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This page is about the television series. For the textbook, see Gray's Anatomy. For other uses, see Gray's Anatomy (disambiguation).

Grey's Anatomy
Genre	Medical 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
Narrated by	Ellen Pompeo
Theme music composer	Psapp
Opening theme	"Cosy in the Rocket"
Country of origin	United States
Original language(s)	English
No. of seasons	8
No. of episodes	172 (List of episodes)
Production
Executive producer(s)	Shonda Rhimes Betsy Beers Mark Gordon Krista Vernoff Rob Corn Mark Wilding Allan Heinberg
Editor(s)	Susan Vaill David Greenspan
Cinematography	Herbert Davis
Camera setup	Single-camera
Running time	43 minutes
Production company(s)	ShondaLand The Mark Gordon Company ABC Studios
Distributor	Buena Vista Home Entertainment
Broadcast
Original channel	ABC
Picture format	480i 720p (HDTV)
Audio format	Stereo
Original run	March 27, 2005 (2005-03-27)  – present (present)
Chronology
Related shows	Private Practice
External links
Website

Grey's Anatomy is an American television medical drama that premiered on the American Broadcasting Company (ABC), as a mid-season replacement on March 27, 2005. The series has aired eight seasons, and focuses on the fictional lives of surgical interns and residents, as they gradually evolve into seasoned doctors, while trying to maintain personal lives. 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. 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 Mercy West 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, they are replaced by Dr. Jackson Avery (Jesse Williams) and Dr. April Kepner (Sarah Drew), in the sixth season. The surgical wing is primitively supervised by Dr. Richard Webber (James Pickens, Jr.), who is eventually replaced by Dr. Derek Shepherd (Patrick Dempsey), and later Dr. Owen Hunt (Kevin McKidd).

Dr. Preston Burke (Isaiah Washington) departs at the conclusion of the third season, 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 in the second 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 half-sister of Meredith, Dr. Lexie Grey (Chyler Leigh), first appears in season three and dies at the end of season eight. Dr. Arizona Robbins (Jessica Capshaw) is given series regular status at the beginning of the sixth season.

Considered an impact on culture, Grey's Anatomy was among the top-ten rated shows in the United States from its first through fourth seasons. The series has received numerous awards, and has also been included in various critics' top ten lists. The show has produced several specials and a musical episode, as well as distributed all seasons to DVD, and released a collection of merchandise. In 2011, Grey's Anatomy was named the fourth-highest revenue earning show, in terms of advertising per half-hour. On May 11, 2012, the series was renewed for a ninth season, which is scheduled to premiere on September 27.

Production

Conception

Shonda Rhimes, the series' creator, wanted to make a show that she would enjoy watching, and thought it would be interesting to create a show about "smart women competing against one another". When asked how she decided to develop a medical drama, Rhimes responded:

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.

The series was pitched to the American Broadcasting Company (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. 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."

"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

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. 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. 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?"

The series debuted on March 25, 2005 and 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. 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." 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). 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.

Production team

Grey's Anatomy is produced by ShondaLand, in association with The Mark Gordon Company, and ABC Studios (formerly Touchstone Television). Rhimes, Betsy Beers, Krista Vernoff, Mark Gordon, Rob Corn, and Mark Wilding have all served as executive producers throughout the course of the series. 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. As of season eight, the current executive producers are Rhimes, Beers, Gordon, Vernoff, Corn, Wilding, and Heinberg.

Rhimes is the series' most prolific writer. She often promotes the show by answering fan questions on her Twitter account. Other members of the writing staff are Vernoff, Wilding, Peter Nowalk, Stacy McKee, William Harper, Zoanne Clack, Tony Phelan, Joan Rater, and Debora Cahn. 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. 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. Cast members Chandra Wilson and Kevin McKidd have both directed multiple episodes.

Grey's Anatomy has been edited by Susan Vaill since the show's inception, and David Greenspan was named an editor in 2006. 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, 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 Matt Mania, and the music coordinator is Danny Lux. Herbert Davis is the show's cinematographer. Karen Lisa Pike, M.D. is the on-set medical consultant. The production staff is part of a Grey's Anatomy softball team that competes against other television shows, such as CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.

