robert Baker),[102] but the two are both murdered in the season six finale.[104][105] Also introduced in the sixth season is Dr. Ben Warren (Jason George), an anesthesiologist[140] and eventual husband to Bailey,[69] as well as Sloan Riley (Leven Rambin), Sloan's estranged daughter who seeks kinship with him.[103] Dr. Lucy Fields (Rachael Taylor), an obstetrician-gynecologist, is introduced in the seventh season, and serves as a love interest for Karev,[141] until eventually relocating to pursue a career in Africa.[10] Robbins receives a grant to aid children in Malawi, which leads to a falling out between her and Torres.[142] While in Malawi, Robbins is replaced by Dr. Robert Stark (Peter MacNicol),[143] a pediatric surgeon with an interest in Kepner,[144] who appears occasionally until season eight. Following the breakdown of Torres' relationship with Robbins, Sloan and Torres unite, and she becomes pregnant.[145] Torres' relationship with Robbins is subsequently mended,[146] and the couple endeavors to raise their new daughter, Sofia Robbin Sloan Torres, with the help of Sloan.[147] Shepherd and Meredith also become new parents, with their adoption of Zola, a baby from Malawi.[c][10] Conceived as a patient with a tumor condition who later develops diabetes, Henry Burton (Scott Foley) befriends Altman eventually joins her in marriage only to get treated using her medical insurance,[148] until he dies while undergoing heart surgery.[149]

In the season nine premiere, interns Dr. Jo Wilson (Camilla Luddington), Dr. Heather Brooks (Tina Majorino), Dr. Shane Ross (Gaius Charles), Dr. Stephanie Edwards (Jerrika Hinton), and Dr. Leah Murphy (Tessa Ferrer) are introduced.[150][151][152] Steven Culp and William Daniels play Dr. Parker and Dr. Craig Thomas, respectively.[153][154] Dr. Parker is Chief of Cardiothoracic Surgery and Dr. Craig Thomas (William Daniels) is an attending cardiothoracic surgeon at Mayo Clinic, where Cristina worked temporarily. Dr. Alana Cahill (Constance Zimmer)[155] introduced in the ninth season is appointed to cut costs at the hospital and she eventually decides the best course of action would be to seek out a new buyer[156] until the four crash survivors and Torres on the behalf of Sloan to pool their money together in a bid to purchase the hospital themselves. Kepner starts dating a paramedic named Matthew (Justin Bruening)[157] and they form a deep relationship over the course of the ninth ad tenth seasons and she eventually agreed to marry before reconciling with Avery in the middle of the wedding Mathew.[158] Lauren Boswell (Hilarie Burton) is introduced as a craniofacial surgeon consulting on a case at Grey Sloan Memorial[159][160] who showed romantic interested in Arizona and eventually ended up having a one-night stand with her.[161]

Dr. Heather Brooks dies in the premiers of season ten. She goes to search for Dr. Webber and finds him lying in the basement of the hospital. Trying to save Dr. Webber, she accidentally steps into a puddle and electrocutes herself while hitting her head as she falls.[162] Bailey moves a cancer patient in Webber's room to force some perspective and make him to take the treatment. Also introduced in the tenth season was Alex's estranged father Jimmy Evans (James Remar)[163] who tries to form a relationship with his son but fails repeatedly and ultimately dies in a botched surgery.[164][165] The conclusion of season 10 has Cristina leaving Grey Sloan for Dr. Burke's job overseas while Dr. Ross makes a last minute decision to follow her in order to study under her. Dr. Maggie Pierce (Kelly McCreary)[166] unknowingly drops a bombshell that she is the adopted love child of Dr. Webber and the late Dr. Grey, which makes for yet another half sister of Dr. Meredith Grey.[167] Also, Dr. Yang leaves her seat on the board to Dr. Karev while Dr. Webber all but promises the seat to Dr. Bailey. Introduced in season eleven is Dr. Nicole Herman (Geena Davis)[168] who is Chief of Fetal Surgery at Grey Sloan Memorial, she mentors Arizona Robbins in a fetal surgery fellowship, Herman plays in a twelve episode arc before departing after episode fourteen.[169][170]

Season 11 begins with new surgical residents coming to the hospital. Meredith is struggling with the idea that Maggie is actually her half sister because of her mother's romance with Dr. Weber. Callie and Arizona's relationship falls through after realising they both want different things at the time. April and Jackson learn heartbreaking news that their baby has a lethal birth defect, where April decides that she will carry the baby till full term no matter the consequences. They end up having a boy, Samuel, who dies shortly after birth.

