The Grey’s Anatomy season 13 finale airs tonight, May 18, 8pm on ABC.
I have never worked as hard on an article, I don’t think I’ve ever worked as hard on homework even. To start, I had to re-watch every episode of Grey’s Anatomy, from Season 1, episode 1, to Season 13, episode 20, keeping notes as I went along. Not hard work, but with so many movies and TV shows out there to watch, it was a struggle at times (I haven’t finished Stranger Things yet!). Then I had to rank them all, I wanted to be concise on my feelings with each character, so I printed out my list of characters, with pictures, laid them out in an empty room on the floor and began numbering them with a marker. A lot more work than I had expected, but I’m proud I finished it.
Now, what were my guidelines for the list? Obviously every single character who’s ever appeared on Grey’s Anatomy is not on my list, I narrowed it down to 136 (there are two ties). How did I narrow it down, well here were my very rough guidelines.
- Appears in 2+ Episodes: This rules out about 99% of patients. Of course, rule number one has many exceptions, go to rule 2 for more clarification
- Memorability is key: memorability: the quality or state of being easy to remember or worth remembering. There are quite a few characters on my list who were only in one episode, but had enough of an impact on me/the show that they made it on my list. On the other hand, There are also characters who appeared in several episodes but didn’t make it to my list. A lot of nurses, doctors, and patients fall into the latter category.
- No Private Practice Characters: and I obviously mean any of the characters who came over from crossover episodes, not Addison or Amelia.
- No Paramedics: I think there are two exceptions to this rule on my list, but I just found keeping track of the paramedics was too much. Plus, I wouldn’t know how to rank them, they didn’t really interact with the characters enough.
- No kids: Originally, I had all the kids involved, (Ellis Grey, Bailey Grey, Harriet Kepner-Avery, Sofia Robbin Sloan Torres, Zola Grey Sheppard, Ethan Dawson, Winnie, Tuck, etc.) but then I realized I couldn’t rank little kids, plus the really young ones have barely made appearances.
- Ranked from worst to best: Number 134 appears first, but 134 is the worst character, and the best character is obviously number 1. You’ll have to scroll through the whole list to see who is number one.
Denotes dead character: When you see , that means that character is no longer with us. Obviously, Spoilers for all 13 seasons of Grey’s Anatomy!!!
That’s about it, Thanks for reading everyone. If you think I missed anyone, leave them in the comments. Tell me how you would have ranked the characters differently!
Also, I own none of the pictures below. They all belong to Grey’s.
***Spoilers Below***
134. Gary Clarke
The man responsible for the mass murder shooting at (then) Seattle Grace Mercy West, takes the crown as the worst character on my list. Taking the lives of Reed Adamson, Charles percy and many more, as well as wounding Alex Karev and Derek Shepard.
133. Dr. Cohn and Dr. Paul
Dr. Cohn and Dr. Paul are two doctors who you may not remember, but my only tie on my list goes to the two doctors who had a hand in the death of Derek Shepard. If Dr. Paul had of listened to Dr. Penny Blake, and gotten the head CT, they could have gotten Dr. Cohn to the hospital a little faster. Then, they called Dr. Cohn, and he took hours to get to the hospital, and it was too late.
132. Jason “Chest Peckwell” Myers
As Alex finally got up the nerve to ask Jo out, she already had a date with this prick, who ended up hitting her, thankfully she hit his pompous ass back.
131. Dr. Robert Stark
While Dr. Robbins was in Africa, Dr. Robert Stark took over as head of pediatrics, and even once she was back. Alex Karev, who saw a future in pediatrics, had a hell of a time trying to learn with Robert Stark, one of the biggest douche bags you’ve met, as head of pediatrics. To top it off, his relationship with April Kepner was plain creepy.
130. Darren Parker
Probably the one relationship I never understood on the show was Cristina Yang sleeping with Darren Parker, her boss at the Mayo clinic. He was rude, ageist towards sweet old Feeny Dr. Thomas, and Cristina could do so much better.
129. Dr. Taylor
Alcoholism is a disease, but when you’re an anesthesiologist and you’re coming to work drunk and falling asleep when you’re supposed to be keeping a two year old girl under anesthesia, you’re careless.
128. Nurse Rose
Nurse Rose was so easy to hate, in my opinion, she got in the way of Derek and Meredith’s relationship, she seemed a bit full of herself, and her jokes and humor were inappropriate and unfunny. When I see her, I think serial killer.
