Critical response

Grey's Anatomy offers a different and perhaps more valuable idea of what it means to be strong: the capacity to suffer terribly, break down completely, and then get up again, confident that you're bigger than the sum of the tragedies you've suffered—because everyone else is, too. The layers of history have grown pretty dense and rich, and the friendships that form around them as the characters suffer and survive is the glue of the series, and what—despite a few inevitable hit-or-miss patches—elevates it to something special.

—Laura Hudson of Wired^[292]

Grey's Anatomy has been well received among critics. As of August 2023, the show holds an average score of 84% on Rotten Tomatoes.^[293] Emily VanDerWerff of The A.V. Club gave an insight on the series' overwhelming success and the lows, writing that the quality arc is "all over the place". She noted the steady build-up in the first season; the series skyrocketing into a phenomenon in the second season; the gradual dip in season three; and "some seriously bumpy moments" in the fourth season, which was interrupted by the writers' strike. VanDerWerff felt that the "climb begins again in season five".^[294] Samantha Highfill of Entertainment Weekly in a review wrote, "I believe the show's best season to date is season 2. Let me make it clear that I'm not saying seasons 3 through 9 were bad. In my opinion, there have only been a few lulls in the show's history, and most of them didn't last a full season." adding, "I still enjoy the show, and I'll honestly never stop watching. By any standards, Grey's Anatomy has been successful television, ranking highly in the ratings for nine seasons and entering the cultural lexicon via phrases as cloying yet catchy as 'McDreamy', the show has had its periods of being intensely irritating, and it has had its periods when it seems as if Shonda Rhimes has taken leave of her faculties, but it's also got an amazingly high batting average, particularly with every solid season that passes along in this second act of its run." The site lauded the show saying, "On average, it's been very good TV, filled with interesting, driven characters who run the gamut of professions within the show's hospital setting. It's been, by turns, a good soap, a good romantic comedy, a good medical drama, and a good interpersonal show about an unexpected workplace family."^[295]

The first season received positive reviews which steadily built up, with Gary Levin of USA Today calling Grey's Anatomy one of the top shows on television.^[296] The New York Daily News named Grey's Anatomy a "winner", whereas Newsday expressed a positive opinion by stating "You simply can't stop watching." The Washington Post's Tom Shales was critical of season one, finding it reminiscent of ER and commenting that: "The show is much more a matter of commercial calculation than an honest attempt to try something fresh and different."^[297] Shortly after its initial airing, the Chicago Tribune's Maureen Ryan called Grey's Anatomy the new Friends (a concluded National Broadcasting Company (NBC) sitcom following the lives of a group of young adults, that for all of its 10-year run was in the top-5 for viewer ratings).^[113] The second season received high critical acclaim: top critics like Emily VanDerWerff of The A.V. Club called the show a "phenomenon", adding the show was, "one of the best TV shows around", while Samantha Highfill of Entertainment Weekly later during the tenth season called the second "the show's best season to date". However, Kevin Carr of 7M Pictures opined that Grey's Anatomy is a mere combination of Scrubs, ER, Sex and the City and The Love Boat.^[298] It further garnered positive reviews: Christopher Monfette of IGN added "The second season of this medical drama expertly wove its signature elements of complex relationships, whimsical banter and challenging life-lessons; all to a montage-fetish, indie-rock soundtrack."^[299] Todd Gilchrist, also from IGN, called the season "terrific" adding, "Indeed, one of the best currently on television. While it remains to be seen what the creators do with it, now that it's become an outright event program, the season demonstrates that Rhimes and co. know what to do with the opportunities presented them. whether you're male or female, this is the kind of entertainment that small-screen devotees and folks fed up with television need to see."^[300]