Reception

Critical response

Grey's Anatomy has been well received among critics. The show holds an average of 74% positive score on Rotten Tomatoes and 7.7/10 score at IMDB site.[171] The A.V. Club gave an insight on both the overwhelming success and lows in the quality of the hit medical drama saying, "The quality arc for the show is all over the place, starting with a steady build in the first season, then skyrocketing into phenomenon in season two, then leveling off and dipping in season three, before having some seriously bumpy moments in seasons four (interrupted by the writers’ strike) and five. The climb begins again in season six"[172] Samantha Highfill of Entertainment Weekly in a review wrote, " I believe the show’s best season to date is season 2. Let me make it clear that I’m not saying seasons 3 through 9 were bad. In my opinion, there have only been a few lulls in the show’s history, and most of them didn’t last a full season." adding, "I still enjoy the show, and I’ll honestly never stop watching. By any standards, Grey’s Anatomy has been successful television, ranking highly in the ratings for nine seasons and entering the cultural lexicon via phrases as cloying yet catchy as "McDreamy.", the show has had its periods of being intensely irritating, and it has had its periods when it seems as if Shonda Rhimes has taken leave of her faculties, but it’s also got an amazingly high batting average, particularly with every solid season that passes along in this second act of its run." The site lauded the show saying, "On average, it’s been very good TV, filled with interesting, driven characters who run the gamut of professions within the show’s hospital setting. It’s been, by turns, a good soap, a good romantic comedy, a good medical drama, and a good interpersonal show about an unexpected workplace family."[173]

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"Grey’s Anatomy offers a different and perhaps more valuable idea of what it means to be strong: the capacity to suffer terribly, break down completely, and then get up again, confident that you’re bigger than the sum of the tragedies you’ve suffered—because everyone else is, too. The layers of history have grown pretty dense and rich, and the friendships that form around them as the characters suffer and survive is the glue of the series, and what—despite a few inevitable hit-or-miss patches—elevates it to something special."- Laura Hudson of Wired[174]

The first season received positive reviews which steadily built up, with Gary Levin of USA Today calling Grey's Anatomy one of the top shows on television.[175] New York Daily News named Grey's Anatomy a "winner", whereas Newsday expressed a positive opinion by stating "You simply can't stop watching." The Washington Post's Tom Shales was critical of season one, finding it reminiscent of ER and commenting that: "The show is much more a matter of commercial calculation than an honest attempt to try something fresh and different."[176] Shortly after its initial airing, the Chicago Tribune's Maureen Ryan called Grey's Anatomy the new Friends; a concluded National Broadcasting Company (NBC) sitcom following the lives of a group of young adults, that all of its ten-year run in the top-five for viewer ratings.[2] The second season received critical acclaim, top critics like Todd VanDerWerff of The A.V. Club called the show a "phenomenon" not just TV adding the show was, "one of the best TV shows around", Samantha Highfill of Entertainment Weekly later during the tenth season called the second "the show’s best season to date" however, Kevin Carr of 7M Pictures opined that Grey's Anatomy is a mere combination of Scrubs, ER, Sex and the City, and The Love Boat.[177] It further garnered positive reviews, Christopher Monfette of IGN Entertainment added: "The second season of this medical drama expertly wove its signature elements of complex relationships, whimsical banter and challenging life-lessons; all to a montage-fetish, indie-rock soundtrack."[178] Todd Gilchrist also from IGN called the season "terrific" adding, "Indeed, one of the best currently on television. While it remains to be seen what the creators do with it, now that it's become an outright event program, the season demonstrates that Rhimes and co. know what to do with the opportunities presented them. whether you're male or female, this is the kind of entertainment that small-screen devotees and folks fed up with television need to see."[179]

A photo of Ellen Pompeo
Ellen Pompeo's failure to garner a nomination at the Emmy Awards has been referred to as a snub on multiple occasions.[180]

