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The Best Episodes of Grey's Anatomy

Every episode of Grey's Anatomy ranked from best to worst. Let's dive into the Best Episodes of Grey's Anatomy!

Binge this in 13d 13h•Peaking at 9.7/10

Follows the personal and professional lives of a group of doctors at Seattle's Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital.

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Episode Rankings

  1. #1 Fan Favorite
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    Grey's Anatomy Season 6 Episode 23 - Sanctuary
    9.7/10(4061 votes)

    #1 - Sanctuary

    S6:E23

    Seattle Grace Hospital is hit with a crisis like no other in its' history.

    Director:Stephen Cragg
    Writer:Shonda Rhimes

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  2. Grey's Anatomy Season 6 Episode 24 - Death and All His Friends
    9.7/10(4783 votes)

    #2 - Death and All His Friends

    S6:E24

    Cristina and Meredith's surgical skills are put to the ultimate test.

    Director:Rob Corn
    Writer:Shonda Rhimes

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  3. Grey's Anatomy Season 5 Episode 24 - Now or Never
    9.5/10(3359 votes)

    #3 - Now or Never

    S5:E24

    In the second part of the two hour season finale, George delivers stunning news to Bailey, sending shockwaves throughout the hospital, and Izzie's friends anxiously await her recovery from surgery. Meanwhile Bailey is surprisingly displeased after being accepted into the pediatric fellowship program, and the victim of a near-fatal traffic accident brings the talents of Seattle Grace's doctors together. This is the second hour of a 2-hour season finale.

    Directors:Bill D'Elia, Rob Corn
    Writers:Allan Heinberg, Debora Cahn

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  4. Grey's Anatomy Season 15 Episode 19 - Silent All These Years
    9.5/10(3210 votes)

    #4 - Silent All These Years

    S15:E19

    When a trauma patient arrives at Grey Sloan, it forces Jo to confront her past. Meanwhile, Bailey and Ben have to talk to Tuck about dating.

    Director:Debbie Allen
    Writer:Elisabeth R. Finch

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  5. Grey's Anatomy Season 2 Episode 16 - It's the End of the World
    9.4/10(3601 votes)

    #5 - It's the End of the World

    S2:E16

    An explosive case arrives at the O.R. that might endanger all the lives of the people working there, which leads Dr. Burke to declare a "Code Black" for the hospital. Bailey worries where her husband is as she is in labor. Also Izzie and Alex may be creating some heat.

    Director:Peter Horton
    Writer:Shonda Rhimes

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  6. Grey's Anatomy Season 2 Episode 17 - As We Know It
    9.4/10(3493 votes)

    #6 - As We Know It

    S2:E17

    Derek is still operating when he finds out about Meredith's current situation. Meredith is freaking out about her situation. Webber and Bailey are dealing with medical health issues. Cristina and Izzie have their own issues to deal with because of Meredith's situation. Addison freaks out when George tries to find a solution to Bailey's impromtu postponement. Overall, Seattle Grace Hospital is still under code black and the situation is getting worse.

    Director:Peter Horton
    Writer:Shonda Rhimes

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    The 20 WORST Episodes of Grey's Anatomy

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  7. Grey's Anatomy Season 2 Episode 27 - Losing My Religion
    9.3/10(2865 votes)

    #7 - Losing My Religion

    S2:E27

    This episode is the second part of a two-hour season finale. Richard tries to get information from Addison about a family member's condition. Callie and George have a talk about his feelings. Meredith and Derek have a talk about Doc.

    Director:Mark Tinker
    Writer:Shonda Rhimes

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  8. Grey's Anatomy Season 12 Episode 9 - The Sound of Silence
    9.3/10(2561 votes)

    #8 - The Sound of Silence

    S12:E9

    Meredith is brutally attacked by a patient, and Penny is the one who discovers her. The doctors of Grey Sloan Memorial rush to stabilize Meredith and remain by her side in the harrowing aftermath.

    Director:Denzel Washington
    Writer:Stacy McKee

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  9. Grey's Anatomy Season 10 Episode 24 - Fear (of the Unknown)
    9.2/10(2117 votes)

    #9 - Fear (of the Unknown)

    S10:E24

    The doctors of Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital bid an emotional farewell to the beloved Cristina Yang. A possible act of terrorism rocks Seattle and causes chaos at the hospital. Meanwhile, Meredith makes a life changing decision and one doctor receives shocking news.

