Grey’s Anatomy is known for being the longest-running medical drama on television, with over 420 episodes to date. With the recent premiere of the series’ 21st season, let’s take a look back at Season 20 of the Shonda Rhimes hit series. Unfortunately for fans of the medical drama, the 20th season was cut short as a result of the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes of 2023-2024, making Season 20 only ten episodes long. With only ten episodes, the series saw its shortest season since Season 1, which had only nine episodes.
Season 20 was also the first season since the departure of series regular cast member Kelly McCreary. Before her departure, McCreary had appeared on the show since Season 11. Although it was recently announced that she would be stepping back from the series, lead Ellen Pompeo appeared in five of the ten episodes of Season 20 as the iconic Dr. Meredith Grey. So, did these casting changes shake up the show’s 20th season?
10.“Blood, Sweat, and Tears”
Season 20, Episode 8
As far as Grey’s goes, Season 20, Episode 8, was fairly unmemorable overall and featured no significant new plot developments. In the episode, Owen and Teddy treated a civilian on their day off, and the interns were allowed back into the operating room. Pretty par for the course for Grey’s Anatomy, right?
While the addition of fresh faces and new interns every few seasons is one way Grey’s Anatomy has managed to keep evolving over the years, several of the interns’ storylines have gotten old throughout twenty seasons. In Season 20, in particular, it seems the show dealt with a lot of recycled premises and a lack of innovation in terms of plot. Unfortunately, the interns are the ones most affected by this laziness, as their characters are newer and, therefore, harder for audiences to care about. Audiences haven’t invested as much time in these characters as they have with other longer-running cast members, so several of the intern-centric episodes of this season fell just a little bit flat.
9.“The Marathon Continues”
Season 20, Episode 6
In Episode 6 of Season 20, the doctors treat a patient from a nearby penitentiary. Overall, this storyline, too, feels dull and like something the show has done several times already. Audiences have seen this plotline before. For example, Grey’s Anatomy already covered this in Season 13, Episode 10, when the doctors are called in to treat a pregnant inmate.
Or back in Season 5, when two of Grey’s best doctors, Meredith and Cristina, treated a prisoner on death row.
Overall, the episode is also fairly unmemorable and begs the question: after 20 seasons, is the show reusing old storylines? With the repetitiveness of certain cases, it seems the medical drama might be grasping at straws. The recycling of certain plot points makes Grey’s Anatomy a little tedious for viewers. If every episode is the same, audiences will continue to get bored, making it harder for the show to maintain its longevity.
8.“Keep the Family Close”
Season 20, Episode 2
Grey’s Anatomy is no stranger to love triangles and scandalous romantic pairings, and half the show’s focus has often been the romantic relationships between different Grey’s Anatomy characters. In this episode, Amelia, who has a history with Link, reveals to Jo that she knows about her relationship with Link. In other romance news, Simone and Lucas pull away from one another.
Additionally, when Amelia discovers a complex spinal injury in a pregnant patient, several of the doctors come together to save both mother and baby. The episode’s case was another one that was reminiscent of earlier seasons. For example, it is similar to the conjoined twins case of Season 8 or the inoperable spinal tumor of Season 6. If audiences recall, Season 6 was when Derek removed a tumor from one of the hospital’s lab techs. Again, if they are to continue the show’s longevity, it might be time for Grey’s Anatomy to think up some new storylines.
7.“She Used to Be Mine”
Season 20, Episode 7
In “She Used to Be Mine,” Simone relates a little too closely to one of her and Jo’s patients, causing the case to become complicated for her. This episode highlights the importance of advocating for oneself in the medical field. This holds particularly true for women because they are often the ones whose major health issues are overlooked.
In this episode, one pregnant woman almost pays that price with her life. The patient nearly dies as a result of something the doctors missed. The episode serves as a reminder of the importance of personal advocacy in patient care and is an excellent representation for those who feel like their voices aren’t being heard. This last sentiment is something Shondaland has become known for over the years, and it was nice to see that reflected in this episode.