The title character of Grey's Anatomy, Meredith, has received both widespread critical acclaim and weary feedback by critics along the course of the show, with the development of the character garnering praise from majority critics. Earlier reactions for Meredith were mixed; in a 2006 review, Alessandra Stanley of The New York Times dubbed to her as "the heroine of Grey's Anatomy".^[302] A reviewer for BuddyTV praised the distinct uniqueness in the character calling Meredith an "unconventional heroine" adding that the character was, "Neither black nor white but always ... wait for it ... many shades of grey. The reviewer and to add that even in her lighter moments, she has still been "dark and twisty."^[303] The sentiment was shared by Glenn Diaz who remarked, "You gotta love Mer when she's gloomy." When Pompeo did not receive a nomination at the 61st Primetime Emmy Awards, for her work as Meredith. Mary McNamara of the Los Angeles Times suggested that Pompeo, "has worked very hard ... to make Meredith Grey an interesting character", and should have received a nomination.^[304] IGN's Monfette, less impressed by the character, criticized her storyline as "some bizarrely under-developed sub-plot about depression and giving Derek a season's worth of reconsidering to do."^[299] Robert Rorke of the New York Post was critical of Meredith's relationship with Derek Shepherd, writing: "She used to be the queen of the romantic dilemmas, but lately, she's been a little dopey, what with the endless 'McDreamy' soliloquies."^[305] The development of the character has received praise from critics. Reviewing the first part of the eighth season, TV Fanatic wrote: "this season belongs to Meredith Grey. She is the heart and soul of the show and has been outstanding. This is a character that used to be so dark and twisty and has now grown into a more mature woman. Ellen Pompeo has been at the top of her game this season." Rick Porter reviewing the episode "How to Save a Life" from the 11th season for Zap2it wrote, "Without Meredith, and without one of Pompeo's strongest performances in her long time on the show, "How to Save a Life" would have run the risk of coming across as a baldly manipulative death episode, the likes of which the show has done several times before. He added "'How to Save a Life" may not be the ideal Emmy-submission episode for Ellen Pompeo, considering Meredith is off screen for more than half of it. But it's among the best work she's ever done on the show."^[306] Janalen Samson of BuddyTV lauded the Meredith's development throughout the series saying, "When one considers how this character has grown over eleven seasons, it really is amazing. Kudos to Ellen Pompeo for her fine work. She's actually done the impossible, because I actually care what happens to Meredith Grey."^[303] Reviewing the season 12 premiere, "Sledgehammer", critics including Alex Hawkins of the Western Gazette again highlighted Pompeo's being due for an Emmy Award.

The majority of the supporting cast of Grey's Anatomy have been well received as well, with the New York Post's Rorke deeming Stevens to be "the heart-and-soul" of Grey's Anatomy, whereas Eyder Peralta of the Houston Chronicle was critical of her character development, stating: "[She's] the reason I don't watch Grey's Anatomy anymore."^[307] Kelli Catana of The Huffington Post named Yang "the best damn character" and deemed "the Grey/Yang relationship the most true friendship on network television."^[308] Television Without Pity writer Lauren Shotwell claimed Yang is "the only one of these five [residents] that regularly acts like an actual doctor". Analyzing Alex Karev, Rachel Simon called him "underrated", and she pointed out that his personal growth never seems to get acknowledged, as "Alex has evolved, slowly and realistically, into a genuinely good person whose faults don't miraculously disappear, but take a backseat to much better qualities."^[309] Robert Bianco of USA Today said Dempsey has a "seemingly effortless way of humanizing Derek's 'dreamy' appeal with ego and vanity".^[310] His friendship with Mark Sloan has been well received. Victor Balta said "they've demonstrated an easy chemistry that makes for some of the great comic relief around Seattle Grace Hospital."^[311] Addison Montgomery was deemed "sassy and bright and interesting."^[312] TV Guide said of Walsh's stint on Grey's Anatomy that she "adds spice to an already hot show."^[313] Callie Torres, after having previously received mixed reviews, was praised for her bisexual storyline. Critics added that the character was anchored by stellar performances by Sara Ramirez. Lexie Grey, having initially been criticized, became a critics' favorite in the series. Alex Keen of The Trades wrote that Lexie's "presence and confidence have increased quite a bit ... and actress, Chyler Leigh, does a fantastic job of making this progression feel seamless. Since the series has defused the tension between Little Grey and Big Grey (aka Meredith), Lexie has clear sailing through the season and steals the show as one of the best current characters on the series."^[314]

