Grey's Anatomy premiered in 2005 as the first show in Shonda Rhimes' TV empire, Shondaland. Since its first episode, the medical drama has followed a simple premise, blending medicine and science with humanity. It wasn't the first medical drama show on TV, but it's endured nearly twenty years, with an almost never-ending stream of seasons, characters, plot lines, and hospital code blues.
Even though the show's lifespan hasn't hit twenty years yet, Grey's Anatomy beat out the beloved ER as the longest-running medical drama show in primetime TV history. Since then, Shondaland's shining star added another season, with Season 20's ten episodes wrapping up within the first half of 2024 and Season 21 beginning in the Fall. Fans could likely agree that the show existed much longer than audiences anticipated, but the end is nowhere in sight for Grey's. Still, fans don't love all Grey's Anatomy seasons equally, with some certainly outranking others.
Updated by Jordan Iacobucci on September 26, 2024: Grey's Anatomy is back for its 21st season, which premieres on September 26. As viewers prepare to step back into Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital, revisit some of the best seasons of the series so far.
21 Season 21 of Grey's Anatomy Has Potential — But Time Will Tell
2024-2024, 18 Episodes
Season 21 of Grey's Anatomy premiered on September 26, 2024, bringing viewers back to Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital for another year of drama, romance, and life-saving medical care. The upcoming season will continue to deal with the many shakeups that have taken place with Catherine Avery now in charge. Last season saw Catherine fire several members of the hospital's staff, leaving the rest of the doctors and nurses concerned for their own jobs. Now, Catherine is coming for Meredith's work with Amelia.
With the seeds of conflict growing within the hospital's staff, Grey's Anatomy Season 21 has the opportunity to be yet another terrific season of the long-running medical drama. However, it is still far too early to tell how this season will stack up against the twenty that came before it. With a longer season of eighteen episodes confirmed, Season 21 has a long way to go until fans can properly determine where it stands in Grey's Anatomy history.
20 Grey's Anatomy Season 17's Covid-19 Storyline Fell Flat
2020-2021, 17 Episodes
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It's no secret that 2020 had monumental impacts on the entire world and will likely haunt the masses for generations. Grey's Anatomy wasn't spared from the horrors of Coronavirus. Going into 2020's TV season, the show overcame production issues and utilized its place as a medical drama to spotlight genuine issues across the season. From police brutality and human trafficking to ventilator shortages and the dangers of being an essential worker during a pandemic, Grey's Season 17 covered it all. Perhaps the season's best remembered for featuring Meredith Grey in a Covid-positive comatose state for several episodes and killing off Giacomo Gianniotti's Andrew DeLuca.
The season featured high points, specifically reuniting the titular surgeon with late family members like Derek, Lexie, George, and Mark Sloan. Even though it was a horrible circumstance, the pandemic was perfect material for Grey's to work with, and they portrayed the hardships faced during that time. But fans widely consider Season 17 the worst season, perhaps because it had too much going on. Moreover, its handling of the COVID-19 pandemic felt unnecessary, as was the case with many other shows that aired in 2020. Audiences were excited for many of their favorite shows to return following pandemic-related delays. However, instead of providing a fun escape from the perils of everyday life, shows like Grey's Anatomy only plunged viewers deeper into the depressing reality of world events.
19 Grey's Anatomy Season 16 Ended an Era and Risked Meredith's Career
2019-2020, 21 Episodes
The folks at Rotten Tomatoes don't consider Season 16 the second-lowest-rated of Grey's Anatomy, but fans generally dislike the season. Even though it had many interesting storylines, like Dr. Richard Webber's intensifying symptoms and DeLuca's mental health spiraling into an official bipolar diagnosis, fans remember Season 16 for the horrendous departure of longtime Grey's Anatomy character, Dr. Alex Karev. The fan-favorite character's exit came following the departure of actor Justin Chambers, so an exit was necessary to facilitate the actor's farewell.
However, Alex simply disappears, with his exit getting an explanation six episodes later as he sends his family letters explaining his decision to abandon his life in Seattle to be with his estranged ex-wife, Izzie Stevens, and her twins conceived with his DNA. It was far out of character for Alex, and the exit simply overshadowed every other storyline. Similarly, Season 16 aimed high with its plot and faltered in the execution, making it one of the lesser-loved entries in the long history of Grey's Anatomy.