6.“I Carry Your Heart”
Season 20, Episode 9
In Episode 9, many of the overarching, season-long storylines reach a critical point. Teddy encourages Meredith and Amelia to speed up their research after they begin to worry that Catherine might find out what they have been up to. Jo and Link try to navigate a new relationship hurdle, and the rest of the doctors treat patients, yada yada yada.
The predecessor to the season finale, it feels as if most of Episode 9’s purpose is to set up the plot for the next episode when things will really come to a head. The entire episode feels like a giant lead-up to episode 10 and, overall, feels like more of a filler episode. Although not the worst episode of the season, there doesn’t seem to be anything special about this one.
5.“Walk on the Ocean”
Season 20, Episode 3
In “Walk on the Ocean,” Meredith and Amelia struggle to secure funding for their Alzheimer’s research due to their connections to Catherine. Once again, in true Grey’s Anatomy fashion, the doctors let their personal issues spill over into their work. In this episode, Lucas and Mika have a falling out, and Levi runs into ex-boyfriend Niko.
Overall, this episode is pretty run-of-the-mill for Grey’s. Not a lot happens in terms of the story, so this episode is nothing to write home about. A similar formula to other episodes, this one sits at the middle of the pack in terms of rankings.
4.“Never Felt So Alone”
Season 20, Episode 5
In Season 20, Episode 5, numerous medical professionals are injured when there is an accident at a White Coat party. Several of the interns’ relationships become complicated, particularly Simone and Lucas. Although the rest of the episode is a little underwhelming, Episode 5 serves as a callback to what Grey’s Anatomy does best: relationship drama. I mean, who doesn’t remember the iconic Meredith-Derek-Addison love triangle?
Elsewhere in the episode, Meredith faces struggles as a parent when one of her children is hospitalized, causing her to take it out on Nick. Furthermore, Jo and Link have a pregnancy scare, which forces them to consider their future together. A key foundational aspect to the success of Grey’s Anatomy was the steamy relationships and interpersonal conflicts, so it’s nice to see Shondaland returning to its roots with this episode.
3.“We’ve Only Just Begun”
Season 20, Episode 1
In the Season 20 premiere, the doctors of Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital are dealing with the fallout from the previous season. When the episode kicks off, Meredith’s job hangs in the balance after Catherine threatens to fire her for publishing some of her Alzheimer’s research without approval. Bailey became chief of the Residency Program, a position previously held by Dr. Webber.
The season premiere solidifies itself as an important episode as it helps set up the overarching storylines of the 20th season. For example, Episode 1 sets up a seemingly season-long arc of Meredith in a battle of hospital politics. This provides audiences with at least one central plot point of the overall season: Meredith and Catherine in a power struggle regarding Meredith’s research.
2.“Baby Can I Hold You”
Season 20, Episode 4
The fourth episode of Season 20 saw the return of the fan-favorite character, Dr. Arizona Robbins (Jessica Capshaw). Arizona initially departed the series alongside April Kepner back in the 14th season. In her latest Grey’s Anatomy appearance, Arizona works with Jo and Bailey to perform an experimental surgery on a pregnant patient with a brain abnormality.
In other Grey’s news, Teddy is still reeling from her health scare and struggles to return to work at the hospital. Furthermore, the interns face repercussions for their actions. In terms of Grey’s Anatomy, the rest of the episode is relatively unremarkable. However, the exciting appearance of Dr. Robbins surely puts this episode at the top of this list.
1.“Burn It Down”
Season 20, Episode 10
In the world of Grey’s Anatomy, season finales are known for being explosive and shocking. Therefore, it is only fitting to rank this episode first. The Season 20 finale, titled “Burn It Down,” followed a hopeful Meredith as she received promising results for her groundbreaking Alzheimer’s research. When Meredith goes against Catherine’s wishes and publishes the results of her research to the public, Catherine retaliates by firing Amelia, Owen, and Teddy from the hospital. All this conflict leaves the series off on one of those classic Shonda Rhimes cliffhangers.
Also, in the episode, Jo discovers she is pregnant, and Richard contemplates finally retiring from surgery. Richard’s retirement would be a major loss for Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital, as Dr. Webber has been a constant fixture in the series since the pilot episode. Alas, all these storylines help to build the suspense and anticipation of the following season, which aired its first episode on September 26, 2024.