The titular character of Grey's Anatomy, Meredith, has received both overwhelmingly positive and weary feedback by critics along the course of the show, with the development of the character garnering praise from majority critics. Alessandra Stanley of The New York Times referring to her as "the heroine of Grey's Anatomy".[181] BuddyTV praised the distinct uniqueness in the character calling Meredith an "unconventional heroine" adding, "From the very beginning Meredith Grey has been an unconventional heroine. Neither black nor white but always...wait for it...many shades of grey, she has always been, even in her lighter moments, dark and twisty."[182] When Pompeo did not receive an Emmy nomination for her work as Meredith, Mary McNamara of the Los Angeles Times suggested that Pompeo, "who has worked very hard and against all narrative odds to make Meredith Grey an interesting character", should have received a nomination at the 61st Primetime Emmy Awards, in 2009.[183] IGN's Monfette, less impressed, criticized her storyline as "some bizarrely under-developed sub-plot about depression and giving Derek a season's worth of reconsidering to do."[178] Robert Rorke of the New York Post was also critical of Meredith's role in the show, writing: "She used to be the queen of the romantic dilemmas, but lately, she's been a little dopey, what with the endless 'McDreamy' soliloquies."[184] Glenn Diaz of BuddyTV commented that "You gotta love Mer when she's gloomy." The development of the character has received praise from critics. Reviewing the first part of the eighth season, TV Fanatic wrote: "this season belongs to Meredith Grey. She is the heart and soul of the show and has been outstanding. This is a character that used to be so dark and twisty and has now grown into a more mature woman. Ellen Pompeo has been at the top of her game this season." Rick Porter reviewing the episode How to Save a Life from the eleventh season for Zap2it wrote, "Without Meredith, and without one of Pompeo's strongest performances in her long time on the show, "How to Save a Life" would have run the risk of coming across as a baldly manipulative death episode, the likes of which the show has done several times before. He added. "How to Save a Life" may not be the ideal Emmy-submission episode for Ellen Pompeo, considering Meredith is off screen for more than half of it. But it's among the best work she's ever done on the show."[185] Janalen Samson of BuddyTV lauded the Meredith's development throughout the series saying, "When one considers how this character has grown over eleven seasons, it really is amazing. Kudos to Ellen Pompeo for her fine work. She's actually done the impossible, because I actually care what happens to Meredith Grey."[182] Reviewing the season 12 premiere Sledgehammer critics including Alex Hawkins of the Western Gazette again highlighted Pompeo's due for an Emmy Award.

The majority of the supporting cast of Grey's Anatomy have been well received as well, with the New York Post's Rorke deeming Stevens to be "the heart and soul" of Grey's Anatomy, whereas Eyder Peralta of the Houston Chronicle was critical of her character development, stating: "[She's] the reason I don't watch Grey's Anatomy anymore."[186] Kelli Catana of The Huffington Post named Yang "the best damn character" and deemed "the Meredith/Yang relationship the most true friendship on network television."[187] Television Without Pity writer Lauren Shotwell claimed Yang is "the only one of these five [residents] that regularly acts like an actual doctor".[188] Analyzing Alex Karev Rachel Simon called him 'Underrated', she pointed out that Alex’s personal growth never seems to get acknowledged as "Alex has evolved, slowly and realistically, into a genuinely good person whose faults don’t miraculously disappear, but take a backseat to much better qualities."[189] Robert Bianco of USA Today said Dempsey has a "seemingly effortless way of humanizing Derek's 'dreamy' appeal with ego and vanity".[190] and his friendship with Mark Sloan has been well received Victor Balta said "they’ve demonstrated an easy chemistry that makes for some of the great comic relief around Seattle Grace Hospital."[191] While Addison Montgomery was deemed "sassy and bright and interesting."[192] TV Guide said of Walsh's stint on Grey's Anatomy: "She [Walsh] adds spice to an already hot show."[193] ortho surgeon Callie Torres after receiving mixed views earlier was praised for her bisexual storyline and critics further added that the character was anchored by stellar performance by Sara Ramirez.. Lexie Grey initially being criticized became a critics a favorite in the series Keen of The Trades wrote, "Chyler Leigh, does a fantastic job of making the progression feel seamless. Lexie steals the show as one of the best characters on the series."[194] With the departure of several cast members throughout the seasons, many new characters were added to the drama's ensemble. McKidd and Capshaw were referred to as "fresh additions" to the series, by Monfette of IGN.[195] In addition, Matt Roush of TV Guide commented: "Hunt/McKidd is the most encouraging thing to happen to Grey's Anatomy in quite a while."[196] Matt Mitovich of TV Guide noted that Robbins "quickly established herself as a fan favorite",[197] describing her as: "a breath of fresh air in the often angsty halls of Seattle Grace.[198] On April Kepner and Jackson Avery Courtney Morrison of TVFanatic wrote "April has grown since her character was introduced. She’s no longer much less annoying than she used to be, and she’s honest. A girl with principles is a girl you want to do well." and described her and Avery as "a couple for whom viewers can root". Speaking of the new cast members, in addition to the remaining original, Robert Bianco from USA Today called them the show's "best ensemble in years".[199]

