In its 13 seasons, "Grey's Anatomy" has delivered 100's of hits that have made fans fall in love with the show and its characters. Throughout the years there have been amazing storylines, such as "Into You Like A Train" from Season 2 where two strangers were impaled on a steel rod or the pilot, "A Hard Day's Night." But nothing is as heart-wrenching and painful to watch as the shows' many two-part episodes. Here is a ranking of the 10 best multi-part episodes in Grey-Sloan Memorial history.
10. 'Dream a Little of Me', Part 1 and 2 (Season 5, episode 1 and 2)
Marking Owen Hunt's entry into Seattle Grace Hospital, these episodes shine a light on a rather fairytale storyline. Three elderly women come to the ER wearing ball gowns in a bashed up limousine. They have been separated from their husbands. As the events of the night unfold, secrets are revealed and hearts are broken in true "Grey's Anatomy" fashion.
This also marks the start of Izzie's cancer symptoms as she hallucinates seeing her dead fiancee, Denny Duquette. However, in a show where there is a death in almost every episode, these episodes were almost lost in the crowd.
9. 'Freedom', Part 1 and 2 (Season 4, episode 16 and 17)
The season finale of Season 4, most remembered for the house of candles Meredith built for Derek, is number 9 on this list. Meredith Grey is known for being dark and twisty and to see her make such a gesture is enough to make anyone believe in true love.
When it comes to patient storylines, there are multiple memorable ones in Seattle Grace at this time.
Meredith and Derek's clinical trial patients are young lovers who just want to be with each other one time before they have to head to surgery. In the pit, a young boy is encased in cement and Rebecca, the crazy woman in love with Al tries to kill herself in Meredith's kitchen. There's a lot happening in the episode but it is always great to see Meredith and Derek together.
8. 'Here's to Future Days' and 'Now or Never' (Season 5, episode 23 and 24)
It is here that we lose one of the original five interns. After talking to Owen, George decides to enlist in the army as a medic and on his way back home, is hit by a bus as he tries to save a woman. It takes the doctors' over an hour to figure out that George is the John Doe and even after all their best efforts, George passes away.
At the same time, Izzie is undergoing brain surgery, after signing a DNR. Izzie, in her last vision, is in the elevator with her prom dress on and hearts just break every time those doors open revealing George in his Army uniform. Many fans would call these episodes the end of an era because Seattle Grace was never the same after 007 left them.
7. 'Walk on Water', 'Drowning on Dry Land', and 'Some Kind of Miracle' (Season 3, episodes 15, 16, and 17)
This technically is not a two-part episode but the story is just too powerful not to include in this list. A ferry boat crash leads Meredith and some of the other interns into the field. As Meredith is trying to help a man, she is accidentally pushed into the ocean and by the time Derek gets there to save her, she has no sign of life. Back at the hospital, Ellis Grey is also dying and in an alternate imaginary world, Meredith gets to say goodbye to her mother with the help of Dylan, Bonnie, and Denny.
This episode also marks Cristina and Burke's engagement along with the first time Alex meets Rebecca.
Trouble always seems to follow Meredith but there is something beautiful in the way the doctors never gave up on her. These episodes showcase camaraderie at its best and props to Shonda for creating such a beautiful story arc.
6. 'How to Save a Life' and 'She's Leaving Home' (Season 11, episodes 21 and 22)
It always hurts when a main character dies but after 11 seasons, Derek Shepherd's death hit home. Derek was by far a favorite on the show and with his and Meredith's love story, well, no one wanted to see him gone. On his way the airport, Derek witnesses an accident and while helping, a truck crashes into him. In the small hospital he is rushed to, nothing is done according to protocol and Derek, who's voice we hear, knows that his time has come.
It is heartbreaking to see Meredith pull the plug on Derek and even more so to see her leave Seattle. In her time away from Seattle, Meredith remembers her mother's suicide and all these hidden memories from the past. When she has her third child and Alex comes to get her, everyone rejoices to see Meredith back at work, standing in the OR, wearing Derek's scrub cap. Many argue that this death could have been orchestrated in a better manner but in my opinion, this was perfect.
