April 29, 2019
By Alex Shapiro
Staff Writer
Many people find themselves feeling uncomfortable in hospitals, but that has not stopped “Grey’s Anatomy” from becoming the longest running primetime medical drama. On Feb. 28, it surpassed “ER” when it aired its 332nd episode.
With the hit television series by Shonda Rhimes now available for streaming on Netflix and Hulu, people all around the world are able to binge-watch the ABC hit.
Even though “Grey’s Anatomy” is in its 15th season, sophomore Allison McKerry said she just started watching the show in February. She said she decided to give “Grey’s Anatomy” a try since she had nothing else to watch and her parents enjoy viewing the latest episodes.
McKerry said she quickly became addicted to the “Grey’s Anatomy,” which follows protagonist Meredith Grey through her struggles and successes working at Seattle Grace Mercy West Hospital.
Within a month, McKerry finished watching the first 14 seasons of “Grey’s Anatomy” on Netflix. Then, she streamed three episodes of Season 15 on Hulu so she could be all caught up to follow the episodes as they aired on ABC.
McKerry said she believes the show is so successful because of its humorous and entertaining characters.
“The storyline of this show just never gets old, and there are so many twists throughout the seasons that you can’t just stop watching it,” McKerry said. “You always want to find out what happens next.”
McKerry said most of the shows she watches are purely for fun, but “Grey’s Anatomy” is different because it has influenced her career path.
“It has been inspiring me to follow through on working in the medical field, which was something I have been hesitant [about] in the past. Doctors have and always will be lifesavers and nothing will ever change my opinion on that,” McKerry said.
She said she intends to become a nurse in the newborn intensive care unit or emergency room of a hospital. She said her aunt, who is an ER nurse, has been her inspiration, but “Grey’s Anatomy” has assured her that she should pursue nursing.
Junior Joe Nichols also has an interest in the medical field. Even though he has never watched “Grey’s Anatomy,” he said he would like to start so he can understand what all the hype is about.
“I love drama shows, and I’ve heard from a bunch of family and friends that it’s really addicting,” Nichols said. “I like the fact that there are so many episodes, so I can be stuck watching the same show and characters for a while.”
While “Grey’s Anatomy” has reached an important milestone, sophomore Karam Daoud said he worries the show might come to an end soon because it is competing against medical dramas including “House” and “Private Practice,” which have similar plots. However, Daoud said he finds “Grey’s Anatomy” to be particularly entertaining.
“‘Grey’s Anatomy’ is just one of those shows that don’t get boring. You would think a hospital show would get old after a while, but in ‘Grey’s’ there is just always something going on,” Daoud said.
He said he started watching the show two years ago and has enjoyed streaming all the episodes available on Netflix.
“Every season brings different patients with different incidents, which makes each season unique, so the viewers don’t know what to expect for the next season. It’s an overall really great show once you get into it,” Daoud said.