fictional character hit medical drama television series grey anatomy airs abc united_states character created series producer portrayed actress meredith series protagonist introduced surgical intern fictional later seattle grace mercy west eventually obtaining position resident later position attending attaining chief general surgery position daughter world renowned surgeon meredith struggles everyday life competitive profession maintaining relationship night stand eventual husband deceased friendships colleagues meredith narrator serves focal point episodes connection acclaimed high point series characterized meredith believing good bad instead thinks right grey positively received television critics new_york_times referring heroine grey anatomy news leaving arose clear contract ended eighth season return series contract centre media speculation negotiated contract signed thirteenth season performance received character gained widespread popularity worldwide nominated multiple awards portrayal character long running abc medical drama including satellite award best actress multiple nominations best actress winning 39th received best performance actress drama series nomination golden globe awards storylines daughter world renowned surgeon suffers disease graduate night grey begins night stand stranger meets bar discovers day recently hired attending new head new workplace grey assigned work resident befriends fellow knight stevens grey initially shepherd advances eventually begin relationship surprised arrival shepherd wife having unaware married shepherd struggles choose ultimately returns montgomery grey devastated turns searching father brief reunion fails closure childhood learns father remarried daughters fought grey series night stands including love cries middle encounter friendship temporarily ends grey relationship donnell comes close reunites shepherd mother experiences completely day expresses great disappointment ordinary grey turned following accident grey knocked water rescued shepherd hospital awakens deceased acquaintances dies interim grey meets mother tells ordinary urges wake grey subsequently promoted resident half sister grey begins working intern grey initially rejects attempts form relationship slowly shepherd pushes grey greater commitment relationship feels able break begins dating nurse rose grey sees seek happiness clinical trial enlisting shepherd consulting trial fails repeatedly final patient treat survives leads reuniting moving shepherd loses confidence minor mistake initial operation started chain events ended patient death faced lawsuit leading taking pushing including grey away stevens diagnosed stage grey convinces shepherd return operate agrees perform surgery later proposes grey hospital elevator stevens begins plan perfect wedding reluctant grey wedding day shepherd discovers stevens second brain couple let marry instead grey shepherd marry writing wedding vows post note having heavy following susan death experiences liver failure sake grey agrees donate liver discovers pregnant soon hospital shooting shepherd midst crisis grey baby learns hostile leads consider possible genetic flaws shepherd worried possibility develop clinical trial hoping cure disease grey work trial shepherd chief surgery wife diagnosed receives spot shepherd trial grey drugs receive shepherd decide adopt orphaned baby marriage official truth grey comes furious shepherd tells raise child grey fired tries conceal marital separation adoption counselor steps chief surgery takes blame trial protect grey taken away shepherd reconcile fight eventually having returned meredith experiences traumatic events ambulance accident year residency coming close residents travel country searching best jobs order finish residency residents medical boards grey passes successfully decides job offer subsequently involved aviation accident killing leaving workers stranded following rescue grey attending general surgeon newly merged seattle grace mercy west newfound attitude leads dubbed hospital new batch mid season grey pregnant second time aftermath plane accident hospital sued eventually found guilty victim including shepherd yang receive million compensation leads hospital near bankruptcy insurance company refuses pay doctors buy hospital help prevent closing members new directing board asks bailey perform gene mapping finally know genes like mother tests positive genetic markers disease time meredith discovers pregnant gives birth son baby delivered section storm correct position meredith operated meredith called away patient intern completes blood begins appear meredith bailey performs removal saves meredith life return meredith son bailey surgeon mother meredith cited number times want like parents father followed mother ended leaving valued career family mother won harper awards emotionally neglected resulting dark attitude life drift apart realize different values career paths failing medical science leave meredith calls actions stating fair ignore value things realizes leave seattle things deteriorate eventually moves switzerland work attending meredith come agreement having established career reputation step care children allow shine meredith marriage strained goes promise accepts offer president participate gradually consumed time receives offer head project meaning based permanently puts foot want young family country begin series arguments cold wars careers