Well, maybe not of all time because who has the time to watch every single series out there, but you get the gist.
Grey’s Anatomy first aired when I was 15 years old. I’m 28 now. I didn’t grow up watching much TV (aka almost none at all), so I didn’t see Grey’s Anatomy for the first time until I was 24 years old, and I was instantly hooked. (Of course I don’t watch it for medical accuracy, before you even ask—I couldn’t care less about that.)
Besides the fact that it was a much-needed escape from my time-consuming Master’s degree, what I loved most about it, and what I still love most about it, is its diverse cast of female characters. These characters are all badass women who rock their jobs and their lives in whatever way they want to, and support each other along the way.
Let’s start with Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo), who the show is centered around (and also my favorite). She is the daughter of the highly respected Ellis Grey, who we will get to later, and is head of general surgery. Throughout the show’s 15 seasons (yep, you read that right, 15!) viewers have seen Meredith grow into a strong, independent woman who is a kickass surgeon and a single mother of three, portraying the importance of, and strength given, by her relationships with her two sisters.
Cristina Yang (Sandra Oh), of course, has to be the second character mentioned, because Cristina is the most independent, feminist character that the show has ever had. From her grounding advice to Meredith (“He’s not the sun, you are”—who could forget that?!) to the fact that she always puts herself as her first priority, above anyone and anything else, Cristina models ambition, individuality, and strength, important principles for young girls who are watching to see.
Another badass character is Miranda Bailey, who (spoiler alert!) eventually becomes chief of the hospital. She is opinionated and knows how to stand up for herself when she is in the right. Viewers also see her character development throughout the series: from a timid student lacking in self-confidence to the strong, independent woman she is today.
And last but not least (because I could literally go on and on), there is Ellis Grey, mother of Meredith and a famous surgeon in her own right. She was one of the first female surgeons, back when only white men were doctors and everyone assumed she was a nurse. She raised Meredith on her own and made a new life for them when she broke up with Meredith’s dad. She is a big role model for Meredith, who thinks of her often and takes her up as an example of how to live her own life and not get stuck in the shadow of Derek’s career.
There are, of course, numerous other characters who deserve to be mentioned: April, who suffered a miscarriage and prioritized herself and her needs over her husband’s; Callie, who demands respect from her family when she comes out as bisexual; Amelia, who struggled with addiction and won’t let her past get the best of her; or Arizona, who comes back stronger than ever after losing a leg. We see all these characters suffer and get stronger and support each other every step of the way. In Grey-Sloan Memorial hospital, all the chiefs are women—Meredith is Chief of General Surgery, Amelia is Chief of Neuro, Maggie is Chief of Cardio, Bailey is the Chief, Callie was the Chief of Ortho, Arizona was the Chief of Pediatrics, and April was the Chief of Trauma. I can’t stress how important/AWESOME it is to see a series that shows us how the world could be if women were given the respect they deserve.
And last but not least, it seems that Grey’s Anatomy gets ripped on a lot, I’m not sure exactly why, but most series don’t age well (at all) and Grey’s Anatomy has not only managed to age well, but has actually done the opposite of that—it’s become even more relevant as time goes on. It’s not scared to bring up current issues in significant ways, be it racism, sexism and the like. Compared to the majority of series that only have a token female or a token minority character, Grey’s Anatomy is way ahead of its time.
Grey’s Anatomy will always have a special place in my heart for showing me how truly badass we women can be. Thank you, Shonda 😉