127. Eli Lloyd
I do not understand what Bailey saw in Eli. He was cocky and rude, and he wasn’t the right fit for Bailey, and obviously she realized that.
126. Elizabeth Chen
Elizabeth Chen has shown up three times in Grey’s Anatomy history, and royally messed up each time. Chen butted heads with Meredith over a baby with a murmur, and Meredith turned out to be right. Chen nearly ripped a babies arm off in surgery. Then, when she was on Sloan Riley’s (Marks daughter) case, she said nothing could be done for her baby, Mark knew she was wrong and went over her head. How she still has a job is beyond me.
125. Graham Maddox
Nobody likes a kiss-ass, and Graham Maddox was a kiss-ass to Nicole Herman. He was also disrespectful to Arizona Robins during there time together working under Dr. Herman, training to become a neo-natal surgeon.
124. Dr. Milton
Coward. Dr. Milton is a coward, whether you have two kids or not, he left two other people in a room with a bomb, and ran out when they needed him.
123. Lauren Boswell
Lauren Boswell knew Arizona was with Callie, and she still pursued her anyways, finally winning Arizona over during a power outage at the hospital. She was very smug, and even kept that smugness when lying to Arizona’s wife after the fact.
122. Tucker Jones
Tucker Jones married one of the most brilliant, and busiest, surgeons (Miranda Bailey) and still raised hell whenever she was too busy. He acted like a little child whenever Dr. Bailey was too busy for him, even though she was saving peoples lives.
121. Leah Murphy
Leah Murphy is an odd one, I don’t hate her, but I definitely do not like her. She caused all sorts of drama at the hospital by raising a fuss after Arizona didn’t want to be with her. She is clingy, and she wasn’t the greatest doctor. Now that she’s back, maybe she can redeem herself a bit, but I’m still very cautious.
120. Robert Avery
When Jackson showed up to see his estranged father after years he didn’t recognize him. Once he found out who he was he acted as if nothing was wrong, as if he was a good father and always had been.
119. Nurse Debbie
I understand that nurses are probably understaffed and underpaid, but Nurse Debbie didn’t have to be so damn rude to the chief, and everyone else.
118. Thatcher Grey
What plunges Thatcher Grey to the bottom of my list isn’t his alcoholism, but his absenteeism in Meredith’s life. He started a whole other family, had two other daughters who he cared and loved for, when he had an amazing daughter in Meredith. He does redeem himself, but personally, I will not forget the time he slapped his own daughter across the face.
117. James Evans
James Evans, Alex Karev’s father, is only one spot higher than Thatcher Grey, another absentee father who started another family even though he had kids elsewhere that he wasn’t there for. His bittersweet moments with his son Alex near the end of his life, and the fact that he tried to get clean for his son, makes him just just a bit better than Thatcher.
116. Sadie Harris
I found Sadie Harris to be annoying, her careless and reckless behaviors put herself, and her colleagues in serious danger. She didn’t know what she was doing, she cheated and she lied her way through the program, she’s a part of Meredith’s past and she should have stayed there.
115. Renee Collier
She kissed Derek while he was married to Meredith, end of story.
114. Rob Harmon
Derek did everything in his power to try and save Rob Harmon’s wife’s life, and after everything they tried, Jen Harmon didn’t make it. Rob Harmon called Derek a murderer, sending Derek down a dark and twisty road.
113. Amanda
George died to save Amanda’s life, how did she repay that? by crying her eyes out for days over someone she never even met. Thankfully, Izzie told her to go live the life that George lost.
112. Reed Adamson
Reed was a little off, saying she’d trade sexual favors for the chance to scrub in. Reed was a gossip and a bit snarky, but other than that, her character wasn’t developed enough, like her fellow Mercy West residents, to warrant much sadness over death.
111. Colin Marlow
Colin Marlow was considered for the chief of surgery job, he was arrogant and smarmy, not a good fit for the hospital, and definitely not a good fit for Cristina, whom he had dated for three years.
110. Sydney Heron
We all remember Sydney Heron right? The overly perky doctor who never really did anything wrong, but that voice…
109. Sloan Riley
Mark Sloan’s daughter, Sloan Riley, blew into Seattle like a wrecking ball, she was vain and coarse. On top of everything, She caused a major divide in Mark and Lexie’s relationship, forcing them into positions they weren’t comfortable being in.
