The Most Shocking and Intense 5 Minutes of ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ History Changed the Entire Show

As the longest-running primetime medical drama series, Grey’s Anatomy has kept millions of fans hooked over the years. Released in 2005, the series follows the lives of surgical doctors at a hospital who deal with tense emergencies and the passionate highs and lows of workplace romances. Few shows can last so long without getting boring or repetitive, but there’s a reason whyGrey’s Anatomy has gone on for 21 seasons, with Season 22 on the way.

There are many reasons fans keep coming back to the show even after so long. Grey’s Anatomy became a pop culture phenomenon with iconic quotes like “pick me, choose me, love me,” beloved characters played by a talented cast, and unforgettable storylines. Yet it is the bold storytelling that keeps the medical drama surprising even after so many episodes. Although the show is grounded in reality, series creator Shonda Rhimes didn’t waste any time blowing up the status quo with the type of stories that could be told. In just its second season, the doctors dealt with a high-pressure emergency that affected every person at Seattle Grace Hospital.

Meredith Grey Almost Died in ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Season 2, Episode 17

There are many tense stories in Grey’s Anatomy, but few can compete with the two-part storyline told across Grey’s Anatomy Season 2, Episode 16, “It’s the End of the World,” and Episode 17, “As We Know It.” In this story, a patient is admitted to Seattle Grace because he was standing in front of a weapon that ended up firing at him. One of the paramedics, Hannah Davies (played by Yellowjackets star Christina Ricci), has her hand inside the wound to stop him from bleeding. While trying to figure out what’s wrong with the patient, Dr. Alex Karev (Justin Chambers) discovers that the weapon was a bazooka that hasn’t exploded yet, meaning it could still go off in the hospital. Bomb squad leader Dylan Young (Kyle Chandler, the new Hal Jordan in DC Studios’ Lanterns) is called in to handle the situation and walk Hannah through safely removing the explosive. But since she’s still new to the job and in a highly stressful situation, she begins to panic and runs out of the operating room. As the doctors begin to duck for cover, Dr. Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo) puts her hand inside the unconscious patient’s body to stop the explosive from going off, which ends Grey’s Anatomy Season 2, Episode 16.

Grey’s Anatomy Season 2, Episode 17 is one of Meredith’s highlights in the entire show because she chooses to be selfless and accept the risk of a dangerous situation. Near the end of the stressful episode, Meredith starts to believe that she might not make it alive, but Dylan tells her to imagine him as someone she really cares about and who she’ll listen to. Of course, it’s none other than McDreamy himself, Dr. Derek Shepherd (Patrick Dempsey). Meredith manages to successfully remove the explosive and safely transfer it to Dylan, which seems to create a sense of relief as she is out of the worst danger. However, that is immediately taken away when the bomb goes off while Dylan carries it down the hallway. The explosion kills him and a second bomb squad member, while Meredith is knocked unconscious by the blast. The episode cuts from Meredith’s seemingly lifeless body and lets the audience sit in suspense for a good amount of time before revealing that Meredith is alright physically but mentally scarred by what happened.

“As We Know It” Forever Changed ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ for the Better

The bomb plotline is certainly not the last time that Meredith and the hospital are in danger, and if it were, there likely wouldn’t have been nearly so many seasons. However, the intensity here sets a precedent for Rhimes’ level of creativity for Grey’s Anatomy. It’s a stressful two-part story that shakes up the format of the series for years to come. The show became more than just doctors dealing with patients and workplace romances—it amped up the level of stories that could be told in a medical procedural series.

Building off the success and positive reception to Season 2, Episodes 16 and 17, Grey’s Anatomy went on to handle even more intense emergencies, like a mass shooter on the loose at the hospital in Season 6 and a devastating plane crash in Season 8. For those who have never seen Grey’s Anatomy, these plots might sound outlandish for a medical drama to tackle, but the creative team behind the show makes it feel so real, tense, and emotional, just like the Season 2 story.

One can’t help but think that recent shows like 9-1-1 and The Pitt were inspired by how Grey’s Anatomy handled these gripping storylines featuring first responders. These heroes deal with life-or-death situations regarding their patients on a daily basis, but it’s not often that their own lives are on the line. Grey’s Anatomy Season 2 Episodes 16 and 17 are some of the best episodes in the long series and set the benchmark for the level of intensity for seasons to come.

‘Grey’s Anatomy’s Explosive Two-Parter Earned Award Nominations and High Ratings

With how impactful Grey’s Anatomy Season 2 Episodes 16 and 17 are, it’s not surprising that they received Primetime Emmy and Primetime Creative Arts Emmy nominations. Rhimes was nominated for Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series, while Chandler and Ricci both received nominations for Outstanding Guest Actor and Actress in a Drama Series. All three deserved their nominations, though they did not win the Emmys. Even so, both “It’s the End of the World” and “As We Know It” are among the most highly rated on IMDb for the entire series, and they certainly earned that spot.

The recent seasons of Grey’s Anatomy haven’t reached the peak of the first 10 installments, but they still manage to continue the legacy of the original cast by introducing a new set of doctors from time to time with the same dedication to their work. With Season 22 on the way, Grey’s Anatomy needs to do more than just recapture what we’ve seen before and bring in fresh and exciting storylines for its characters. By taking the time to flesh out the new blood, it’ll make the disaster-level episodes all the more stressful and intense.