The Best Episodes Written By Joan Rater
Every TV Episode Written by Joan Rater Ranked from Best to Worst by Thousands of Voters
Joan Rater Ratings Summary
The best episode written by Joan Rater is "Legacy", rated 8.7/10 from 2 user votes. It was "directed by Tony Phelan". "Legacy" aired on 5/22/2023 and is rated 0.3 point(s) higher than their second highest rated, "Deterioration of the Fight or Flight Response".
8.7/10 2 votes#1 - Legacy
Season 1 Episode 8 - Aired 5/22/2023
With the war ending, Miep and Jan try to find the Franks and other Jewish residents of the annex.
Director: Tony Phelan
Writer: Joan Rater
8.4/10 8 votes#2 - Deterioration of the Fight or Flight Response
Season 2 Episode 26 - Aired 5/15/2006
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
8.2/10 8 votes#3 - Wishin' and Hopin'
Season 3 Episode 14 - Aired 2/1/2007
The race for the Chief's position is on, and the attending physicians, Derek, Burke, Addison and Mark, compete for Richard's affections by trying to help out everywhere possible. The Denny Duquette Memorial Clinic is open for business, but only one single patient shows up. Izzie is disappointed in what she invested Denny's legacy in, and tries to steal patients from the emergency room. Callie and George get back from Las Vegas, announcing their marriage, much to everyone's disbelief. Izzie is not supportive of their marriage and tries to get George to realize the mistake he has made. Meanwhile, Meredith's Alzheimer's-stricken mother, Ellis Grey, experiences a change in her medical condition by becoming lucid for the day. She is disappointed in the mediocrity her daughter has fallen into and begins to despise Derek, blaming him for what happened to the Meredith that used to be "a force of nature". Ellis has to have heart surgery and, despite her wishes, Meredith schedules her upcoming surgery. Richard talks to Ellis and realizes that she is still in love with him, but loses her memory after their talk ends, before Meredith has the chance to tell her how she really feels.
Director: Julie Anne Robinson
Writer: Joan Rater
8.2/10 6 votes#4 - We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together
Season 10 Episode 22 - Aired 5/1/2014
Cristina considers her future at the hospital; Amelia and Derek collaborate on a tough surgery involving conjoined twins; Jo takes on too many cases at once; Stephanie stumbles on the truth about Bailey's case.
Director: Rob Corn
Writer: Joan Rater
8.0/10 1 votes#5 - Then and Now
Season 1 Episode 2 - Aired 2/22/2017
As Sadie tries to keep her relationship with Billy strictly professional, she works on a case involving one of Isaiah’s oldest friends, Jonah Porter. Also, Cameron is conflicted about whether or not to convince her client to testify against his own cousin in order to avoid jail time for a murder he didn’t commit.
Director: James Strong
Writer: Joan Rater
8.0/10 1 votes#6 - Alert the Sheriff
Season 2 Episode 6 - Aired 4/12/2024
After a fire camp inmate escapes from Three Rock, the deputy sheriff with a surprising connection to the Leones, Mickey, is called to investigate.
Director: Max Thieriot
Writer: Joan Rater
8.0/10 4 votes#7 - Welcome to Switzerland
Season 1 Episode 2 - Aired 5/1/2023
With the Frank family secure, Miep's Jewish dentist asks if she knows of a place where he can hide.
Director: Susanna Fogel
Writer: Joan Rater
7.9/10 9 votes#8 - Oh, the Guilt
Season 3 Episode 5 - Aired 10/19/2006
Derek learns one of Addison's secrets. Bailey talks about motherhood and depression to a mother who is set to have cancer surgery and who seems to not care about any decisions concerning the future. A resident is fiercely questioned about the death of a male patient. An ex-couple meet before lunch and get stuck - Meredith and Addison work on their case. Things get awkward when the ex-couple's daughter, Michelle, arrives at the hospital.
Director: Jeff Melman
Writer: Joan Rater
7.8/10 9 votes#9 - In the Midnight Hour
Season 5 Episode 9 - Aired 11/20/2008
Meredith, Cristina and Bailey come to Lexie and Sadie's rescue when a routine surgery goes horribly wrong, as Owen and Derek treat a man seriously injured while sleepwalking and Mark comforts the sleepwalker's distraught daughter.
Director: Tom Verica
Writer: Joan Rater
7.8/10 4 votes#10 - Throwing it All Away
Season 10 Episode 15 - Aired 3/13/2014
Arizona has a bad day which escalates when she advises one of Callie's patients on a potential double amputation. Derek goes back on a promise to Callie, and Jo and Stephanie come across an abandoned baby outside the hospital. Meanwhile, the doctors deal with the repercussions of the non-fraternization rule, which include meetings with HR and one doctor's suspension.
Director: Chris Hayden
Writer: Joan Rater
7.8/10 5 votes#11 - I'm Winning
Season 10 Episode 19 - Aired 4/10/2014
Cristina won't let herself get excited when she is nominated for a Harper Avery award; Alex thinks about making a change; Callie and Derek work with a machine that recognizes emotions.
Director: Kevin McKidd
Writer: Joan Rater
7.8/10 4 votes#12 - Pilot
Season 1 Episode 1 - Aired 5/1/2023
Miep, a young, carefree secretary, agrees to hide Otto Frank and his family from the Nazis.
