When I tell people that my favorite show is Grey’s Anatomy, I usually am met with the response, “Wait, that’s still on?” With 14 seasons under their belt and still at least two more to go, Grey’s is one of the longest-running television shows that has aired. This long of a run brings a huge fan base, but it also means that story plots and characters can become old and boring. However, I think that Grey’s is still one the most entertaining and socially relevant shows that is on television today. There have been highs and lows in the series, but it remains progressive and engaging to audiences.
Shonda Rhimes, the creator of the show, said in an award acceptance speech that she doesn’t want to create diversity on television. She wants to normalize television. Meaning, she wants television to represent what the world actually looks like. In the Grey’s Anatomy cast, there are people of all different races, ethnicities, genders, sexualities, and religions. Rhimes doesn’t shy away from discussing these differences because she wants to be a part of the change that she wants to see in the future of television. The Grey’s Anatomy cast is her way of normalizing television casting to match what we see in our everyday lives. Viewers are responding well to this because many people can identify with at least one aspect of one of the characters in the show. It is a way of bringing people from all different backgrounds together.
As we have seen from the past seasons, Rhimes also is not afraid to discuss politics and social issues. There have been episodes about abortion, gun violence, divorce, immigration, and religion. These are topics that people feel very passionately about, so many creators don’t like to bring them up in their shows, in fear of their viewers’ polarizing opinions. However, Rhimes took this risk, so the show remains relevant to current events. Doing this shows that Grey’s is trying to encourage their viewers to promote positive change in the world. Not all of the audience may agree with the stance that the show takes on some of these issues but discussing them does show that the creators are socially aware and want to make their show match what is happening currently in the world.
Everyone jokes that Shonda Rhimes enjoys killing off everyone’s favorite characters. *Spoiler Alert* Some of these include Lexi, Sloane, George, and McDreamy, and it was hard for every fan to watch those episodes. However, the character turnover shows that the show’s creators aren’t afraid to take risks. When Derek died, many people said they would stop watching, but that was four seasons ago, and Grey’s is still going strong. Taking these risks keeps the show fresh and exciting, so viewers want to follow Meredith and her friends and see where Grey Sloane Memorial Hospital takes them next.
Grey’s Anatomy has taken many twists and turns in its fifteen seasons. Everyone knows that some seasons have been better than others, but we still turn on our TVs at 8 pm every Thursday night to see what will happen next. All of the crazy illnesses and accidents that the show creators come up with keep us engaged and excited about the show. I know there is an expiration date on Grey’s Anatomy, but I and many others will miss our favorite TV hospital when it finally comes to an end.