Casting

See also: List of Grey's Anatomy cast members

"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

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. The production staff began casting with the program's titular character, Meredith Grey,, which Rhimes stated was a difficult role to cast. "I kept saying we need a girl like that girl from Moonlight Mile," said Rhimes, "and after a while, they were like, 'We think we can get that girl from Moonlight Mile'." 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. 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.

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

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." James Pickens Jr. was selected to appear as Dr. Richard Webber in the series' pilot and first season. Katherine Heigl wanted to portray Dr. Izzie Stevens as a brunette, but was requested to retain her natural blonde for the part. 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. 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. Rounding out the season one cast was Justin Chambers as Dr. Alex Karev.

The second season saw the introduction of Eric Dane (Dr. Mark Sloan) and Sara Ramirez (Dr. Callie Torres); initially cast as recurring characters, both were given star billing at the opening of the third season. Ramirez was cast after ABC executives offered her a role in the network show of her choice,; Dane had previously auditioned unsuccessfully for a role in the pilot episode. Kate Walsh (Dr. Addison Montgomery) also joined the show in season two, after making a guest appearance in season one. 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. 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.

Chyler Leigh joined the cast as a main character in the fourth season as (Dr. Lexie Grey); Lexie had initially appeared as a guest star in the final two episodes of the third season. 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." Brooke Smith (Dr. Erica Hahn), who first appeared on Grey's Anatomy in the second season, became a series regular in the fourth. 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. 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, 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".

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. In addition, Jessica Capshaw (Dr. Arizona Robbins) appeared in just three episodes of the fifth season, but became a series regular in the sixth. Knight departed the show at the conclusion of season five, citing an unhappiness with the development and lack of screen time for his character. 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, and it was later confirmed that Heigl would not return to the show at all.

Kim Raver, who was cast as recurring character Dr. Teddy Altman in the sixth season, was given star billing later in the season. 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.

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. At the conclusion of the eighth season, Leigh's character departed from the show at Leigh's request, and with Rhimes' agreement. 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. In July 2012, Dane confirmed that he was departing the show to pursue other projects, but will make guest appearances in the beginning of the ninth season.

Filming locations and technique

A photo of the Space Needle, in Seattle

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.

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 Seattle Grace Mercy West 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. Most scenes are taped at Prospect Studios in Los Feliz, just east of Hollywood, where the Grey's Anatomy set occupies two 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. When asked about operating room scenes, Sarah Drew offered this:

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.

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

Series synopsis

Overview

Title screen

Grey's Anatomy follows the lives of surgical interns and residents at the fictional Seattle Grace Mercy West Hospital, 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, foreshadowing the theme of the episode. Each season tends to represent the physicians' academic year, with each completed year qualifying the residents at a level higher in the surgical field. The season will always end with a finale, typically involving a tragic event such as a death or character departure. Most installments revolve around the doctors' everyday lives as surgeons, but the show puts an emphasis on their personal, rather than professional, lives. 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.

The residents initially arrive at the hospital each morning and dispute with one another over who will care for a certain patient. A hospital superior is in charge of assigning cases, often traversing to tense feelings between the residents and superiors. 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 their attending physician, which usually leads to surgery. The surgeons tend to form personal connections with their patients, with a patient often conveying a message to their doctor, which unintentionally relates to their private life. The show displays the growth of relationships between the doctors, either friendly or sexual, often stemming to a clash between their personal lives and their professional. Emotional scenes are often accompanied by an indie rock background song, something that has become a hallmark of the series. At the conclusion of each episode, Meredith delivers another voice-over, typically contrasting or following up on her initial one.

