9 "Grey’s Anatomy" Storylines That Were Incredible, And 9 That Should Never Have Seen The Light Of Day

George and Izzy had about as much chemistry as Joey and Rachel from Friends.

There’s no doubt that Grey’s Anatomy is responsible for some of the most incredible storylines in television history, but even as a die-hard Grey’s fan I have to admit that there were also a number of storylines that were, quite frankly, a little questionable.

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Here are some of Grey’s Anatomy’s best storylines...it's safe to say there are some major spoilers ahead!

 Also, this post includes references to sexual assault.

1. When a victim of sexual assault is supported by all the women on duty.

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This storyline doesn’t shy away from discussing sexual assault in vivid detail and despite being hard to watch at times, it is impossible not to be moved by the incredibly raw episode. Abby, a victim of sexual assault, arrives at the hospital and after confiding in Jo, is given the encouragement and support to have a rape kit administered. Instead of cutting away, we are shown every single step of the invasive examination. Arguably the most powerful moment in this episode is when Abby is being wheeled to surgery and all the women at Grey Sloan Memorial line the hospital walls to create a safe pathway for her. This episode did a stellar job of accurately portraying the physical and psychological effects of sexual assault as well as highlighting the importance of sisterhood. 

2. The hospital shooting.

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The Season 6 finale was stress-inducing and unpredictable with more twists and turns than an episode of Riverdale. Those of us that live for the drama were not disappointed with this two-part episode that saw the hospital invaded by a man with a gun trying to avenge his wife’s death. Watching the unhinged shooter work his way through the hospital, recklessly shooting at the doctors that we know and love was no easy feat. As gut-wrenching as this storyline is, it is without a doubt one of the most gripping.

3. Zola’s adoption.

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Zola’s adoption was such a heartwarming storyline but it also highlighted just how complicated and overwhelming the whole process can be. Zola was a patient at the hospital and after spending time with her, Meredith and Derek decided they wanted to become her parents. These two were really willing to risk it all for her, even legalising their post-it note marriage and telling the occasional lie to increase their chances. The whole storyline was an emotional rollercoaster but Lord knows we’re just grateful that it worked out in the end.

4. Meredith commits insurance fraud to save a child’s life.

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Say what you like about Meredith but she always goes the extra mile for her patients, including Gabriella, a young cancer patient whose father couldn’t afford her medical treatment. Meredith decides to use her own child’s health insurance to cover Gabriella’s surgeries, thus committing insurance fraud. While she knew there was a good chance that she would end up fired or in jail (or both), she was more than willing to take the risk. This storyline was incredibly powerful but also served a greater purpose in bringing attention to some of the inadequate insurance policies in the United States. 

5. The bomb crisis.

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This is one of the most dark and twisty Grey’s Anatomy storylines of all time but it is a fan favourite for a reason. A trauma victim is brought into the hospital with a paramedic’s hand lodged into his chest to prevent him from bleeding out. However, things go from bad to catastrophic when they realise that there’s also unexploded ammunition lodged in the chest cavity. In a series of unfortunate events, Meredith ends up with her hand inside the victim’s chest and we’re left hoping and praying that our favourite protagonist doesn’t get blown into pieces. If any episode is going to have you on the edge of your seat, it’s this one!

6. George supports Bailey through childbirth.

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Bailey went into labour during the bomb crisis and if that wasn’t traumatic enough, her husband got into an accident on his way to the hospital. Derek had to perform emergency brain surgery on him and Bailey decided that she wouldn’t deliver her baby that day (even though she was very much in labour). After Addison tried and failed to get through to her, George stepped up and gave Bailey the tough love that she needed. He then climbed onto the bed with her and supported her through the birth of her child. This was easily one of the most moving moments of the series and it is no surprise that Bailey named her son after him.

7. April and Jackson’s baby is diagnosed with a rare condition.

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One of the most heartbreaking moments of Season 11 is when April goes for a routine ultrasound and discovers that her baby could have a life-threatening condition. After further testing, she finds out that her baby has a rare genetic disorder that causes a baby’s bone to break in and outside the womb. Jackson and April struggled to agree on how to handle the situation but after finding out that their unborn child was already in pain, they decided to induce labour and put him out of his misery. Watching them hold their son until he died was as painful as it sounds, but if you’re ever in need of a good cry, this is the scene for you. 

8. The plane crash.

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No one does tragedy and heartache quite like Grey’s Anatomy and one storyline that brought us all to tears was the plane crash. Six surgeons from Seattle Grace Mercy West were travelling to Boise when their plane suffered a mechanical failure and crashed in the middle of the woods. They were all scattered in the forest and had a range of injuries from minor to completely fatal. 