accepts job heat moment promptly leaves washington phone meredith agree work things tells want couples ended things saying missed privately admits alex realized live independently chose meredith finds half sister called working grey memorial meredith thinks remembered mother pregnant thinks lying finds hospital document confirming revelation meredith tries piece relationship mother half sister going old videos mother eventually recovers memories pregnancy views mother diary change heart choosing accept begin building relationship meredith widowed victim car accident taken level trauma center status way airport final trip washington hand final report official resignation letter took stopped help victims multiple vehicle accident doctors fail recognize head injury time brain dead police arrive meredith residence accident meredith begins imagine arriving hospital seeing stable condition alive alert scene switches reality meredith arriving hospital grave condition spends time remove life support shortly hit waves morning sickness tells penny intern assigned doctor patient dies watch forever work harder better death meredith returns inform passing following funeral service meredith packs belongings leaves children san_diego months pass friends family unaware whereabouts eventually shown parallels meredith lives lost love life run away seattle following loss eventually birth daughter reminded stops turning meredith names newborn daughter mother meredith returns seattle children later chief general surgery sells dream house longer felt like home husband moves mother house lives meredith hosts dinner party party brings penny date later event finds penny doctor joining grey memorial development casting creation discovered grey anatomy year reading scripts looking project suited best casting actresses series creator said kept saying need girl like girl like think girl spent time got know started casting men reported grey easy role cast informed actress question deal place abc having previously tested pilot network speculated character cast asked said know asked created character said cast program titular character described los_angeles_times independent sort ambition fueled fact mother gifted surgeon suffers grey serves narrator likened early reviews narrator protagonist sex city initial contract grey anatomy expired negotiated new paid episode making highest paid cast member forbes recognized eighth highest paid actress television salary episode role grey anatomy second contract grey anatomy expired eighth season speculation arose leaving september reported open idea extending contract invited told guide turn nose grey anatomy long stories honest patrick feel material passionate beats job day hear fans want going continue owe online reported original cast members signed years huffington_post announcement season having officially renewed contract set place return contract expired end twelfth season signed new contract starring role series thirteenth season according report earning episode new deal characterization grey protagonist focal point series called intelligent hard working outspoken easily distracted grey anatomy executives says unaware character knows fun adding scenes breaking having sex personality evolved past seasons depressed happy fixed said incredibly lucky patrick chemistry amazing relationship like relationship ups downs work found way long work believe told entertainment_weekly awkward patrick like brother soon camera like hand butt millions girls waiting feel obligation fans dog meredith shared metaphor relationship second season characterizes grey thinks right character night stand second season series writer said sexual encounter turning george meredith damage things changed important lives forever grey character development known influence creation half sister particularly clear share motives offered thoughts meredith want succeed want strong want feel normal want struggle genuine struggle hardcore doesn come naturally fake grey personality compared offered insight like create moments meredith head similar people ass arrogant gave meredith lost lonely screw ups got acts lifetime good friends season watch pause time time look mirrors fights storyline character wants realistic says wrap neat little package referring grey shepherd trial said listen meredith clearly crossed line right following said believes grey shepherd meant end end grey relationship looked yang repeatedly referred grey person led dubbed twisted sisters conclusion season duo went honeymoon called favorite detail finale grey characterized offered insight felt 100th episode showed meredith evolution dark girl happy woman said thing mother wished extraordinary past past let past change extraordinary love fear extraordinary makes happy happy following departure character quoted saying meredith entire grey anatomy family enter territory head new chapter life possibilities come endless year left contract viewers sure witness difficult times meredith life reception reviews character received overwhelmingly positive reviews weary response television critics course initial response character positive series progressed immensely popular established character critic fan favorite featuring number character lists development character deemed highlight grey constantly defined heroine grey anatomy time inception newsday praised character stating like house title character star newly grey conveys