Category Archives: Anatomy

Anatomy

Anatomy of a Crime – The Texas Observer

Pamela Colloffs story False Witness may begin like a piece of true crime journalism, but it doesnt focus on criminal capers and colorful characters solely for the sake of entertainment. Instead, it uses those well-worn elements to transcend the genre. Published by ProPublica and the New York Times Magazine, False Witness won the Texas Observers MOLLY Investigative Journalism Prize this year, and for good reason. While the story features an unforgettable character involved in a devastating criminal odyssey, its also a trenchant look at the criminal justice systems policies that allow grifters, like Colloffs main character, to destroy commonly held ideas of justice and public safety. Colloff spoke with the Observer earlier this year at the virtual MOLLY gala about the reporting and writing that went into her story, and how one mans turn as a repeat jailhouse informant sent dozens of people to jail and death row.

Texas Observer: How did the research for False Witness unfold?

Pamela Colloff: False Witness was the most document-based story Ive ever written. Just to give you a sense of things: Paul Skalnik was arrested more than 30 times over the course of 40 years in numerous different states, and he also played a role in over 40 criminal cases during that time. So just being able to talk about one of those cases authoritativelywhich means tracking down a trial transcript from decades ago, and the people involvedis a lot of legwork. I was very fortunate that I was able to build on a record that had been compiled, over decades, by attorneys who were litigating the death penalty cases Skalnik testified in.

On top of that, I filed more than 50 public record requests, with varying degrees of success. When I was filing these requests, I called Ken Armstrong, whos a colleague at ProPublica. Ken did a series for the Chicago Tribune two decades ago that is basically the reason why Illinois no longer has the death penalty. Hes a force, to say the least. I said, When Im asking for records from these jails where Skalnik was, what should I be asking for? He gave me this long list of things that I would never have thought to ask for, like jail logs. I didnt even know what a jail log was. Ken said, A jail log will show if and when they took him in and out of the jail, and on what dates. Skalnik, for instance, had always told this story that he had been taken out of the jail for a conjugal visit in return for his testimony in a particular case, so the jail logs turned out to be hugely important. So knowing what to ask for, and being really precise in these requests, is key.

At what point did you first talk to Skalnik either in person or by phone?

I first went to see him back in 2018, when he was in federal prison. I tried to be my most charming self. My pitch was that he should talk to me about what he had done, because so many years had gone by. I tried to appeal to his vanity because hes a very vain person and enjoys the limelight. He could not have been more delightful to speak with. That was helpful for me to see because then I understood how people had been conned by him for so long. He promised me that he would tell me everything. We only had an hour together but we agreed to write back and forth after the meeting was over. I was elated. I called my editors and said, This is going to be incredible. Hes going to tell me everything. And stupidlyand, again, this helped me understand how people fell victim to himI didnt realize Id been had. He had no intention of telling me anything. For months, I sent him questions and he would reply with, The mail was down last week, Im sorry I didnt see your letter. Can you send it again? And there are enough problems communicating with anyone in prison that for a while I thought he was telling me the truth.

It took much longer than it should have, frankly, for me to figure out that actually he wasnt cooperating at all. I ended up maintaining some communication with him as I reported out the story, but I finally pivoted into the documents. And then at the very, very end, when I was all done, I tracked him down to a nursing home in East Texas, where he went after he was released from prison. I paid him a surprise visit. He was shocked that I had found him. I asked him questions for five hours before he kicked me out.

Leading up to that final meeting, what was it like to know him on paper and then spend time with him after being on his trail for so long?

One of the realizations I had while reporting this story is that being the victim of a con artist comes with different baggage than other crimes. These victims experience a lot of shame. And because of that, many of them never go to the police, because theyre too embarrassed, or they blame themselves. That was one of the trickiest things, approaching the people I needed to talk to the right way. I explained that they were not the only ones, and that what happened to them was actually part of a very long pattern that had gone on for decades. Skalniks victims had a lot of anger toward him. It wasnt just the money he took; for a lot of women, he left them with the idea that they couldnt trust anyone, ever. This was a man who they had married or gotten engaged to, and it was a really painful experience. And then there was the pain that was experienced by the two women who were molested by him.

Lets talk about that: In the beginning of the story, Skalnik comes off as a kind of quirky, weird con artist. A low-level criminal thats not necessarily likable, but not necessarily a physical threat. But then we learn about his assault of a 12-year-old girl deeper into the story and the picture becomes very different. Im curious about why you chose to deliver that information to the reader later in the story?