108. Eliza Minnick
She’s new, but she’s caused one of the biggest divides the hospital has ever seen, even hurting the relationship between Webber and Bailey. Her way of teaching might work, but it’s shaking up the hospital like nothing other. Also, the actress playing Minnick, Marika Dominczyk, isn’t that great of an actor in my opinion.
107. Julia Canner
Nice girl, but she shoved her relationship with Mark down Lexie’s throat.
106. Janet Meyers
The social worker that seemed really picky about Meredith and Derek, even though they were clearly good, fit parents. Meredith taking Zola and hiding wasn’t the best idea, but come on, we all knew Meredith and Derek were going to make great parents.
105. Andrew Perkins
Andrew Perkins was a good looking guy and he knew it, then the tried to take Teddy Altman away from us… NO!
104. Morgan Peterson
Stage 4 clinger. She was into Alex, but the feelings weren’t mutual, and it got awkward.
103. Margaret Campbell
Called an old dino by Christina, she was still working at the hospital passed her time. She made a mistake on a surgery, and decided it would be her last.
102. Rebecca Pope/Jane Doe/Ava
Alex cared for Rebecca, and while it was sweet, their relationship never felt right. She had some mental issues, and a whole other life somewhere else, this just wasn’t for Alex and we all knew it.
101. Tracy McConnell
Catherine Avery brought Tracy McConnell into the hospital to run against Dr. Bailey for the position of chief of surgery. Tracy seemed shiny and new, but let’s face it, the job should have just been handed to Dr. Bailey.
100. Ryan Spalding
Ryan Spalding wasn’t given much to do on the show, he’s not a bad character but he’s not memorable enough to even be given a full number by Christina, who just called him 4.2.
99. Robbie Stevens
Not a bad parent, but not a great one. A tad eccentric and different, she showed up when Izzie had cancer and she only helped in making things worse than better. Bailey thought she was doing Izzie a favor by calling her to see her sick daughter, but Izzie knew why she didn’t want her mother there.
98. Lawrence Jennings
Lawrence Jenning, who was the chairman of the board, was a grumpy man, who was caught cheating on his wife for years. His old fashioned ways never really meshed with the hospital and its doctors.
97. Darryl Nessbaum
An irritating man who tried to teach several of the doctors at the hospital how to do a cross-stitch. He admitted to the staff the he felt that the “patient doesn’t matter”.
96. Emily Kovach
Emily Kovach flirted with Owen Hunt, while he was with Christina, leading Christina to believe that they were sleeping together.
95. Molly Thompson
Who is she? Many will have forgotten that Meredith has a third sister, Lexie and Maggie are not the only ones. Molly Thompson came to Seattle Grace Hospital, with her parents Thatcher and Susan Grey, to have her baby. She was a bit stand-offish, but other than that we don’t know much about her… and the mystery continues.
94. Pierce Halley
Pierce was an intern at the hospital, he was a part of the infamous love triangle with Steve, Megan and himself. He falls into the trap that all the season 3/4 interns fall into, where you remember there face, but we don’t really know much about them.
93. William Thorpe
He started off as a dick, but then took a liking to Meredith. He was just not interesting enough to stick around.
92. Katie Bryce
Meredith’s first patient ever, showed up again 10 years later. She’s whiny and questions Meredith’s skills as a doctor.
91. William Dunn
Why is a murderer so “high” on my list. Well, everything about the man was intriguing, like Hannibal Lecter. Creepy, but illustrious,
90. Oliver Lebackes
Also known as Dr. Butthole, he was a nice man, but he tried to take Karev away from the hospital, and for that reason he’s only number 90.
89. Mitchell Spencer
This intern started in season 11, and has quite a few screw-ups under his belt, like loosening a patients restraints, causing her to dislocate her neck. Seeing brains made him vomit, I like him more than the season 3/4 interns as he was developed a bit more.
88. Dan Pruitt
Dan’s a nice guy, but even Callie said he was a bit boring. Callie worked on him as a patient, eventually removing one of his legs, They flirted and went on one date, but Callie just wasn’t interested in him.
87. Graciela Guzman
Again, another victim of the season 3/4 interns, you probably remember her face but not too much more about her.
86. Virginia Dixon
Virginia Dixon, A cardiothoracic surgeon, was only in a few episodes, but you probably remember her. Dixon had Autism/Asperger’s syndrome, She came across as a fish out of water on the show, many criticized the portrayal of Asperger’s syndrome.