Characters and storylines

Main article: List of Grey's Anatomy characters

Main characters

The five characters who are first introduced in the series premiere, as surgical interns, are Meredith, the hardcore Karev, the insecure O'Malley, the cheerful Stevens, and the "no-nonsense" Yang. They are initially mentored by Bailey, a senior resident who becomes the hospital's Chief Resident, and later an attending general surgeon, in season six. The surgical program is initially headed by the Chief of Surgery, Webber, who has a pre-existing personal relationship with Meredith, having had an affair with her mother when she was a child. In Webber's employ are attendings Shepherd, dubbed 'McDreamy' by the residents, from New York and Burke, who specialize in neurosurgery and cardiothoracic surgery, respectively. Shepherd is introduced as Meredith's love interest, while Burke begins a relationship with Yang.

Introduced in the show's second season are obstetrician-gynecologist and neonatal surgeon, Montgomery, plastic surgeon Sloan, from New York, and orthopedic surgeon Torres. Montgomery is Shepherd's wife who arrives in Seattle seeking reconciliation with him, Sloan is Shepherd's former best friend, who aided the breakdown of his marriage by having an affair with Montgomery, while Torres is introduced as a love-interest, and eventual wife for O'Malley. The penultimate episode of season three introduces Lexie, Meredith'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. Burke and Yang, having been engaged, 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.

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

The original lead characters of Grey's Anatomy

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

O'Malley dies in the premiere of the sixth season, due to injuries sustained while being dragged by a bus, and Stevens later departs following the breakdown of her relationship with Karev. Several new characters are introduced as Seattle Grace Hospital merges with Mercy West. Residents Kepner and Avery both transfer to Seattle Grace Hospital from Mercy West, and the latter entertains a brief relationship with Lexie, until she reunites with Sloan. Subsequently, Altman is introduced as the new Chief of Cardiothoracic Surgery. In the season six finale, a deceased patient's grieving husband embarks on a shooting spree at the hospital, injuring Karev, Shepherd, and Hunt. In the shooting's emotional reverberations, Hunt and Yang abruptly marry, not wanting to risk separation. Torres and Robbins eventually wed, officiated by Bailey. Season eight sees Webber stepping down, with his job being allocated to Hunt. 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. However, all plans are put on hold when several doctors from Seattle Grace Mercy West Hospital are engaged in an aviation accident, which kills Lexie and endangers Meredith, Shepherd, Yang, Robbins, and Sloan. At the conclusion of the eighth season, Altman is fired by Hunt, and decides to pursue a career at the United States Army Medical Command (MEDCOM).

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. 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. 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, engages in sexual activity with O'Malley, giving him Syphilis. 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. Tyler Christian (Moe Irvin), a hospital nurse, makes occasional appearances throughout the series. Within the second season, Bailey becomes impregnated with her husband, Tucker Jones (Cress Williams)' baby, who makes frequent appearances on Grey's Anatomy, until their divorce in season five. While Bailey takes a sabbatical, due to her pregnancy, the cheerful Dr. Sydney Heron (Kali Rocha), fills her position as the resident supervising Meredith, Yang, Karev, O'Malley, and Stevens, and makes occasional appearances until the fifth season.

Thatcher and Susan Grey (Jeff Perry and Mare Winningham), Meredith's estranged father and step-mother, are introduced in season two, with Susan making appearances until her death in season three, and Thatcher continuing to appear on the series. Adele Webber (Loretta Devine), is introduced as Richard's wife, who eventually acquires Alzheimer's, in the seventh season, and continues to make appearances. 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, who goes on to propose to Stevens, after weeks of bonding between the two. 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. This ultimately ends in his death, marking his initial departure from the show, and placing Stevens on disciplinary probation. Initially conceived as a veterinarian hired for Shepherd's dog, Doc, Dr. Finn Dandridge (Chris O'Donnell) soon becomes a love interest for Meredith, while Shepherd is with Montgomery. Dandridge is included in a multi-episode story arc, consisting of nine episodes, ending when Meredith reunites with Shepherd.

