In May 2019, it was announced that Shonda Rhimes’ medical drama Grey’s Anatomy had been renewed for two more seasons. While some sighed out of exhaustion from keeping up with the show (it’s currently on its 16th season!), others squealed with joy. Regardless of what your take might be, there’s no doubt about the fact that Shondaland has managed to keep Grey’s Anatomy fresh and relevant even today. Not only has the cast expanded and renewed over the years (we miss MAGIC, dearly), the show has also managed to weave important social and political themes with its regular dose of drama. Moreover, as a show with a strong, unapologetic female lead, Grey’s has also gotten more diverse and empowering with every passing season.
So, as we gear up for the 16th season, which airs on 26 September, let’s take a look at how the show has managed to stay relevant and distinctive even after 15 long years.
1. Sexual Abuse Through a Female Lens
In one of the most emotionally charged episodes of the season, the makers of Grey’s Anatomy took on the issue of female sexual abuse. More relevant than ever in a post- Weinstein era, the episode is titled ‘Silent All These Years’ and revolves around a patient Abby who undergoes a devastating sexual assault evidence collection process after being assaulted by a man. The hallway scene at the end is perhaps the most emotionally moving bit of the episode.
In another episode, Jo discovers that she herself is a product of rape. This new knowledge affects her in cruel, unprecedented ways. Such perceptive and raw portrayal of sexual abuse through a female perspective is rare but Grey’s Anatomy has managed to bring these difficult conversations to the forefront brilliantly.
2. Domestic Violence
For most part of it, Jo Wilson’s (Camilla Luddington) backstory had been vague with several missing pieces. Until season 15, when she unexpectedly comes face-to-face with her estranged husband Paul. Paul, it is revealed, had been physically abusive with her. To the point that Jo had to run away and take up a new identity to completely escape him. It’s also why she could not legally get married to Alex Karev.
While domestic violence has been explored multiple times on screen, Grey’s Anatomy’s treatment stood out because it explored the issue through the survivor’s lens. When Jo sees Paul with his new partner Jenny, she’s hit by a wave of traumatic memories. And yet, she tries to reach out to Jenny and warn her about Paul’s abusive past and potential future. At no point is Jo’s past trivialised or stolen from her. It’s explored retrospectively and respectfully. The episode is a dive into both domestic violence as well as womanhood.
3. LGBTQ+ Representation
Grey’s Anatomy has always given ample space to the LGBTQ+ community. Even in the early years of its journey, Callie’s bisexuality and her subsequent marriage with Arizona were presented with nuance and sensitivity. Currently, Alex Landi and Jake Borelli’s relationship is exploring homosexuality through a new lens. Most recently though, the medical drama has taken a huge step in changing the way trans characters are portrayed.
In season 15, the character of Casey, who saves the fictional hospital of Grey Sloan Memorial from a hacker attack, reveals to Dr Bailey that he is a trans man. What makes this scene incredibly powerful is that Casey’s character is played by Alex Blue David, who in real life also identifies as trans and was an active part of the scripting process for the episode.
The episode itself is beautifully written. The writers made sure to avoid a typical coming out scene where a trans character’s gender identity often precedes the other aspects of their back story. When Casey says, “I'm a proud trans man, Dr Bailey. I like for people to get to know me before they find out my medical history, " - the message is resounding and clear.
4. Racism And Police Bias
Grey’s Anatomy has always echoed the political atmosphere of the United States. In season 14, one of the episodes tackled the racial bias when it comes to law enforcement in the country. Titled ‘Personal Jesus’, the episode revolves around a 12-year-old black kid who comes to the hospital’s ER after being shot by the police. He later reveals that he was breaking and entering into his own house as he’d forgotten the keys. And when he reached into his pocket to take out his phone, the police shot him. This episode sparked much discourse on the internet.
Even in the episode, it triggered many difficult conversations, like Bailey having to speak to her son. Even April (Sarah Drew) is forced to see the unconscious bias when Jackson Avery (Jesse Williams) opens up about his own experience that is similar to that of Eric.
5. Powerful Female Characters
Grey’s Anatomy has always been a show filled with powerful female characters (who sometimes also double up as fictional role models, if you’re young enough). And as the years have passed, female representation on the show has only gotten stronger. Currently, the fictional hospital in Grey’s Anatomy is run by two strong headed women of colour - Miranda Bailey (Chandra Wilson) and Catherine Avery (Debbie Allen).
With Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo), the medical drama has managed to sideline sexist tropes in many different ways. Meredith is a successful surgeon, single mother of three children, and currently dating someone much younger than her. How often have we seen that reality reflected positively on television?
In the world of Grey’s, women exist as women and not as secondary to men.
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