During its fifteenth season, Grey's Anatomy became the longest-running medical drama on television. For sixteen seasons and counting, Meredith Grey and her friends have gone through the wringer. Keeping audiences on the edge of their seats with shocking cliffhangers have only been part of what has made the show so intriguing.
When the show is not shocking its fanbase, it is telling emotional, tearjerking stories. It is the job of the season premiere to move forward from the previous story and to begin introducing what to expect of the current one. Of the sixteen season premieres, these are the top ten.
SEAL OUR FATE (SEASON 10)
Meredith and Cristina are shocked to learn that Arizona had cheated on Callie. As Meredith sits in the hospital bed after giving birth to her son, Bailey, she, Cristina, and Alex also discuss Meredith's role as Richard's healthcare proxy. By doing so, they also determine that Meredith also be Cristina's healthcare proxy, and Cristina be Alex's.
Meanwhile, Arizona wants to know the location of her and Callie's daughter, Sofia, when Callie will not talk to her. Shane's jealousy towards Heather Brooks causes him to lie about being asked to find Richard. While she does find him beside the generator, she slips in the water and gets electrocuted.
A CHANGE IS GONNA COME (SEASON 4)
While George is stuck repeating his intern year, Meredith, Cristina, Alex, and Izzie move on to the next year and become in charge of groups of interns. George is in Meredith's group, and Cristina's includes Lexi Grey, Meredith's younger half-sister.
Meredith is not excited at the prospect of working with Lexi, especially when the younger girl introduces herself by standing in between Meredith and a patient. The episode also acknowledges Cristina and Meredith's travels during what was meant to be Cristina's honeymoon with Preston Burke. Meanwhile, George and Izzie admit their mutual romantic feelings.
A HARD DAY'S NIGHT (SEASON 1)
The episode that started it all, "A Hard Day's Night," is the pilot of the series and the one that ignited the fire behind the show's run. Meredith Grey is starting her first day of her intern year at Seattle Grace Memorial Hospital and not only meets a few of who would turn out to be life long friends but the man she had a one night stand with the night before, Derek Shepperd.
The first inkling of a budding friendship between Meredith and Cristina is seen here as they work together to solve a case. Setting the tone for the series, "A Hard Day's Night," featured comedy and emotion that the show would continuously be known for.
UNDO (SEASON 13)
Alex Karev had been a hot-headed mess for the first few seasons. However, he had managed to grow from that with the support of his friends, rather than resorting to violence. Unfortunately, in "Family Affair," Alex had misunderstood Andrew DeLuca's intentions with Jo Wilson and reacted angrily, punching DeLuca.
"Undo" places Alex in the aftermath of his decision. Determined not to see Alex spiral, Meredith decides to help cover for Alex to protect him. However, by the end of the episode, both Alex and Meredith had decided to admit the truth separately.
GOOD MOURNING (SEASON 6)
After George's untimely death at the end of "Now or Never," the remaining residents face their grief as they must find a way to move on. Time jumps show as everyone finds a way to grapple with reality. During George's funeral, while many are silent, paying their respects, Meredith, Cristina, Alex, and Izzie can not help but laugh.
They can not handle the depths of their feelings, and it comes up as bubbling laughter. Meanwhile, Doctor Bailey struggles with the decision to donate George's organs. Ultimately, George's organs are donated, but Bailey insists on hearing the names of the people George's organs are going to.
FREE FALLING (SEASON 8)
Meredith hits her breaking point with Owen's treatment of Cristina. After Owen tells Meredith he needs her to join him, Meredith informs Owen she was fired. About to walk away, Meredith confronts Owen about him punishing Cristina. While Owen wanted to have a child with Cristina, she did not want to have one and had made it clear she did not intend to.
However, Cristina had not yet gone through with an abortion because she still loved Owen. Instead, Meredith tells Owen that Cristina having a child would kill her and the baby because Cristina would not love the baby more than her job. Meanwhile, Owen and April deal with a giant sinkhole.
DREAM A LITTLE DREAM OF ME (SEASON 5)
With Seattle Grace Memorial Hospital ranked at number twelve, Richard, Miranda Bailey, and Cristina are determined to have their ranking brought higher. Bailey has the doctors stand outside waiting for someone, wanting to prove that she and the doctors she trained are the best.
Meanwhile, after dreaming of Derek dying, Meredith panics and considers moving in with him to stop the nightmares. Cristina becomes irritated by Meredith's constant talking about her relationship and eventually tells her to stop talking. Owen also makes his first appearance and later helps Cristina after a giant icicle stabs her.
GOING, GOING, GONE (SEASON 9)
When the plane crashed, it sent a traumatic ripple effect through the hospital. After being rescued, Meredith, Cristina, Derek, Arizona, and Mark deal with the next steps of their lives. Cristina is determined to get away from Seattle, taking a residency elsewhere.
While Alex is also set to leave Seattle as well, he can not go through with it, choosing to stay in Seattle to be with Meredith and Arizona. Arizona has problems as well, desperately wanting to keep her leg. Unfortunately, the damage is too severe, and Arizona's leg must be amputated to save her life. As for Mark Sloan, the plane crash had done too much damage to him, and he dies with Derek and Callie on either side of him.
WITH YOU I'M BORN AGAIN (SEASON 7)
After a gunman rampaged through the hospital, the doctors are forced to face the emotional ramifications that follow. Trying to find ways to move forward, the doctors attempt ways to deal with their feelings and mental states as they try to come back to a sense of normalcy.
While Alex gets cleared to continue surgery, Meredith and Cristina remain to be denied the stamp of approval and must continue to have sessions in therapy. However, Lexie continues to have frantic bursts of PTSD, leading her to shout in the middle of the emergency room and ramble about mass murders during group therapy.
RAINDROPS KEEP FALLING ON MY HEAD (SEASON 2)
After Addison Montgomery appears, Meredith faces that Derek had been lying to her about being legally married. However, Meredith is not the only one dealing with a realization. Cristina has learned that she is pregnant. However, Cristina knows that she does not want a baby and plans to get an abortion.
Knowing that she should not show up alone, Cristina asks Meredith to accompany her to the appointment and be there for her afterward. During this episode, it is the first time that Cristina uses the phrase, "you're my person," and it sticks on the series even after Cristina moved to Zurich.