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

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. Louise goes on to appear occasionally, and was last seen in season eight. A ferryboat accident brings along Rebecca Pope (Elizabeth Reaser), who is initially introduced as a pregnant Jane Doe victim, suffering from Amnesia. Pope eventually embarks on a relationship with Karev, until she is diagnosed with a personality disorder in season four, and makes her final departure. Amidst the crisis of the ferryboat crash, Meredith falls into the water at the disaster site. Although rescued, she goes into cardiac arrest, waking up in what appears to be limbo. 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, until eventually being resuscitated. Seeking a cure to her depression, Meredith undergoes therapy sessions with the hospital psychiatrist, Dr. Katharine Wyatt (Amy Madigan), who in addition, serves as a psychiatrist to Hunt.

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

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

Reception

Critical response

Grey's Anatomy has been moderately well received among critics. The series holds a score of 66 out of 100 on Metacritic, based on five reviews for season seven. The first season received mixed to positive reviews, with Gary Levin of USA Today calling Grey's Anatomy one of the top shows on television. 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." 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 spent most of its ten-year run in the top-five for viewer ratings. Regarding the second season, 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. On a more positive note, Christopher Monfette of IGN 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."

Mary McNamara of the Los Angeles Times alleged that Ellen Pompeo should have received a nomination at the 61st Primetime Emmy Awards.

Regarding season three, 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." Contrasting with Monfette's view of the season, 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." 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". 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."

The titular character of Grey's Anatomy, Meredith, has received moderately positive feedback by critics, with Alessandra Stanley of The New York Times referring to her as "the heroine of Grey's Anatomy". 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. 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." Robert Rorke of the New York Post was also critical 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."

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." 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. 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." 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".

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." Brian Lowry of Variety, less impressed, opinionated that the season five displayed the show running out of storylines. 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."

In response to the seventh 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." Speaking of season eight, Entertainment Weekly's Mandi Bierly called it a "so-so season", and Lesley Goldberg of The Hollywood Reporter called it "emotional".

Critics' top ten lists

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

2006
#2 USA Today #2 San Jose Mercury News #4 TV Guide #9 Orlando Sentinel

2007
#6 USA Today

2010
#10 Movieline

Impact

"Grey's Anatomy makes an impact on how people's perception of the world is created."

— Brian Quick, University of Illinois

Grey's Anatomy has been considered an impact on culture by Entertainment Weekly's executive editor, Lori Majewski, with her writing: "Grey's Anatomy isn't just a show, it's a phenomenon. When [the] final shows air, every place in New York City is empty. You could get a table at the best restaurants." The Daily Beast's Jace Lacob also considered the show an impact, comparing its success to that of Friends, and calling it a "cultural phenomenon". Steve Sternberg, a media analyst with Magna Global USA explained that the show appeals to a broad audience, writing: "Roughly 80 percent of households during prime time only have one TV set on. People are looking for shows they can watch with other household members." Grey's Anatomy introduced a "mc-labeling" surge, ever since it dubbed Dempsey's character "McDreamy". Canadian newspaper the National Post considers this trend a "phenomenon".

Analyzing the show's impact on culture, Dessylyn Arnold of Yahoo! Voices noted that the "mc-labeling" trend has been parodied on other shows including ER and Degrassi: The Next Generation. Mark Lawson of The Guardian has credited Grey's Anatomy with popularizing the "songtage", or musical montage segments. Parodying this, MADtv created a spoof on the show in 2006, making fun of the series' emotional scenes including those accompanied by a musical montage. The show's premise inspired the creation of A Corazón Abierto, a Colombian adaptation of Grey's Anatomy, which in turn spawned a Mexican version of the same name. A study conducted by the University of Western Sydney revealed that 94% of 400 polled medical students are regular viewers of Grey's Anatomy. An additional study conducted by Brian Quick of the University of Illinois indicated that the show's portrayal of doctors being "smart, good looking, capable, and interesting", leads viewers to associating real-world doctors to be that way.