5. 'The Other Side of This Life', Part 1 and 2 (Season 3, episodes 22 and 23)
Addison Montgomery was a force to be reckoned with in Seattle, but it was beautiful to see her find a new home for herself in Los Angeles with her old friends.
This backdoor "Private Practice" pilot worked for many reasons including the new characters at Oceanside Wellness and drama at Seattle Grace.
With Cristina preparing for her wedding, and Susan dying, we see one of the show's most memorable moments: Thatcher slapping Meredith. Watching the father slapping her daughter and blaming her for the death of his wife brings everything to a halt. And of course, seeing Izzie and George get together also adds to the whole plot line making these some unforgettable episodes.
4. 'Deterioration of the Flight or Fight Response' and Losing My Religion' (Season 2, episodes 26 and 27)
Cut LVAD wires, shootings, adultery, two deaths and a prom. In a span of 84 minutes, the audience is taken through an emotional roller coaster.
In order to save Denny and get him a new heart, Izzie cuts his LVAD wire and just as Burke is about to get into the hospital to save Denny, he is shot in the shoulder. The interns are all punished for this by having to organize a prom for Chief Webber's niece.
Meredith and Derek have to put Doc down and share a moment of passion, which was a long time coming. And in the culmination of this, after Denny asks Izzie to marry her, he dies of a heart attack just seconds before Izzie gets to his room wearing her prom dress. Hearts break as Izzie walks out of the hospital, admitting her guilt and quits her job. Hats off to you Shonda, this was a moment of perfection.
3. 'Sanctuary' and 'Death and All His Friends' (Season 6, episode 23 and 24)
When Gary Clark comes into the hospital with a gun, lives are changed. We have to say goodbye to Charles Percy and Reed. Meredith has a miscarriage while operating on Owen and Cristina is being threatened at gun point while she is trying to save Derek's life.
Alex is shot and Mark and Lexie have to save him and in the end, it is Richard Webber who confronts Gary Clark and hearing his words, Gary Clark takes his own life. No one is okay at the end of this episode but, after a subpar season, "Grey's Anatomy" was back at its usual perfection.
2. 'Migration' and 'Flight' (Season 8, episodes 23 and 24)
It seems to be a pattern with most two-part episodes; the season finale of season 8 was gut-wrenching.
Meredith, Derek, Arizona, Mark, Cristina, and Lexie are on their to Boise Memorial to assist in a surgery. However, as they are flying, there is some malfunction in the plane and it goes down in the middle of the woods.
Arizona loses her leg, Derek hurts his arm trying to find his way back to the group but the most painful scene to watch is to see Lexie pinned down underneath the plane. And despite all their efforts, no one can get Lexie out but in her dying minutes, Mark and Lexie share a sweet moment of love that will be remembered till the end of time. Leaving the season as a cliffhanger only made this two-part arc more astounding. Guess every bad thing really can happen to the doctors of Seattle Grace.
1. 'It's the End of the World' and 'As We Know It' (Season 2, episodes 16 and 17)
Bomb in a body cavity. This iconic duo of episodes are not only at the top of this list but in my opinion, the best episodes of "Grey's Anatomy" ever. When a man arrives at the hospital with a bomb in his chest, the entire OR is evacuated with the exception of Derek's OR. This is because he is operating on Bailey's husband, Tucker, and Bailey just happens to be in labor.
Everything changes when the scared paramedic moves her hand and Meredith becomes the girl with the bomb. Anna Nalick's "Breathe (2 a.m.)" plays the bomb squad leader, Dylan coaches Meredith into removing the bomb, while Derek is simultaneously trying to resuscitate Tucker.
The simplicity of these episodes and the emotions of the characters set them apart from anything before and after them.
"Grey's Anatomy" will always be in my heart and soul. I hope you enjoyed reading this article as much as I enjoyed writing it.
