From the outside, Grey's Anatomy might seem like a show that only people in the field of medicine would relate too. In truth, it's more about love than anything else. Medicine just happens to be a secondary theme. And that's what makes it fascinating.
Grey's Anatomy—which premiered in 2005—is one of the longest-running shows on American television and also the longest-running medical drama of all time. It was recently renewed for a 17th season. That means there'll be many more romantic gestures to come. So far, here are the best ones we've witnessed.
"Pick Me"
Derek and Meredith's relationship was one of the spines that held the show together. On this occasion in Season Two, fan-favorite character Meredith literally begged Derek to choose her. But would you blame her? Derek's wife Addison was trying to get back on good terms with him yet Meredith really loved him. Obviously, she felt a little threatened.
She was also angry that Derek hadn't signed the divorce papers in order to fully be with her. So, she went on to give a lengthy speech that even included the classic ''Say something please!" But the best part was when she told him exactly what he should do: “Pick me, choose me, love me!”
Burke's Proposal
Some of the early love stories in Grey's Anatomy included that of Dr. Cristina (Sandra Oh) and Dr. Burke (Isaiah Washington). In one unfortunate incident, Burke gets shot just outside the hospital, resulting in his hand having tremors and making him unable to perform surgeries properly.
Since his career is on the line, Cristina helps him keep the tremors a secret. However, the secret is discovered and they are both reprimanded by the hospital's management. The two lovebirds end up fighting because of this. Cristina then apologizes and after a moment of silence, Burke randomly proposes to her. Sweet!
House Of Candles
Season Four finds Derek in a relationship with a nurse called Rose. He is still not over Meredith and when the two doctors do a clinical trial, the tension starts to show. It's clear that they still want to be with each other but Derek isn't going to show it, so Meredith does.
Using candles, she creates an outline of the house they have always wanted to buy. She then waits for Derek and when he shows up, she goes on to tell him how they can be really great together. Clearly, no one knows how to express her love better than Meredith.
Alex And Izzie's Wedding
After Denny dies, Izzie moves on and starts a new relationship with Alex. However, she soon finds out that she has stage 4 cancer and she's going to die soon. She still does her best to help Meredith with her wedding plans even when her condition is getting worse.
Meredith and her other friends decide to give her the surprise of a lifetime by planning a wedding ceremony for her instead. Izzie gets married to Alex in a beautiful ceremony where the preacher doesn't even need to question whether they'll stay together "in sickness and in health." The couple has already proven that this isn't an issue.
Teddy Marrying Henry To Give Him Insurance
Teddy Altman was one of the good-hearted characters that weren't so lucky with love. However, this changed when Henry came into her life. Henry was in desperate need of treatment but he had no health insurance, so Teddy offered to marry him so that he would benefit from her insurance cover.
She knew she liked him, but she was denying it. Eventually, she fell deeply in love with him. Sadly, he dies on the surgery table. Trust Shonda Rhimes to always kill off the most popular characters on her show. She does it so much that we've gotten used to it.
It Started With An Icicle
After Cristina breaks up with Burke, life becomes rather dull for her. That's until she meets Dr. Owen Hunt. When he does an emergency tracheotomy procedure on a patient's neck using a pen, Cristina is impressed and develops an instant crush.
And when an icicle pricks her, he carries her to the hospital like she's Lois Lane and he's Superman about to fly. Well, he's a super doctor after all. Not anyone can save a patient's life using a pen. They kiss and so another love story begins.
The Plane Crash Confession
In the finale of Season Eight, a plane carrying Derek, Arizona, Meredith, Cristina, Lexie, and Mark crashes in the woods. Lexie gets trapped under some of the wreckage and becomes the first to die. There's simply no shortage of tragedy in Grey's Anatomy.
But before Lexie dies, Mark tells her how much he loves her and that this will never change. He does this with tears in his eyes. But in as much as he wishes she'd survive, it doesn't happen. Mark becomes one of the many characters to be separated from the person they love by the cruelty of fate.
The Elevator Proposal
Derek had the most creative proposal of all time. When he's alone in an elevator with Meredith, he pins the MRI images of all the successful surgeries they have done together. He goes on to tell her that he doesn't hate her because she has a dark nature. He actually loves it.
And right at that moment, he lets her know that he wants to be with her forever. He manages to do all this quite quickly (yet it feels so slow) because a moment like this shouldn't be interrupted by someone else wanting to go to whichever floor. Sadly, their love didn't last forever.
Jackson Eloping With April
When you love someone, you steal them from right under their fiance's nose. That's the gospel according to Jackson. When April and Matthew are about to become husband and wife in the thirteenth episode of Season Ten, Jackson tells her in front of everybody in the church that he deeply loves her. That does the trick.
The two storm out of the church together so quickly that even The Flash would struggle to catch them. Conveniently, "Total Eclipse of the Heart" is playing on the background. For comedic purposes, Matthew should have run after them while screaming "Bring back my wife!" It takes a lot of courage to steal the woman of your dreams on her wedding day. So, kudos to Jackson.
Derek's Last Speech To Meredith
Just as he was trying to work things out with his wife Meredith, Derek ended up getting a car accident in Season Eleven. The major issue that caused friction between them was the fact that Derek was always moving between Seattle and D.C. for work.
However, he decided to quit his D.C job. And in one final romantic gesture to Meredith, he said: “You. You’re everything. I love you, and I’m not going to stop loving you. I can’t live without you. I don’t want to live without you, and I’m going to do everything in my power to prove it.” Wow!