The Best Storylines from Each Season of Grey’s Anatomy

If you’re like me, you’ve been analyzing Grey’s Anatomy storylines since it originally premiered way back in the olden days of 2005.

It was an incredible year for new television shows that would become massive hits.

Supernatural, The Office, and Criminal Minds also graced our screens for the first time in 2005.

Grey’s Anatomy is set to premiere its 21st season later this month.

Keeping a show on the air for this long is a feat that is as rare as it is astounding.

An accomplishment like this is a testament to the show’s creators, showrunners, cast, and crew.

Their commitment to their work has given us almost two decades of drama, humor, and fascinating (if not altogether realistic) medical cases.

While we anxiously wait for the new season to start, we’re taking a trip down memory lane to revisit the best storyline from each of Grey’s Anatomy’s past 20 seasons.

Be sure to let us know in the comments if you disagree with any of these — we want to hear your favorites, too!

Grey’s Anatomy Season 1: Addison’s Arrival

Memorable quote: “And you must be the woman who’s been screwing my husband.” – Addison Montgomery Shepherd

WHEW. Talk about an introduction.

Addison was always one of my favorite characters on Grey’s Anatomy.

I also adored the spinoff she led, Private Practice, though I was sad when she left Grey’s Anatomy.

Season 1 was all about building up the new characters and setting up relationship dynamics, but nothing hit quite as hard as this scene.

Look, I’m not condoning the cheating or lying, but you have to admit that Derek being secretly married was a jaw-dropping reveal.

Grey’s Anatomy Season 2: Bomb in a Body Cavity

Memorable quote: “He shot himself…with a bazooka?!” – Alex Karev

This show is well known for having storylines that are absolutely bonkers.

One of them — from Grey’s Anatomy Season 2 Episode 16 — happens to be so ridiculous, it crosses all the way over into incredible.

A patient comes in with a large foreign body in his chest, and a paramedic (played by Christina Ricci) has her hand inside his body to stop the bleeding.

When the young paramedic panics and runs, Meredith does what only Meredith would do. She sticks her hand inside the man.

We later find out that the foreign body is “live, unexploded ammunition” from a homemade bazooka. It obviously explodes eventually, killing the Bomb Squad guy, but everyone else is miraculously spared.

Grey’s Anatomy Season 3: Cristina Finds Herself

Memorable quote: “Mama took my eyebrows.” -Cristina Yang

The decision to have Burke call off the wedding at the last minute was unexpected for viewers. Given that Cristina was the one with cold feet, it seemed likely that she’d be the one to end things eventually.

But there was grace in the way Burke set Cristina free, knowing that she would go through with the wedding even if it meant putting aside her own wants. The two of them wanted different things in the long run.

Had Cristina married Burke, we would have missed out on so much incredible growth for her in future seasons. Throughout her relationship with Burke, Cristina was made to feel small and insignificant.

His mother represented that physically by waxing Cristina’s brows completely off before the wedding and making her wear a restrictive choker necklace.

I loved seeing Cristina reclaim her power in the end and bask in her freedom, literally breaking free of the chains (necklace and dress) Burke had on her.

Grey’s Anatomy Season 4: Pro-Bono Surgery for an Earless Boy

Memorable quote: “He’s trick-or-treating? For ears?” – Miranda Bailey

Over the course of a two-decade medical show, some patient stories are going to stand out.

One of those for me was the boy with no ears.

Ryan (played by Dylan Minette of 13 Reasons Why fame) is the son of a hospital employee, and he recruits Meredith to help him convince doctors and nurses to build ears for him pro-bono.

There’s humor in it, as he trick-or-treats through the building asking for ears and Derek pays him to convince Mark he’s his long-lost love child. But Ryan also has valuable advice for Meredith about moving on from her mom’s death.

Plus, we get to see the power of Meredith’s (and Ellis’s) reputation throughout Seattle Grace as the team comes together for Ryan.

Grey’s Anatomy Season 5: Compassion for a Death-Row Inmate

Memorable quote: “She’s in the car, and she won’t stop crying.” – Derek Shepherd

During Season 5, Meredith and Cristina experience a fallout after the latter takes the blame for all the interns going rogue and taking out Sadie’s appendix.

During this fight, a patient on death row comes in. Cristina and Derek both feel strongly about providing him with the bare minimum or care, but Meredith opts to show the patient compassion.

When he is eventually executed, Meredith attends and breaks down afterwards. Not knowing how to handle this very normal display of emotion, Derek takes Meredith to Cristina to deal with all the crying.

First of all, I love the emphasis on sisterhood. Despite their issues, they’re always there for each other when it matters. Secondly, now is a good time to tell you that I despise Derek Shepherd.

This storyline highlighted his immaturity and unwillingness to deal with his partner’s emotions. He was so useless that he had to involve Cristina, who nobly took her place as Meredith’s person.

Grey’s Anatomy Season 6: Mark Has a Daughter

Memorable quote: “I’m pretty sure you’re my dad.” – Sloan Riley

After several seasons of Mark sleeping with everyone in the hospital and pining after Addison, it was a nice change of pace for him to have some character development.

