Grey's Anatomy is a long-running TV drama that has seen many pairings. Couples get together, they fall out, they get married, they get divorced, they meet someone new, and it goes on and on. But there is definitely a case to be made for Meredith and Derek as the best couple on the show. Epitomizing the idea of romance, having one true love, and soulmates, Meredith and Derek were pretty much the best the show offered its viewers in terms of relationship goals.
Meredith and Derek met each other at a bar, they then went on to date, got married, and had kids. Fans of the show are so in love with the couple that Derek's reappearance on the show in the latest season practically broke the internet. So here's a brief reminder of why they're the best couple on the show.
She Was Like Coming Up For Air
Derek was quite unhappy in his relationship with Addison and finally, things flatlined after she cheated on him. After he moved to Seattle, meeting Meredith and getting to know her brought him back to life.
He beautifully captures it himself when he tells her that she wasn't just a fling or an affair. It was like he was drowning, and being with Meredith felt like he was coming up for air.
She Can Live Without Him, But She Doesn't Want To
Grey's Anatomy really allowed Meredith to become her own character and grow on her own terms. Meredith loves Derek in a pure and unconditional way, but she also knows that she is her own person.
When Derek leaves for DC, their marriage is put to test. But they come back to it stronger than ever, and Meredith comes back to it with the fresh realization that it is possible for her to live without him. But she doesn't ever want to. Their love isn't dependent purely on dependency, but on genuine affection and love for each other.
Even When They're Mad At Each Other, They Come Back To Each Other
It is truly the mark of a strong relationship that it is able to weather the difficult and tough times. There are many instances throughout Derek and Meredith's relationship when they are at odds with each other in terms of their personal choices or professional decisions.
But there is a strong belief that at the end of the day, they still want to go back to each other. Even when they have prolonged fights and don't talk to each other about what they're fighting about, they're still able to pause and continue their relationship. They always know that neither of them will leave.
The Elevator Proposal
In as much as theirs is a marriage of love and personalities, it is also a marriage of minds. They're both sharp and intelligent doctors and surgeons who love their profession and get a huge high from saving lives.
So the elevator proposal that Derek does is perfect because he says that he wants to spend forever with her, in the midst of all the cases they worked on together. It shows how much they respect each other's intelligence, as well.
Tumor On The Wall
The tumor on the wall is an important motif that keeps appearing throughout the show. Derek draws the tumor on the wall of their bedroom to show Meredith, who is on bedrest, what exactly he's dealing with, and they both talk about the technicalities and medicine behind it.
After Derek's death, the tumor on the wall becomes such a big presence that Meredith physically takes it off and hands it over to Amelia and Maggie to allow herself to bring someone else into her bedroom. There are so many of these particular items and things in their relationship that bring them both so close together.
Post-It Wedding
Meredith and Derek have an immensely low-key wedding. They get married on a post-it note which they have framed and it's another one of the most precious items in their relationship. Even though there are many big weddings throughout the show, Meredith and Derek's wedding seems especially poignant because of the nature of it.
It is a marriage between two people who love each other, and who make promises to each other that mean something to them. It lacks the frills and glitter of the rest, but it was truly memorable.
They Bring What The Other Lack Into Their Relationship
Meredith is not exactly very domestic and isn't great with family. Every time someone new enters her life in the form of familial relationships, it is Derek who steers the ship in the right direction. And while Derek is a stickler for rules, Meredith isn't as firm when it comes to helping people out.
She's not a blind believer in right and wrong and is able to see nuance in situations that Derek usually overlooks. In ways like these and more, it is quite evident how they both bring what the other person lacks to the relationship.
They Can't Keep Their Hands Off Each Other
It doesn't matter if they're fighting, it doesn't matter if it's just an ordinary Monday morning, it doesn't matter if they have two kids, Meredith and Derek are still very much in love and very much attracted to each other.
They never cease physically displaying the kind of love they have for each other, and it is moving to see that despite the many years they've been together, they still have the same level of affection for each other.
With Their Kids And The Dream House, They Were The Perfect Family
There is a point in season 11 when Derek comes back home and Meredith looks at her handsome husband taking care of their kids in their wonderful home and she feels like it can't get better than this.
The same applied to viewers as well, who had fallen in love with this couple as they got married. moved into their dream house, and had beautiful children. They were quite the perfect family.
They Have The Same Chemistry From Season 1 To 11
From the very first episode when viewers are introduced to Meredith and Derek until the episode where Derek dies, it is so evident that there are no two people on this show who love each other so much.
From their meet-cute and one-night stand in the first season, through all the ups and downs of their dating and married life, there was a very obvious spark between these two characters that could not be dimmed. They were the most beautiful, most special, and most perfect couple on the show through all of the seasons.