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The Worst Episodes of Grey's Anatomy

Every episode of Grey's Anatomy ranked from worst to best. Explore the Worst Episodes of Grey's Anatomy!

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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 Worst Episode
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    Grey's Anatomy Season 7 Episode 18 - Song Beneath the Song
    5.9/10(16 votes)

    #1 - Song Beneath the Song

    S7:E18

    A cataclysmic event leaves the doctors shaken; Callie, on the verge of a life-changing moment, starts imagining about the hospital and her friends.

    Director:Tony Phelan
    Writer:Shonda Rhimes

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  2. Grey's Anatomy Season 16 Episode 1 - Nothing Left to Cling To
    6.3/10(12 votes)

    #2 - Nothing Left to Cling To

    S16:E1

    Meredith, Richard and Alex must deal with the consequences after Bailey fires them from Grey Sloan for insurance fraud. After disappearing in the fog, Jackson helps a man in a dangerous situation, as his relationship with Maggie comes to a new crossroad. Meanwhile, Tom gets new responsibilities at the hospital that throw the doctors for a loop.

    Director:Debbie Allen
    Writer:Krista Vernoff

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  3. Grey's Anatomy Season 9 Episode 18 - Idle Hands
    6.4/10(15 votes)

    #3 - Idle Hands

    S9:E18

    As the hospital continues to make positive changes under the new management, the doctors begin to realize that owning a hospital comes with its own set of problems and responsibilities. Meanwhile, Meredith worries about the wellbeing of her unborn baby, Callie and Arizona try to get the spark back in their relationship, and Alex gives Jo‘s new boyfriend a run for his money.

    Director:David Greenspan
    Writer:Gabriel Llanas

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  4. Grey's Anatomy Season 13 Episode 2 - Catastrophe and the Cure
    6.4/10(15 votes)

    #4 - Catastrophe and the Cure

    S13:E2

    Meredith considers her loyalties, as Alex deals with the repercussions of his actions. Newlyweds Amelia and Owen host a dinner party with unlikely guests, and Jackson proposes an arrangement to help April through her recovery.

    Director:Kevin McKidd
    Writer:Karin Gist

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  5. Grey's Anatomy Season 14 Episode 1 - Break Down the House
    6.8/10(17 votes)

    #5 - Break Down the House

    S14:E1

    Meredith and the team are focused on helping Owen’s sister after her shocking return, and Amelia faces a conflict over a patient. Meanwhile, Bailey is forced to give Grey Sloan a facelift after the fire, and the doctors are introduced to a few new faces that spice things up around the hospital.

    Director:Debbie Allen
    Writer:Krista Vernoff

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  6. Grey's Anatomy Season 7 Episode 12 - Start Me Up
    6.9/10(14 votes)

    #6 - Start Me Up

    S7:E12

    Arizona tries to reconcile with Callie, who has big news to share; Teddy faces an important decision; the residents receive new interns; the Chief makes an announcement.

    Director:Mark Jackson
    Writer:Natalie Krinsky

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  7. Grey's Anatomy Season 9 Episode 7 - I Was Made for Lovin' You
    6.9/10(12 votes)

    #7 - I Was Made for Lovin' You

    S9:E7

    Cristina and Owen continue to figure out their relationship amidst the pending lawsuit; and Bailey argues with Ben over plans for their upcoming nuptials. Meanwhile, Callie recruits Jackson to help find a solution to Derek's hand, but he is preoccupied by a shocking situation with April.

    Director:Laura Innes
    Writer:Peter Nowalk

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  8. Grey's Anatomy Season 11 Episode 21 - How to Save a Life
    6.9/10(12 votes)

    #8 - How to Save a Life

    S11:E21

    Derek witnesses a horrible car accident and springs into action to save lives.

    Director:Rob Hardy
    Writer:Shonda Rhimes

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  9. Grey's Anatomy Season 13 Episode 8 - The Room Where It Happens
    6.9/10(13 votes)

    #9 - The Room Where It Happens

    S13:E8

    A difficult surgery brings back pivotal memories for Meredith, Richard, Owen and Stephanie, as they work together to save a life.