18 Grey's Anatomy Season 18 Was Dramatic But Not a Standout
2021-2022, 20 Episodes
Season 18 of Grey's Anatomy featured a lot of drama at Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital. For example, the hospital faced significant problems due to physician and blood shortages. But Season 18's main focus was character drama, with Amelia and Link breaking up, Hayes facing a moral dilemma because of Owen and Teddy, and Meredith facing significant life changes.
Season 18 had plenty of mixed reviews, with constantly varying opinions from fans and critics alike. The season was unquestionably intense, but Season 18 didn't stand out far from other Grey's seasons. Its most reliable drama revolved around the characters' relationship drama, but it's essentially a broken record of will they, won't they, bordering on the unrealistic.
17 Season 20 Of Grey's Anatomy Struggles Without Ellen Pompeo
2024, 10 Episodes
Grey's Anatomy Season 20 is the shortest season since the show's debut. In the ten-episode run, the Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital interns are in trouble after a devastating surgery outcome, and Meredith's Alzheimer's research project is in trouble. This marks the first full season since Ellen Pompeo left the series as a regular, though the actress returns as a recurring character throughout the year.
Season 20 is the newest season of Grey's Anatomy, and the season finale aired on May 30, 2024. Fans have mixed feelings about the season. It notably leans into classic Grey's nostalgia and MAGIC era tropes that fans love. One particular weakness is the reduced role of Dr. Meredith Grey, who was the series' protagonist for almost twenty years. The show continues to find its footing in her absence, with the upcoming twenty-first season hopefully overcoming this issue. Overall, there was too much going on throughout the season without the proper pacing and care to execute every story.
16 Grey's Anatomy Season 19 Says Goodbye to Meredith Grey
2022-2023, 20 Episodes
Season 19 revitalized Grey's Anatomy, changing the game for the long-running show after nearly two decades on the air. Simply put, Season 19 proved to fans that Grey's Anatomy could work successfully without Meredith Grey in the spotlight, as Ellen Pompeo stepped away for a more limited role on camera about halfway through the season.
As such, the season split the main story into two parts, with Meredith's work on her Alzheimer's research project in Boston on one side and the daily operations at Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital on the other. Season 19 kept the traditional Grey's format, relying heavily on nostalgia. Still, it introduced fresh storylines and leaned into the intern-based drama the show started from. Even so, it isn't as strong as certain earlier seasons when the show was still in its prime.
15 Season 15 Of Grey's Anatomy Featured Personal Trauma and Fraud
2018-2019, 25 Episodes
The first half of Season 15 featured Meredith falling in love again, beginning a relationship with DeLuca, and even introducing him to her kids. Meredith also dealt with the death of her father, Thatcher, overcoming the decades of paternal trauma and sticking by his side at the very end. Similarly, couples like Teddy and Owen and Amelia and Link also pick up. More seriously, Jackson reeled from his mother's cancer diagnosis. After dealing with a patient injured during a sexual assault, Jo found her birth mother and learned that her conception was a product of sexual assault, with the knowledge leading to a severe depressive episode, requiring in-patient psychiatric treatment.
The season closes with Meredith Grey committing insurance fraud to provide life-saving care for an undocumented child and DeLuca taking the fall. Season 15 rarely had a dull moment, with hospital chaos and personal drama balancing perfectly throughout. Still, Meredith's insurance fraud storyline is frustrating for some, as Grey's doctors have committed worse infractions with little to no punishment.
14 Season 13 Of Grey's Anatomy Features Staff Tension and Legal Problems
2016-2017, 24 Episodes
Grey's Anatomy Season 13 featured a doctor's legal troubles as Alex Karev faces potential prison time following his horrific assault on DeLuca. The season features a lot of tension on that front and the resolution, as DeLuca drops his charges to protect Jo. Similarly, the Grey Sloan Memorial staff deals with Dr. Eliza Minnick replacing Dr. Webber as the residency director. Throughout the entire season, most of the senior surgeons butt heads with Minnick, providing enough tension to cushion the romantic angst and leading up to a significant cliffhanger.
