#TBT: The Top 'Grey's Anatomy' Pilot Moments

In honor of the show's 10-year anniversary, we're taking a look, way, way back

Photo: Frank Ockenfels/ABC/Getty

Oftentimes, it takes a few episodes to get really invested in a show. But from its 2005 premiere date, Grey’s Anatomy sucked us in. In honor of the show’s 10-year anniversary (and Thursday’s new episode!), let’s look back at the best moments from the show’s pilot for an epic game of remember when …

When Meredith Realizes Her Drunken One Night Stand Is Actually Her Boss
A little too much tequila, a handsome stranger the the next morning, you’re kicking a half-naked man out of your bed. Not the most far-fetched scenario. However, when the handsome stranger turns out to be your new boss at a job you’re starting the next day, things get juicy. Yep, he’s neurosurgeon Dr. McDreamy (excuse us, Dr. Derek Shepard, played by Patrick Dempsey), and theirs is the show’s most epic love story even though, at first, Meredith (Ellen Pompeo) forgets his name and kicks him out of her house.

When We See the Inside of Meredith’s House
Grey’s Anatomy‘s first shots open in Meredith’s Queen Anne Seattle home, and the house becomes a sort of character in itself. It’s got a revolving door, meaning that nearly every character, from George and Izzie to Derek and Lexie, will live, sleep or do other things within the walls of this place.

When We Meet ‘The Nazi’
It’s in the locker room that we first meet the interns, and within seconds, they’re talking about ‘The Nazi,’ supposedly the strictest resident with a no-nonsense, take-no-crap-from-anybody attitude. Meredith, Cristina (Sandra Oh), George (T.R. Knight) and Izzie (Katherine Heigl) are expecting a tough-guy type and are surprised to find the short, stout Miranda Bailey instead. However, despite her small stature, Bailey instantly lives up to her nickname: The first words she utters to her interns are “Don’t bother sucking up. I already hate you.” But as longtime Grey’s fans will know, Bailey turns out to have a heart of gold.

When You Find Out Izzie Is A Model
The chatter surrounding Heigl’s character Izzie’s modeling career is relatively short-lived, but it still makes for quite a sticky plot point in the show’s first few episodes. The introduction to Izzie’s unique method of financing her way through med school, however, makes for a kick-ass feminist speech in a few episodes.

When George Officially Earns the Title of 007
Early on in their 48-hour shift, each of the interns learn that during their first-ever shift, one of them will get to scrub in for surgery. The honor goes to the underdog: George O’Malley, a sweet, puppy-faced intern, who is selected to assist during a routine appendectomy. At first, it goes great: He makes the first cut and all the right calls, and gets the patient’s appendix out. Quickly, though, it takes a turn for the worse, and the patient nearly dies on the table. This brush with death earns George a much-loathed (but lasting) nickname, 007 – license to kill.

When Meredith and Derek Chat in the Stairwell
It’s their first encounter post-hookup, and it’s an awkward one. Much like a few hours before, Derek flirts and Meredith rebuffs him. However, we get a glimpse of the sizzling chemistry between the two (that’s still around, 11 seasons later). Hint: Skip to 1:51 to watch the tension-filled encounter below.

When George Has to Tell a Wife Her Husband Is Dead
You learn a lot in medical school, but being a doctor is an entirely different ball game. George was the first to learn this, when he had to tell a woman that her husband died on the table during open-heart surgery. An incredibly tough talk to have, and George doesn’t do it perfectly, but he’s on his way.

When Meredith and Cristina Fight Over a Surgery
Harsh words are exchanged between BFFs-to-be Cristina and Meredith when the former finds out that the latter was selected to scrub in for a surgery with Derek – and, you know, that she slept with him. Derek eventually tells Meredith that he didn’t pick her because of her sexual history, but because she was the right choice for the job. Cristina gets over her jealousy, and the two make up in a way that will later come to define their friendship: without much feeling, frills and certainly no tears.

When Meredith and Derek Bond Over the ‘Surgical High’
Up until now, it’s just been awkward morning-after chatter or “you’re my boss!” freak-outs between Meredith and Derek. But following the surgery, we see them bonding over the post-op rush. It’s a tender moment that foreshadows many similar ones to come.

When You Find Out Meredith’s Surgeon Mom Has Alzheimer’s
The Grey’s pilot opens with Meredith telling the audience that her mother is “one of the greats,” a revolutionary female surgeon who won multiple accolades for her medical brilliance. The viewers discover at the end of the episode that the mother is living in a nursing home, suffering from Alzheimer’s disease.

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