Mark got the shock of a lifetime when a teenager shows up at the hospital and reveals that she’s his daughter.

Sloan turns out to be pregnant, which means Mark is going to be a grandfather — a fact that greatly amuses Derek.

The “Sloan Sloan” storyline did wonders for maturing Mark’s character, and by Season 6, that was way overdue.

Grey’s Anatomy Season 7: Meredith’s Infertility Journey

Memorable quote: “I have a hostile uterus; what’s a little Alzheimer’s, too?” – Meredith Grey

By Season 7, Meredith and Derek have been through the wringer trying to get pregnant.

Meredith suffered a miscarriage during the hospital shooting and hasn’t been able to get pregnant again.

A fertility doctor tells Meredith she has a “hostile uterus,” and she doesn’t take that well. During this arc, Meredith also decides she wants to get tested for the Alzheimer’s gene.

Ultimately she chooses not to find out the results of that test when she and Derek decide on a “que sera sera” approach to getting pregnant.

It wasn’t necessarily the best representation of infertility on television, but it was still very meaningful for such a highly popular and visible character to experience things like pregnancy loss and fertility struggles.

Grey’s Anatomy Season 8: An Alternate Universe

Memorable quote: We don’t have to do that thing where I say something, and then you say something, and then someone cries, and there’s a moment or whatever.” – Cristina Yang

One of Season 8’s funniest episodes is “If/Then.” The episode takes a wild turn into an alternate universe where Ellis Grey lived, married Richard, and Meredith was raised by involved parents.

In this world, Cristina is still a hardcore cardio resident, but she lacks the softness that she would only get by befriending the other interns on their first day.

Meredith and Alex are engaged, but he’s having an affair with her best friend — April Kenner.

The entire hour is full of bizarre twists, but it ends in Joe’s bar as so many episodes do.

Meredith connects with Derek and Cristina in a new way (while exchanging some familiar words), proving that sometimes, fate really does bring people together in every universe.

Grey’s Anatomy Season 9: Family Sacrifices, Women in Charge

Memorable quote: “Lizzie. One of the wolves.” – Lizzie Shepherd

Who can resist a Neve Campbell guest spot? Not only did she knock this appearance out of the park, but Campbell’s character (Derek’s sister, Lizzie) added a lot of value to both Meredith and Derek.

Since the plane crash, Derek’s hand function is still lacking, and he needs a nerve graft.

With the help of Intern Heather, Meredith went behind his back to recruit his sisters as potential nerve donors.

When Lizzy steps up and surprises Derek at the hospital, he’s initially furious, but eventually agrees to go through with the graft using Lizzy’s donation.

I enjoyed this storyline because I liked seeing Derek be put in his place by the women in his life.

Grey’s Anatomy Season 10: Cristina’s Harper Avery Nomination

Memorable quote: “Are you from the future? Then shut up.” – Cristina Yang

Cristina’s first nomination for a Harper Avery award is a massive deal, and everyone knows it.

She has worked her entire career for this moment, and it’s finally here. Since she’s still only a fellow, it’s an especially impressive feat.

But unfortunately, shady things are afoot. We learn that Cristina never had any real shot at winning the award because she works for an Avery Foundation hospital.

This arc is so important for Cristina’s story and the decision she makes to move on from Seattle.

She finally realizes that staying where she is will only hinder her, and losing this well-deserved award is the catalyst for Cristina moving on to the life she deserves.

Grey’s Anatomy Season 11: Derek Bites the Dust

Memorable quote: “Derek is dead.” – Meredith Grey

I already told you that I never liked Derek Shepherd. I’d go so far as to say he’s one of a few characters I hate. I am not sorry to admit that I was glad to see him go.

Obviously I don’t wish a fiery car crash death on anyone, but Derek had to get out of the picture somehow.

The only thing the man ever did was hold Meredith back and make her question her own power and ability.

Losing him was painful, and I can’t blame Meredith for taking off to grieve privately for a year.

The Dr. Grey we know and love today is independent, fearless, and fierce. I truly believe it was necessary to get rid of Derek for her to get this far.

Grey’s Anatomy Season 12: A Blast from the Past

Memorable quote: “She was kind of a train wreck. She kept getting me lost.” – Katie Bryce

On Meredith’s first day as an intern, she encounters a teenage patient who is having unexplained seizures after taking a fall during a rhythmic gymnastics routine.

This is the first patient Meredith and Derek ever worked on together.

So, when Katie Bryce returns to Grey Sloan twelve years later, looking for the late Dr. Shepherd, it throws Meredith for a loop.

Katie gave Amelia the chance to feel connected to Derek by reading his notes and working on his previous patient.

It’s quite a nostalgic storyline, and it’s up there with one of the best moments of the show.

Grey’s Anatomy Season 13: Prison Medicine

Memorable quote: “If this one makes a mistake, will you leave her, too?” – Arizona Robbins

On Grey’s Anatomy Season 13 Episode 10, Arizona, Bailey, and Jo visit a prison to take care of a pregnant patient who is having complications.