Off the bat, Season 13 had a disadvantage compared to other seasons following the departure of Dr. Calliope Torres at the end of Season 12. But it did pretty well with keeping the high-stakes drama that fans fell in love with. The Season 13 finale also stands out as one of the most memorable finales in Grey's Anatomy, as a massive fire breaks out in Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital, putting everyone inside at risk. The finale isn't enough to save the entire season, however, which isn't as compelling as many in the earlier years of Grey's Anatomy.
13 Grey's Anatomy Season 14 Spotlights Underdogs
2017-2018, 24 Episodes
Season 14 featured an episode that stands out as the only Grey's Anatomy episode not named after a song or song reference. The ninth episode, titled "1-800-799-7233," spotlights Dr. Jo Wilson as her abusive, high-profile, and estranged husband, Paul Stadler, confronts her at work, finding her after she files for divorce. The episode focuses heavily on domestic violence, named after the National Domestic Violence Hotline, and helps set the stage for what seemed like Jo's happy ending. Similarly, Season 14 set up farewells to characters like April Kepner and Arizona Robbins.
Season 14 leaned heavily into character drama. It allowed often sidelined characters like April to shine. Fans generally enjoy when the show explores emotionally complex stories and many viewers praise Season 14 for featuring realistic character flaws. The season was pretty nostalgic, too, with small callbacks like Meredith's Season 3 "She's not dead until she's warm and dead" moment.
12 Grey's Anatomy Season 8 Features Separations And A Cliffhanger
2011-2012, 24 Episodes
Grey's Anatomy Season 8 picks up shortly after Meredith tampers with her and Derek's Alzheimer's clinical trial to provide Richard's wife, Adele, with the medication rather than the placebo. While her actions weren't malicious, they tanked the trial and led Derek to leave. Their separation led to problems with their daughter Zola's adoption. Similarly, Cristina Yang and Owen Hunt's marriage starts to fall apart after Cristina exercises her right to terminate an unwanted pregnancy. Relationship dynamics dominate Season 8 as it explores parenthood, shattered marriages, and struggling relationships.
Even though Season 8 had some of the lowest ratings of the season, it was generally critically acclaimed. Fans have mixed reviews about the relationship angst, as some found it less engaging than more medical chaos or disaster-focused seasons. But the finale's cliffhanger arguably makes up for the lack of tension. While it might not have connected with fans at the time, Season 8 of Grey's Anatomy is much better on a rewatch.
11 Grey's Anatomy Season 7 Progresses Fan-Favorite Couples
2010-2011, 22 Episodes
Season 7 picks up immediately after the Season 6 finale and the devastating mass shooting that rocked the hospital in the two-part saga. It primarily focuses on the characters as they deal with their trauma. It also features strengthened relationships as Cristina and Owen get married and Meredith and Derek meet their beloved baby girl, Zola, beginning the adoption process. Perhaps the most notable episode in Season 7 is the iconic musical episode, "Song Beneath the Song," which features Callie hallucinating musical numbers after a horrific car accident threatens her and her pregnancy.
Season 7 is widely praised for featuring realistic character flaws, as characters like Derek and Alex make horrible decisions following their traumas that essentially revert their characters. Having a season dedicated to overcoming trauma is perhaps the best way to depict PTSD, but as the episodes pass, the healing process halts. The musical episode is, by far, the most controversial aspect of the season. But at least Sara Ramirez got to showcase their Broadway vocals before Callie gave birth to a healthy baby girl with Arizona and Mark.
10 Season 12 Of Grey's Anatomy Gets Toxic
2015-2016, 24 Episodes
Grey's Anatomy Season 12 properly showcases Meredith Grey at the worst part of her life, balancing her professional world with her newfound duties as a single mother of three and a widow. It ties off several loose ends to end an era, but it's hard not to get frustrated at certain storylines, including Callie and Arizona's custody battle, which still infuriates fans, and Fox's legal actions against April after her divorce from Jackson.
Many of the storylines from Season 12 of Grey's Anatomy irked fans, as several iconic doctors begin to behave irrationally and out of character for the sake of unnecessary drama. The series was clearly floundering in the loss of Patrick Dempsey's Dr. Derek Shepherd, who died in the previous season and still trying to find its footing in the wake of his loss.