In 2011, a woman residing in Sheboygan, Wisconsin became unresponsive due to an asthma attack. Unable to wait for an ambulance, her daughter and a friend performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on her, which they learned from Grey's Anatomy. Despite this, Resident Karen Zink, M.D., deemed the show's portrayal of interns inaccurate, adding: "None of [the characters] have bags under their eyes. They all leave the hospital dressed cute, with their hair done and makeup on. That is so far away from the reality of interns. You are just dragging your butt, trying to stay alive. You don't have time to do your hair. You don't have time to put on makeup. Every surgical intern has bags under their eyes." The series placed at No. 66 on Entertainment Weekly's "New TV Classics" list, and was declared the third highest rated show for the first ten years of the Internet Movie Database (2002–2012).

U.S. television ratings

Grey's Anatomy has received high viewership and ratings since its debut. The first four seasons of the program each ranked in the top ten among all viewers, reaching its peak Nielsen ratings in the second season, attracting an average of 19.44 million viewers per episode, and ranking at fifth place overall. Following the show's time-slot being relocated, viewership steadily declined, dropping below the top ten in its fifth season. Grey's Anatomy made its greatest fall from its sixth to seventh season, slipping from seventeenth place to thirty-first. The series is on a steady decline in terms of viewership and rankings, yet Grey's Anatomy still holds value in charts when numbers are pulled from the digital video recorder (DVR). It was the most recorded show between 2007 and 2011, based on cumulative totals, and has been for several years in a row.

The most-watched episode of the series is "It's the End of the World", with 37.88 million viewers, aided by a lead-in from Super Bowl XL. In contrast, the least-watched episode is "The Lion Sleeps Tonight", which garnered 8.19 million viewers—a 30% decrease from "It's the End of the World". In 2011, Grey's Anatomy was named the fourth-highest revenue earning show of the year, with US$2.67 million per half hour, behind Desperate Housewives, Two and a Half Men, and American Idol. Below is a table of Grey's Anatomy's seasonal rankings in the U.S. television market, based on average total viewers per episode. Each U.S. network television season starts in September and ends in late May, which coincides with the completion of May sweeps.

U.S. television ratings for Grey's Anatomy

Season	Timeslot (EST)	Number of Episodes	Premiere		Finale		TV Season	Rank	Viewers (in millions)
			Date	Viewers (in millions)	Date	Viewers (in millions)
1	Sunday 10:00 pm	9	March 27, 2005	16.25	May 25, 2005	22.22	2004–05	#9	18.46
2		27	September 25, 2005	18.98	May 15, 2006	22.50	2005–06	#5	19.44
3	Thursday 9:00 pm	25	September 21, 2006	25.41	May 17, 2007	22.57	2006–07	#8	19.17
4		17	September 27, 2007	20.93	May 22, 2008	18.09	2007–08	#10	15.92
5		24	September 25, 2008	18.29	May 14, 2009	17.12	2008–09	#12	14.52
6		24	September 24, 2009	17.03	May 20, 2010	16.13	2009–10	#17	13.26
7		22	September 23, 2010	14.32	May 19, 2011	9.89	2010–11	#31	11.41
8		24	September 22, 2011	10.38	May 17, 2012	11.44	2011–12	#34	10.92
9		TBA	September 27, 2012	TBA	TBA	TBA	2012–13	TBA	TBA

Accolades

Main article: List of awards and nominations received by Grey's Anatomy

Katherine Heigl is the only star-billed cast member to have received an Emmy Award.

Grey's Anatomy has won a number of awards. As of July 2012, the show has been nominated for twenty-five Primetime Emmy Awards, having been nominated for at least one every year, except in 2010. At the 57th Primetime Emmy Awards in 2005, Oh was nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series, which she went on to be nominated for every year until 2009, and Horton was nominated for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series. The following year, at the 58th Primetime Emmy Awards, the series received a nomination for Outstanding Drama Series, which they were nominated for again in 2007. Also in 2006, Wilson was nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series, which she went on to be nominated for every year until 2009, and Kyle Chandler was nominated for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series. The 58th Ceremony also honored Rhimes and Vernoff, who were both nominated for Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series.

