grey anatomy season fourth season american television medical drama grey anatomy commenced airing united_states september concluded season continues story group fictional describing professional lives way affect personal background character season series regulars returning previous season original cast season season aired thursday night timeslot est addition regular seventeen episodes clip narrated editors people previous events transition spin focusing aired september season premiere season officially released dvd disc title grey anatomy season expanded september time history cast changes occur seeing departure main cast members season received mixed response critics fans resulting awards nominations cast members production team creator heavily contributed production season writing seventeen episodes highest rated episode season premiere watched million viewers season interrupted writers guild america strike resulted production seventeen episodes instead originally planned production season produced current transition produced distributed executive producers creator runner production team series inception regular directors producer wrote seventeen episodes fellow producer unlike seasons aired mid season fourth season grey anatomy reduced number episodes writers guild america strike caused production cease february april leaving writing staff time produced episodes winter holiday hiatus aired break ended decided complete season new episodes returned april seventeen episodes produced originally conceived season transition grey anatomy spin character left year run june announced contract renewed reunion star guest starred final episodes season new intern younger half sister june announced series regular instead episode story arc previously planned character portrayed joined main cast reprising role season fifth episode replaces head return makes character work harder success initially served new love interest new male character originally thought introduced rival change didn occur creek star scheduled return television multi episode arc doctor appearance season eleventh episode jackson appearance cancelled writers guild america strike storyline character supposed play aired cast fourth season roles receiving star billing returning previous season original cast actors billed series regulars portray physicians surgical wing fictional majority episodes narrated portrayed protagonist surgical resident storylines series focal points acted meredith best friend highly competitive resident fellow resident stevens portrayed played acted insecure resident self confidence issues portrayed general surgeon mentor residents portrayed attending physician general surgeon continues position chief surgery despite wishes retirement surgeon fifth year resident portrayed face husband unexpected attending plastic surgeon portrayed constantly seeking reconciliation best friend attending physician chief lasting relationship faces difficulties reunion star promoted series regular status short appearances final episodes season portraying meredith half sister surgical mother sudden death silence star upgraded series regular status multiple guest appearances second seasons character replaces chief surgery constantly displaying previous relationship numerous supporting characters given recurring appearances progressive storyline including girls actor appeared episodes vampire slayer guest starred episodes portrayed nurse rose love interest regular appeared time departure receiving special guest star billing role main character spin reprised roles respectively continued season introduced roles respectively october news reports surfaced washington insulted star argument shortly details argument public knight publicly disclosed gay situation somewhat resolved washington issued statement unfortunate use words recent incident set controversy later resurfaced cast appeared golden january interviewed red carpet prior awards washington joked love gay wanted gay let gay won washington response press conflicts backstage said called interview ellen degeneres knight said everybody heard studio washington issued statement repeating word golden carpet january source told washington scheduled return grey anatomy set early thursday time entering executive counseling making comments golden june abc announced decided renew washington contract dropped mad hell going anymore washington said statement released publicist borrowing famous line network report washington stated planning spend summer pursuing charity work work independent film avoid worrying subsequent interview washington claimed fired wrong guy referring knight said considering filing lawsuit result accused knight controversy bolster career increase salary grey anatomy washington late june began asserting racism media factor firing series july washington appeared larry king live cnn present controversy according washington word reference knight unrelated context course argument provoked felt treating like word word word washington said conveyed somebody weak afraid fight washington said dismissal grey anatomy unfortunate misunderstanding eager past later stated asked cameo appearance yes washington image advertisements episode aired washington attorney contacted abc cited unlawful use client image publicist told hollywood reporter rights character advance story image stated expected result financial settlement uncertain ultimately happened reception expressed disappointment shows development season stating couples jumping relationships trying hot sex cramped twin sized beds room noted little screen time characters lack romantic development storylines critics negatively reviewed stevens development fourth season particularly affair george deemed relationship ratings ploy explained hurt somebody didn taking lot responsibility hard time kind thing maybe little black white don know right changed lot ign stated series little mediocre fantastic fourth season said season proved strong chemistry good acting save suffers inevitable recycled plot episode physical attraction chemical reaction received positive review stating fully encompassed things great intense emotional drama activities rose relationship received negative reviews stating emotional remarkable reviewed characters stating behaviour biggest problem self absorbed frequently selfish attitudes drive centre reward storylines stated didn ring true plot devices increasingly noting lack realism arcs george marriage affair means apart commented arc stating turned selfish self centered characters television storyline named sex obsessed borderline close zap2it said season best performances came emmy nominated guest star reviewed performance stating good things going anymore entertainment_weekly called performance sixth memorable patient performance stated developed bold overly confident surgeon actors members production team awarded work season 60th primetime emmy awards september nominated performance episode received nomination portrayal lay hands drama series portrayed declined forward consideration emmy awards claiming given insufficient material series warrant nomination nominated outstanding guest actress drama series portrayal love addiction team consisting nominated best prosthetic forever young crash portrayal positively reviewed resulting receiving nomination american latino media arts awards golden globe awards january series nominated individual performance resulted nomination television series won outstanding actress drama series awarded outstanding writing dramatic series category freedom received nomination performance outstanding supporting actor drama series category awards nominated performance drama series episode received nomination performance nominated actress season second air thursday night time slot moved beginning season following seasons sunday night timeslot lead aired entire run season aired lead ugly betty second season aired thursday nights grey anatomy averaged million viewers fourth season ranking tenth viewership highest rated episode season season premiere million viewers tuning rating ranking week episode showed decrease ratings compared previous season premiere million viewers tuning rating season premiere attracted viewers previous season finale watched million viewers received rating change gon come attracted viewers know watched million viewers received rating ranked fourth week episode csi crime scene investigation dead doll aired hour ranked week million viewers tuning rating lowest rated episode ninth watched million viewers ranked fourteenth week rating seeing sudden decrease previous episode second watched season attracted million viewers received rating crash time slot csi crime scene investigation kill thanksgiving special episode attracted million viewers received rating ranking eleventh week season finale watched million viewers season finale grey anatomy attract million viewers ranked fifth week received rating significant decrease number viewers compared previous season finale attracted million viewers received rating episodes number series column refers episode number overall series number season column refers episode number particular season viewers millions refers number americans millions watched episodes live fourth season episodes altogether minutes length dvd release fourth season officially released dvd region september weeks fifth season premiere aired september title grey anatomy season expanded box set consists episodes surround sound format contained extras available dvd including extended episodes interviews cast crew members footage scenes scenes cut aired episodes set released region november year original release united_states release date region november dvd box set currently movies television film television season released disc blu ray box set regions blu ray release proved unsuccessful currently movies television
Grey's Anatomy (season 4)