With the departure of several cast members throughout the seasons, many new characters have been added to the drama's ensemble. McKidd and Capshaw were referred to as "fresh additions" to the series, by Monfette of IGN.^[315] Matt Roush of TV Guide commented: "Hunt is the most encouraging thing to happen to Grey's Anatomy in quite a while."^[316] Matt Mitovich of TV Guide noted that Robbins "quickly established herself as a fan favorite",^[317] describing her as "a breath of fresh air in the often-angsty halls of Seattle Grace.^[318] On April Kepner and Jackson Avery, Courtney Morrison of TVFanatic wrote, "April has grown since her character was introduced ... she's honest. A girl with principles is a girl you want to do well." He described her and Avery as "a couple for whom viewers can root". Speaking of the new cast members, in addition to the remaining original ones, Robert Bianco from USA Today called them the show's "best ensemble in years".^[319]

Regarding season 3, Bill Carter of The New York Times called Grey's Anatomy "television's hottest show", adding: "[No show] is expected to challenge Grey's Anatomy for prime-time pre-eminence."^[320] Contrasting with Carter's view, Monfette of IGN said that it speedily found itself "mired in the annoying and absurd", adding: "This third season may very well represent a case of over-writing a concept that has, perhaps tragically, run bone-dry on narrative fuel."^[299] At the conclusion of season 3, Entertainment Weekly's Gregory Kirschling said "the show lacked a defining happy, warm-gooseflesh moment", adding that the season "didn't leave you dying for the [next] season premiere".^[321] Speaking of the fourth season, Laura Burrows of IGN said the series became "a little more than mediocre, but less than fantastic", adding: "This season proved that even strong chemistry and good acting cannot save a show that suffers from the inevitable recycled plot."^[322]

In contrast to the moderately negative feedback the third and fourth seasons received, Alan Sepinwall of The Star-Ledger said of the fifth season: "Overall, it feels more like the good old days than Grey's Anatomy has in a long time." Misha Davenport from the Chicago Sun-Times said season 5 "hits on all the things the show does so well", adding: "There is romance, heartbreak, humor and a few moments that will move fans to tears."^[323] Brian Lowry of Variety, less impressed, opinionated that the season 5 displayed the show running out of storylines.^[324] Speaking of the sixth season, Bianco of USA Today wrote: "Grey's has always loved grand gestures. You like them or you don't; the only real question is whether the show pulls them off or it doesn't. This year, it did."^[325]

The series has a score of 66 out of 100 on Metacritic, based on five reviews for season 7.^[326] In response to the season, Bianco from USA Today commented: "Happily, it now seems to have landed on solid ground." Also of the seventh season, Entertainment Weekly's Jennifer Armstrong said: "It's in the shooting's emotional reverberations that the show is regenerating after the past few hit-and-miss seasons," whereas Verne Gay of Newsday commented: "Unfortunately, they've settled on far-too-easy and facile answers for the most part."^[327] HitFix gave a positive review saying that, "season 7 overall has been one of the show's strongest ever." and added, "There was a time when Grey's Anatomy was this show where I suffered through a lot of stuff that made me cringe to get to those genius melodrama moments it could do so well. Over the last couple of years, it's evolved into a show that's much more consistent in tone, where it may not move me as often as it did in the early years but also very rarely makes me question my reasons for watching."^[328] Speaking of season 8, Entertainment Weekly's Mandi Bierly called it a "so-so season",^[329] and Lesley Goldberg of The Hollywood Reporter called it "emotional".^[330] Also acknowledging the fan base, Verne Gay of Newsday wrote "Grey's has had a good season and has an intensely loyal fan base to prove it" regarding the eighth season.^[331]