In 2007, at the 59th Primetime Emmy Awards, Knight was nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series, and Heigl won the award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series. Numerous guest actresses have been nominated for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series, including Burton in 2006 and 2007, Christina Ricci in 2006, Reaser in 2007, Diahann Carroll in 2008, and Sharon Lawrence in 2009, but the only actress to have won the award is Devine in 2011, who was nominated again in 2012. The show has also been nominated for thirteen Creative Arts Emmy Awards, having successfully won three of them: Outstanding Casting for a Drama Series, Outstanding Makeup for a Single-Camera Series (Non-Prosthetic), and Outstanding Prosthetic Makeup for a Series, Miniseries, Movie or a Special.

The show has received ten Golden Globe Award nominations since its premiere. At the 63rd Golden Globe Awards, in 2006, the series was nominated for Best Drama Series, Dempsey was nominated for Best Actor in a Drama Series, which he was nominated for again in 2007, and Oh won the award for Best Supporting Actress in a Series, Miniseries, or Television Film. The following year, at the 64th Golden Globe Awards, in 2007, Pompeo was nominated for Best Actress in a Drama Series, and the show won the award for Best Drama Series. At the 65th Golden Globe Awards, in 2008, Heigl was nominated for Best Supporting Actress in a Series, Miniseries, or Television Film, while the series in whole was nominated for Best Drama Series.

The series has been nominated for several People's Choice Awards, with nominations received by Oh and Pompeo, as well as wins from Dempsey, Heigl, Wilson, Demi Lovato, for guest starring, and the drama in whole for Favorite TV Drama. In 2007, Rhimes and the female cast were the recipient of the Women in Film Lucy Award, in recognition of the excellence and innovation in the show as a creative work that has enhanced the perception of women through the medium of television. The series has been honored with numerous NAACP Image Award nominations, many having been won, including five awards for Outstanding Drama Series. Grey's Anatomy has also received several Screen Actors Guild Awards, with nominations received by Dempsey, as well as wins from Oh, Wilson, and the main cast for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series.

Broadcast history

Main article: List of Grey's Anatomy episodes

Grey's Anatomy's first season commenced airing as a mid-season replacement to Boston Legal on March 27, 2005 and concluded on May 22. The nine-episode season aired on Sundays in the 10:00pm EST time slot, following Desperate Housewives. The show was renewed by ABC for a second season, that aired in the same time slot as season one. Premiering on September 25, 2005 and concluding on May 15, 2006, the season consisted of twenty-seven episodes. The first five episodes of the second season were originally scheduled to air during the first, but the network decided to close the first season of Grey's Anatomy on the same night as Desperate Housewives' finale. During the second season, Grey's Anatomy produced two specials recapping the events of recent episodes, narrated by Bailey, entitled "Straight to the Heart" and "Under Pressure". The show was renewed for a third season, which was relocated to the coveted Thursday 9:00pm EST time slot—a slot that the series has held onto since then. Commencing on September 21, 2006 and ending on May 17, 2007, season three consisted of twenty-five episodes. Two more specials were produced during the show's third season, entitled "Complications of the Heart" and "Every Moment Counts", which were narrated by Bailey and Morgan, respectively.

ABC renewed Grey's Anatomy for a fourth season, which aired from September 27, 2007 to May 22, 2008, and ultimately consisted of seventeen episodes. The fourth season had a reduced number of episodes, due to the 2007–08 Writers Guild of America strike, which caused production to cease from February to April, leaving the show with no writing staff during that time. At the beginning of the fourth season, the show aired its final special entitled "Come Rain or Shine", created to transition viewers from Grey's Anatomy to Private Practice, which was narrated by the editors of People magazine. The show received a renewal for a fifth season, which premiered on September 25, 2008 and concluded on May 14, 2009; consisting of twenty-four episodes. The series was renewed for a sixth season consisting of twenty-four episodes, which commenced on September 24, 2009 and ended on May 20, 2010. During its sixth season, Grey's Anatomy aired a series of webisodes entitled Seattle Grace: On Call at ABC.com. ABC renewed the show for a seventh season, which premiered on September 23, 2010 and concluded on May 19, 2011; consisting of twenty-two episodes. Following up with Seattle Grace: On Call, Seattle Grace: Message of Hope aired during the beginning of the seventh season. Also during the seventh season, the series produced a musical episode entitled "Song Beneath the Song", featuring music that became famous through their use in Grey's Anatomy. The show received a twenty-four episode eighth season renewal, which commenced on September 22, 2011 and ended on May 17, 2012. Grey's Anatomy has been renewed for a ninth season, which is scheduled to premiere on September 27, 2012.

