5. Some Kind of Miracle (Season 3, Episode 17)
‘Some Kind of Miracle’ concluded a three-part mid-season arc which focused on Meredith and her crippling depression, all coming to a head after her accident in the water. The show touchingly approaches her suicidal tendencies and lack of self-worth through an emotional reunion with several of her departed acquaintances, including Dylan (Kyle Chandler) and Denny (Jeffrey Dean Morgan), both of whom make an appearance later on in this list, and even her recently deceased mother, Ellis (Kate Burton), who gives her the love and approval she had always wanted. This episode throws light into our protagonist’s other side, and enabled her character development substantially.
4. Losing My Religion (Season 2, Episode 27)
The episode with arguably the most heart-wrenching scene in all of ‘Grey’s Anatomy, ‘Losing My Religion’ dealt with the brutal conclusion of Izzie and Denny Duquette’s impassioned relationship. Their multilayered bond had been built up beautifully against all odds throughout the second season, and one can never forget the poignant image of Izzie in her red prom dress as she arrives to meet her seemingly cured new fiancee. The chemistry between Meredith and Derek was sizzling, and therefore rightfully criticised, and there were no serious repercussions for any of the interns for medical neglect in Denny’s case. Nevertheless, this episode deserves its spot among the very best of ‘Grey’s Anatomy’, if only for Izzie and Denny.
3. As We Know It (Season 2, Episode 17)
‘As We Know It’ was a definite highpoint in the already astonishing second season of the medical drama. Following a thoroughly unexpected occurrence in the part of a bazooka projectile in a patient, the entire Seattle Grace hospital is in lockdown, with Meredith at the centre of it all, supported by Cristina, Dr. Preston Burke (Isiah Washington), and of course by the riveting bomb squad leader, Dylan Young, played to perfection by Kyle Chandler. With Meredith confronting a definite possibility of pain and loss witnessed firsthand, and with the compelling side plots of Bailey being under labour, helped by Addison and George (T.R. Knight), and Derek operating on Bailey’s husband, this episode is deservedly considered as one of the best episodes of the show.
2. Death and All His Friends (Season 6, Episode 24)
The two-part finale started with ‘Sanctuary’ where a thoroughly aggrieved widower, Gary Clark (Michael O’Neill), effects a merciless shooting spree at the hospital, as retribution for the death of his wife under Derek’s care. The result is a gripping two-hour episode rife with overtones of fear, guilt, and unknowability. It highlighted the acting chops of both Pompeo and Oh, portraying the stress magnificently, and solidified Wilson as a terrific performer too. O’Neill’s turn is among the most accomplished of guest appearances on the show alongside Kyle Chandler, and every bit of praise garnered by this episode has been well and truly deserved.
1. Now or Never (Season 5, Episode 24)
While T.R. Knight’s departure was leaked before the episode aired, Rhimes’ masterful pen took viewers in for a totally serendipitous roller-coaster ride. There was utter heartbreak in seeing the plights of Izzie, who kept forgetting everything in the wake of her surgery, and of course, George, whose departure from the show is right up there with the saddest of them all, despite ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ being infamous for being downright agonising. To have George normally go away to enlist for the Army only to bring him back in the most unexpected way was a masterstroke. Justin Chambers deserves special mention as he came into his own as Alex Karev, as does Meredith and Derek’s winsome Post-it wedding amidst all the misery. ‘Now or Never’ was, and still is, arguably the very best episode that ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ has had to offer.
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