Summary
- Grey's Anatomy season 17 focused heavily on the COVID-19 pandemic, which divided viewers. The season had memorable moments but was mostly dull.
- Season 18 marked an improvement with more character development and refreshing crossovers with Station 19. Meredith's journey was particularly strong.
- Season 19 took risks and introduced new characters, but struggled to find its footing. The season ended with fun and shocking twists, marking the end of an era.
With nearly two decades' worth of Grey's Anatomy seasons in the books, the show has seen its ups and downs in of overall quality, with some seasons soaring while others fell. Grey's Anatomy is the mothership of Shondaland Productions, and though other Shondaland shows have indeed been successful, such as How To Get Away With Murder, Scandal, and Private Practice, none lasted as long as Grey's Anatomy. The series helped to reinvent and revitalize the medical drama genre and still has a massive following all these years later.
Grey's Anatomy was a hit from the start, and even as it continues into its second decade on the air, it more or less delivers the same gripping drama that made it popular in the first place. Though Grey's Anatomy has changed since season 1, its consistency is one of the biggest reasons that viewers continue to tune in year after year. Characters come and go, but the heart of the medical drama has remained intact. Despite this, not all Grey's Anatomy seasons are created equal and some are worth ing while others are best forgotten.
Season 17
The seventeenth season of Grey's Anatomy was one of the show's most polarizing with some criticizing it for bringing the reality of 2020's COVID-19 outbreak into the show, while others showing season 17 with praise for adding more realism to the drama. Despite Grey's Anatomy season 17 having memorable scenes, much of the season's focus was on how the hospital deals with the safety measures in place as a result of the pandemic and was somewhat dull as a result. Meredith, the main character since the pilot episode, even contracted the virus, and her dreams while unconscious brought back a handful of fan-favorite characters that had long departed the show.
Season 18
Though the seventeenth and eighteenth Grey's Anatomy seasons were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, the latter represented a swing in the right direction. While still largely focused on how Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital deals with the virus, it also dedicated more time to character development, which was an improvement. Meredith Grey was especially strong, and she was forced to reconsider her life after her brush with death during season 17. Overall, the season was saved by its crossovers, and the use of Station 19 characters was a refreshing change.
Season 19
Coming out of the pandemic and nearing the 20-season mark, Grey's Anatomy season 19 took big risks that didn't all pay off, but it was an improvement for the attempt alone. Ellen Pompeo's Dr. Meredith Grey was no longer the series regular protagonist that she had always been, and the season floundered somewhat while establishing new characters to focus on. Nevertheless, the ending of Grey's Anatomy season 19 offered fun and shocking twists that echoed the earlier days of the show. It was truly the end of an era with Meredith's departure from the show.
Season 16
With a lot of changes for the main characters, the entire product of Grey's Anatomy season 16 was somewhat hit or miss and left many polarized. Meredith, after itting to insurance fraud, has to defend her medical license for much of the season. She also has to deal with losing one of her best friends (again) as Alex abruptly leaves Seattle and doesn't explain himself for months. In addition to their storylines, mental health takes a spotlight as Jo and DeLuca deal with their respective issues. Amelia also becomes a mom, expanding the show's large family.
Season 15
Alex gets a big promotion as Bailey picks him to be interim Chief in her absence. The promotion places some stress on his and Jo's relationship as interpersonal drama dominated season 15 for better or worse. Amelia and Owen adjust to having foster children in their house while Meredith has to figure out how to talk to her kids about the possibility of dating again, which she discovered she is ready to do. Grey's Anatomy season 15 also features the sad episode 19, "Silent All These Years," which focuses on sexual assault survivors and gives the audience a lot more backstory for Jo.
Season 13
Like many Grey's Anatomy seasons, season 13 focused on change with most of the upheaval centering on the professional lives of the doctors and medical students instead of their personal lives. The teaching program at the hospital undergoes a major revamp. That includes the introduction of consultant Eliza Minnick, but it also creates a lot of tense situations for the characters. Plenty of the veteran characters are resistant to change. Alex also has to deal with the repercussions of his attack on Andrew, Owen gets news about his long-missing sister, and Meredith has to revisit the feelings brought up by the plane crash that killed her sister.
Season 14
Though Shonda Rhimes had stepped down as showrunner before Grey's Anatomy season 14, the season marked the first time she truly had no influence over the show. This major leadership change gave season 14 a transitional tone, and the focus was on the future not the present. The season sees a few cast shakeups as three series regulars say goodbye to the show, as Arizona, Nathan, and April all have their last story arcs in this season. Several characters also get large dramatic storylines as Meredith finds herself in the middle of another love triangle, multiple characters deal with sister drama, and Amelia discovers she has a brain tumor.
Season 8
Much like her fight for her medical license in later Grey's Anatomy seasons, Meredith again had to deal with the fallout of a decision made at work in season 8. In this case, it's her tampering with a medical trial in season 7. The drama is amped up even higher because Alex was the one to turn her in. It leads to not only a divide between them but also between Alex and several other coworkers. This season also features the stand-out episode 24, "Flight" which centers on the aftermath of the plane crash, which majorly shakes up the dynamic of the show moving forward.
Season 4
With all the original Grey's Anatomy interns other than George ing their exam, the characters have moved up to Residents while George remains a second-year intern. George staying back a level connects him to the new batch of interns at Seattle Grace Memorial Hospital, one of which is Lexie Grey, Meredith's half-sister. Lexie starts as an intern wishing to create a bond with Meredith, yet her wishes do not have the desired effect. It takes time for Meredith to warm up to Lexie, and beforehand they do not have the most cordial relationship. Season 4 marked the show's shift towards character-centric storytelling.
Season 7
After season 6, all the characters experience the trauma after a shooting at the hospital. That leads to some characters jumping into new relationships and others taking a little longer to adjust to their new normal. When Meredith discovers that Richard's wife might have Alzheimer's, she tampers with a trial to help Adele, leading her into serious trouble when Alex turns her in. Meredith kicks Alex out of her house, and Derek even leaves her for a while as everyone faces the repercussions of her actions. The drama of season 7 was more realistic than many later seasons, and it showed that characters could change in less-than-positive ways.
