‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Has Always Been More Than a Guilty Pleasure

The television industry has changed an astronomical amount since 2005, but one of the few constants has been the unstoppable force that is Grey’s Anatomy. For 20 seasons, the show has been one of TV’s biggest hits and, for just as long, diminished for its outstanding achievements.

It’s easy to forget that Grey’s Anatomy began its run with Emmy nominations aplenty and has served as a titan of the television industry. Long before the show became easy fodder for Redditors to scoff at, it revitalized the primetime soap opera, providing a last gasp for watercooler network TV. It’s almost too good at the craft, making its two-decade run seem effortless. But it’s actually incredible.

Grey’s Anatomy is both a primetime soap opera and a procedural, two genres that rarely receive esteem and are often criticized for predictable redundancy. But it’s a mistake to classify Grey’s in the same space as Chicago Med or NCIS. There’s nothing wrong with a good procedural, but the truth is, when the lights go off for the Chicago franchise that will be the end. Grey’s Anatomy’s legacy will long survive its run, made immensely clear by the fact that, 20 years in, the show’s peak still runs circles around its peers.

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