Grey's Anatomy

Grey's Anatomy is an American medical drama television series focusing on the personal and professional lives of surgical interns, residents, and attendings at the fictional Seattle Grace Hospital. The series premiered on March 27, 2005, on ABC as a mid-season replacement. The show's title is an allusion to Gray's Anatomy, a classic human anatomy textbook. Writer Shonda Rhimes developed the pilot and served as showrunner, head writer, and executive producer until stepping down in 2015. The series is filmed primarily in Los Angeles, California, and Vancouver, British Columbia. The original cast consisted of nine star-billed actors: Ellen Pompeo, Sandra Oh, Katherine Heigl, Justin Chambers, T. R. Knight, Chandra Wilson, James Pickens Jr., Isaiah Washington, and Patrick Dempsey. For most of its run, the series revolves around Dr. Meredith Grey (Pompeo), chronicling her progression from surgical intern to fully-qualified doctor to the hospital's chief of general surgery. The cast has undergone major changes throughout the series' run, with only three original members remaining by the 19th season – Pompeo, Wilson, and Pickens. Pompeo stepped back from the series in its 19th season, at which point the show shifted to more of an ensemble format. , the show has been picked up for a 20th season. Grey's Anatomy has two spin-off series: Private Practice (2007–2013) and Station 19 (2018–present). Grey's Anatomy is the longest-running scripted primetime show currently airing on ABC, and the longest scripted primetime series carried by ABC. Its success catapulted many series regulars including Pompeo, Dempsey, and Oh to worldwide recognition; they were among the top five highest-earning television actors in 2013. Once among the overall top-ten shows in the United States, the show's ratings have fallen, although it was still one of the highest-rated shows among the 18–49 demographic. The show also does well on streaming television; , Grey's Anatomy was ranked the 10th most popular on-demand program. Grey's Anatomy has been well received by critics throughout much of its run and has been included in various critics' year-end top 10 lists. Since its inception, the show has been described by the media outlets as a television "phenomenon" or a "juggernaut", owing to its longevity and dominant ratings.