9 Season 4 Has Major Character Changes For Grey's Anatomy
2007-2008, 17 Episodes
Season 4 of Grey's Anatomy picks up immediately after the exits of major characters like Preston Burke and Addison Montgomery but also introduces a new set of interns, including Meredith's younger half-sister, Lexie. Throughout the season, Meredith and Lexie clash because Lexie personifies the childhood Meredith missed out on.
Season 4 is the first in the series that fans found lackluster, especially following the high-octane events of Season 3. Meredith and Derek especially suffer from been-there-done-that storytelling, but the introduction of Lexie and Callie's bisexual awakening helps keep the pace. Still relatively early in its run, Grey's Anatomy used this season to revitalize the series and earn more fans over to its drama-filled story.
8 Grey's Anatomy Season 10 Put Characters Through Significant Changes
2013-2013, 24 Episodes
Season 10 picks up after a major storm hits Seattle, plunging Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital into darkness. Meredith has a healthy baby boy, Richard Webber has an intense medical scare, April and Jackson run away from her wedding, Derek takes a job at the White House, and Callie and Arizona separate following Arizona's infidelity. Fans likely best remember Season 10 for the farewell to Sandra Oh's Cristina Yang, who takes an opportunity to run a hospital in Switzerland.
Season 10 has a lot going on throughout the season, but it's not too crowded, as most of the storylines work well. Cristina's exit is among the best in the show, but Season 10 ended an era, making Meredith and Alex the last ones standing. The finale is among the few in the series that's emotionally rewarding for fans.
7 Season 1 Started Grey's Anatomy On A High Note
2005, 9 Episodes
The debut season of Grey's Anatomy expertly set up the entire show, introducing Meredith Grey and several other major characters who would become more prominent over the years. The season also sets up Seattle Grace Hospital as the most chaotic hospital imaginable, as fans would continue to learn over the next two decades. Like the later seasons, Season 1 was heavy on intern drama as the debut of the MAGIC era. It simply featured the group in their first months in surgical residency and featured the beginning of Meredith and Derek's iconic relationship.
Season 1 was the beginning, and it's the most nostalgic — but it's clear the show was just starting and gaining momentum. Like with most other popular shows, Season 1 was a testing ground as Grey's Anatomy tried to find its footing and lay the groundwork for what it would eventually become. Most storylines landed with fans, though others were quickly thrown out the window. The entire season feels like a simple preview teasing better things to come, though the final episode had a mind-blowing cliffhanger that kept fans interested in what would happen next and helped the show get renewed for Season 2.
6 Grey's Anatomy Season 11 Destroyed Meredith
2014-2015, 25 Episodes
Grey's Anatomy Season 11 also starts missing a fan-favorite character following Cristina Yang's departure in the previous season. The season begins with a new face replacing Yang as the hospital's cardiothoracic goddess, Maggie Pierce, who reveals herself as Richard Webber and Ellis Grey's biological daughter. Similarly, Derek's sister Amelia replaces him as the head of neuro while he's working at the White House. Couples like Callie and Arizona and MerDer also face troubles across the season. Of course, Grey's fans are likely to recognize Season 11 because of Derek's sudden, heartbreaking death.
Season 11 follows the same Grey's tone, but instead of putting couples through the same problems, it puts them through the wringer. Derek's death ended an era, as he and Meredith were together from the first episode. But, aside from Meredith becoming a widow overnight, Jackson and April's experience with their first baby is perhaps the most tragic, as their non-viable fetus, Samuel, was born at 24 weeks, baptized, and held while he died. Season 11 is well-done, but it's gut-wrenching.
5 Grey's Anatomy Season 9 Followed the Plane Crash's Aftermath
2012-2013, 24 Episodes
Season 9 picks up after the plane carrying Meredith, Derek, Cristina, Arizona, Mark, and Lexie crashes on the way to Boise, Idaho. As such, the season primarily focuses on the survivors dealing with their significant injuries, post-traumatic stress, and the losses of Mark and Lexie. Similarly, the survivors and Callie, acting as Mark's proxy, sue for wrongful death and damages, with the lawsuit aimed at the hospital. The lawsuit causes many more problems for the whole hospital, but the season mainly follows the Seattle Grace Five after the horrific crash.
