Grey’s Anatomy has been beloved by TV fans for the better part of two decades, and when you think back to the MAGIC days of Meredith, Alex, George, Izzie and Cristina, it’s hard to believe how many traumas, romances, medical miracles and natural disasters we’ve witnessed. It’s tempting to want to go back and rewatch all of Grey’s Anatomy’s heart-pumping drama — especially with all 19 seasons readily available to stream with a Netflix subscription — but with 420 episodes so far, that’s a pretty massive undertaking. We’re here to help by giving you the best starting points from all of the best eras of the Shonda Rhimes drama.
Now, if those early days of Meredith and McDreamy, 007, and Cristina’s bad-assery are what you’re craving, by all means, hit play on Season 1’s “A Hard Day’s Night” and ride that wave through nearly two decades of episodes. However, if you’re more interested in a specific period of time — or a specific character — allow me to suggest these other episodes as good places to jump in. (I tried to keep the SPOILERS to a minimum, but reader beware if you’re new to the series.)
The Denny Duquette Era (Season 2, Episode 13)
We’re 19 seasons into this medical drama, and Jeffrey Dean Morgan’s appearance in Season 2 quite possibly still stands as the best guest-starring role the show has ever seen. Morgan played Denny Duquette, a heart patient with charisma to spare, who had an immediate and undeniable mutual attraction with Katherine Heigl’s Izzie Stevens. If you want to relive the rollercoaster of their complicated relationship, start with “Begin the Begin” in the second season.
Meredith And Derek Get Together For Good (Season 5, Episode 19)
Ellen Pompeo’s Meredith Grey and Patrick Dempsey’s Derek Shepherd kicked off the series with a bang — literally — engaging in a one-night stand just hours before he was revealed to be an attending surgeon at her new job. However, it was quite a while before this on-off couple was finally fully “on.” The way Derek treated Meredith in some of those earlier episodes was far from McDreamy, so if you want to skip the “Oh yeah, I’m still married,” of it all and get straight to prime MerDer territory, fire the series up at Season 5’s “Elevator Love Letter.”
The Mercy West Era (Season 6, Episode 5)
The first time Grey’s Anatomy added a new batch of doctors came in Season 6, when Seattle Grace merged with Mercy West Medical Center amid a tough economic climate. Season 6’s “Invasion” introduced fans to Jackson Avery, April Kepner, Reed Adamson, Charles Percy, and while I won’t spoil the fates of Nora Zehetner and Robert Baker’s characters (IYKYK), fans of a certain would-be couple undoubtedly would want to start watching here, or skip a couple of seasons forward to …
Japril: The Beginning (Season 8, Episode 21)
When they were introduced in Season 6, nobody knew that Jackson (Jesse Williams) and April (Sarah Drew) would go on to become one of the most adored couples in Grey’s Anatomy history. The ups and downs of their relationship — from the most romantic wedding interruption ever to the devastating death of their baby (which actually sent Drew into early labor) — have fans so invested, we’re still begging for more. Relive the show’s best love story by starting with the night of Jackson and April’s first hot hookup — Season 8’s “Moment of Truth.”
Welcome New Interns: Meet Jo Wilson And Her Rookie Class (Season 9, Episode 1)
Every few seasons the drama rains down a new class of characters, with a few often sticking around for the long term. Season 9 saw the hospital’s veterans still reeling from the fallout of the plane crash, but amidst the chaos, the premiere introduced new doctors Jo Wilson, Stephanie Edwards, Shane Ross, Leah Murphy and Heather Brooks. If you want to relive the origin story of Camilla Luddington’s character, or refresh yourself on what exactly came to be of the rest of these interns, start with “Going, Going, Gone” in the ninth season.
Maggie And Amelia Replace Cristina (And Lexie) As Meredith’s Twisted Sisters (Season 10, Episode 23)
Meredith finding support in her sisters — biological or otherwise — was huge for the character, so I don’t think it was any coincidence that Maggie Pierce (Kelly McCreary) made her entrance as the love child of Meredith’s mother and Richard Webber, just one episode before Sandra Oh’s final appearance as Meredith’s “person,” Cristina Yang. Meredith also lost her sister, Lexie Grey (Chyler Leigh), in Season 8, but with Caterina Scorsone becoming a series regular as Amelia Shepherd in Season 11, Meredith was back to having two sisters. Jump in at Season 10’s “Everything I Try to Do, Nothing Seems to Turn Out Right” to watch the new twisted sisters’ relationship start to grow.
The B-Team Era: Meet Levi ‘Glasses’ Schmitt And Friends (Season 14, Episode 4)
Another group of interns was introduced in Season 14, including Jake Borelli’s Levi Schmitt (known back then as “Glasses”) and Jaicy Elliot’s Taryn Helm. The six new characters also starred in a six-episode web spinoff called Grey’s Anatomy: B-Team, which featured cameos from the drama’s main cast. Relive this era starting with Season 14’s “Ain’t That a Kick in the Head.”
If you’re a big Jake Borelli fan, though, go ahead and start watching at the Season 14 premiere. “Glasses” was initially supposed to be a small guest role, but they chose to keep him around as part of the incoming class. Good decision, since he remains a fan favorite today!
The Crossover Era: Station 19 Premieres (Season 14, Episode 13)
Later in Season 14, the Seattle universe expanded when Ben Warren (Jason George) changed careers, thus introducing fans to the firefighters of Station 19. Season 14’s “You Really Got a Hold on Me” served as a backdoor pilot for the spinoff, introducing Jaina Lee Ortiz as Andy Herrera. To this day, the cast members often show up on each other’s shows, particularly when there’s romance (or tragedy, of course) involved.
The Reboot Era: Meredith Prepares To Leave As We Meet McDreamy’s Nephew (Season 19, Episode 1)
As we’ve seen, it’s not uncommon for Grey’s to drop a handful of interns into the hospital every so often, but Season 19 was the first time since the MAGIC days that five new characters became the focus. Ellen Pompeo’s impending exit as a series regular necessitated a reboot of sorts, and we quickly found ourselves getting swept up in the will they/won’t they of McDreamy’s nephew, Lucas Adams (Niko Terho), and Simone Griffith (Alexis Floyd), as well as the stories of Mika Yasuda (Midori Francis), Benson “Blue” Kwan (Harry Shum Jr.) and Jules Millin (Adelaide Kane).
If you need a refresher on this newest era of our beloved show, pop on Season 19’s “Everything Has Changed.”
Nobody knows how many more eras Grey’s Anatomy will have before it closes the book, but the show has definitely proven capable of adapting its stories and characters to keep fans invested. Hopefully this list sets you on the right path for your rewatching adventure. Be sure to keep your eye on the 2023 TV schedule to see when this and all of your other favorite shows will premiere.