Grey’s Anatomy
consider it or not , it has been almost fourteen years since ABC aired the pilot ofGrey ’s Anatomy . Since then , many in its cast have become stars , and its creator , Shonda Rhimes , has produced several other tv set hit . The symmetricalness of riveting aesculapian play and fun " will they , wo n’t they " romances madeGrey ’s Anatomya household name in television set by the end of its first season in 2005 .
Viewers across the state followed Meredith Grey ( Ellen Pompeo ) and her fellow interns , grip their chairs when a surgery got dangerous and smiling when McDreamy walk through the halls of Seattle Grace Hospital . Many role player came and went throughout the show ’s long history , butGrey ’s Anatomy ’s original ensemble of divers , well - written graphic symbol still resonate with audiences today . With former form appendage Sandra Oh ’s late Golden Globes succeed and the show ’s record - breaking fifteenth season on ABC , now is a outstanding time to look back at where it all began .
There are hundreds of fact about the show ’s many seasons worth looking up , but many from the airplane pilot are particularly interesting . Some break share of the show ’s maturation and God Almighty Shonda Rhimes ' creative process . Others hint toward character quirks and show trait that would continue on in later seasons . Others still are production goof , random pieces of television trivia , and everything in between . These details range in grandness to the overall show , but all intensify the pilot ofGrey ’s Anatomyfor any hardcore fan and hopefully trigger off interest in anyone who wants to begin watch .
Here are20 Little Details Fans Missed In The Grey ’s Anatomy Pilot .
Last-minute voiceover
The pilot episode , " A Hard Day ’s Night " , begins and ends with vocalism - over tale from Meredith , a practice that would become unwashed place in follow seasons . It may arrive as a surprisal , then , to read that this representative - over was a last - minute determination by Shonda Rhimes who laterrevealedabout the narrative that " in the redaction room , it felt like a piece was lose , so we tally it . "
in the end , including the voiceover was a wise choice that brought viewers closer to Meredith as a character . Through these voiceover narration , it is easier to sympathise with the hardship of her first 48 - 60 minutes geological fault and understand how she is feeling in a give moment . Above all else , they work well in aid the montages of the episode flow a little smoother .
The first scene ever filmed
After 300 episodes aired in mid-2017 , Shonda Rhimes shoot toher blogto reflect on the first scene shoot . Not only was it the first scene forGrey ’s Anatomy , but it was her first scenery for any television show . The scene in question discover Meredith , Izzie , George , and Cristina ( Sandra Oh ) run down the hallway to fulfill Miranda Bailey ( Chandra Wilson ) for the first metre .
In rules of order to make their Bos - medical intern relationship more veritable , Rhimes made sure this scenery was the first meter that the shape phallus had met Wilson . When Wilson begin recite her five definitive rules , the rest of the cast burst out laughing– until Wilson ’s glaring eyes calm them down . With actors as gifted as these , it ’s no curiosity that this first vista is as memorable of a history off - photographic camera as it is in the last cutting .
Seattle Grace’s real location
While the show is set in Seattle , very slight of it is actually dissipate in the harbour metropolis . A fistful of localization shots of the Space Needle , Monorail , and other watershed serve situation the fabricated Seattle Grace Hospital within the city . In the true , the hospital used for many Seattle Grace scenes is the Veterans Administration Sepulveda Ambulatory Care Center outside Los Angeles , California . Scenes just outside the building or in the hospital ’s grand atrium and central walkways are filmed on location , but the rest are done on studio sound phase .
This is a plebeian practice session for most internet show , filmed typically in Los Angeles , New York City , or Vancouver , but for the most partGrey ’s Anatomyhides its real emplacement well .
Helicopter shot mistake
There are spring to be a few location - come to misapprehension in the show and this one is the pilot ’s most obvious . For the roof of the infirmary , which features the helicopter landing place pad , the show apply Fisher Plaza , which houses one of ABC ’s affiliate station , KOMO - TV .
When Meredith and her fellow interns rush to answer their first air ambulance call , the episode cut to a sweeping camera shot of the chopper on approach . regrettably , a sign for KOMO - TV is understandably seeable at the top of the building . The shot go by pretty quickly , though , so it ’s not hard to think most captivated fans were too focussed on the dramatic play of the medical emergency to notice the gaffe .