Private Practice

Main article: Private Practice (TV series)

The cast of Grey's Anatomy was displeased with the network's decision to center the spin-off on Kate Walsh's character.

On February 21, 2007, The Wall Street Journal reported that ABC was pursuing a spin-off medical drama television series for Grey's Anatomy featuring Walsh's character, Montgomery. Subsequent reports confirmed the decision, stating that an expanded two-hour broadcast of Grey's Anatomy would serve as a backdoor pilot for the proposed spin-off. The cast of Grey's Anatomy was reportedly unhappy about the decision, as all hoped the spin-off would have been given to them. Pompeo commented that she felt, as the star, she should have been consulted, and Heigl disclosed that she had hoped for a spin-off for Stevens. The backdoor pilot that aired on May 3, 2007 sees Montgomery take a leave of absence from Seattle Grace Hospital, to visit her best friend from Los Angeles, Naomi Bennett (Audra McDonald), a reproductive endocrinology and infertility specialist. While in Los Angeles, she meets Bennett's colleagues at the Oceanside Wellness Center. The two-hour broadcast entitled "The Other Side of This Life" served as the twenty-second and twenty-third episodes of the third season, and was directed by Michael Grossman, according to Variety. The cast included Amy Brenneman, Paul Adelstein, Tim Daly, Taye Diggs, Chris Lowell, and Merrin Dungey.

KaDee Strickland's character, Charlotte King, who would be introduced in the spin-off's first season premiere, did not appear in the backdoor pilot. Her addition to the main cast was announced on July 11, 2007, prior to the commencement of the first season. She did not have to audition for the role, but was cast after a meeting with Rhimes. Also not present in the backdoor pilot was McDonald, due to her character, Bennett, being portrayed by a different actress, Merrin Dungey. However, on June 29, 2007, ABC announced that Dungey would be replaced, with no reason given for the change. The drama was titled Private Practice, and its premiere episode followed the second part of the season debut of Dancing with the Stars, and provided a lead-in to fellow freshman series Dirty Sexy Money. Pushing Daisies, a third new series for the evening, rounded out the lineup as a lead-in to Private Practice. The series has aired five seasons, with a renewal in place for the sixth.

Distribution

An interview with Patrick Dempsey is included on the season three DVD.

Grey's Anatomy episodes appear regularly on ABC in the United States. All episodes are an estimated forty-three minutes, without commercials, and are broadcast in both high-definition and standard. The series' episodes are also available for download at the iTunes Store in standard and high-definition qualities, and Amazon Instant Video, with new episodes appearing the day after their live airing. ABC Video on demand also releases episodes of the show, typically one-two days after their premiere. Recent episodes are available at ABC's official Grey's Anatomy website, and on Hulu. In 2009, ABC and Netflix signed a deal allowing Grey's Anatomy episodes to be streamed at Netflix.com. Grey's Anatomy is syndicated on Lifetime, with one hour blocks weekdays at 1:00 pm, 2:00 pm, and 3:00 pm EST.

Since its debut, Buena Vista Home Entertainment has released all seven seasons of Grey's Anatomy onto DVD, to regions 1, 2, and 4, with the eighth set to be released in September 2012, and available for pre-order. The first season's DVD, released on February 14, 2006, features an alternate title sequence, bloopers, behind-the-scenes footage, audio commentaries, and an extended edition of the pilot episode. Season two's DVD, released on September 12, 2006, includes extended episodes, an interview with Wilson, deleted scenes, a set tour, a "Q&A" with the cast, and a segment on the creating of special effects. The DVD for season three was released on September 11, 2007, with bonus features including extended episodes, an interview with Dempsey, audio commentaries, and bloopers.