The ninth season received positive reviews, with Rob Salem of Toronto Star calling it "a solid return to form."^[332] Praising the friendship between Meredith and Cristina of Entertainment Weekly wrote, "There's still one good reason to keep watching: Where else can you find such deep friendships between female co-workers".^[333] The tenth season was also marked with praise, with Annie Barrett for Entertainment Weekly writing "There's true sorrow here along with the passion, which keeps their dynamic so intriguing to me."^[334] Caroline Siede from The A.V. Club wrote in her review for the tenth season "At its best, Grey's Anatomy is about everyday bravery, sacrifice, and courage. At its worst, it's a melodramatic, moralizing soap opera. Both sides are on display as the show heads confidently into its 10th season."^[335] Many sources, including Rachel Simon of Bustle and Nicole Pomarico of Wetpaint, claimed that Sandra Oh's performance during her final season on Grey's Anatomy is worthy of an Emmy nomination.^[336]^[337]

Bryce Olin of Netflix ranked Grey's 9th among the 50 Best TV Shows on Netflix stating, "It's a tough call, but based on Grey's casting choices and revolutionary portrayals of female doctors in the series, I'm willing to argue that Grey's Anatomy is the best medical drama of all time. Obviously, Shonda Rhimes didn't reinvent the wheel with the series, but there's no denying its popularity." adding, "I understand its significance in the pop culture sphere." He also stated that the show could go higher in the ranks with the upcoming season stating, "Apparently, Grey's Anatomy fans are passionate about their show, although it seems like they've been closeted for the last few years. I'd love to move Grey's Anatomy even higher on the ranking, but I'll have wait until the eleventh season comes to Netflix."^[338]^[339]

The show was criticized for its handling of a controversy: the Grey's Anatomy scandal revolved around actor Isaiah Washington using a homophobic slur on set. Mainstream media coverage scapegoated this scandal as "black masculinity for perpetrating homophobia, thus containing both sexual and racial difference in the name of tolerance."^[340]

Critics' top 10 lists

Critics included Grey's Anatomy in top ten lists for five of its 14 seasons; these are listed below in order of rank.

2005^[341]
No. 4 USA Today No. 6 The New York Times No. 7 The Boston Globe No. 9 San Jose Mercury News – Chicago Tribune^[d]

2006^[342]
No. 2 USA Today No. 2 San Jose Mercury News No. 4 TV Guide No. 9 Orlando Sentinel

2007^[343]
No. 6 USA Today

2010^[344]
No. 10 Movieline

2015^[345]
No. 7 NPR

Impact

Grey's Anatomy makes an impact on how people's perception of the world is created.

—Brian Quick, University of Illinois^[346]

Grey's Anatomy has been recognized as a significant cultural phenomenon. Entertainment Weekly's executive editor, Lori Majewski, remarked, "Grey's Anatomy isn't just a show, it's a phenomenon. When [the] final shows air, every place in New York City is empty. You could get a table at the best restaurants."^[347] Similarly, Jace Lacob of The Daily Beast compared its success to that of Friends, calling it a "cultural phenomenon".^[348] Media analyst Steve Sternberg of Magna Global USA explained the show's broad appeal, noting that "roughly 80 percent of households during prime time only have one TV set on. People are looking for shows they can watch with other household members."^[114]

In its early seasons, Grey's Anatomy introduced the trend of "Mc-labeling", beginning with the character Derek Shepherd being dubbed "McDreamy". This trend became so pervasive that The National Post labeled it a "phenomenon".^[349] It was later parodied on shows like ER and Degrassi: The Next Generation.^[350] Mark Lawson of The Guardian credited Grey's Anatomy with popularizing the "songtage", or musical montage segments.^[16] This trend was parodied by Mad TV in 2006, which spoofed the show's emotional moments and musical montages.^[351]

The series has also been praised for redefining what is considered "good" television. The A.V. Club writes, "Since The Sopranos burst onto the scene, we've too often classified a show as 'good' based on how closely it adhered to the dark, violent, male-centric template set out by that particular show. It's time for that to end. At its best, Grey's Anatomy has been among the very best shows on TV, and at its worst, it's been at least fascinating to watch. TV is at its best when it emotionally connects, and even when it seems to be otherwise merrily hurtling off a cliff, Grey's Anatomy is nothing but emotional connection."