The hour is an exercise in compassion and an exploration of the realities of prison.

The young girl is being restricted so violently that she has injuries on her wrists, and the doctors of Grey Sloan are appalled at her treatment.

Not only do we get to see Jo and Arizona bond with this young girl, but Bailey also presses the woman in charge for information on why the prison is so poorly stocked.

It shed light on very real issues in the United States’ prison systems.

Grey’s Anatomy Season 14: Jo Takes Back Her Identity

Memorable quote: “You are Jo Wilson. I know exactly who you are.” – Meredith Grey

Jo’s estranged, abusive husband shows up at the hospital seeking a divorce, and his arrival triggers Jo in a big way.

Several major Grey’s Anatomy characters — Meredith, Helm, Arizona, and Alex, to name a few — step up to take care of Jo as she navigates a terrifying situation.

Even more importantly, Jo is able to get through to her abuser’s new fiancee, who is also being abused but is afraid to say so. The storyline was heavy but incredible.

Grey’s Anatomy Season 15: The Shepherds Catch Up

Memorable quote: “Bringing Fake Owen to dinner tonight might just be the most demented thing you’ve ever done.” – Nancy Shepherd

The Shepherds are a classic W.A.S.P. family from the East Coast, and Amelia is as much of a black sheep as they come.

When she’s forced to interact with most of her sisters and her mother, Amelia is a basket of nerves — and for good reason.

They gave her the third degree and treated her like a child, but this storyline was so great because the writers gave Amelia the strength to stand up for herself.

Grey’s Anatomy Season 16: Bailey and Warren Take in a New Son

Memorable quote: “Congratulations, Miranda. It’s a boy!” – Ben Warren

On the Grey’s Anatomy spinoff, Station 19, one of Warren’s firefighter coworkers dies tragically. He then left his young daughter in the care of Bailey and Ben.

Over on the Grey’s Anatomy side, a group of unhoused kids comes through the hospital.

After bonding with Joey, the eldest of the group, Miranda and Ben decide to take him in.

Obviously, taking in a foster child is a big commitment, especially for two busy people who already have two kids.

But after everything they’ve been through, Miranda and Ben proved that they were the right people to build this family.

Grey’s Anatomy Season 17: COVID-19 Stops the World

Memorable quote: “They’re all dying alone.” – Meredith Grey

The global pandemic that affected virtually the entire world made its way to our screens in Grey’s Anatomy Season 17.

Although the storyline wasn’t happy, it was still one of the most incredibly written seasons of this show.

The writers and the cast pulled off a realistic representation of an unprecedented historical event.

Meredith, Koracic, Helm, and Altman were among the doctors who contracted the virus and experienced varying levels of illness. Sadly, Bailey’s mother died of the virus.

As sad as it was, this season was a great way for the show to keep going and offer fans a sense of comfort and hope during a terrifying time.

Grey’s Anatomy Season 18: Addison Reconnects with Her Past

Memorable quote: “I thought, coming back here to Seattle, that he’d be here.” – Addison Montgomery

You may have realized by now that Addison has always been one of my favorite characters. She was never perfect, but she never claimed to be.

In Season 18, we got several episodes featuring Addison. On Grey’s Anatomy Season 18 Episode 3, she tells Meredith that she’s having a hard time facing her grief about Derek’s death.

Meredith invites Addison back to her house to meet their kids so she can see that Derek’s legacy is living on, and it’s a beautiful moment for everyone.

Addison and Meredith didn’t get off on the best foot back in Season 1, and both of them have had their issues with Amelia.

Seeing the three of them together, healed, healthy, and happy, was everything my soul needed.

Grey’s Anatomy Season 19: Addison and Miranda Fight for Reproductive Rights

Memorable quote: “I’ve got a 39-year-old with a cesarean scar ectopic pregnancy.” – Addison Montgomery

While restrictive laws were being passed around the country, Grey’s Anatomy chose to use their platform to highlight why those laws were so dangerous.

Addison and Bailey worked together through the season (on and off-screen) to provide reproductive healthcare to women in states where abortion was illegal.

Addressing the issue with examples of patients suffering from the effects of abortion restrictions, the showrunners took a stand that they knew could impact viewership.

Grey’s Anatomy Season 20: Maggie and Winston Get Closure

Memorable quote: “My heart is in my work, Winston.” – Maggie Pierce

Due to the SAG-AFTRA strikes from 2023, production was delayed on many shows, and Grey’s Anatomy was no exception.

It was a short season, lasting only ten episodes, but the writers managed to pack quite a bit into those ten hours.

One of the storylines included Maggie’s return, and she and Winston finally had a chance to talk one-on-one about their relationship.

Winston spent most of the season sulking (an intern even called him out on his attitude at one point), so it was beyond time for him to get an opportunity to move on.

He and Maggie had a great conversation, ultimately acknowledging that their lives were headed in different directions. It’s rare that we get real, healthy closure on television, so this was a bright spot.

Let us know in the comments what you think!

Don’t forget to tune into ABC at 10/9c on Thursday, September 26, for the Season 21 premiere of Grey’s Anatomy!