Season 9 put the hospital in its toughest position in the show, as every ounce of money went into the crash settlement and bankrupted the hospital. Grey's was no stranger to budget cuts, as the hospital went through several rounds of layoffs across the years, but Season 9 took the tension to an extreme level. There's no questioning that the season is intense and spotlights trauma and grief well, but many fans get frustrated with the pacing and certain character behaviors.
4 Grey's Anatomy Season 3 Almost Killed Meredith
2006-2007, 25 Episodes
The second season of Grey's Anatomy ended with a gut punch of heartache and bad decision-making, and Season 3 simply carries that on, kicking up the tragedies a notch. There's plenty of tragedy in the season, including George's father's death and the deaths of Meredith's mother and stepmother. Season 3 also takes the Seattle Grace staff on the show's first out-of-hospital rescue, leading Meredith to face her second near-death experience as she drowns after the ferry accident.
While the doctors work to reheat and resurrect her, Meredith experiences a purgatory-like dream state like her Covid beach, reuniting with Denny, Bomb Squad Guy, and her dog Doc before inadvertently trading her life for her mother's. Season 3 doubles down on the show's tragedies, allowing the characters to grow and spiral more. The season masterfully blends the show's iconic over-the-top drama with heartwrenching angst.
3 Grey's Anatomy Season 5 Featured the First Major Loss
2008-2009, 24 Episodes
Season 5 has some of Grey's Anatomy's most controversial and nonsensical storylines. The season primarily focuses on Izzie Stevens as she starts hallucinating about her dead fiancé, Denny, and experiencing bizarre symptoms, trying every test before eventually getting the horrible news that she has metastatic melanoma, a skin cancer spread to several organs, including her brain. The end of the season is perhaps best known for the show's first primary cast member death with George O'Malley's bus accident.
George's death still irks fans, as it came out of nowhere, and the circumstances surrounding actor T.R. Knight's exit are infuriating. The Izzie storyline features a fresh take on grief, and fans certainly enjoyed Denny's return, but the hunt for answers and the ghost sex scene don't make sense. Despite its flaws, Season 5 had plenty of shining moments, including Owen Hunt's introduction, the blossoming romance between Mark and Lexie, and the beginning of Calzona's relationship timeline.
2 Season 6 Of Grey's Anatomy Built Its Tension Perfectly
2009-2010, 24 Episodes
Season 6 features one of the best build-ups to a disaster in the entire season, as a loving couple enters Seattle Grace Mercy West for a simple procedure, and the man leaves a widower. It features seemingly non-stop chaos as the season picks up immediately after George's death and Izzie's near-death experience. The season features a change in staff, including Izzie's firing, her ghosting Alex, and, unfortunately, the vengeful widower, Gary Clark, who opens fire in the hospital, hellbent on executing surgeons.
Many of Grey's Anatomy's finales and massive cliffhangers overshadow an entire season, and it can often be disappointing for fans. But Season 6 takes the time to build tension, leading the audience to a mindblowing conclusion to the drama set up throughout. It's full of everything fans love from a Grey's season, with personal angst, romantic drama, medical chaos, and a good hospital tragedy.
1 Season 2 Is A Favorite For Grey's Anatomy Fans
2005-2006, 27 Episodes
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Season 2 of Grey's Anatomy starts strong, following Season 1's cliffhanger introduction of Dr. Addison Forbes Montgomery-Shepherd to the show as Derek Shepherd's estranged wife. Grey's introduced the show's first love triangle with Addison, Derek, and Meredith , which created memorable tension throughout the season. It also introduced Denny Duquette to the show and featured the interns making their first grave mistake, cutting his LVAD wire, a sequence that gets callbacks frequently throughout the future seasons. Season 2 also features the show's first significant disaster, with the infamous bomb in a body cavity plot.
Overall, Season 2 reigns supreme as the fan-favorite season. It spotlights relationship drama and medical crises in a way that blends soap opera elements with action-movie thrills. It's also among the longest seasons in Grey's , allowing for a lot of storytelling with proper pacing that later seasons fail to mirror. It's simply Grey's Anatomy at its prime, and it's the season that made fans stick around for all these years.