There were so many discussions with my editors about when to do that reveal. When you really look at who he is, its so ugly that if you begin there, youre going to lose a lot of readers, and I wanted to draw you in and get you engaged with the story. I also thought that by doing that, the reader also experiences, to a slight degree, a little bit of his charm like his victims experienced. I hoped that when you realized just how odious a person he is and what he was doing, that it was more of a sucker punch.

Everybody loves a con man story, but I also wanted to turn that on its head because con man stories are often these fun capers and these are actually very damaging crimes. The main thing that came through in editing, probably the most helpful thing that my editors finally got into my head, is that this isnt a story about a very clever man who is conning the system. This is about a system that is broken, in which a man like Paul Skalnik can operate to his own benefit and to the benefit of the system. So placing him within that larger systemic framework was what we worked on a lot during the editing.

I read an interview where you talked about editorializing in your writing and specifically the act of stripping emotion and even indignation from your work in order to lay out the facts and connect with readers. Can you talk a little bit more about that?

In 2010, I wrote a story for Texas Monthly about a man named Anthony Graves who had been on death row for 12 years, and behind bars for 18 years, for a crime he didnt commit. When I started reporting the article, Graves was awaiting a retrial. I spent months trying to understand the case. Finally, I had a true light-bulb moment when I realized that Anthony was innocent; that he, one hundred percent, did not commit this crime. Once I realized that, I dont think I slept for a couple of months. I wrote in this fugue state. It was very emotional and the draft reflected that. My editors said, Look, if we just take that emotional language out, you will have a much more powerful story. Let the facts of the case that youve laid out here get that reader to that point of outrage. That was the right call and that was a story that helped bring about justice in his case. But its hard sometimes, especially in a case like that, where its just so, so clear cut and somebody is incarcerated. Its horrifying.

I think youve also highlighted the difference between a topic and a story. In another interview, you said it took a while for that to click. Can you talk more about that process?

For longform and deeply reported narratives, you must have a character that the reader can get deeply invested in. That character also needs to have a story arc of some kind. Ive wanted to write a jailhouse informant story for years. I looked at so many interesting cases, but none of them had whatever that magic quality is that really makes a narrative work. Skalniks story, though, had everything. He was a jailhouse informant who paid no consequences for what hed done. In fact, he benefited from lying. And he helped send so many people to prison, and even to death row. Worst of all, Skalnik illustrated what I often couldnt show with these other stories: When prosecutors let him out over and over again in exchange for his misleading testimony, he went on to commit more crimes and hurt more people, including the girls who he abused. So it had all of the elements of narrative, not just a subject.

And you walk away wondering if there will ever be any consequences for Skalnik or even the police that use people like him to secure convictions.

If you think about it, which is easier? Spending months investigating a really complex, difficult case? Or going to the jail and pulling some guys out of their cells and saying, Hey, what do you know about this case? Wink, wink. Right? Its just such a screwed-up system.

When it comes to influences on your work, is there something in particular thats informing your writing?

One big influence was the film The Thin Blue Line. Its a 1988 documentary by Errol Morris. I cannot stress enough what a phenomenal, inspiring piece of work that is. Its the story of a wrongful conviction in Dallas, and Morris marries his incredible investigation with an artistic sensibility and a Philip Glass soundtrack that is so beautiful. The soundtrack gives the film this atmospheric, foreboding mood. It showed me that you can do really important public interest work while also having an artistic vision. Id say the other big influence is a 2009 New Yorker article by David Grann called Trial by Fire. Its also about a wrongful conviction and its written like a novel. Its so beautifully written and so engaging and ultimately so devastating. Grann gets at the systemic issues, too. He explores how its possible that somebody with such a strong innocence claim was actually executed, and exactly how the system failed.

I havent read that story, but I watched the Thin Blue Line again a few months ago, and that influence makes sense to me. I remember the images, like the milkshake, and it feels like you work toward that, like in the Skalnik piece the red velvet curtains in the Dodge van, the zastolen hotel towels and robes, the purple velvet Crown Royal bag, all those details. Are you looking for them or do they just kind of scream out to you so loudly that you cant ignore them?

I am obsessed with the details and those little bits of color that you just mentioned, because I think they bring a story to life. They also give your work some authority. One of my sources remembered that Paul Skalnik used to steal the towels when he stayed at luxury hotels, even though he was pretending to be a very wealthy man. I love those kinds of details. Ive found that there are very different types of storytellers and Im always looking for the sources who have incredibly vivid memories, who can help me really bring a story to life.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

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Anatomy of a Crime - The Texas Observer

Anatomy

The Worst Shows of 2020 – HalifaxToday.ca

Greys Anatomy 2020 was officially the year that Greys Anatomy jumped the shark

Greys Anatomy

2020 was officially the year that Greys Anatomy jumped the shark. I stuck with this one for years and years out of pure obligation, but I finally had to quit.