85. Nurse Ruth
You probably recognize Nurse Ruth, she is a go-getter and a fighter, one of the nurses you’d be happy to see on your case.
84. Jim Nelson
Jim Nelson was commonly known around the hospital as Shadow Shepherd, the mans work has been called sloppy, but he was always second best around the hospital compared to Derek Shepherd. This resulted in quite a bit of humor, and just seeing his face makes me laugh.
83. Raj Sen
A psychologist who’s been around since season one, he’s smart and always knows what he’s doing, even if Meredith rejected his application to live with her.
82. Lucy Fields
I kind of liked her relationship with Alex, but like her time on the show, it was short and forgettable.
81. Alana Cahill
She was just at the hospital doing what she was hired to do, make budget cuts, does that make her evil? Not really, in the end I felt bad for her just trying to do her job, even though she shut down the ER.
80. Megan Mostow
An intern in the background, but caused a lot of fuss, like when she got pregnant while on a break with Pierce and slept with Steve, or when she got fired and filed a lawsuit against the hospital. If you’re a long time watcher you’ll recognize her, for good or for bad.
79. Aaron Karev
A one episode family member appearance, Aaron Karev, Alex’s little brother, showed up with a hernia. Him and Alex fought, Aaron was fixed, and then he was gone.
78. Dr. Knox
Honestly, you wouldn’t know his face, but you might know his name, He’s been an anesthesiologist since season 5 of Grey’s Anatomy, and has appeared in 20+ episodes.
77. Ronny O’Malley
Annoying O’Malley brother #1.
76. Jerry O’Malley
Annoying O’Malley brother #2.
75. Finn “McVet” Dandridge
Finn was a sweet, caring guy. Meredith was the first girl he sought after his wife’s passing, he was there for her, he just wasn’t Derek, and he was about as plain as buttered toast.
74. Roberta Thompson
A strong board member who helped the doctors fight for their rights after the plane crash.
73. Isaac Cross
If Cross is in the scene, he’s usually good for a laugh, his deer caught in the headlights expression makes me wonder if he’s learned anything thing at that hospital.
72. Nick
A sweet guy, who came to the hospital with cancer, seeking Arizona’s help. If he’d come sooner he might still be alive, and he might have had a better friendship with Arizona.
71. Nick Hanscom
A genuinely nice guy, who if he had survived, might have had a shot at dating Lexie Grey.
70. Carolyn Shepherd
She is tough, like we all expected her to be. The mother of Derek Shepherd and four girls, a former navy nurse, and she approves of Meredith. She’d be higher on the list if she would have made the trip for her daughter, Amelia’s, wedding.
69. Andrew Deluca
He started off as an interesting character, but hasn’t really done much for me since, a nice guy but his looks are only skin deep, he isn’t that interesting. His relationship with Pierce didn’t make sense, and now he likes Jo which is irritating.
68. Megan Hunt (?)
Okay, so she made an appearance in flashbacks, and that’s basically it, but she’s cool. Plus, there is a theory that she’s still alive, and she’ll return to shake things up.
67. Penelope “Penny” Blake
I enjoyed Penny’s time on Grey’s Anatomy, although she’s number 67 for several shitty reasons, and not because she “killed” Derek (if you want the people responsible for that check number 133). Her relationship with Callie never felt right, especially for Callie to pick up and move away from her friends and family. I admired her courage and pluckiness, and her eventual relationship with Meredith.
66. Jeff Russell
Just a good guy, who came to work, did his job and left. He let Christina do what she wanted for the most part, and didn’t interfere with goings on around the hospital.
65. Harold O’Malley
A sweet, but often misguided father.
64. Olivia Harper
A friendly familiar face around the hospital. The syphilis accident was just that, an accident.
63. Patricia
You might remember Patricia as Richard Webbers secretary while he was chief, she was witty, and a great aid to Webber.
62. Jane “Mama” Burke
Mama was strong and confident like her son, she deserves the 62nd spot, even though she took Christina’s eyebrows.
61. Bonnie Crasnoff
You’ll remember Bonnie as the girl with a pole going through her body, and into another patients body. She also appeared to Meredith when Meredith nearly drown.
60. Dr. Alma
When Bailey suffered from OCD, Dr. Alma was assigned to help her overcome her problems, and it takes someone with guts to boss Bailey around like she did.
