As the main character on Grey's Anatomy, Meredith Grey has shown fans her long and hard journey from young intern to seasoned surgeon, and viewers have seen her find love and success but also experience intense loss and failure. While the other characters are popular and they have also seen lots of pain, there's something memorable about Meredith and the way that she views the world.
Not every fan of the long-running hospital drama is on Meredith's side, as some think that she cares too much about herself or has worsened over the seasons, but there are many Grey's Anatomy viewers who celebrate Meredith's personality and storylines. These fans are chatting about their feelings and thoughts on Reddit.
Meredith's Character Arc Has Shown Growth
A fan shared in a Reddit thread that Meredith has grown on the show and they explained that they love this character because "her evolution is truly one of the most special things about the show." It's great to root for a main character who experiences lots of growth, and it makes sense that people would appreciate this about Meredith. Her relationship with Derek and friendship with Cristina taught her that she can be confident and believe in herself, and she's a more secure person and doctor than she was at the very beginning of the show.
She Is A Wonderful Friend To Alex And Cristina
Another viewer of Grey's Anatomy posted on Reddit that Meredith is a great friend. Fans loved watching Meredith and Christina get to know each other, and their dance parties are famous, along with their compassion for each other. While viewers were sad to see Cristina go, it made sense that Alex would become Meredith's new "person" and that they would love each other and also fight for each other when things go wrong. Since Meredith didn't have her family's attention or love when she was growing up, she seems to search for those things in her friendships, and Grey's Anatomy is special because of these close relationships.
She Learns From The Pain That She Experiences
A fan posted on Reddit that Meredith gains strength all the time and that's why they love her. They wrote, "She is such a realistic person and character. She’s been through everything and still grows stronger and wiser. I have loved watching her journey."
After all that Meredith has been through, it would be logical if she felt weak and vulnerable, but that's definitely not the case. Fans who consider Meredith to be a favorite character enjoy her strength and ability to rise above the challenges in her daily life, whether losing her soulmate and partner, or meeting half-siblings, or coming to terms with losing both of her parents.
She's A Great Parent And Doctor
Another Grey's Anatomy fan shared in a Reddit thread that they appreciate certain aspects of Meredith's character, and they like that she's a great parent and doctor. They said that while she can be "vapid, self-absorbed, cold," she can be respected because of her positive qualities. No matter what fans think about Meredith's love life, whether they still miss Derek or believe that their love story was confusing, it's hard to argue with her strengths in motherhood and medicine. Meredith brings the same qualities to both of these parts of her life, as she's tough but fair and she tries to be kind while keeping the big picture in perspective. It's also interesting watching Meredith's parenting journey since her mom ignored her when she was young, and she is righting the wrongs of her own childhood.
She's Beloved Because She's Complicated
A fan called Meredith a "complex character" on Reddit and gave the example of when Meredith gave Adele the drug and not the placebo during the Alzheimer's trial. The fan said that Meredith didn't want to disappoint Richard and that her motivation made perfect sense. It's true that while fans don't agree with Meredith's behavior in every single episode, she does always think that she's doing what is right for her patients, friends, and family. While she faces some criticism for being self-centered, she would never hurt someone on purpose, and she makes choices that she truly believes in.
Fans Can See Themselves In Meredith
A fan explained on a Reddit thread that they find Meredith easy to relate to and that's a sentiment that has been brought up in a few places. While Meredith's storylines can be extreme and intense, as she almost passed away in a few episodes, it's true that viewers feel they can see themselves in her. It's refreshing and important to see a main character on a TV show who is the opposite of perfect and who doesn't pretend to have a cookie cutter life. She acknowledges that life is difficult and that her job is tricky, and it makes sense that some viewers love her because of it.
She's A Courageous Person
Another fan explained on Reddit that they love Meredith because she's "wise" and "brave."
If Meredith had a golden childhood and nothing bad ever happened to her, it's very possible that she wouldn't be able to be such a courageous doctor. But since she's suffered a lot, from her drowning incident to having to deal with Penny after Derek's death, she's been able to take on medical cases, surgeries, and challenges in her personal life with a brave attitude.
Her Actions Make Sense Over Time
A fan shared in a thread on Reddit that Meredith's actions make sense as they get to know her: they wrote, "you understand her character more and more. And she is not that dark and twisty, she is really kind but fate was never at her side." It's definitely true that many Grey's Anatomy fans are confused by Meredith, whether she's tampering with a trial at the hospital or choosing a partner that they don't like, but when considering her character arc as a whole, it does all add up. Deep down inside, she has a sweet nature, and it's fair to argue that she has worse luck than any other doctor on the show.
She Tries To Be Caring Toward A Killer
A fan posted on Reddit that they liked watching Meredith in the season 5 episode 'Sympathy For The Devil' as she was the one character who tried to care about the serial killer. The viewer wrote, "It shows the potential of a character like her who sees things in shades of grey and never absolutes."At the end of the episode, Meredith helped him end his life in a subtle way by explaining his brain injury, and it's hard to imagine anyone else giving him that information. This is a storyline on the series that many fans mention regularly, as Meredith went against her friends and fellow doctors, and she showed a huge amount of strength in a very difficult and disturbing situation.
Her Happiness Seeing Derek On The Beach
It was amazing to see Derek and Meredith reunite on the beach and fan shared on Reddit that they loved seeing Meredith finally happy after a tough time in the hospital with COVID-19. They explained, "She's been through so much as a character and this scene was just beautifully shot to represent HER form of heaven." This was definitely a beloved and significant part of season 17, and fans feel that Meredith and Derek's love story came full circle. It was truly a moving moment, and she was able to let go of any resentments or negative feelings about the problems in their relationship and just feel her pure love for him.