Post #15: 10/7/25

Cup Status: Half Empty and Half Full

I am at crossroads in many ways in my life this week. I am finishing up season 21 of Grey’s Anatomy after a marathon binge of the show that I started in June of this year. It has been a journey for sure. The 22nd season begins on the 9th and I am trying to finish season 21 in time for the start. So, while I am excited to be at the end of this massive journey, I am also sad that it is coming to an end. I have to wait for the end of the season to find out if there will be another one or if the long running show will come to an end. I sure hope it won’t. Even though I have seen a bit of a pattern in these episodes after watching so many of them, I still look forward to my nightly episode or two. So, as I wrap up this crazy, epic binge, here is what I have noticed about this show that I have spent so much time with:

1. If you live in Seattle, something terrible will happen to you, eventually. It is inevitable.
2. If you work for Seattle Grace/Grey-Sloan, you or someone you love will eventually end up in a life or death situation.
3. At least once a season, someone’s job will be threatened due to some kind of illegal activity (Whether that activity was accidental or on purpose).
4. If you are driving in a car you will probably get in a car accident. If you are driving in a car with another person you will get in a car accident and it will be terrible.
5. If you take a day off to go have fun or relax, you will end up riding in an ambulance and back at the ER because you were on the scene of something grisly.
6. Everyone will eventually kiss or sleep with everyone else. It will cause problems, but they will eventually get over it.
7. Characters will be injured in many ways. Most of them terrible. Most of them catastrophic. Yet, somehow, many of them will survive.
8. Characters you love will leave the show and it will suck. Many of them will be killed off so that they can’t come back, but that doesn’t mean they won’t make cameos because, see number 7.
9. Hunt and Altman will never stop having issues. Ever. I am certain of this.
10. If someone sneezes or coughs, blood will come out of their mouth or nose and then their condition will escalate very quickly.
11. People will have feelings for each other or love each other, but they won’t say anything for days, weeks, months, seasons. Then, even after they do, the relationship will be rocky and will have so many ups and downs.
12. I know that I will hear the terms: anastomosis, tachycardic, friable, intubation, central line, epinephrine, pneumothorax, whipple, etc. at least a million times an episode.
13. I know that I will cry at least once every three or four episodes and it won’t be pretty.

I know that there are more common occurrences that I will remember later when I am living my life, but these are the standouts for now. But, I will say this, no matter how many times I see repeated patterns or elements that seem a bit too familiar, I just smile because there is something comforting in the familiarity. These tropes do help to keep the world of Grey’s feeling familiar while so many of the characters have changed from season one to season 21. I am looking for to season 22 beginning on October 9th. But, the next decision I need to make is, what show will become the subject of my next binge? I am not sure yet. That is the beauty of the end of something–the beauty of choice and what comes next.