59. Shane Ross
Nicknamed “Happy” by Christina Yang, he was definitely that, to the point of annoyance. His friendship with Yang was nice, and I’m glad he went with her to Switzerland.
58. Matthew Taylor
Matthew Taylor did everything right, including throwing a beautiful proposal/wedding for April Kepner, he just wasn’t Jackson, and we knew that April wanted to be with Jackson.
57. Hannah Davies
Unlike Dr. Milton, Hannah stayed with the patient and in that room with Meredith and a bomb, until she couldn’t take it anymore.
56. Susan Grey
Susan Grey was a very sweet lady who brought Meredith and her father closer together, she didn’t deserve to die. If it wasn’t for her death Meredith’s relationship with her father would be stronger.
55. Tyler Christian
He was there from day one (and then another ten seasons), hid dissapearance without a trace or explanation kind of stinks because he was another friendly face around the hospital.
54. Norman Shales
Why would you team up one of the kindest, sweetest old men with Alex Karev? That was bound for failure. At least it all worked for the best and we know that Norman is in Psych where he belongs. RIP Edward Herrmann
53. Walter
While we don’t know much about Walter, we do know that his relationship with Joe the bartender seemed like a good one.
52. Evelyn Hunt
A very caring mother to Owen Hunt.
51. Kyle Diaz
A very nice young man who came to the hospital with a hand tremor and took a liking to Stephanie Edwards. He was a great guy but the way he reacted when Edwards broke up with him, whining to his mom and sister and giving her the silent treatment, was embarrassing.
50. Emma Marling
Emma Marling might very well have been the best choice for Owen, I’m Crowen all the way, but Emma seemed like she might have been pretty good for Owen.
49. Jen Harmon
A very nice woman who was a pregnant patient of Derek’s and Addison’s who died, her husband is number 114, as her death and his comments made Derek leave the hospital for a short time.
48. Rebecca Swender
A very competent doctor who was there for Izzie during her cancer treatments.
47. Helen Rubenstein
She may be a little overbearing but she was a loving mother to Cristina, and similar in many ways.
46. Elizabeth Fallon
Elizabeth Fallon was a scrub nurse that worked for Ellis Grey and came to the hospital while Meredith worked there, they bonded shortly before her death. After Meredith had a near death experience, Elizabeth appeared to her to help her.
45. Lizzie Shepherd & Nancy Shepherd
We’ve never met Kathleen Shepherd, but we have met Derek’s other three sisters, Amelia, Lizzie and Nancy. Liz and Nancy appear as number 45 on my list, they both seem to be strong, intelligent women, both are doctors and similar to Derek.
44. David Moore
One of the nicest guys you might have ever met in the hospital, he worked with Arizona helping her with her new prosthetic and even when she was rude and unresponsive to his help, he still stuck by her.
43. Steve Mostow
He’s probably one of the more recognizable interns, starting in season 4, he’s a likeable and funny guy, if not a little awkward.
42. Diane Pierce
Maggie’s wonderful, wonderful mother, who sadly passed away but really made an impression in her limited time on the show.
41. Heather Brooks
She was a little off, but in my opinion she was one of the more interesting interns the show has had. She actually had a unique personality, she was cute and funny. All you Heather Brooks haters can back off.
40. Louise O’Malley
George’s sweet, yet slightly overbearing mother, lost her husband and son in such a short period of time. Her re-appearance later on in the show with Callie was tender and sweet.
39. Bokhee
What can I say about Bokhee, except for the fact that if you don’t know who she is then you need to get off this page. I don’t think she’s said a single word, but she is a Grey’s Anatomy staple since day one.
38. Ben Warren
Bailey finally got it right with with Ben Warren, a caring man who has recently had some interesting storylines, but I still find him a bit bland at times.
37. Dylan Young
The bomb squad leader who helped Meredith through the situation that found her holding a bomb in a mans chest cavity. He later was killed by that bomb, but appeared to Meredith after she had a near death experience.
36. Katharine Wyatt
A Psychiatrist at the hospital, she assisted Meredith, Owen and many of the other doctors at the hospital.
35. Jo Wilson
Jo is somewhere between sweet and awesome, to whiny and misguided, Some day’s you love her, others not so much. I’m also not sure how I feel about her relationship with Alex.