The show was ranked No. 66 on Entertainment Weekly's "New TV Classics" list in 2007 and was declared the third-highest rated show on IMDb for the first ten years of the platform (2002–2012).^[352]^[353] The premise of Grey's Anatomy inspired the creation of A corazón abierto, a Colombian adaptation, which in turn spawned a Mexican version of the same name.^[354]^[355]

A study conducted by Brian Quick from the University of Illinois suggested that the show's portrayal of doctors as "smart, good looking, capable, and interesting" led viewers to associate real-world doctors with those traits.^[346] However, Dr. Karen Zink, a surgical resident, deemed the show's portrayal of interns unrealistic, commenting, "None of [the characters] have bags under their eyes. They all leave the hospital dressed cute, with their hair done and makeup on. That is so far away from the reality of interns."^[356]

The show has even had real-world life-saving impacts. In 2011, a woman in Sheboygan, Wisconsin survived an asthma attack after her daughter and a friend performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) they learned from Grey's Anatomy.^[357] In 2017, an Israeli woman saved her husband by performing cardiac massage she learned from the show.^[358] She continued the procedure for 20 minutes until paramedics arrived and transferred the husband to Shaare Zedek Medical Center.

In the 14th season, the episode titled "1-800-799-7233," named after the National Domestic Violence Hotline, was well received by audiences, who used social media to raise awareness about domestic violence and the hotline itself.^[359]

U.S. television ratings

Grey's Anatomy has received high viewership and ratings since its debut. The first 4 seasons of the program each ranked in the top 10 among all viewers, reaching its peak Nielsen ratings in the second season, attracting an average of 19.44 million viewers per episode, and ranking at #5 overall. Following the show's time-slot being relocated, overall rankings steadily declined, dropping below the top 10 in its fifth season. Grey's Anatomy made its greatest fall from its sixth to seventh season, slipping from #16 to #31. The series is on a steady decline in terms of overall viewership and rankings, yet Grey's Anatomy still holds value in charts when numbers are pulled from the digital video recorder (DVR). It was the most recorded show between 2007 and 2011, based on cumulative totals, and has been for several years in a row.^[360]

The most-watched episode of the series is "It's the End of the World", with 37.88 million viewers, aided by a lead-in from Super Bowl XL.^[361] Grey's Anatomy was the most expensive program on television in the 2007–08 season measured by advertising revenue, with earnings of US$400,000 per 30 seconds.^[362] The show was named the fourth (behind Desperate Housewives, Two and a Half Men, and American Idol),^[363] and the fifth-highest (behind Glee, Two and a Half Men, The X Factor and American Idol) revenue-earning show, with the earnings of US$2.67 million and US$2.75 million per half hour in 2011 and 2012 respectively.^[364] While Grey's Anatomy is no longer ranked in the top numbers for overall ratings, the show's ranking in the key 18–49 demographic has remained high. As of season 8, the series is the highest-rated drama on television in the target demographic.^[365] In 2016, a New York Times study of the 50 TV shows with the most Facebook Likes found that Grey's Anatomy was "most popular in a swath of the middle of the country, particularly in areas with a lower percentage of college graduates".^[366]

Below is a table of Grey's Anatomy's seasonal rankings in the U.S. television market, based on average total viewers per episode. Each U.S. network television season starts in September and ends in late May, which coincides with the completion of May sweeps.

More information Season, Timeslot (ET) ...

