Not only has the coronavirus pandemic disrupted our everyday lives and significantly changed what we consider to be “normal,” but it has brought Hollywood to a standstill and directly impacted the way we consume entertainment as well.
Unfortunately, Grey’s Anatomy is one of the television shows forced to cease production due to government-issued stay-at-home orders. Because of this, fans got a season finale that was not originally intended to be the finale at all — and left a lot of us wondering if and when we will get a resolution to some of those dangling threads (I mean, seriously, wtf Teddy!?).
For the last 16 seasons, Grey’s has provided us with our fair share of weekly inter-hospital drama (no, but for real, do these people fall in love with anyone who works outside of the hospital?), as well as the spinoffs Station19 and Private Practice. Doctors have come and gone at Seattle Grace Mercy West/Grey Sloan Memorial, but the love, the drama, the cliffhangers and the gorgeous folks on staff have always been there to keep us entertained.
Since we are all stuck at home with nothing better to do, why not hunker down and have a binge-watch party featuring the most essential episodes of the show that's been keeping us entertained for the last 15 years?
We thought it was a great idea too, so here is our list of all the episodes that you need to watch from the last 16 seasons of Grey's, but be warned: If you have not already watched each season, there are spoilers ahead — but honestly, watch it anyway because it’s damn good TV.
Season 1, Episode 1 “A Hard Day’s Night”
It’s always good to start things at the beginning, and this is no exception. The first episode of Grey’s Anatomy introduces us to all the major characters. We meet the titular Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo), daughter of renowned surgeon Eliis Grey, and perennial worry-wart and voiceover narrator, as well as her cohorts George O’Malley (T.R. Knight), Alex Karev (Justin Chambers), Cristina Yang (Sandra Oh) and Izzie Stevens (Katherine Heigl). During the episode, we see Meredith engage in some casual, one-night-stand sex with a very hot guy, and the next day when she shows up for first day as a surgical intern at Seattle Grace Hospital, she finds out that he is none other than Dr. Derek Shepherd (Patrick Dempsey), renowned neurosurgeon and her chief attending physician at the teaching hospital. This first episode really lays the foundation for everything this show continues to be to this very day, so it's a must watch.
Season 1, Episode 5 “Shake Your Groove Thing”
Continuing with the thread of bosses having inappropriate relationships with their subordinates, Cristina and the head of cardiothoracic surgery, Dr. Preston Burke (Isaiah Washington), have sex in one of the physician on call rooms, and Dr. Bailey (Chandra Wilson) sees Meredith and Derek having sex in a car. I know people were fans of Cristina and Owen Hunt (Kevin McKidd) — more on that later — but Cristina and Dr. Burke were first the OG couple we shipped hardcore. They were super hot and fun to watch. This episode establishes their chemistry, and it is well worth revisiting.
Season 1, Episode 9 “Who’s Zooming Who?”
Imagine meeting a dreamy guy, having hot sex with him, finding out he is a world-renown surgeon and your boss, letting all of that slide and continuing your romance with him only to later come face-to-face with his equally famous and world-renowned neonatalogist of a wife. That is exactly what happens to Meredith when Derek’s wife, Addison Montgomery-Shepherd (Kate Walsh), shows up at Seattle Grace. Talk about messy! Yikes.
Season 2, Episode 3 “Make Me Lose Control”
A pregnant Cristina, who has not told Dr. Burke that she is carrying his child, collapses in the OR and has to have her baby aborted and one of her Fallopian tubes removed in an emergency surgery performed by Addison. Talk about heart-wrenching drama.
Season 2, Episode 5 “Bring the Pain”
Up until now, Derek has been waffling, unable to decide if he wants to save his marriage to Addison or move on with his life and begin anew with Meredith. Meredith pleads her case, imploring him to move on with her and uttering the now infamous line “Pick me. Choose me. Love me.” Girl...
Season 2, Episode 6 “Into You Like a Train”
Derek chose his wife. I mean, what did you expect, Meredith? You were the side piece, sis — his wife is the full meal. Addison is rich, accomplished, and lacks all the mommy and daddy baggage Meredith brings to the table. Or at least, that’s what it seemed like at the time.
Season 2, Episode 13 “Begin the Begin”
Izzie meets Denny Duquette, beginning one of the sweetest and dearest romances this show has ever seen.
Season 2, Episode 16 “It’s the End of the World
In this episode Meredith has to insert her hand into a patient’s chest in order to prevent the bomb that is inside from going off. Talk about high drama!
Season 2, Episode 18 “Yesterday”
This is the episode where we find out Derek has a super hot friend, plastic surgeon Mark Sloan (Eric Dane), aka McSteamy. McSteamy has apparently been having an affair with Addison (See? Mess!), and has come to Seattle Grace to get her to continue their affair. Oh, and George confesses that he has feelings for Meredith and they end up having sex.
Season 2, Episode 27 “Losing My Religion”
Whew. A lot happened in this episode. The important stuff is that Denny proposes to Izzie. Izzie accepts his proposal, but then Denny has a stroke and dies. Izzie torpedoes her medical career by admitting she is the one who unplugged Denny’s LVAD so he could get a donor heart. She quits the program and leaves Seattle Grace. Meanwhile, Meredith hooks up with Derek and then is faced with a choice: Derek, or hot new veterinarian boyfriend Finn?