The fourth season's DVD released on September 9, 2008, features an interview with Heigl and Chambers, extended episodes, bloopers, and deleted scenes. Season five's DVD was released on September 15, 2009, and includes unaired scenes, bloopers, and extended episodes. The DVD for season six, released on September 14, 2010, features deleted scenes, an extended finale, and bloopers. The seventh season's DVD, released on September 13, 2011, includes an extended edition of the musical episode, bloopers, as well as deleted scenes. In addition, the eighth season's DVD will be released on September 4, 2012, with bonus features to be announced.

Merchandise

Grey's Anatomy: The Video Game includes a plot focused around Sandra Oh's character.

ABC has partnered with CafePress and Barco Uniforms to provide branded merchandise through an online store. The products available include shirts, sweatshirts, kitchen-ware, home-ware, and bags, with the Grey's Anatomy logo on it. Also available are custom unisex scrubs and lab coats in a variety of colors and sizes, designed by Barco. The merchandise released by ABC is available for purchase at the Grey's Anatomy official website, and US$1 from every purchase to Barco's Nightingales Foundation.

Five volumes of the Grey's Anatomy Original Soundtrack have been released as of 2011. For the first two seasons, the show's main title theme was an excerpt from "Cosy in the Rocket", by British duo Psapp; it is featured on the first soundtrack album released via ABC's corporate cousin, Hollywood Records, on September 27, 2005. The second soundtrack, featuring songs from the series' second season, was released on September 12, 2006, followed by a third soundtrack with music from the third season. Following the seventh season musical episode "Song Beneath the Song", "Grey's Anatomy: The Music Event" soundtrack was released, with volume four of the soundtrack released subsequently.

In January 2009, Ubisoft announced that it had signed a licensing agreement with ABC Studios to develop a video game based on Grey's Anatomy. Designed for the Wii, Nintendo DS, and PC, Grey's Anatomy: The Video Game was released on March 10, 2009. The game allows the player to assume the role of one of the main characters, making decisions for the character's personal and professional life, and competing in a number of minigames. It has been criticized by reviewers because of the simplicity of the mini-games and voice actors who do not play the same characters on the series, with Jason Ocampo of IGN giving it a 6.0 out of 10 overall rating. ABC and Nielsen partnered in 2011 to create a Grey's Anatomy application for Apple's iPad. The application was designed to allow viewers to participate in polls and learn trivial facts as they watch a live episode. It uses Nielsen's Media-Sync software to listen for the episode and to post features as the episode progresses.

Footnotes

• ^aPompeo starred as the leading role in Moonlight Mile, which explains the significance of her being cast as Meredith.
• ^bThe character of O'Malley failed his intern test, which is why he was not initially a resident along with Meredith, Yang, Karev, and Stevens.
• ^cShepherd and Meredith had decided to adopt, due to Meredith's infertility, which was diagnosed in season seven.
• ^dThe Chicago Tribune list is not ranked—it consists of ten shows in alphabetical order.
• ^eThe Grey's Anatomy logo can be seen in the infobox, above.

Additional reading

• Van Dusen, Chris (2006). Grey's Anatomy: Overheard at the Emerald City Bar. Hyperion Books. ISBN 1401308821.
• Wilson, Leah (2007). Grey's Anatomy 101: Seattle Grace, Unauthorized. BenBella Books. ISBN 1933771143.
• Burkhead, Cynthia; Robson, Hillary (2008). Grace under Pressure: Grey's Anatomy Uncovered. Cambridge Scholars Publishing. ISBN 1847185347.

External links

• Official website at ABC.com
• Grey's Anatomy at the Internet Movie Database
• Grey's Anatomy at TV.com
• Risker/sandbox at Yahoo! TV

Preceded by The Simpsons alongside American Dad! 2005

Grey's Anatomy Super Bowl lead-out program 2006

Succeeded by Criminal Minds 2007