    Director:Tony Phelan
    Writer:Shonda Rhimes

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  10. Grey's Anatomy Season 5 Episode 22 - What a Difference a Day Makes
    9.1/10(2118 votes)

    #10 - What a Difference a Day Makes

    S5:E22

    As Meredith, Derek and all of their friends prepare for the big wedding, a group of college students, injured in a car crash as they were heading to their graduation ceremony, is admitted to the ER. Meanwhile, Izzie fears the worst when she begins experiencing familiar symptoms.

    Director:Rob Corn
    Writer:Shonda Rhimes

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  11. Grey's Anatomy Season 8 Episode 9 - Dark Was the Night
    9.1/10(1914 votes)

    #11 - Dark Was the Night

    S8:E9

    Teddy puts her husband’s life in the hands of her peers when Henry is sent to the OR for surgery and she’s called away on another case; Meredith and Derek receive the long-awaited news about Zola; Callie and Jackson come under fire when their patient experiences post-surgery complications; and Meredith and Alex are involved in a life-threatening situation when they travel to a neighboring hospital to tend to a sick newborn, on Grey’s Anatomy

    Director:Allison Liddi-Brown
    Writer:Debora Cahn

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  12. Grey's Anatomy Season 14 Episode 7 - Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story
    9.1/10(2121 votes)

    #12 - Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story

    S14:E7

    After a roller coaster car falls off the track at the county fair, the doctors at Grey Sloan tend to patients who spark memories about ghosts from their past. The series 300th episode!

    Director:Debbie Allen
    Writer:Krista Vernoff

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  13. Grey's Anatomy Season 2 Episode 6 - Into You Like a Train
    9.0/10(2500 votes)

    #13 - Into You Like a Train

    S2:E6

    Train Wreck victims come to Seattle Grace and all staff gets called in. Everyone deals with really weird cases. Except Addison and Izzie. They work with a woman who is pregnant.

    Director:Jeff Melman
    Writer:Krista Vernoff

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  14. Grey's Anatomy Season 2 Episode 25 - 17 Seconds
    9.0/10(2175 votes)

    #14 - 17 Seconds

    S2:E25

    George and Derek work together, Denny still doesn't have a heart, and Meredith gets paired with Callie. A 12-week pregnant girl dies in the O.R. and her parents try to keep the baby alive. This causes tension between Derek and Addison. One doctor's overreaction unites two bickering patients. Finn is still treating Doc for medical problems.

    Director:Daniel Minahan
    Writer:Mark Wilding

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  15. Grey's Anatomy Season 2 Episode 26 - Deterioration of the Fight or Flight Response
    9.0/10(2166 votes)

    #15 - Deterioration of the Fight or Flight Response

    S2:E26

    Denny needs a heart or else. Izzie and George go crazy trying to get him one. Derek has the life of a friend in his hands as he operates on Burke who has been shot. Burke cannot operate on Denny after Denny's heart stopped and now Denny is in a dire condition. Cristina gets put in charge of the ER and she is worried about Burke.

    Director:Rob Corn
    Writer:Joan Rater

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  16. Grey's Anatomy Season 3 Episode 16 - Drowning on Dry Land
    9.0/10(2064 votes)

    #16 - Drowning on Dry Land

    S3:E16

    Meredith is still underwater, but nobody seems to notice. Her worsening condition makes her rescuing an urgent matter. Derek finds her coat on a man she had helped, and starts looking for her and, much to his shock, the little girl Meredith took care of suggests that she is in the water. Derek saves her, but she is almost dead, due to hypothermia. Izzie has to perform brain surgery on a man stuck between cars, as he begins to experience seizures. She drills holes into his head, perforates his skull and ultimately saves his life before he is rescued and transferred to Seattle Grace Hospital. George lies to the woman whose son he had been looking for, in order to get to surgery, but still doesn't have any luck in locating him. Alex finds no hope in searching for the pregnant Jane Doe's family as she undergoes surgery. The interns find out about Meredith's situation and express their hopelessness. She wakes up in what appears to be limbo and meets her deceased acquaintances.

    Director:Rob Corn
    Writer:Shonda Rhimes

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  17. Grey's Anatomy Season 5 Episode 13 - Stairway to Heaven
    9.0/10(1999 votes)

    #17 - Stairway to Heaven

    S5:E13

    Bailey grows desperate as a patient's condition becomes more and more dire. Everyone in the hospital is stepping up to try to find the boy a new organ donor, including Meredith, who considers a death row patient's wish to die before execution. Meanwhile, an injury leaves Mark in a compromising position in the OR and Cristina awkwardly avoids Owen.