Director: Susanna Fogel
Writer: Joan Rater
7.7/10 10 votes#13 - Tell Me Sweet Little Lies
Season 2 Episode 14 - Aired 1/22/2006
Meredith and Cristina lie to each other and themselves about their relationships with McDreamy and Burke, respectively. George is given a hard task to expel a discharged and defiant woman from the hospital. Alex learns his fate after re-taking his medical exams. At the same time Izzie is trying to stop Alex from making stupid decisions when a patient that doesn't speak English is lied to by her coach. George, Cristina, and Alex compete in a hot dog eating competition.
Director: Adam Davidson
Writer: Joan Rater
7.6/10 7 votes#14 - Before and After
Season 5 Episode 15 - Aired 2/12/2009
Addison, Naomi and Sam rush the ailing Archer to Seattle Grace and reunite with old friends Derek and Mark to help save his life; meanwhile, Izzie employs her fellow doctors in a medical game designed to help teach the interns, and Owen runs into a significant someone from his past
Director: Daniel Attias
Writer: Joan Rater
7.6/10 5 votes#15 - The End is the Beginning is the End
Season 9 Episode 11 - Aired 1/17/2013
Meredith, Derek, Cristina and Arizona receive big news regarding the plane crash lawsuit, Richard avoids Catherine's romantic advances and Jackson takes on one of Mark Sloan's old patients. Meanwhile, Derek begins recovery on his hand.
Director: Cherie Nowlan
Writer: Joan Rater
7.5/10 6 votes#16 - Adrift and at Peace
Season 7 Episode 10 - Aired 12/2/2010
Derek takes Cristina out on a fishing trip; Teddy tries to help a patient who lacks the proper insurance to seek medical treatment.
Director: Allison Liddi-Brown
Writer: Joan Rater
7.5/10 4 votes#17 - Pilot
Season 1 Episode 1 - Aired 10/7/2022
Five years ago, Bode burned down everything in his life, leaving town with a big secret. Now he's back, with the rap sheet of a criminal and the audacity to believe in a chance for redemption with Cal Fire.
Director: James Strong
Writer: Joan Rater
7.4/10 8 votes#18 - Physical Attraction, Chemical Reaction
Season 4 Episode 7 - Aired 11/8/2007
Izzie and George's new-founded relationship results in them having bad sex. Callie's Chief Resident position is taken away from her, and Bailey is the humble replacement. Meredith can barely handle it with Lexie anymore.
Director: Jeff Melman
Writer: Joan Rater
7.3/10 6 votes#19 - Free Falling
Season 8 Episode 1 - Aired 9/22/2011
The fifth-year residents return for the first day of a year that will make or break their careers: Meredith faces the consequences of tampering with Derek's clinical trial and is terminated at the hospital; April tries to step up to the plate as Chief Resident in the wake of a giant sinkhole in the middle of Seattle; and Cristina and Owen are still at odds over their drastically different feelings for their unborn child.
Director: Rob Corn
Writer: Joan Rater
7.2/10 6 votes#20 - I Always Feel Like Somebody's Watchin' Me
Season 6 Episode 3 - Aired 10/1/2009
Several weeks after her near-death experience, a recovering Izzie returns to work. Meanwhile, nervous that there will be layoffs in the hospital in the wake of an announcement from the Chief, the Seattle Grace residents compete to survive the cuts, including Cristina, who attempts to work alongside Arizona in pediatrics. And Bailey and Alex's patient's already complex case is further complicated by her schizophrenic son.
Director: Michael Pressman
Writer: Joan Rater
7.2/10 6 votes#21 - Suicide is Painless
Season 6 Episode 18 - Aired 3/25/2010
When Teddy's patient seeks to end treatment and her life, she turns to Hunt for help. The situation triggers Hunt's memories of his life at war and his past relationship with Teddy. Meanwhile, Callie and Arizona have a difference in opinion on what their future holds, and Richard tries to adjust to his role as a surgeon.
Director: Jeannot Szwarc
Writer: Joan Rater
7.0/10 6 votes#22 - I Like You So Much Better When You're Naked
Season 6 Episode 12 - Aired 1/21/2010
After learning of Richard's drinking problem, Derek confronts him for the sake of his friend and the hospital, Izzie returns, hoping to reconcile with Alex, and tensions run high between Teddy, Cristina and Owen in the aftermath of Cristina's startling confession.
Director: Donna Deitch
Writer: Joan Rater
7.0/10 6 votes#23 - Seal Our Fate
Season 10 Episode 1 - Aired 9/26/2013
The Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital doctors are faced with the devastation left by the storm. A giant mudslide in Seattle injures a group of first responders and citizens, causing the already short handed ER to spring into action. Meanwhile, Meredith is faced with a tough decision that will affect the life of a loved one, Callie is rocked by the reality of Arizona’s infidelity, and Richard’s life is in extreme danger.
Director: Rob Corn
Writer: Joan Rater
7.0/10 2 votes#24 - You Say You Want a Revolution
Season 2 Episode 7 - Aired 11/15/2015
With the support of President Dalton, Elizabeth attempts to get the Senate's support for a history-making effort to lift the Cuban trade embargo. Also, Henry and Alison bond while touring Havana together.
Director: Tate Donovan
Writer: Joan Rater
7.0/10 2 votes#25 - Pilot
Season 1 Episode 1 - Aired 2/15/2017
Successful defense lawyer Sadie Ellis starts to fall for her charismatic client, pediatric surgeon Billy Brennan, who is accused of murdering his girlfriend 24 years ago.
Director: Adam Bernstein
Writer: Joan Rater