Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo) almost drowned in Season 3. The intense shooting scene of Season 6. Alex Karev (Justin Chambers) watching as Izzy Stevens (Katherine Heigl) almost died at the end of Season 5. The devastating plane crash in Season 8 which killed Mark Sloane (Eric Dane) and Lexie Grey (Chyler Leigh). Cristina Yang (Sandra Oh) aborting her child because she did not want children. This isn't just delirious ramblings, this is recalling the times the ABC medical drama 'Grey's Anatomy' had powerful storylines, hard-hitting dialogues and characters of varying shades of grey.

Sixteen seasons were spent in astounding character development. And Season 16 is just burning it all to the ground. Well, to be fair, the last few seasons have been quietly digging the grave that the show has now found itself in.

The show is known for the painful and horrifying deaths of its characters. However, the show has managed to kill off its characters, even when they're alive. The most complex and intriguing characters like Owen Hunt (Kevin McKidd) and Amelia Shepherd (Caterina Scorsone) are part of stale, romantic and entangled plots that actually serve no purpose. And that's a royal shame, especially for those who have kept up with the show from the first day. Try comparing the Owen of the earlier seasons (preferably 6-10), to the one you see now. The military doctor, who became head of trauma and had suffered enormously in his life. He worked hard to overcome his deep-seated trauma. And now he's just caught up in one romantic drama after another.

And his relationship with Cristina was not just a will they-won't-they. Their love was flawed and haunting, with moments of pain and tears. This was also partly due to Cristina's dynamic character. The allure of Cristina's character lay in her constant tussle to be the best cardiothoracic surgeon, more so than just falling in love and settling down. She was a woman who was wrestling with her ambition. It's not that she loved Owen or even Burke (Isaiah Washington) less, it's that she loved her work more.

'Grey's Anatomy' broke away from the run-of-the-mill dramas when it addressed the fact that a woman did not have to settle down and have a child. She could have a fulfilled life, with or without getting married. Having a child wasn't the be-all or end-all for a woman. This was such a relief, considering many shows portrayed women not wanting children and then finally reconciling to the idea of one. In an intense scene, Meredith tells Owen that she knows what it is to be a child, not wanted by the mother. She requests Owen to ensure Cristina doesn't go ahead with the pregnancy, as she would never be able to accept the fact that she loved her work more than her.

Where did all that character development go? Jackson Avery (Jesse Williams) and April Kepner's (Sarah Drew) love story was struck down. There was a time when Jackson had depth and feeling and his story arcs were not just about shuttling between women. Considering Williams is known for his emotional intensity, why don't they put him to more instructive use? Remember how Jackson finally resorts to praying when he thinks that April was dying?

Catherine Fox has turned downright diabolical and Andrew DeLuca is now whiny, while Meredith has to put up with it. Moreover, Meredith seems to be getting phased out in her own show. Alex has left the show and fingers crossed, we hope that his character gets an honorable exit. Might as well kill him, because making him ghost his wife Jo (Camilla Luddington) and best friend Meredith is so unlikely, as the writers spent years honing his character.

The stories in the show are now just staid romantic angles. Nico and Schmitt are the LGBQ couple, replacing Callie Torres (Sarah Ramirez) and Arizona Robbins, but they have none of that vigor. Callie and Arizona's storylines weren't just about dealing with coming out, they had so much more to deal with. Even the patients' stories don't evoke much emotion.

'Grey's Anatomy' airs on ABC Thursdays at 9pm.

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'Grey's Anatomy' Season 16: Character development has had the most painful death on the show - MEAWW