34. Erica Hahn
I enjoyed Erica Hahn, she had a real arc on the show and while she did end up going against the grain several times, it gave her an authenticity. You may not have liked the choices her character was making, like her hostility towards Cristina and Izzie, but it made her a real character with different aspirations.
33. Catherine Avery
Catherine Avery is as strong and hard as Miranda Bailey, but not as likeable. The show hasn’t been afraid to make the audience dislike Catherine, but through all her flaws we still find her to be the one we love to hate.
32. Joe
Everyone’s favorite bartender, it’s too bad we don’t have him around anymore, he was a great familiar face at the bar, providing many hilarious moments, like coming out to Richard Webber, or having to fire Cristina Yang.
31. Carlos Torres
Carlos Torres has an amazing transition on the show, from hard-ass, homophobic father, to accepting, caring dad. It doesn’t hurt to have the terrific Hector Elizondo playing him.
30. Mary Portman
Mary Portman, one of the kindest patients the shows ever had, survived the hospital shooting, only to die six months later due to organ failure.
29. Charles Percy
Another victim of the hospital shooting, Charles Percy may have been a little full of himself, but he was a lovable brute.
28. Craig Thomas
A kind man and mentor to Cristina Yang, he was sweet and helped guide Cristina through a difficult time in her life following the plane crash. FEENY!
27. April Kepner
During my complete re-watch of Grey’s Anatomy, I found that I liked April Kepner a lot more than I did my first time around. I never found her to be too “Annoying” unless she was fighting with Jackson or forcing religion. At the end of the day, I really do love Kepner.
26. Nicole Herman
Nicole Herman started as a hard-ass on the show, even showing disdain for the lovable Arizona Robbins. As it is with all curmudgeons, the have a soft side, and Arizona found that soft side and we all fell in love with Herman, rooting for her survival.
25. Adele Webber
Adele is the late wife of Richard Webber, an incredibly adorable and charming lady, who was also quite funny at times, putting Richard, and others, in their place when needed.
24. Stephanie Edwards
Edwards’ character has only recently been able to shine as a character, she’s shown incredible determination as a doctor and I’m glad.
23. Nathan Riggs
Likable, smart, resourceful, and possibly the next great love story for Meredith Grey? His story is still unfolding on Grey’s Anatomy, but he’s definitely an interesting character.
22. Amelia Shepard
I watched Private Practice for a few seasons, and never saw Amelia on the show. I think you love her a lot more if you know her harried past, but I’ve recently grown to admire her more and more.
21. Jackson Avery
Jackson is a quiet, brooding man, I haven’t found him as insanely interesting, but he’s a constant on the show and deserves the number 21 spot. Jackson is often a voice of reason, one of the more sensible characters on the show. His relationship with Mark Sloan, which would lead to the “Plastics Posse”, was funny and entertaining. He’s the type of son you’d expect to be raised by Catherine Avery, and I mean that in the best way.
20. Preston Burke
Preston Burke was such a complex, interesting, smart character. Everything about him felt real, and he stayed true to his character and for that he earns the twentieth spot. He could be a prick, to George, Derek, and even Christina in the beginning, but all of those relationships became strong.
19. Ellis Grey
One of the strongest characters the show has seen, an interesting woman who’s story, and life, has been a presence throughout the entire show. I could have her lower on my list for the way she mothered Meredith, but I never once disliked Ellis Grey, I respected the hell out of her.
18. Maggie Pierce
When Maggie Pierce first appeared on the show, I was not very receptive to the idea of doing another unknown sister story-line. She became so much more than that, she is this emotional, caring, determined doctor and sister.
17. Henry Burton
Henry deserved better! He was the definition of a great guy, wooing Teddy at the right time, he was polite, and funny, and charming. It was all so bittersweet.
16. Denny Duquette
Very similar to Henry Burton (above), but Denny Duquette was fucking Denny Duquette am I right? A rock star in his own right. Swooping in like a sick prince charming, capturing the attention of Izzie, falling in love, a love story that was so swift, yet so full of passion.
15. Owen Hunt
Owen Hunt is a badass with a heart of gold. From his first moments on the show, where he pulled an icicle from Cristina Yang’s chest, to being chief, and running the trauma department, Owen Hunt has proven to be one of the more capable doctors working at the hospital.
14. Richard Webber
Richard Webber is a staple at the hospital, and he’s been like a father to Meredith. In a way he’s been like a father to all of us. He always knows what to say, and has guided us along for 13 seasons (and hopefully will continue to do so).
