Grey’s Anatomy is one of the most beloved and longest-running TV shows created by Shonda Rhimes. The show’s 20th season recently dropped, and it’s hard not to appreciate the elements that endured throughout the show’s nearly two-decade run.
In 2005, Grey’s Anatomy aired as a medical drama that could compete with other shows like ER. The show quickly shot into the spotlight and became a fan favorite because of its masterful blend of medicine and the human experience. While Grey’s highlights surgery and medical research, much of the focus belongs to the characters. As such, there’s a never-ending stream of romances for fans to love. But one of them existed at the beginning.
Season 1 Introduced MerDer
Notable Episodes: All 9
The very first episode of Grey’s Anatomy introduced protagonist Meredith Grey as she wakes up in her living room following a drunken one-night stand. Considering it’s her first day of work, and she’s late, she rushes to get dressed, accidentally waking up her male companion, who introduces himself as Derek. Meredith expected him to leave the house and likely hoped they’d never cross paths again. But during her first day as a surgical resident, she discovers that Derek, or neurosurgeon Dr. Derek Shepherd works in the same hospital and is her boss.
Across the next few episodes, Meredith tries to keep their relationship strictly professional, but that doesn’t work out well for her. Among secret rendezvous in the hospital’s elevators and stairwells, the two resume their relationship and start casually dating. Everything seems fine, especially as Meredith confides in Derek about her mother’s health issues. But at the end of the season, a gorgeous redheaded woman shows up at Seattle Grace Hospital, introduces herself as Addison Shepherd, and drops a bomb with the line, “And you must be the woman who’s been screwing my husband.”
Season 2 Made Meredith the Third Wheel
Notable Episodes: 1, 4, 5, 6, 9, 14, 18, 20, and 27
Considering Season 1 of Grey’s Anatomy ended with the revelation that Derek was married during his and Meredith’s entire relationship, it’s unsurprising that Meredith wanted nothing to do with him as she didn’t want to be a homewrecker. Even though Addison intended to stay in Seattle, Meredith was willing to give Derek and their relationship another chance once she learned they were approaching a divorce. It didn’t take long for her to change her mind as Derek started having second thoughts about ending his marriage.
Derek’s apprehension hurt Meredith deeply as she realized she was in love with him. So, in Season 2’s fifth episode, Meredith corners him in the scrub room and delivers the now-iconic “Pick me, choose me, love me” line. He chooses Addison, but he basically strings Meredith along for the ride. A few episodes after Derek breaks Meredith’s heart, she rescues a dog, Doc, and tries to move on with her life. Unfortunately, Doc keeps her tethered to Addison and Derek as she surrenders her beloved pup to the couple. Meredith and Derek decide to attempt a friendship while practically co-parenting their dog. But, when Meredith begins a romance with their vet, Finn, their relationship returns to its strained default. Grey’s Season 2 ends with Seattle Grace’s prom night, Meredith and Derek putting down Doc, and finally, Meredith and Derek hooking up in an exam room.
Season 3 Finally Gives MerDer a Break
Early in Grey’s Anatomy Season 3, Meredith decides she won’t choose between her suitors. Instead, she has both Finn and Derek court her for a couple of episodes before ultimately breaking things off with Finn shortly before the Shepherds finalize their divorce. Meredith and Derek started their relationship back up soon after their respective breakups, and it lasted for most of the season.
In the season’s 16th episode, Meredith falls into the water at the scene of a ferry boat crash, and Derek saves her from drowning, but on the same day, her mom dies. As such, she was dealing with some internal issues, especially given her father’s reappearance in her life. So it’s not horribly surprising that they broke up at the end of Season 3. They simply wanted different things, as he wanted to settle down, but she wasn’t ready.
Season 4 Raised the Stakes for Meredith
Notable Episodes: 2, 7, 10, 11, and 17
Grey’s Anatomy Season 4 opens around three weeks after MerDer’s Season 3 breakup. The duo doesn’t stay broken up for long, though, as the second episode features Meredith proposing a casual, no-strings relationship to combat the awkwardness at work. Unfortunately, during their casual fling, Derek begins seeing a Seattle Grace scrub nurse named Rose, which ends with Meredith finding out and ending things.
While Derek dates Rose, Meredith realizes she wants to spend the rest of her life with Derek. She’s ready to take the next step with him. So, in the season’s seventeenth episode, she makes a grand gesture on his plot of land. In the general spot where Derek wanted to build their house, Meredith created a house of candles to celebrate their latest success in the OR. The gesture showed Derek and the audience that Meredith was willing to work things out with Derek and move toward a future with him in it.
