While we still love the medical drama that has become synonymous with modern American culture, there was just nothing like the old Grey’s Anatomy. Do you remember when there was still a theme song to bop to at the start of every episode? And who can forget when everyone in our favorite OG squad was still a wide-eyed intern, and Meredith was just one giant mess?
Most of us have probably never seen Grey’s during its peak in the mid-2000s — hell, I just started watching it six years ago — but even then, there’s always a sense of nostalgia remembering the time when we were first getting sucked into the world of Seattle Grace.
Yes, we love our Maggie’s and Deluca’s, but it’s a different level of excitement when we see George O’Malley and Cristina Yang on our screens (Izzy on the other hand… not so much).
Let’s take a trip down memory lane as we recount some of the top moments in the first five seasons of the old Grey’s Anatomy. We won’t be spoiling anything until the fifth season, so if you’re still trying to finish all 16 seasons like us, you’re safe!
Memorable quote: “It’s over. You can all go home now, it’s over… so over.”
Why we love it: First of all, Sandra Oh.
Second, we had always seen Cristina as “the strong determined one” up to this point in the series. With the way she was so passionate about medicine, it was a miracle that she even found herself in a relationship with Burke. So when he left her in their wedding, it was the first time where we really saw Cristina experience heartbreak about something that wasn’t related to her career.
And the fact that Meredith managed to announce that the wedding was off and that her relationship with Derek was over all in the same breath was a savage bonus. Of course, hearing Ingrid Michaelson’s Keep Breathing play as Cristina pathetically tries to take off her wedding dress is just the heartbreaking cherry on top.
Memorable quote: “Hi, I’m Addison Shepherd. And you must be the woman who’s been screwing my husband.”
Why we love it: This was a hell of a way to introduce a character that we didn’t know we were going to love only after a few episodes. Addison shows up like a hurricane out to destroy the almost-too-perfect relationship between Meredith and Derek.
If you didn’t think the show was soapy enough in its first season, the writers slap you silly with everyone’s favorite “he has a secret wife” trope. With just one sentence, she stole the spotlight and dashed the fantasies of the viewers who thought Derek was the most perfect man to exist.
But thankfully, the show manages to subvert all our expectations with Addison. We all thought she would be a villain, but she manages to win over our hearts to the point where she even got her own spin-off. Who would have thought?
Memorable quote: “I was swimming. I was fighting. And then I thought, just for a second, I thought ‘what’s the point?’. And then I let go… I stopped fighting. Don’t tell anybody.”
Why we love it: Where do we even begin with this crazy three-episode arc? After watching fourteen seasons of Grey’s, I can honestly say that Meredith giving up the fight to stay alive is her darkest and twistiest moment ever. And when you see what she’s been through later on… whew, that’s saying a lot.
There was just something sad and morbid seeing Meredith attempt to drown herself in the bathtub before the real drowning situation in the ocean. Homegirl’s been through a lot at this point.
Watching her try to come up for air, then finding peace in losing consciousness, and then realizing that she actually wants to stay alive was just a heartbreaking rollercoaster. For me, this scene perfectly encapsulates the old Grey’s Anatomy: Meredith fighting her demons, the hospital coming together as one, and everyone crying their hearts out.
Memorable quote: “Cristina, I have my hand on a bomb. I’m freaking out. And most importantly, I really have to pee.”
Why we love it: This one is really more of a fun iconic moment because it didn’t really lead to anything super important afterwards. This was the climax of a two-episode arc that started right after the Super Bowl aired, so you knew the writers wanted this one to be a huge spectacle.
And what a spectacle it was!
It was just one of those old Grey’s Anatomy moments that makes you think, “that’s so Meredith Grey!” Of course, she would be the one to put herself in a high-risk situation that inevitably ends with a bomb exploding in front of her face. What followed this scene was a pretty memorable shower scene with Cristina, Meredith, and Izzy, which is not as sexy as it sounded in George’s imagination.
Memorable quote: “We can be extraordinary together rather than ordinary apart.”
Why we love it: It took us a long while to get to the finish line with Meredith and Derek, but when we got there, boy was it a glorious moment. It was satisfying as a viewer to finally get a happy resolution after the past seasons ended with a jaw drop or plain sadness. While it may have been underwhelming to those of us who enjoy a good cliffhanger, it was the pay-off that we were all looking forward to.
Seeing Meredith draw out a floor plan of their future house with candles is just the sappiest thing a girl can do. But then again, are we surprised with this behavior from a girl who basically begged him to pick her over his wife?
Memorable quote: “It’s George, it’s George. John Doe is George!”
Why we love it: I don’t know if I was the only stupid viewer who did not see this twist coming, but this reveal just upped the ante of an already intense and high-stakes finale. I fooled myself into thinking it was going to be Izzy who was saying bye-bye to the real world. Then lo and behold: a plot twist!
The lesson I learned from this is that Shonda Rhimes is still able to pull out something out of her hat even if you had watched her other shows. We just can’t prepare ourselves for what’s cooking up in her mind.
Even if George wasn’t present throughout the episode, it never felt like he was truly gone. Which is why the shock factor was just through the roof when the John Doe who saved a woman from a bus accident wrote “007” on Meredith’s palm. Follow this up with a tight squeeze on Meredith’s hand as the realization dawns on her that it’s George.
Ellen Pompeo’s acting in this scene is just flawless, and you can’t help but shout at the television as she runs to tell everyone John Doe’s true identity. Whether or not you saw it coming, I’m sure there were tears shed… and they were all done with your mouths wide open. Then the episode ends in one of the cruelest ways: George and Izzy meeting in the afterlife elevator.
To me, George’s death is the most important moment of the first five seasons of the series because it truly marked the end of the old Grey’s Anatomy. Without him, (and Izzy), it was never the same show anymore. I mean, who wasn’t rooting for him?
Trust me when I say there are a lot of iconic moments in the first era of Grey’s. I had the most difficult time squeezing it down to six, but I said screw it, I’ll just make a part two! I’m sorry in advance for not including so many more scenes.
It just goes to show you that this show was really something else during its early days, and it sucks that most of us were probably not old enough to realize it back then.
What do you think about our list? What iconic scenes in the old Grey’s Anatomy are still replaying in your mind? Let us know in the comments below!
Grey’s never really got past second gear until after the first season. Read our list of legendary television shows that had awful first seasons. Don’t miss out on anything by following us @ZoomersCornerPH on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
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