Viewership and ratings per season of *Grey's Anatomy*
Season	Timeslot (ET)	Episodes	First aired		Last aired		TV season	Viewership rank	Avg. viewers (millions)	18–49 rank
Season	Timeslot (ET)	Episodes	Date	Viewers (millions)	Date	Viewers (millions)	TV season	Viewership rank	Avg. viewers (millions)	18–49 rank
1	Sunday 10:00 p.m.	9	March 27, 2005 (2005-03-27)	16.25^[367]	May 22, 2005 (2005-05-22)	22.22^[368]	2004–05	9^[369]	18.46^[369]	5^[370]
2	Sunday 10:00 p.m. (1–25) Monday 9:00 p.m. (26–27)	27	September 25, 2005 (2005-09-25)	18.98^[371]	May 15, 2006 (2006-05-15)	22.50^[372]	2005–06	5^[373]	19.44^[373]	4^[374]
3	Thursday 9:00 p.m.	25	September 21, 2006 (2006-09-21)	25.41^[375]	May 17, 2007 (2007-05-17)	22.57^[376]	2006–07	8^[377]	19.17^[377]	3^[378]
4		17	September 27, 2007 (2007-09-27)	20.93^[379]	May 22, 2008 (2008-05-22)	18.09^[380]	2007–08	10^[381]	15.92^[381]	3^[382]
5		24	September 25, 2008 (2008-09-25)	18.29^[383]	May 14, 2009 (2009-05-14)	17.12^[384]	2008–09	12^[385]	14.52^[385]	3^[386]
6		24	September 24, 2009 (2009-09-24)	17.03^[387]	May 20, 2010 (2010-05-20)	16.13^[388]	2009–10	16^[389]	13.55^[389]	6^[390]
7		22	September 23, 2010 (2010-09-23)	14.32^[391]	May 19, 2011 (2011-05-19)	9.89^[392]	2010–11	31^[393]	11.41^[393]	9^[394]
8		24	September 22, 2011 (2011-09-22)	10.38^[395]	May 17, 2012 (2012-05-17)	11.44^[396]	2011–12	32^[397]	10.92^[397]	10^[398]
9		24	September 27, 2012 (2012-09-27)	11.73^[399]	May 16, 2013 (2013-05-16)	8.99^[400]	2012–13	26^[401]	11.07^[401]	10^[401]
10		24	September 26, 2013 (2013-09-26)	9.27^[402]	May 15, 2014 (2014-05-15)	8.92^[403]	2013–14	15^[404]	12.12^[404]	5^[404]
11	Thursday 8:00 p.m.	25	September 25, 2014 (2014-09-25)	9.81^[405]	May 14, 2015 (2015-05-14)	8.33^[406]	2014–15	31^[407]	11.57^[407]	13^[407]
12		24	September 24, 2015 (2015-09-24)	9.55^[408]	May 19, 2016 (2016-05-19)	8.19^[409]	2015–16	21^[410]	11.20^[410]	8^[410]
13		24	September 22, 2016 (2016-09-22)	8.75^[411]	May 18, 2017 (2017-05-18)	7.92^[412]	2016–17	19^[413]	10.88^[413]	9^[413]
14		24	September 28, 2017 (2017-09-28)	8.07^[414]	May 17, 2018 (2018-05-17)	7.60^[415]	2017–18	20^[416]	10.83^[416]	11^[416]
15		25	September 27, 2018 (2018-09-27)	6.81^[417]	May 16, 2019 (2019-05-16)	5.99^[418]	2018–19	27^[419]	9.87^[419]	8^[419]
16	Thursday 8:00 p.m. (1–9) Thursday 9:00 p.m. (10–21)	21	September 26, 2019 (2019-09-26)	6.51^[420]	April 9, 2020 (2020-04-09)	7.33^[421]	2019–20	22^[422]	9.39^[422]	6^[422]
17	Thursday 9:00 p.m.	17	November 12, 2020 (2020-11-12)	5.93^[423]	June 3, 2021 (2021-06-03)	4.76^[424]	2020–21	19^[425]	8.16^[425]	5^[425]
18		20	September 30, 2021 (2021-09-30)	4.77^[426]	May 26, 2022 (2022-05-26)	4.19^[427]	2021–22	34^[428]	6.42^[428]	8^[428]
19		20	October 6, 2022 (2022-10-06)	3.80^[429]	May 11, 2023 (2023-05-11)	3.02^[430]	2022–23	42^[431]	5.21^[431]	16^[431]
20		10	March 14, 2024 (2024-03-14)	3.62^[432]	May 30, 2024 (2024-05-30)	3.48^[433]	2023–24	42^[434]	4.90^[434]	14^[434]
21	Thursday 10:00 p.m.	18	September 26, 2024 (2024-09-26)	2.70^[435]	TBA	TBD	2024–25	TBD	TBD	TBD

