In a short amount of time, Grey’s Anatomy will return for its sixteenth season. Grey’s has quickly become the most popular medical drama of all time, even surpassing ER. A series doesn’t run for more than 300 episodes without resonating with its audience.
Even if you aren’t in the medical field, Grey’s Anatomy has plenty of relatable moments and lovable characters fans can’t help but fall in love with. Despite being on the air for almost twenty years, sometimes it’s fun to take a look back at the very beginning. Here are some of the most relatable quotes from season one of Grey’sAnatomy.
“No one holds a scalpel until I’m so happy I’m Mary Freakin’ Poppins”
This quote comes from Miranda Bailey herself. Before she became the lovable character we know now, Bailey was an intimidating boss to the new interns. You might not be able to relate to this quote if you’ve never been in a position of authority, but you have probably had a boss like Bailey at some point in your life.
We’ve all had to deal with someone who is incredibly controlling and has very high standards that must be met before you’ll be allowed to progress in your field or on the project you’re working on.
“You are so my favorite person today.”
In this case, Izzie says this to a patient who just threw up all over Alex. Considering this was during the phase when Alex was still a major jerk, you can’t help but agree with Izzie on this one. The great thing about this quote from season one of Grey’s Anatomy is it works on multiple levels.
We all love to see a little karmic retribution from time to time for starters. But we also have our favorite people so it could be said in a sarcastic way or in a genuine way.
“Who here feels like they have no idea what they’re doing?”
It’s hard to believe there was a time when Meredith, Izzie, and Alex had no idea what they were doing but when George asked all the infamous M.A.G.I.C. group of interns whether they felt this way, pretty much everyone unanimously agreed (except Cristina, of course).
But we’ve all felt like we were in over our heads before. It’s especially hard when you’re doing something that you’re incredibly passionate about, and yet you still feel like you’re drowning. That’s especially true for anyone working in a field as difficult and complex as medicine and surgery.
“I mean, if life’s so hard already, why do we bring more trouble down on ourselves?”
Some of the most insightful and relatable quotes on Grey’s Anatomy come from the show’s voiceovers. This one from Meredith is particularly helpful. Many of us can be our own worst enemies.
Life is so hard sometimes, so why do we make it more difficult for ourselves? It’s just human nature. We can’t always figure out what the right thing to do might be, and sometimes we wind up making things worse, even if that isn’t our intention! Indecision, impulsiveness, all lead to creating complications.
“You want to call me Dr. Model? That’s fine.”
The “Dr. Model” monologue is up there in some of the show’s most iconic moments, and certainly one of Izzie’s most notable moments on the series. During the first season, Alex frequently mocked her. Once he finds out, she used to be a model. He shows everyone and Izzie gives a speech while stripping down about how she was a model, and so what?
She’s paid off her loans, and everyone else is in debt. It’s an empowering moment, and it’s something that everyone watching could take inspiration from. Who hasn’t envisioned themselves making a similarly impassioned speech like that to someone?
“Why do I keep hitting myself with a hammer? Because it feels so good when I stop.”
This quote is yet another one from one of Meredith’s many opening monologue voiceovers. It fits well with one of the earlier quotes on this list about making life more difficult for ourselves. Why do we do things that hurt ourselves?
Maybe because part of us craves the ending when we finally stop. We crave that sense of relief of getting free of our own mental struggles. One of the reasons people relate so much to Meredith is because she is honest about her darkness and self-destructive habits.
“Oh, don’t you tell me to lighten up. I’ll lighten up when I….feel light.”
It’s always annoying when someone tells you to “lighten up” or “calm down” when you’re feeling a strong emotion. It feels like they’re patronizing you and trying to diminish your feelings to make you feel like you’re acting crazy or that you’re less valid because of how you react.
This quote comes from an encounter with Derek in which he tells Meredith she should “lighten up” and she doesn’t react in the way he’d like her to necessarily. But no one likes to be told what to do!
“I wish I wanted to be a chef, or a ski instructor, or a kindergarten teacher.”
Another Meredith quote because she truly is one of the most relatable characters on the series, even now, fifteen years later. Wouldn’t it have been easier for her if she had wanted to do any other career other than the one that her mother did? Other than one as competitive and stressful as becoming a surgeon?
If your career of choice is something hard, like working in the entertainment industry or being a writer, then you can definitely relate to Meredith’s desire. It would be easier if we wanted jobs that were in high demand.
“So what, you’re just going to repress everything in some deep, dark, twisted place until one day you snap and kill them?”
Here is a perfect quote encapsulating everything about Cristina and Meredith’s friendship. Cristina makes a pitch-perfect assessment of their budding relationship. Meredith responds in the affirmative, and Cristina declares, “This is why you’re my favorite.”
Many people can relate to the darkness always brewing inside of Meredith. She and Cristina are known as the “twisted sisters” for a reason. It may not be healthy, but we know what it’s like to keep the twisted thoughts inside until you get to a boiling point and explode.
“I wish there were a rulebook for intimacy.”
Finally, we wrap up with another Meredith Grey quote from a voiceover. This might be the most universally relatable quote on the show, ever. There isn’t one person out there who doesn’t feel lost in the world of romance and relationships at times. Even in friendships, it can be hard to navigate interpersonal relationships with the people in your life.
It would make things so much easier if there was a perfect rulebook for intimacy beyond the gloss of magazines. It’s not the same thing since they all give you conflicting information. It’d be nice if we all had an individualized rulebook given to us at birth.
Next: Grey’s Anatomy: 10 Of The Most Relatable Quotes From Alex Karev