    Director:Debbie Allen
    Writer:Meg Marinis

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  10. Grey's Anatomy Season 14 Episode 5 - Danger Zone
    7.0/10(10 votes)

    #10 - Danger Zone

    S14:E5

    In a flashback to Iraq in 2007, the events leading up to Megan’s kidnapping are revealed. In present day, Owen and Megan hash out old wounds.

    Director:Cecilie A. Mosli
    Writer:Jalysa Conway

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  11. Grey's Anatomy Season 7 Episode 20 - White Wedding
    7.1/10(14 votes)

    #11 - White Wedding

    S7:E20

    As Callie and Arizona's wedding approaches, the couple quickly realize that the day they've been looking forward to is not turning out the way they'd envisioned. Meanwhile Alex continues to make the other residents jealous as he appears to be the top contender for Chief Resident, Meredith and Derek make a decision that will change their lives forever, and Dr. Perkins presents Teddy with a very tempting proposition.

    Director:Chandra Wilson
    Writer:Stacy McKee

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  12. Grey's Anatomy Season 1 Episode 2 - The First Cut is the Deepest
    7.2/10(40 votes)

    #12 - The First Cut is the Deepest

    S1:E2

    The surgical staff tries to be optimistic as a young woman clings to life after a brutal attack. Meanwhile Meredith puts her career on the line to save a newborn in the hospital nursery, and the other interns learn that it takes more than just medical knowledge to be good at their jobs.

    Director:Peter Horton
    Writer:Shonda Rhimes

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  13. Grey's Anatomy Season 1 Episode 4 - No Man's Land
    7.2/10(30 votes)

    #13 - No Man's Land

    S1:E4

    While George is feeling a little less masculine because of the way Izzie and Meredith have been treating him (like a sister), Izzie is assigned to a patient about to loose all of his masculinity. Cristina, true to her competitive spirit, shows up early and assigns herself to an ill woman, who happens to have been Meredith's moms scrub nurse. Alex, meanwhile, is busying himself copying and pasting pictures of Izzie's racy magazine spread all over the interns' locker room. And while Meredith is trying to cope with her mother's Alzheimer's, Derek treats a patient who has managed to get nails stuck in his head.

    Director:Adam Davidson
    Writer:James D. Parriott

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  14. Grey's Anatomy Season 21 Episode 6 - Night Moves
    7.2/10(8 votes)

    #14 - Night Moves

    S21:E6

    Teddy and Owen plan a date night that gets derailed in more ways than one, while Jo struggles to do it all at home. Mika adds more to her plate to make up for taking time off to be with her sister, and Levi is faced with a monumental decision.

    Director:Bille Woodruff
    Writer:Jase Miles-Perez

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  15. Grey's Anatomy Season 4 Episode 14 - The Becoming
    7.3/10(18 votes)

    #15 - The Becoming

    S4:E14

    The clinical trial continues to make progress. The anti-McSteamy club creates new initiatives but that isn't enough to stop one woman from spending time with him. Christina is affected by Burke's career developments.

    Director:Julie Anne Robinson
    Writer:Joan Rater

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  16. Grey's Anatomy Season 4 Episode 15 - Losing My Mind
    7.3/10(18 votes)

    #16 - Losing My Mind

    S4:E15

    Dr. Wyatt refuses to let Meredith give up on therapy. Alex learns something else about Rebecca. The Chief wants Erica to perform a daring surgery. Christina continues to act strangely.

    Director:James Frawley
    Writer:Debora Cahn

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  17. Grey's Anatomy Season 9 Episode 17 - Transplant Wasteland
    7.3/10(12 votes)

    #17 - Transplant Wasteland

    S9:E17

    The discord and chaos created by the hospital's new management team causes one physician to question his future at Seattle Grace. Meanwhile, the doctors and the interns must juggle several transplant surgeries at once, each coming with its own set of obstacles.

