The Grey's Anatomy binge guide: 30 of the most essential episodes

"A Hard Day's Night" (Season 1, Episode 1)

As is the case with most shows, it's best to start at the beginning of Grey's, as Meredith Grey and her group of fellow interns are introduced to the crazy world of surgical residency (and, of course, Dr. Bailey). Plus, you can't miss the moment Meredith realizes that the hot guy she just slept with is also her boss.

"Bring the Pain" (Season 2, Episode 5)

This episode featured two of the show's most iconic moments: First, George performs open-heart surgery on a patient while trapped in an elevator with Alex. And, more importantly, Meredith Grey delivers her "Pick me. Choose me. Love me." monologue to Derek Shepherd in hopes he'll leave his wife for her.

"Into You Like a Train" (Season 2, Episode 6)

On a macro level, this is the episode that featured one of several large-scale disasters (a train crash, duh). On a micro level, it's the one with two strangers impaled by a pole. That's exactly what it sounds like, and the doctors were forced to choose one of them to save.

"As We Know It" (Season 2, Episode 17)

Y'all, this was the bomb in a body cavity. It was one of the show's first truly shocking and tense events (something fans have come to love and expect on Grey's), and also featured legendary guest star Kyle Chandler.

"Losing My Religion" (Season 2, Episode 27)

Quite possibly the most tragic hour of the show involved the deaths of both Denny Duquette (Izzy's beloved, played by Jeffrey Dean Morgan) and Doc the dog. It's also home to the show's most iconic music moment featuring Snow Patrol's "Chasing Cars."

"Walk on Water" (Season 3, Episode 15)

The Ferry Episode: The doctors of Seattle Grace conquer their first off-site mass casualty (a container ship crashed into a ferryboat, causing an explosion), while Cristina and Dr. Burke try to find a non-awkward time to tell everyone they're engaged. It ends on one of the show's most extreme cliffhangers—Meredith falling into the water near the ferry crash and drowning.

"Drowning on Dry Land" (Season 3, Episode 16)

It's not Grey's Anatomy without a strong two-parter—the ferry crash continues into a second hour and the doctors are confronted with grieving families en masse, proving to be a pivotal learning moment for them.

"Some Kind of Miracle" (Season 3, Episode 17)

February 2007 proved to be a banner month for this show. This was a polarizing episode, with Meredith fighting for her life post-near-ferry-drowning and experiencing some wild side effects of her mini coma. In short, she sees the afterlife, kind of.

"The Other Side of This Life, Part 1" (Season 3, Episode 22)

Grey's Anatomy goes on the road! Addison takes off for Los Angeles to figure out WTF is going on with her life while things crumble back in Seattle. Backdoor pilot, anyone?

"Didn't We Almost Have It All?" (Season 3, Episode 25)

If it wasn't clear enough from the photo, Cristina's wedding to Preston doesn't go...as planned. (It doesn't go on at all, actually.) It's (obviously) a major turning point for the character.

"Freedom: Part 2" (Season 4, Episode 17)

As a season finale, this was chock-a-block full of plot. But the episode was most important for all of the relationship milestones (and anti-milestones?) that went down: Callie and Erica share a kiss, Chief Webber goes back to his wife Adele, and Derek and Meredith decide to rekindle their romance.

"Elevator Love Letter" (Season 5, Episode 19)

Grey's Anatomy doesn't always draw inspiration from world events the way Scandal preferred, but this portrayal of Owen's PTSD (which aired in 2009) was decidedly prescient.

"Now or Never" (Season 5, Episode 24)

The finale of season 5 marked the end of one iteration of Grey's Anatomy—starting the following season, new characters enter the show and new stories about the hospital begin to be told. Oh, and George O'Malley is dead and Izzy is battling cancer.

"Sanctuary" (Season 6, Episode 23)

This is the shooter episode. Just. Watch.

"Death and All His Friends" (Season 6, Episode 24)

This is the follow-up shooter episode, focused on the critical injuries of the hospital staff. Lexie and Mark work together to save Alex, and Cristina operates on Derek. Oh, and Meredith tells the shooter to kill her instead of her husband...a pivotal moment that is referenced in later Grey's episodes.