Season 3, Episode 1 “Time Has Come Today”
Season three started off with a bang. Addison found Meredith’s panties in Derek’s pocket (Wow, really, sir?) and realizes he has had sex with Meredith (in the next episode, she pins them to a bulletin board in hospital). Addison also has a moment where she relives having an abortion after getting pregnant by Mark. Meanwhile, Izzie tries to cope with losing Denny. Whew, child. A LOT.
Season 3, Episodes 15-17 aka the Great Ferry Boat Accident
This show knows how to do a disaster. Every season, there is a gigantic accident or incident that causes an influx of patients at the hospital and tests the doctors’ ability to help as many people as possible during the crisis. In season three, that incident is a ferry accident. During the resulting rescue, Meredith is accidentally pushed into the water and nearly drowns before Derek pulls her from the water. Sadly, she is suffering from hypothermia and is almost dead. Don’t worry; she eventually recovers, of course, but that was a stressful three-episode arc.
Season 3, Episodes 22 & 23 “The Other Side of This Life”
These episodes serve as the backdoor pilot for the Grey’s spinoff Private Practice. Enough said. Addison Montgomery in Los Angeles with the always handsome Tim Daly? We’re here for it.
Season 3, Episode 25 “Didn’t We Almost Have It All?”
Dr. Burke leaves Cristina at the altar. Oof.
Season 5, Episode 1 “Dream a Little Dream of Me”
Owen arrives to begin his mission of unbreaking Cristina's heart. But he starts by saving her life.
Season 5, Episode 19 “Elevator Love Letter”
In this episode, Derek and Meredith get married via Post-It note. Though strange, it's hard not to absolutely love love.
Season 6, Episode 24 “Death and All His Friends”
Another season finale, another high-drama crisis. This time, an active shooter situation hits the hospital, and Derek gets shot. While attempting to save his life and prevent the shooter from hurting anyone else, Jackson Avery (Jesse Williams) makes it appear that Derek is dead. It is enough to fool the shooter, but it also misleads Meredith into thinking her husband is dead. Pregnant, the stress of it causes her to have a miscarriage and lose her baby. It's super sad, but Derek is still alive, so...a not so sad part, too.
Season 8, Episode 24 “Flight”
Season eight gave us yet another tragic finale. Meredith’s sister Lexie (Chyler Leigh) and Mark Sloan are the casualties of a plane crash that is survived by Meredith, Arizona, Cristina and Derek. The saddest part? Lexie dies after Mark confesses his love for her.
Season 10, Episode 24 “Fear (Of the Unknown)"
This is the episode in which Meredith’s person, Cristina, leaves her to go to Switzerland and run a clinic as a replacement for Dr. Burke. Yes, there was drama. Oh, and there is the new discovery that Meredith has a black sister, Maggie Pierce (Kelly McCreary), who is revealed to be the lovechild of Ellis Grey and Richard Webber. Girl...
Season 11, Episode 21 “How to Save a Life”
This episode that riled the entire internet. Derek Shepherd died (insert sobbing emoji). When you start your rewatch, be sure to have your tissues on hand.
Season 15, Episode 19 "Silent All These Years"
What started out as a backstory to Jo, played by Camilla Luddington, finding her birth mother ended up as one of the most powerful stories of sexual assault depicted on Grey's. Abby (portrayed by the incredible Khalilah Joi), a victim of rape, comes to the hospital for treatment, eventually receiving a rape kit, which is portrayed in a haunting, near-silent scene that fully shows what a full kit entails — every swabs, blood tests, and tears. Later, when its revealed she needs a life-saving surgery, Abby is wheeled down the hospital hallways surrounded by a wall of women — all the female employees who join together to create a safe pathway where the traumatized young woman won't have to see a man on her way to surgery. The episode also reveals that Jo was a product of rape, which is why her birth mother Vicki (guest star Michelle Forbes) left her at the fire station all those years ago. These layers of trauma made for a breathtaking hour of television.
Season 16, Episode 19 "Love of My Life"
While it was cut short, season 16 of Grey's still had a ton of drama. In this episode, Dr. Webber preps to present at the LA Surgical Innovation Conference but becomes distracted by his issues with Catherine. Maggie and Teddy run into people from their past at the conference, while Hayes relives moments from when he met his late wife. Meanwhile, we learned more about Teddy and a past secret same-sex relationship, which has informed some of her questionable decision making in her current relationships. And Maggie finally gets some reprieve from her awful year — which consisted of failed relationships, almost quitting medicine, and strife with her dad, Dr. Webber.
***
While these episodes may be enough to give you a solid foundation about TV's longest-running medical drama, since we are all stuck at home anyway, why not binge all 16 seasons of Grey's Anatomy, which is available on Netflix.
Until next we meet in the ER...happy watching!
Monique Judge is a Los Angeles based writer. Follow her on Twitter @thejournalista.
Get Shondaland directly in your inbox: SUBSCRIBE TODAY