Regarding season three, Bill Carter of The New York Times called Grey's Anatomy "television's hottest show", adding: "[No show] is expected to challenge Grey's Anatomy for prime-time pre-eminence."[200] Contrasting with Carter's view, Monfette of IGN said that it speedily found itself "mired in the annoying and absurd", adding: "This third season may very well represent a case of over-writing a concept that has, perhaps tragically, run bone-dry on narrative fuel."[178] At the conclusion of season three, Entertainment Weekly's Gregory Kirschling said "the show lacked a defining happy, warm-gooseflesh moment", adding that the season "didn't leave you dying for the [next] season premiere".[201] Speaking of the fourth season, Laura Burrows of IGN said the series became "a little more than mediocre, but less than fantastic", adding: "This season proved that even strong chemistry and good acting cannot save a show that suffers from the inevitable recycled plot."[202]

In contrast to the moderately negative feedback the third and fourth seasons received, Alan Sepinwall of The Star-Ledger said of the fifth season: "Overall, it feels more like the good old days than Grey's Anatomy has in a long time." Misha Davenport from the Chicago Sun-Times said season five "hits on all the things the show does so well", adding: "There is romance, heartbreak, humor and a few moments that will move fans to tears."[203] Brian Lowry of Variety, less impressed, opinionated that the season five displayed the show running out of storylines.[204] Speaking of the sixth season, Bianco of USA Today wrote: "Grey's has always loved grand gestures. You like them or you don't; the only real question is whether the show pulls them off or it doesn't. This year, it did."[205]

The series has a score of 66 out of 100 on Metacritic, based on five reviews for season seven.[206] In response to the season, Bianco from USA Today commented: "Happily, it now seems to have landed on solid ground." Also of the seventh season, Entertainment Weekly's Jennifer Armstrong said: "It's in the shooting's emotional reverberations that the show is regenerating after the past few hit-and-miss seasons," whereas Verne Gay of Newsday commented: "Unfortunately, they've settled on far-too-easy and facile answers for the most part."[207] HitFix gave a positive review saying that, "season 7 overall has been one of the show's strongest ever." and added, "There was a time when Grey's Anatomy was this show where I suffered through a lot of stuff that made me cringe to get to those genius melodrama moments it could do so well. Over the last couple of years, it's evolved into a show that's much more consistent in tone, where it may not move me as often as it did in the early years but also very rarely makes me question my reasons for watching." [208] Speaking of season eight, Entertainment Weekly's Mandi Bierly called it a "so-so season",[209] and Lesley Goldberg of The Hollywood Reporter called it "emotional".[210] Also acknowledging the fan base Verne Gay of Newsday wrote "Grey's has had a good season and has an intensely loyal fan base to prove it." regarding the 8th season.[211]

The ninth season received more positive reviews, Rob Salem of Toronto Star called it "a solid return to form."[212] Brad Williams writing for What Culture praised the show's development over the season saying, "Grey's Anatomy has developed into a fine example of how a TV show can mature beyond its initial purpose." calling it "something almost anyone can watch and enjoy."[213] Praising the friendship between Cristina and Meredith of Entertainment Weekly wrote, "There's still one good reason to keep watching: Where else can you find such deep friendships between female co-workers".[214] The tenth season was also marked with praise, Annie Barrett for Entertainment Weekly wrote "There's true sorrow here along with the passion, which keeps their dynamic so intriguing to me."[215] Caroline Siede from The A.V. Club wrote in her review for the 10th season "At its best, Grey's Anatomy is about everyday bravery, sacrifice, and courage. At its worst, it's a melodramatic, moralizing soap opera. Both sides are on display as the show heads confidently into its 10th season."[216] Many sources, including Rachel Simon of Bustle and Nicole Pomarico of Wetpaint, claimed that Sandra Oh's performance during her final season on Grey's Anatomy is worthy of an Emmy nomination.[217][218]

Bryce Olin of Netflix ranked Grey's at the 9th slot among the 50 Best TV Shows on Netflix stating, "It’s a tough call, but based on Grey’s casting choices and revolutionary portrayals of female doctors in the series, I’m willing to argue that Grey’s Anatomy is the best medical drama of all time. Obviously, Shonda Rhimes didn’t reinvent the wheel with the series, but there’s no denying its popularity." addind, "I understand its significance in the pop culture sphere." He also stated that the show go higher in the ranks with the upcoming season stating, "Apparently, Grey’s Anatomy fans are passionate about their show, although it seems like they’ve been closeted for the last few years. I’d love to move Grey’s Anatomy even higher on the ranking, but I’ll have wait until the 11th season comes to Netflix."[219][220]

Critics' top ten lists

Critics included Grey's Anatomy in top ten lists for five of its twelve seasons; these are listed below in order of rank.

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