Series / Features
A Great Success For 22 Seasons, With Over 3 Billion Hours Watched; How The Creator Got The Idea
Grey's Anatomy emerged from Shonda Rhimes' personal experiences and has become a cultural phenomenon.
For twenty years, Grey's Anatomy has remained a staple on television, but the origins of the series are surprisingly personal. Creator Shonda Rhimes shared on the podcast Call Her Daddy how the idea came about during a time when she barely left her house. "When I had a baby, I stayed home and started watching a lot of television," she said. This led to her first major project and to one of the longest-running dramas in history.
Rhimes became fascinated by popular shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer and developed the ambition to create something for television herself. Her agents were shocked when she expressed her desire to take that step. "They were terrified," Rhimes recalls. Nevertheless, she found support at ABC, where then-CEO Bob Iger was looking for a medical drama. The rest is history: Grey's Anatomy has become a global phenomenon.
The original concept focused on young doctors in training learning their craft in a hectic hospital environment. Rhimes, who initially even considered studying medicine herself, decided instead to write a script that combined the medical world with human stories of ambition, fear, and desire. The first episode aired in 2005 and immediately attracted millions of viewers.
Despite the departure of many main characters, the series has endured. Ellen Pompeo, who plays Meredith Grey, is only seen sparingly in the 22nd season, while James Pickens Jr. (Richard Webber) and Chandra Wilson (Miranda Bailey) remain prominent faces. The loyalty of the audience is remarkable, even as the format has persisted for nearly two decades.
Rhimes emphasized that the end is not in sight. She stated that the hospital setting offers endless new stories and moral dilemmas. Grey's Anatomy is thus not only a series but also a television era in its own right; born from a simple idea that originated in a living room.[/b]
Rhimes became fascinated by popular shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer and developed the ambition to create something for television herself. Her agents were shocked when she expressed her desire to take that step. "They were terrified," Rhimes recalls. Nevertheless, she found support at ABC, where then-CEO Bob Iger was looking for a medical drama. The rest is history: Grey's Anatomy has become a global phenomenon.
From Idea To Institution
The original concept focused on young doctors in training learning their craft in a hectic hospital environment. Rhimes, who initially even considered studying medicine herself, decided instead to write a script that combined the medical world with human stories of ambition, fear, and desire. The first episode aired in 2005 and immediately attracted millions of viewers.
Despite the departure of many main characters, the series has endured. Ellen Pompeo, who plays Meredith Grey, is only seen sparingly in the 22nd season, while James Pickens Jr. (Richard Webber) and Chandra Wilson (Miranda Bailey) remain prominent faces. The loyalty of the audience is remarkable, even as the format has persisted for nearly two decades.
Far From Over
Rhimes emphasized that the end is not in sight. She stated that the hospital setting offers endless new stories and moral dilemmas. Grey's Anatomy is thus not only a series but also a television era in its own right; born from a simple idea that originated in a living room.[/b]
