During the fifteen years, Grey’s Anatomy has been on the air, the hit medical drama has been no stranger to controversy. This is primarily due to the major relationships that have been such a big part of the show. Throughout the years, Grey’s has caused countless uprisings in its fanbase due to pushing relationships no one actually wants to see.
On the other hand, Grey’s Anatomy has also provided several of the most beloved, well-known couples on TV. What would television romances be without iconic couples such as Meredith and Derek, or Arizona and Callie?
Grey’s Anatomy has certainly given fans a lot of romance over the years, and that’s primarily why it’s been so successful. Let’s take a look at a few major couples that the audience loved, and a few that they hated.
10. JACKSON AND APRIL - BEHIND
“Japril” as it was lovingly dubbed by fans, was a prominent success with the audience. The chemistry that Sarah Drew and Jesse Williams had was undeniable, and many moments shared between the duo were exceptionally well-written. Jackson and April definitely had a quality about them that made people fall hard and fast for their romance.
Before Jackson interrupted April’s wedding, before they got married, before they had Harriet, Jackson and April were close friends. After some unforeseen events, they were the only two doctors left from the Mercy West merger. This brought them closer and strengthened their bond, and is presumably a big reason as to why they were so loved.
9. JACKSON AND MAGGIE - REJECTED
Contrary to Jackson and April, Jackson and Maggie had no chemistry whatsoever - none that made their romance believable anyway. The generally negative reaction to the pairing of Jackson and Maggie was fuelled by the fact that Jackson and April were recently separated and had a young daughter together.
After all the drama that had ensued between a fan favorite, Grey’s wasted no time throwing Jackson into another relationship without giving the audience any time to mourn, and that was a big mistake.
8. MEREDITH AND DEREK - BEHIND
After much drama and heartache, Meredith and Derek finally tied the knot via a cute post-it note marriage in season 5. Their makeshift marriage didn’t guarantee a happily ever after, though; their relationship hit turbulence in later seasons, leading up to Derek’s ultimate demise in season 11.
Fans still love this iconic duo though. As far as the majority of the audience is concerned, Grey’s will never create a better couple. Meredith and Derek hold a special place in many viewers’ hearts, especially those who have been watching from the beginning.
7. MEREDITH AND FINN - REJECTED
After Izzie adopted a dog in her post-Alex misery, she, Meredith, and George banded together to raise the lovable Doc. The dog seemed to be in good health at first, but due to unforeseen circumstances, Meredith ended up having to take several trips to the vet.
The veterinarian who attempted to treat Doc for what was later revealed to be aggressive cancer was Finn, and he quickly became Meredith’s dashing love interest. The two had the chemistry, for sure, but since the majority of the audience would not give up on the iconic “MerDer” pairing, Meredith’s relationship with Finn ended before it even started.
6. MARK AND LEXIE - BEHIND
McSteamy and McDreamy were two of the most beloved characters ever to be created on Grey’s Anatomy, and both of their ultimate relationships were just as well-loved. Much like many fans viewed Meredith and Derek as soulmates, the same title was used for Mark and Lexie.
This is a love story that ended up being probably the most tragic in Grey’s Anatomy history, but to this day, fans still love and miss this couple dearly.
5. OWEN AND AMELIA - REJECTED
Owen has had a bad track record when it comes to his romantic relationship, and Amelia is no different, so the fact that these two were nothing but bad and damaging for each other is no surprise. After feeling the results of Cristina’s departure and the loss of the ongoing drama that stemmed from her complicated relationship with Owen, Grey’s writers became desperate and thus, the dynamic between Owen and Amelia.
This relationship was similar to the infamous Owen and Cristina bond, but way worse. Owen and Amelia started off sweet but became problematic in no time at all. Despite backlash from fans over this distasteful relationship, Grey’s shows no signs of giving it up just yet.
4. CRISTINA AND BURKE - BEHIND
Cristina was no stranger to a turbulent relationship, and though her ordeal with Owen Hunt is probably the most infamous, Cristina was severely put through the wringer when it came to her whirlwind romance with Preston Burke.
Not only was Burke prone to mood swings and selfish behavior, but he abandoned Cristina at the altar on their wedding day and showed no remorse for it when they reunited years later. Nevertheless, Isaiah Washington and Sandra Oh had the chemistry that made fans root for their characters’ romance.
3. RICHARD AND CATHERINE - REJECTED
Richard’s earlier character arcs primarily revolved around his infidelity. His affair with Ellis Grey was one of his absolute worst moments, and the way he treated Adele during that time was inexcusable.
But Grey’s gave Richard a chance to redeem himself and his marriage, and a while things were good between him and Adele. But then Catherine came into the picture, and although Adele had fallen ill with Alzheimer’s, Richard moving on so fast felt wrong.
2. CALLIE AND ARIZONA - BEHIND
Being the first main LGBTQ+ couple on the show, Callie and Arizona will always be iconic. The two hold a special place in fans’ hearts today, despite both characters having been written out of the show. There were very few fans that didn’t root for Callie and Arizona from the beginning.
The couple’s relationship was put through some rough waters and ultimately, Callie and Arizona did not get the happy ending that they deserve. But that doesn’t discount the fact that they were groundbreaking, and people are still talking about them today.
1. ALEX AND JO - REJECTED
Izzie and Alex ended their romance in the sixth season of Grey’s Anatomy, but they are still one of the show’s most talked-about couples to this day, and there’s a reason for that. The writers seemed to underestimate the success of this relationship and the fact that so many people absolutely loved it.
After notable backlash following Katherine Heigl’s departure from the series, the Grey’s writers did the right thing and waited a few seasons before introducing another major love interest for Alex. The romance with Jo was also developed quite tastefully and realistically, but none of the changes the fact that fans just loved Alex and Izzie more.