Close

Accolades

Grey's Anatomy has received numerous awards and nominations since its inception. The show has been nominated for 39 Primetime Emmy Awards, having been nominated for at least one every year until 2013.^[194] At the 57th Primetime Emmy Awards in 2005, Oh was nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series, which she went on to be nominated for every year until 2009, and Horton was nominated for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series.^[194] The following year, at the 58th Primetime Emmy Awards, the series received a nomination for Outstanding Drama Series, which they were nominated for again in 2007.^[194] Also in 2006, Wilson was nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series, which she went on to be nominated for every year until 2009, and Kyle Chandler was nominated for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series.^[194] The 58th ceremony also honored Rhimes and Vernoff, who were both nominated for Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series.^[194] Rhimes, whose career kicked off in 1995, has since produced yet another ABC series, Scandal, which began on air in 2012 and ended in 2019. Beginning in 2005, Rhimes has been continually nominated for numerous awards, including 3 Emmy Awards: first in 2006 for a dramatic series and a separate nomination for writing a dramatic series, followed by a third nomination in 2007 for a dramatic series.^[194]

In 2007, at the 59th Primetime Emmy Awards, Heigl won the award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series, while Knight was nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series.^[194] Numerous guest actresses have been nominated for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series, including Burton in 2006 and 2007, Christina Ricci in 2006, Reaser in 2007, Diahann Carroll in 2008, and Sharon Lawrence in 2009, but the only actress to have won the award is Devine in 2011, who was nominated again in 2012.^[194] The show has also been nominated for 13 Creative Arts Emmy Awards, having won 3 of them: Outstanding Casting for a Drama Series, Outstanding Makeup for a Single-Camera Series (Non-Prosthetic), and Outstanding Prosthetic Makeup for a Series, Miniseries, Movie or a Special.^[194]

The show has received 10 Golden Globe Award nominations since its premiere. At the 63rd Golden Globe Awards, in 2006, the series was nominated for Best Drama Series,^[436] Dempsey was nominated for Best Actor in a Drama Series,^[436] which he was nominated for again in 2007,^[437] and Oh won the award for Best Supporting Actress in a Series, Miniseries, or Television Film.^[438] The following year, at the 64th Golden Globe Awards, in 2007, Pompeo was nominated for Best Actress in a Drama Series,^[437] and the show won Best Drama Series.^[439] At the 65th Golden Globe Awards, in 2008, Heigl was nominated for Best Supporting Actress in a Series, Miniseries, or Television Film,^[440] while the series in whole was nominated for Best Drama Series.^[440]

The series has won People's Choice Awards for Best Drama 5 times in 2007, 2013, 2015, 2016 and 2017 and has been nominated for several other People's Choice Awards, with nominations received by Oh^[441] as well as multiple wins from Dempsey,^[442] Pompeo winning in recent years 2013 and 2015,^[443]^[444] Heigl,^[442] Wilson,^[442] Demi Lovato,^[441] for guest starring, and the drama in whole for Favorite TV Drama.^[445] In 2007, Rhimes and the female cast were the recipient of the Women in Film Lucy Award, in recognition of the excellence and innovation in the show as a creative work that has enhanced the perception of women through the medium of television.^[446] The series has been honored with numerous NAACP Image Award nominations, many having been won, including 5 awards for Outstanding Drama Series.^[447] Grey's Anatomy has also received several Screen Actors Guild Awards, with nominations received by Dempsey, as well as wins from Oh,^[448] Wilson,^[449] and the main cast for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series.^[449] The series won a GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Drama Series in 2012, and has received nominations for 8 consecutive years from 2010 to 2017, 2019, 2022, 2023, 2024.^[450]