Whether you’re a long-time Grey’s Anatomy fan, or you’ve just started binging the hit medical drama, you can’t deny the legacy the T.R. Knight’s George O’Malley left behind. The early seasons of Grey’s were certainly its prime years, in which the cast was much more tight-knit and smaller than it is now, and all of our favorite characters were still alive and living their best lives.
Season five was George O’Malley’s last season on the show. His death episode aired over 10 years ago and most fans still understandably aren’t over the heartbreak. George’s demise remains one of the most devastating of the series, and losing such a major, lovable character was definitely a pretty significant hit to Grey’s Anatomy.
George is still one of the most iconic, unforgettable characters ever to appear on the series, so let’s take a look at 10 of his most memorable quotes that will probably end up making you miss him even more.
10. ‘MCDREAMY IS DOING THE MCNASTY WITH A MCHOTTIE? THAT MCBASTARD!’
In the first season of Grey’s, the storyline involving George’s crush on Meredith was introduced. Since Meredith was already tangled up in a glamorous love affair with Seattle Grace’s head of neurosurgery, Derek Shepherd, George obviously had some comments to make.
George’s sarcasm regarding the McDreamy drama didn’t all stem from his jealousy, though. Since he lived with both Meredith and Izzie, George tended to poke fun at some of the topics they’d discuss. That was the origin of this hilarious quote: “McDreamy is doing the McNasty with a McHottie? That McBastard!”
9. ‘DR. BAILEY AND I ARE IN LOVE’
Relationships are definitely Grey’s strong suit, whether it’s a romance, a tense dynamic, or a deep familial bond, the series exceeds in this department. Dr. Bailey’s relationship with George is one that remains up there with some of the very best relationships this show has ever created.
As Dr. Bailey states several times throughout the series, George was her favorite intern. She had a special bond with him, and to make it even stronger, George was the one who supported Dr. Bailey throughout the birth of her son. This friendship is still one of the most iconic of the series, and it brought us this hilarious sarcastic quip from George: “Dr. Bailey and I are in love. I’ll be heading back to Vegas with her as soon as my divorce from Dr. Torres is finalized.”
8. ‘BETWEEN YOU AND ME, IF I HAD BEEN ALONE IN THAT O.R., YOU’D PROBABLY BE DEAD RIGHT NOW’
One of the most groundbreaking, empowering, memorable scenes in the entire history of Grey’s Anatomy, involved George O’Malley. Throughout the series, George is portrayed as someone who always tries to do the right thing, and speaks up for what he believes in. Taking place in an episode that revolved around a patient who had a problematic attitude against Dr. Bailey, George’s speech is unforgettable.
“Dr. Bailey saved your life today. A black woman saved your life, and at a great personal cost,” he said inspiringly. “So maybe next time you’re looking at that tattoo, and you’re thinking about how much better all these white guys are than anyone else… you might want to think about that.” He continued saying “‘Cause between you and me, if I had been alone in that O.R., you’d probably be dead right now. And since we’re sharing our belief systems, I believe that if you were dead, the world would be a better place.”
7. ‘HIGH SCHOOL SUCKS FOR ANYONE WHO’S THE LEAST BIT DIFFERENT’
In a scene in which the surgeons are reminiscing about their high school days, George speaks up with what is probably one of the most relatable quotes from Grey’s Anatomy: “high school sucks for anyone who’s the least bit different.”
There’s nothing that would be considered majorly “different” about George, but since several fellow interns—mainly Alex—frequently picked on him for being “soft,” George’s words ring true to himself and so many others.
6. ‘I WOULD’VE GIVEN HIM MY HEART IF I COULD’
“I would’ve given him my heart if I could. If I could have saved him, I would’ve given him my heart.” Denny’s death was one of the hardest-hitting losses ever to be presented on Grey’s. He was a minor secondary character, and he didn’t appear in all that many episodes, but it’s the aftermath of his demise and the grief that Izzie Stevens has to endure, that makes this entire storyline so compelling.
George’s above quote perfectly captures how deep his friendship with Izzie runs, and just how much she means to him.
5. ‘IZZIE AND MEREDITH AND CRISTINA…THEY’RE MY FAMILY’
In the early seasons of Grey’s Anatomy, George, Izzie, and Meredith lived in the same house. This meant that their dynamic played a significant role in the series, and their relationships with each other were undeniably fun to watch. George himself stated how much the girls meant to him: “Izzie and Meredith and Cristina…they’re my family,” and that will never not be heartwarming.
4. ‘I’M A MAN!’
“I’m a man! I don’t buy girl products. I don’t want you walking in while I’m in the shower. And I don’t wanna see you in your underwear!” This quote is another example of the dynamic that Izzie, Meredith, and George had while they were roommates. And it’s a hilarious example at that.
3. ‘I WANT TO BE THE GUY DR. BAILEY NAMED HER SON AFTER’
As stated previously, George and Dr. Bailey’s relationship was a beautiful one. After George helped Bailey get through labor, she was so thankful for his support, that she gave her son the middle name “George.” It shows how important George was to doctor Bailey, and it’s a nice way to maintain George’s legacy in the show today.
2. ‘EVEN WHEN YOU’RE NOT THERE, I STILL LOOK AROUND’
George’s unrequited love for Meredith was a notable storyline in Grey’s for quite some time. The constant pining on George’s part got old after a while, and the drama that would eventually negatively affect his friendship with Meredith was quite unnecessary.
However, it is worth noting that a beautiful quote from George did come out of this tangled web: “You know, whenever anyone says something really funny and I laugh, I always look around to see if you think it’s funny too. Even when you’re not there, I still look around.”
1. ‘WHO HERE FEELS LIKE THEY HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THEY’RE DOING?’
This is a quote from the pilot episode of Grey’s. The series premiere revolved around the new interns— Meredith, Cristina, Izzie, George, and Alex—finding their footing at Seattle Grace and learning about everything that went into the career of a surgeon.
In a scene that would eventually become one of the most famous, memorable, and commonly referenced in Grey’s Anatomy history, the interns sit together in their old hangout, and George says what everyone else is currently thinking: “who here feels like they have no idea what they’re doing?”
