The first season of Grey's Anatomy is the shortest in the medical drama's history, but it was actually supposed to be longer than 9 episodes.
With only nine episodes, Grey's Anatomy season 1 is by far the show's shortest to date, but few know it was originally meant to be longer. Other than being the longest-running primetime medical drama in the history of American television, the series is renowned for its lengthy seasons, the majority of which consist of over twenty episodes. Out of the nineteen seasons that make up Grey's Anatomy, season 1 is currently the only one with an episode count under ten. The original planning for the show's debut season, however, entailed a different scenario.
Airing on ABC, Grey's Anatomy season 1 premiered on March 27, 2005, laying the foundation for what would become one of the most prolific, successful TV runs of its age. Through the introduction of a diverse set of characters navigating professional and personal circumstances, with a focus on the relationship between Derek Shepherd (Patrick Dempsey) and Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo), the medical series' opener managed to generate solid interest and buzz about subsequent developments. Given its enduring resonance and legendary status, it is now hard to imagine the first season of Grey's Anatomy playing out differently, but the disclosure of its original schedule gives an idea of what the show's first installment might have looked like.
Grey's Anatomy Season 1 Was Shortened By 4 Episodes
The first season of Grey's Anatomy was initially supposed to be thirteen episodes long, but was eventually shortened to nine, with the last four episodes being carried over to the beginning of the second season. In a post originally published on the Grey Matter blog, Grey's Anatomy writer James Parriott discusses season 2 and reveals that episodes 1,3,4, and 5 "were meant to end a season, as opposed to begin one", while episode 2 was added later on and shot from scratch. The first season finale thus became episode 9, "Who's Zoomin' Who?", and the remaining episodes were then incorporated in the second season after being, in Parriott's words, "fleshed out a little", with the story seamlessly picking from where it left off.
While the exact reasons for this change are still unclear, there are at least two factors that might have contributed to this decision. From a network perspective, Grey's Anatomy season 1 was likely shortened so that it ended together with another ABC hit show, Desperate Housewives, which wrapped up its first season on the same day that the medical drama's ninth episode aired. Other than making the two popular shows' endings coincide, this choice also resulted in the season 1 finale finishing on what is still ranked among Grey's Anatomy's most memorable cliffhangers.
Grey's Anatomy's Changed Season 1 Finale Works
While not originally envisioned to end the way it does, it is safe to say that the first season of Grey's Anatomy provides viewers with a finale that not only works well, but arguably outdoes the one that was meant to be in its place. At the end of the ninth episode of season 1, an unknown woman arrives at Seattle Grace and introduces herself as Derek's wife, leaving Meredith (and viewers) baffled. According to the original timetable, the first season's finale was supposed to be the fifth episode of season 2, "Bring the Pain", which features Meredith declaring her love for Derek and urging him to choose her over Addison in what is now Ellen Pompeo's most iconic line.
The level of astonishment and anticipation generated by Grey's Anatomy's current season 1 finale is, quite simply, unmatchable. For a series that would go on to make emotional involvement and well-placed twists its flagship characteristics, ending the first season with Addison's entrance into the picture is the best way to both elicit a strong reaction from audiences and set the stage for what is to come. In this sense, the first season of Grey's Anatomy exemplifies how a perfectly crafted season finale can actually be the byproduct of a change of plans.
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