The Episode title that started it all
The pilot episode " A Hard Day ’s Night " as well as every subsequent episode in the show is named after a renowned Song dynasty . The pilot ’s song , a Beatles classic , reflects the toilsome 48 - hour shift that Meredith and the other intern must complete on their first Clarence Shepard Day Jr. at Seattle Grace . For them , mean solar day and night blend in together as they rush between different situations and tasks .
Each ofGrey ’s Anatomy ’s 326 episodes ( with one exception ) is also named after a call that tie into its plot . The song do not necessarily feature in the episode ' soundtracks , but they do relate in some way to the story . The show ’s one exclusion , which aired in January 2018 , is entitle " 1 - 800 - 799 - 7233 " , the act for the National Domestic Violence Hotline in the United States , which relates to the episode ’s plot , but also greater bare the service .
Meredith and Derek’s one-night stand was almost cut
Betsy Beers , executive producer ofGrey ’s Anatomy , shared back in 2014that the relationship between Meredith and Derek ( Patrick Dempsey ) was almost taken out of the pilot . She distinguish how in a meeting between her , Rhimes and several male executives , one questioned how anyone could " sympathize or identify " with Meredith after having " a one night fend with a bozo the nighttime before she start up a unexampled problem as a medico ? "
Beers and Rhimes debate against such a stance , instead stand behind a reform-minded posture for the show ’s character . It is tough to suppose whatGrey ’s Anatomywould face like in tone and story withoutMeredith and Derek ’s tension . More than that , forGrey ’s Anatomyto have not include this part might have discouraged other shows from telling similar narratives in later year .
Derek’s catchphrase begins
As with any pilot , " A Hard Day ’s Night " boast many first for the show , chief among them the first meter Derek says his catchphrase : " It ’s a beautiful Clarence Shepard Day Jr. to hold open lives . Let ’s have some fun . " The quotation dead captures Derek ’s posture and character . He is put down - back and calm , but only because he is convinced in his abilities . He assay to see the playfulness , positive side of his work , but never forgets that there are always lives at stake .
The quote is also a good expression of the show as a whole : fun , charming , and agreeablee , but always aware of how sincerity of the aesculapian field . Considering all the fan art and merch with McDreamy ’s words of wiseness on it , it is easy to see why his character try out to be so popular with fans .
Characters' lockers were filled with Easter eggs
to flesh out the set , and get her thespian deeply into character , Shonda Rhimesfilled the lockers of each characterwith airplane propeller and decorated them harmonize to their possessor . For Meredith , Rhimes stacked " old birthday cards she was project to mail but never amaze around to " and " three alarm alfileria because she ’s terrified of oversleep on her shift . " In George ’s locker were " med journals [ and ] quondam text books , " and Christina ’s had a Palm Pilot and high heels .
While the looker can barely see inside the lockers in the final cut of the shot , even the little steer of detail get to the world on screen seem that much more realistic . If these props help the role player deliver with child performance in any way , then they were surely deserving the effort .
Miranda Bailey was based on Rhimes' mom
In an audience withOprah , Shonda Rhimes unwrap that the type of Miranda Bailey was somewhat base on her female parent . She described Bailey as " no - bunk " and the " form of realist " that her mama was . compare to the distinctive television authority figure , Bailey leaves a unique encroachment .
For a character as reformist and atypical as Bailey , it may come as a surprisal that Rhimes did not have a physical type in mind to fiddle her . Before auditioning actress Chandra Wilson , Rhimes " pictured her as a tiny blond with curls . " after Wilson ’s interpretation of the character , Rhimes knew " that ’s exactly who Miranda is . " Along with the repose ofGrey ’s Anatomy ’s shape , the graphic symbol of Miranda Bailey is a will to the unique storytelling potential drop that Rhimes ' color - unsighted cast summons can create .
Alex Karev was added in editing after the pilot was shot
After the pilot was filmed , producers wanted to bring a manlike opposite number to George ’s character ; plausibly the closest character to an antagonist in the fender . novel medical intern Alex Karev ( Justin Chambers ) was contribute to the installment in post - output , either through shots where he is by himself or by digitally placing him in aspect the crew had already film .
While in some shots it seems a little odd to be cutting off from the action toward a disconnected intern , Alex ’s inclusion is jolly unlined . He does not bestow much to the pilot ’s story , but he is memorable enough that viewers would be able to recognize him in future sequence wherehe is given plenty more to do .