"Dark Was the Night" (Season 8, Episode 9)

This show loves to build you up just in time to tear you down (or is it the reverse? One can never really tell), and sometimes it tears you down just to tear you down some more. "Dark Was the Night" was the perfect example of the latter, one of those devastating episodes where the hits (like the news that Derek and Meredith wouldn't be regaining custody of their daughter) just keep on coming (like the death of Teddy's husband, Henry).

"Flight" (Season 8, Episode 24)

Of all the medical disasters on Grey's Anatomy, the plane crash episode is the one that haunts most fans' dreams, from the actual crash footage to the scene where Mark says a devastating goodbye to Lexie.

"Remember the Time" (Season 9, Episode 2)

Just when you thought our long national plane crash nightmare was over, Shondaland delivered a crushing flashback episode! This one is a deep dive into the horrifying emotional side effects of being the victim of an aviation disaster.

"Get Up, Stand Up" (Season 10, Episode 12)

OMG, it's the day of April and Matthew's wedding! Everyone thinks April is going to follow the Grey Sloan Memorial tradition and bail on the nuptials, but—spoiler alert!—Jackson doesn't forever hold his peace, if you know what we mean.

"Fear (of the Unknown)" (Season 10, Episode 24)

Get your tissues ready because Cristina Yang is leaving. Her departure was the biggest the show faced at that point, and it also meant the dissolution of the most important relationship (sorry, Derek and Meredith).

"All I Could Do Was Cry" (Season 11, Episode 11)

Remember all those Japril haters we talked about before? Let's see them try to argue with the couple after watching them make a devastating decision about their unborn child.

"How to Save a Life" (Season 11, Episode 21)

There's no easy way to say this: Derek spends most of the episode saving four victims of a car accident and then gets hit by a semi as he's driving away. We said "essential," not "easy to watch."

"She's Leaving Home: Part 1" (Season 11, Episode 22)

The fallout of Derek's death gets an entire episode, so do we need to explain why that's important?

"The Sound of Silence" (Season 12, Episode 9)

Denzel Washington directed this episode. If you somehow need to know any more about its importance, we leave you with this quote from Meredith (who is brutally attacked by a patient, with her subsequent treatment and recovery serving as the episode's main story line):

"In group settings, men are 75 percent more likely to speak up than women. And when a woman does speak up, it's statistically probable her male counterparts will either interrupt her, or speak over her. It's not because they're rude, it's science. The female voice is scientifically proven to be more difficult for a male brain to register. What does this mean? It means, in this world, where men are bigger, stronger, faster, if you're not ready to fight, the silence will kill you. Don't let fear keep you quiet. You have a voice. So use it. Speak up. Raise your hands. Shout your answers. Make yourself heard. Whatever it takes. Just find your voice and, when you do, fill the damn silence."

"Unbreak My Heart" (Season 12, Episode 11)

This is as close to a standalone episode as Grey's is likely to get. It follows the evolution of Jackson and April's relationship (the aforementioned Japril) through a series of flashbacks and pivotal moments. "Unbreak My Heart" is also responsible for convincing fans—who were wary of April's feelings toward Derek Shepherd and Jackson's history with Lexie—to full-on ship Japril.

"Be Still, My Soul" (Season 13, Episode 18)

This episode marked the directorial debut of Ellen Pompeo, as well as a landmark moment for Dr. Maggie Pierce. In short, audiences meet Maggie's mom and then she, well, dies. (This is Grey's Anatomy after all.)

"Silent All These Years" (Season 15, Episode 19)

One of the series' most powerful episodes centers around a woman's sexual assault and the women who come together and surround her in order to help her through.

"You'll Never Walk Alone" (Season 17, Episode 4)

When season 17 saw Meredith contract COVID-19 and fall into a coma, fans got to see a number of familiar faces. (Derek! Lexie! Mark!) But there was one, in particular, that was a surprise for many: the return of George O'Malley, who finally gave us some closure to his devastating season 5 death.

"Helplessly Hoping" (Season 17, Episode 7)

After helping Meredith rediscover the joys of a relationship, Andrew DeLuca became the latest Grey Sloan Memorial victim when he was stabbed.

"Look Up Child" (Season 17, Episode 14)

Although the next episode, "Tradition" would technically serve as Jackson's farewell episode, this is where you'll learn what you really want to know, a.k.a. what's going to happen with Jackson and April.