--- title: "Grey's Anatomy: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/tv/greys-anatomy/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/tv/greys-anatomy" critics_score: 61 critics_reviews: 7 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Grey's Anatomy (2005): what the critics said Critics' score 61 from 7 reviews: 4 positive, 1 mixed, 2 negative. Most critics lean warm, and the praise gathers around the cast. The ensemble is picked out again and again, with Sandra Oh’s deadpan intern Cristina Yang the name that recurs most, admired for caring more about the surgery than the patient. Shonda Rhimes’ dialogue draws credit too, along with the show’s interest in women’s lives and its multi-ethnic casting, which several reviews treat as its real subject rather than the medicine. The reservations split by era. The 2005 notices find the set-up familiar, a hospital variant of The Paper Chase, and The Hollywood Reporter goes furthest, calling the characters too soft and the plotting too neat. The later pieces argue over longevity instead: The Telegraph finds the show in good health after twenty seasons, while The i Paper, fond of the early years, is worn out by its decline. The spread is wide, and the two 2024 reviews sit at opposite ends of it. ## The Telegraph Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 28 March 2024. The critic finds the long-running medical soap in robust health after 20 seasons, praising its ability to refresh the cast while retaining core elements of high-octane drama, racy romance, and progressive themes. Nostalgic callbacks to the 2005 pilot and strong ensemble performances stand out as highlights. [Read the review](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/tv/2024/03/28/greys-anatomy-disney-review-shonda-rhimes-ellen-pompeo/) ## The AV Club — Emily St. James Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 24 June 2013. The critic notes the show's massive cultural impact and ability to recover from quality dips, praising its peak seasons for addictive storytelling and emotional resonance while acknowledging inconsistencies. They single out season two's rapid pacing, iconic episodes, and Rhimes' dialogue for particular praise amid the soapy elements. [Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/sure-grey-s-anatomy-was-a-big-hit-but-was-it-good-tv-1798238881) ## The Times — Sally Kinnes Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 11 September 2005. The preview/review welcomes the sassy US import as a relationship-driven show with surgery, highlighting its appeal to female viewers through strong, relatable women characters and multi-ethnic casting. Cristina Yang is singled out as particularly interesting for her focus on medicine over patients. [Read the review](https://www.thetimes.com/culture/tv-radio/article/television-a-spoonful-of-sugar-hw3znkxltqv) ## Variety — Brian Lowry Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 15 March 2005. The critic finds the well-cast drama an updated Paper Chase set among medical interns, with crisp dialogue, romance, and Darwinian workplace tension that makes it appealing despite familiarity. Strong ensemble and guest performances help offset formulaic elements. [Read the review](https://variety.com/2005/film/awards/grey-s-anatomy-3-1200527201/) ## The Guardian — Jonathan Bernstein Fi1m's normalised score 60/100 (inferred from the text). 9 April 2005. The show follows familiar hospital drama tropes with young interns facing exhaustion, mistakes and superior doctors, but benefits from clever scheduling after Desperate Housewives. Its standout element is the casting of Sandra Oh as a deadpan, acerbic intern. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/media/2005/apr/09/tvandradio.theguide) ## The i Paper — Alim Kheraj Fi1m's normalised score 40/100 (inferred from the text). 3 April 2024. The critic loves the show's early seasons for their rich characters and emotional depth but feels exhausted by its longevity and declining quality after nearly two decades. They single out the strong writing, casting, and focus on women's lives in the initial run for praise while complaining about later ill-conceived plotlines and lack of momentum. [Read the review](https://inews.co.uk/culture/television/greys-anatomy-time-of-death-2989230) ## The Hollywood Reporter Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 27 March 2005. The original review calls the show an overdosed blend of The Paper Chase and ER that feels dated, with overly symmetrical plotting and characters that are too warm and soft. The solid, diverse cast and sharp direction are noted positively, but the overall verdict questions whether it can be saved without radical surgery. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-reviews/greys-anatomy-review-2005/) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/tv/greys-anatomy.md