13. Teddy Altman
Teddy is a brave woman, who wears her heart on her sleeve. I adore Teddy, she breathed life into her three seasons on the show, she was determined and formed some unforgettable friendships at the hospital.
12. Arizona Robbins
Arizona is incredible, and resilient. I adore her for her kindness and warmth towards her patients, and everyone. She’s human, she’ll cry when she gets overwhelmed, and isn’t afraid to stand up for her tiny humans. Her perkiness might scare you off at first, but beneath that perkiness is the strength of a tiger.
11. Isobel “Izzie” Stevens
There is no one quite like Izzie, courageous, funny, aggressive and a deeply caring person. Her caring for her patients too much has landed her in hot water at the hospital, but only landed her higher in our hearts.
10. Alex Karev
Alex Karev is everyone’s favorite bad boy. He works in pediatrics, and his story from an asshole to likeable pediatric surgery head is heartwarming. His friendship with Meredith is delightful, and the way he treats his patients is lovely.
9. Miranda Bailey
Bailey has had quite the progressive storyline on Grey’s Anatomy, starting out as “The Nazi”, then with every episode, she became just a little more kind and lovable. It’s only recently, with her promotion to chief of surgery, that I’ve seen a bit of a bounce back to the “Old Bailey”. On the show, the character Bailey’s change in temperament is blamed on having a child. I think that it is no coincidence that her more lovable side came out once a certain five interns came to work at the hospital.
8. Addison Forbes Montgomery
If Addison had stayed on Grey’s Anatomy, who knows where the writers would have taken her. Everything in Seattle seemed to be over for her, and it takes a certain character to commandeer her own show. Addison was that character. She is smart, wickedly funny, and a kind heart, but can never seem to get it right. I watched a few seasons of Private Practice, but this list is solely Grey’s Anatomy based, and Addison’s time on Grey’s Anatomy was fun and scandalous.
7. Derek Shepherd
It’s difficult for all of us trying to watch Meredith move on in the current seasons of Grey’s Anatomy because we know that her and Derek were one of the great love stories. He screwed up, a lot of times, I don’t know if anyone will really forgive him for “Choosing” Addison, but he was human, and we miss him dearly.
6. Lexie Grey
There’s something about Lexie Grey, the girl who went through medical school and surprised her sister by showing up at her work one day, as an intern. Lexie Grey had a photographic memory, but it didn’t exactly make her the smartest at making decisions. Her naivety and her big heart made her one of the funniest characters on the show, and possibly the sweetest.
5. Mark Sloan
Mark might have slept with his best friend’s wife, and slept around the hospital, but that doesn’t mean he’s a bad guy. Mark gave his relationships their all, with Derek, Addison, Callie, Jackson, and more, the friendships Mark had on Grey’s Anatomy were some of my favorites. Marks kindness, compassion and humor land him in my fifth spot.
4. Callie Torres
The best part about Callie was how the writers made her so incredibly human, she made mistakes and owned them. Callie was never afraid to stand up for herself and what she believed in, her bisexual story-line, and ultimate relationship with Arizona, was beautiful. Her friendship with Mark was my favorite relationship (next to Christina and Meredith’s), Callie’s disappearance from the show is one of the biggest losses.
3. George O’Malley
Maybe George O’Malley is so high on my list because of how much he reminds me of myself. He clearly deals with Anxiety, but he has a tendency to be brave when it’s needed. He was smart, but made mistakes, He was funny and genuine. His heart was big, right up until his final moments.
2. Meredith Grey
For 13 seasons we have watched the saga of Meredith Grey unfold, we have stuck by her through many, many problems and hardships. It’s Meredith Grey who keeps us coming back, It’s her courage and vigor and compassion for the people she loves that makes Meredith Grey so incredible. She’s been through so much loss and struggle, seeing her fortitude through all of this has given myself and so many others strength. Meredith Grey is an incredible human being and I will continue to watch her for years to come.
1. Cristina Yang
Christina Yang is quite possibly the most incredible character Shonda Rhimes has created. Resolute and beautiful inside and out, she fights for what she wants and has incredibly wicked sense of humor. Her “twisted sister” friendship with Meredith is one of the better friendships I’ve seen portrayed on TV, and both of her relationships (Burke & Hunt) were mesmerizing. The writers worked hard to create a character that would live on, and I’m sure we haven’t seen the last of Cristina.
TV and City 