    Director:Chandra Wilson
    Writer:Zoanne Clack

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  18. Grey's Anatomy Season 11 Episode 22 - She's Leaving Home
    7.3/10(8 votes)

    #18 - She's Leaving Home

    S11:E22

    Meredith and the staff feel the impact of losing one of their own; Jackson struggles with April's decision; Bailey and Ben argue about their future. Months after Derek's funeral, Amelia struggles with her emotions; April plans to return; and Derek's part in Meredith's life continues to grow.

    Director:Chris Hayden
    Writers:Stacy McKee, Shonda Rhimes

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  19. Grey's Anatomy Season 12 Episode 9 - The Sound of Silence
    7.3/10(15 votes)

    #19 - 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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  20. Grey's Anatomy Season 7 Episode 13 - Don't Deceive Me (Please Don't Go)
    7.4/10(14 votes)

    #20 - Don't Deceive Me (Please Don't Go)

    S7:E13

    Derek breaks ground on his Alzheimer's clinical trial and Meredith can't help but feel left out; Bailey's attempt to take the hospital into the age of new media with live tweets from the OR does not go over well with the Chief; and Callie, Mark and Arizona must learn to navigate through the pregnancy together, which starts off with Callie driving her new obstetrician crazy.

    Director:Kevin McKidd
    Writer:Mark Wilding

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  21. Grey's Anatomy Season 9 Episode 23 - Readiness is All
    7.4/10(13 votes)

    #21 - Readiness is All

    S9:E23

    The doctors of Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital prepare for a super storm heading towards Seattle. Owen's desire to be a parent gets stronger as he becomes closer to Ethan. One wrong move puts the lives of Meredith and her baby in jeopardy. Meanwhile, Jo looks to Alex for help in a moment of crisis, and one doctor gets the shock of her life.

    Director:Tony Phelan
    Writer:Bill Harper

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  22. Grey's Anatomy Season 13 Episode 4 - Falling Slowly
    7.4/10(12 votes)

    #22 - Falling Slowly

    S13:E4

    Alex tries to do the right thing but still cant catch a break. Jackson and April adjust to their “new normal” with the baby. While Meredith and Nathan establish what’s going on between them, Amelia questions the state of her relationship with Owen.

    Director:Victoria Mahoney
    Writer:Jen Klein

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  23. Grey's Anatomy Season 13 Episode 7 - Why Try to Change Me Now
    7.4/10(14 votes)

    #23 - Why Try to Change Me Now

    S13:E7

    The arrival of a new consultant puts all of the doctors on edge, especially once she starts stepping on toes in the OR. Amelia and Owen bring their personal problems into the hospital, while April explores some uncharted territory.

    Director:Jeannot Szwarc
    Writer:Austin Guzman

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  24. Grey's Anatomy Season 16 Episode 16 - Leave a Light On
    7.4/10(9 votes)

    #24 - Leave a Light On

    S16:E16

    Bailey and Ben face a huge, life-altering decision, while Meredith and several of the doctors reflect on the past.

    Director:Debbie Allen
    Writer:Elisabeth R. Finch

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  25. Grey's Anatomy Season 8 Episode 18 - The Lion Sleeps Tonight
    7.5/10(11 votes)

    #25 - The Lion Sleeps Tonight

    S8:E18

    A lion breaks loose in Seattle, leaving a couple's lives and relationship at risk; Lexie overhears Mark's discussion about moving in with Julia; Teddy begins to take steps towards coming to terms with Henry's death; Callie grills Arizona on her past lovers; and Alex requests to be taken off Morgan's preemie case when she becomes too dependent on him. Meanwhile, Meredith tries to be a support for Cristina as the tension between her and Owen hits a boiling point.

    Director:Mark Jackson
    Writer:Stacy McKee

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Worst Episodes Summary

"Song Beneath the Song" is the worst rated episode of "Grey's Anatomy". It scored 5.9/10 based on 16 votes. Directed by Tony Phelan and written by Shonda Rhimes, it aired on 3/31/2011. This episode scored 0.4 points lower than the second lowest rated, "Nothing Left to Cling To".