Coming to terms with the disaster was hard enough, but watching Lexie’s final moments was a pain like no other.   

9. Cristina’s departure.

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As devastating as it was to see Cristina go, she got the ending she truly deserved. She didn’t die in a plane crash, get hit by a bus, or leave some cryptic letters after mysteriously leaving town – she followed her dreams and took on a job as a director of cardiothoracic surgery in Switzerland. She got to say her goodbyes (as did we) and the icing on the cake was that we finally got closure on her storyline with Burke. Her exit was so well thought-out and authentically Cristina that it softened the blow of her leaving.

And some that were not so great…

10. Ghost sex.

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Most of us went through the seven stages of grief when Denny died in Season 2 and most of us were traumatised by what ensued when he returned three seasons later. Now I'm all for the return of an old flame to spice things up but there was really no need for Izzy to have sex with her dead ex-fiance’s ghost. I understand that he represented Izzy’s tumour and that she was very happy to see him, but I draw the line at ghost sex. 

11. The entire musical episode.

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I love a musical as much as the next person but this was not a treat for the eyes or the ears. I thought Shonda Rhimes could do no wrong, however, watching these surgeons sing their hearts out as they navigated the hospital was nothing short of cringe-worthy. This was also the episode where Callie and Arizona got into a serious car accident – which is kind of an odd time to burst into song if you ask me. 

12. Alex’s abrupt exit.

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Maybe Season 1 Alex would’ve left Seattle without saying goodbye, but the Alex that we all fell in love with over the course of the show would never have done such a thing. We watched him grow from a rude, selfish intern into an upstanding man and a first-class surgeon. I understand that Alex would’ve wanted to be with his kids, but abandoning his wife and notifying his friends through letters was very out of character for him.

13. Derek’s death.

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McDreamy deserved so much better than the ending he was given and that is a hill I’m willing to die on. In Season 11, he ends up in a serious car accident and due to medical negligence more than anything else, he is left brain dead. Meredith then unplugs him at the hospital without even notifying any of his family or friends. I understand that Patrick Dempsey was ready to leave the show, but his death felt both abrupt and extremely thoughtless. Even some of the smaller characters had more meaningful exits than Derek!

14. George and Izzy’s affair.

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Just when we got over the horror of George and Meredith sleeping together, George and Izzy decided to take their relationship to the next level. They were besties with about as much chemistry as Joey and Rachel from Friends, and it was high-key traumatic watching them become romantically involved. Thankfully, it didn’t take them long to realise that they were better off as pals, but I can’t help feel like the whole storyline was unnecessary. 

15. Jackson and Maggie’s rocky relationship.

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Speaking of couples that had absolutely no chemistry whatsoever, Jackson and Maggie were certainly no match made in heaven. They dated for two whole seasons even though they weren’t compatible and had very little in common. On top of that, their parents were in love, which made the situation all the more complicated and uncomfortable to watch. It was only a matter of time before they crashed and burned and I am so glad we were finally put out of our misery. 

16. Callie leaves Seattle to be with Penny.

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Not only did Callie date the woman that was heavily involved in Derek’s death (which was controversial in itself), but she also decided to move to New York to be with her. Their relationship was fairly new and pretty rocky at that, so it didn’t feel believable that Callie would move to the other side of the country with her child for Penny. This was yet another example of a key cast member wanting to leave the show (Sara Ramirez) and the plot being terribly orchestrated to serve that purpose. Surely Callie deserved a better ending than that?!

17. Minnick arriving at Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital.

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Minnick might just be the most unlikeable character on Grey’s Anatomy of all time and it’s not at all hard to see why. She was hired by Bailey to revamp the surgical residency program but her vicious attempts to exercise control over the hospital and our favourite surgeons felt extreme and completely uncalled for. Her character really didn’t add much to the show; she was probably just as annoying to viewers as she was to the hospital staff tbf.

18. The evolution of Jane Doe/Ava/Rebecca.

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We first met Jane Doe when Alex rescued her from a horrific ferry accident. The pair bonded over the course of her treatment and he even helped her pick a new name – Ava. They started to develop feelings for one another and spent the best part of two seasons toying with the idea of taking things to the next level. They eventually gave things a go but their relationship was cut short when Alex realised she suffered from a mental illness and was in need of psychiatric help. The whole storyline felt unnecessarily drawn-out and borderline pointless as their relationship ended so abruptly, and then we never heard of Jane Doe/Ava/Rebecca again. 

Any majorly good or bad storylines from Grey's Anatomy I missed? Let us now in the comments below!