substance simply stop watching receiving emmy nomination work grey los_angeles_times suggested worked hard narrative odds interesting character received nomination 61st primetime emmy awards later twelfth season western gazette gave credit carrying time finally win emmy award entertainment weekly referred grey voice master grey anatomy television columnist star-ledger alan_sepinwall expressed focus given grey relationships storylines reviewing second season finale occasions meredith involved plot love life kind like moments compared constant mention seemingly unrelated storylines turn metaphor relationship stand season development character received negative reviews ign stating storyline developed sub plot depression giving season worth season new_york_post noted decline meredith role expressing disappointment queen romantic little endless similarly found storyline fourth season need time jealous look angst tired second season frustrating total channel won plot doesn work relationship times meredith positive note relationship shepherd included list list guide sixth season development character praised buddytv commented got love addition praising performance review episode wrote felt meredith heartfelt begging pleading happy mere finally grows casts aside seasons ago meredith dreamed putting proud giving liver offer know dad bigger milestone reviewing eighth season fanatic lauded character wrote season belongs heart soul outstanding character dark grown mature woman game season praised transformation character stated course meredith decisions like took trial things love kindness heart dark considering meredith beginning think went remarkable journey growing finally healed lauded development character ahead season saying series began meredith girl sitting bar celebrating exciting phase life graduated medical school starting residency prestigious hospital simply looking strings attached night stand got instead complicated romantic relationship rivals romeo juliet key wasn searching love working learning continue priorities simply added hopefully new season grey anatomy reflect change tone meredith strong independent woman fine later series received critical acclaim numerous critics portrayal character reviewing episode called anchor grey saying episode completely anchored best work past couple weeks tonight cried fought learned carrying child added saying subtlety probably overlooked zap2it reviewing save life wrote meredith strongest performances long time save life run risk coming manipulative death episode likes times added save life ideal emmy submission episode considering meredith screen half best work usa_today lauded saying ways episode save life showcase memorable played scenes angry response doctor tries tell choices resignation realizes comfort young doctor mistakes cost life relation meredith acclaimed highlight considered friendship secret core grey slate called relation best female friendship adding characters showrunner team writers created nuanced realistic portrayals female friendship television samantha entertainment weekly called meredith best female friends don try fake rarity female friends portrayed television went dare soul mates magazine called friendship dream relationship primary focus series calling cards depiction female friendship particularly friendship enjoyed romantic relationships time exit wrote grey anatomy year history doctor duo lot weddings deaths plane crashes bomb threats shooting lived danced added words person solidified status small screen best best friends wrote critically key relationship meredith life romance passionate absolutely friendship talk relationship goals wants person real powerhouse didn shy away making audience remember love life soul mate challenged meredith honest inspired reasons constantly source meredith character development character define image strong woman 12th wrote capable grey anatomy meredith journey men romantic interests life priority doesn need grey anatomy doesn need writers decide create new love interest grey wouldn matter faith writers storyline justice needs strong single women meredith like perfect candidate site added past season trial run grey anatomy left pursue research meredith stayed focused career didn chase priority children meredith showed aside dreams aspirations man believe won change death awards won nominated multiple awards portrayal grey grey anatomy cast won best ensemble television series following year ceremony named television drama series grey anatomy cast members awarded outstanding performance ensemble drama series 13th screen actors guild awards received nominations category received best performance actress drama series nomination golden globe awards program won best drama series ceremony female cast crew grey anatomy received women film honors work television positively influenced attitudes women performance garnered multiple 37th nominated favorite doctor category following year contender favorite drama actress category received nomination year categories 40th alongside respectively won best drama actress award 39th 41st people choice awards business awards reporter commented emmy award nomination role grey anatomy readers awards website envelope included nominations best drama actress site entertainment_weekly launched awards honor actors received emmy nominations nominated best actress drama series category placed fourth percent readers votes
Meredith Grey