    Director:Allison Liddi-Brown
    Writer:Mark Wilding

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  18. Grey's Anatomy Season 6 Episode 6 - I Saw What I Saw
    9.0/10(2166 votes)

    #18 - I Saw What I Saw

    S6:E6

    After a burn victim unexpectedly dies in the midst of a chaotic ER, the Chief and board member Jennings interrogate the residents to find the culprit, as all the Mercy West and Seattle Grace resident defends their actions in an effort to save their jobs.

    Director:Allison Liddi-Brown
    Writer:William Harper

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  19. Grey's Anatomy Season 8 Episode 10 - Suddenly
    9.0/10(1738 votes)

    #19 - Suddenly

    S8:E10

    A severe car crash involving an entire family results in an all-hands-on situation in the ER, as the eldest daughter is left to make the toughest decision of her life. Meanwhile Teddy, still in the dark about Henry's death, calls upon Cristina to help with her patient in the O.R., and Lexie finds herself working alongside Mark's new girlfriend, Julia, during an eye surgery.

    Director:Ron Underwood
    Writer:Stacy McKee

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  20. Grey's Anatomy Season 5 Episode 19 - Elevator Love Letter
    8.9/10(1784 votes)

    #20 - Elevator Love Letter

    S5:E19

    All eyes are on Derek as he is set to perform his first surgery after his breakdown; attention is also set on Izzie, whose medical condition requires her to undergo a difficult surgery; and Owen has another PTSD episode that injures Cristina and traumatizes both of them, throwing the future of their relationship into question.

    Director:Edward Ornelas
    Writer:Stacy McKee

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  21. Grey's Anatomy Season 9 Episode 24 - Perfect Storm
    8.9/10(1656 votes)

    #21 - Perfect Storm

    S9:E24

    Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital enters crisis mode as the storm rages, resources become scarce and patients flood in by the busload. Meanwhile, one of the doctors fights for their life.

    Director:Rob Corn
    Writer:Stacy McKee

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  22. Grey's Anatomy Season 11 Episode 14 - The Distance
    8.9/10(1651 votes)

    #22 - The Distance

    S11:E14

    In this Amelia-centric episode, Amelia engages in the surgery of a lifetime as a crowd of doctors look on from the gallery. With Stephanie by her side, she begins operating on Dr. Herman, but quickly realizes it's far more difficult than she anticipated. Meanwhile, Bailey becomes skeptical when Arizona takes on one of Herman’s cases.

    Director:Eric Laneuville
    Writer:Austin Guzman

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  23. Grey's Anatomy Season 12 Episode 5 - Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?
    8.9/10(1784 votes)

    #23 - Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?

    S12:E5

    In the midst of the sisters’ dinner party, Maggie ditches her cooking duties to rush to the hospital. Meanwhile, April steps in to help cook as an attempt to avoid Jackson, and Arizona nervously waits to find out more about Callie’s new girlfriend.

    Director:Debbie Allen
    Writer:Meg Marinis

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  24. Grey's Anatomy Season 16 Episode 8 - My Shot
    8.9/10(1474 votes)

    #24 - My Shot

    S16:E8

    Meredith faces the medical board as her future as a doctor remains uncertain, and she’s forced to reckon with her past in some challenging ways. Meanwhile, the interns are put to the test as they are each vying to be the most successful on their respective cases in the absence of some of the attendings.

    Director:Debbie Allen
    Writer:Meg Marinis

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  25. Grey's Anatomy Season 3 Episode 15 - Walk on Water
    8.8/10(1897 votes)

    #25 - Walk on Water

    S3:E15

    A mass trauma situation, which turns out to be a ferryboat accident, challenges the whole staff of Seattle Grace Hospital. Richard finds difficulty in coping with his separation from his wife and dyes his hair "for the ladies", which becomes an internal joke between Mark, Burke and Derek. Cristina tries to tell Meredith about her upcoming marriage, but doesn't have the strength to. George promises to find a woman's son, who has been separated from her at the accident. The woman refuses to go into surgery until she is assured that her son is alive. Izzie has to take care of a man who got stuck between two cars on the ferry, but nobody helps her due to the large number of injured people. Alex rescues a pregnant woman with severe wounds on her face, and promises to take care of her. Meredith looks after a girl who has been separated from her mother after the accident, but accidentally falls into the water and drowns, with nobody but the little girl as a witness.

    Director:Rob Corn
    Writer:Shonda Rhimes

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Best Episodes Summary

"Sanctuary" is the best rated episode of "Grey's Anatomy". It scored 9.7/10 based on 4061 votes. Directed by Stephen Cragg and written by Shonda Rhimes, it aired on 5/20/2010. This episode scored 0.0 points higher than the second highest rated, "Death and All His Friends".