After killing off so many main characters, changing things 1,000 times and re-treading the same old cases, I just stopped becoming surprised.

We got burned so bad last year and this year that the emotional investment into the show just isnt worth it anymore. No McDreamy, McSteamy, Alex, or any other amazing characters.

I can only stand so much of Meredith Grey, and sadly, thats all this show has to limp it across the finish line.

Run

In possibly one of the most strikingly annoying shows of the year, two people cheat on their lovers and board a train to run off together.

The hitch is that they hurt quite literally everyone around them in the process, and neither of them particularly cares.

Another bit of annoyance is the fact that the leads arent likeable, and the will-they-wont-they intrigue wears off after exactly one episode.

The stars deserve better, and frankly, so do we. Run has a lot to say, but quite literally never, ever goes anywhere.

Its one of the least-intriguing, laziest-written shows of 2020.

Avenue 5

This one has every little detail to be interesting and fun, but it just fell flat. I could never understand why, but it just didnt click.

From Veep writers, and starring the likes of Hugh Laurie, Dr. House himself just never settles into his role, and its not fun for the audience.

The story of a troubled space crew with spoiled, rich tourists on board just never finds a way to find its footing.

Its an intriguing premise and a great cast, and yet, nothing about this feels new, interesting or innovative.

Cursed

Somehow, a fantasy show with Frank Miller as a creator has failed, and its due, in large part, to fatigue of the genre.

If we are to watch shows like this, we need something fresh, and the story of teenage sorceress Nimue seems like its been told 1,000 times.

Katherine Langford is woefully miscast here, and the 13 Reasons Why actress just cant seem to get a handle on the material.

Its boring, one-note, and there doesnt seem to be much drive to move an innovative or fun plot forward.

Cursed just ends up being more of the same, and thats a major problem in a TV landscape where shows need to set themselves apart.

Westworld

There was nothing sadder this year than watching one of my favourite shows HBO sci-fi tilt Westworld fall from grace.

This show that used to be full of wonder, amazing plot-twists and fanciful, intense writing just missed the mark entirely in its third season.

Aaron Pauls addition to the cast added nothing, and he simply trodded along looking bored, while Vincent Cassel simply became a caricature of a villain.

All the discussion about big tech, evil forces and the big bad corporation just felt stale, and the season was one-note compared to the incredible acting and grandiose storytelling that came before it.

Heres to hoping this incredible show returns to its former glory next year.

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The Worst Shows of 2020 - HalifaxToday.ca

Anatomy

Anatomy of a Stunner: Fitzpatrick throws the Raiders out of the playoffs – Touchdown Wire

Saturday night Jon Gruden decided to work the clock, take the field goal and as he put it, place the Dolphins up against the wall.

Veteran quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick was happy to fight back.

In absolute stunning fashion the Dolphins were able to drive into field goal range in the closing seconds thanks to a tremendous read and throw from Fitzpatrick, and a bit of a coverage breakdown from the Las Vegas Raiders. On the play in question, a huge connection between Fitzpatrick and Mack Hollins, the Raiders run a prevent version of Cover 2.

So this is a good time to turn to one of the coverage Rosetta Stones, a tremendous series from former NFL defensive back Matt Bowen. His series on the basic NFL coverages is still bookmarked in my browser window, and I probably refer to it multiple times a week. In this piece, Bowen breaks down the prevent version of Cover 2, which the Raiders run on the play in question.

Of particular importance is this part on the cornerbacks in this coverage scheme:

Looking at the cornerbacks, they have to jam or re-route. This isnt a situation where they can take a play off, get lazy with their technique or footwork and just sink with the outside release of No. 1. That puts more stress on the safeties (and could force them to widen off their landmarks).

There needs to be a physical approach to this play, with the cornerback mirroring the release of No. 1, attacking the chest plate of the wide receiver and then sinking to protect against a possible 7 (corner) route. If the cornerback cant force an inside release (proper technique in Cover 2), then they must make the receiver widen his stem at the snap.

This is the critical element to Miamis success on this play. The cornerback over Hollins works to try and jam/re-route the receiver, but the second aspect of the play from his perspective sinking with the vertical route is the issue:

The defender re-routes Hollins making the receiver widen his stem at the snap as Bowen terms it but then flashes his eyes back to the quarterback and slowly gains depth. That act fails to constrict the throwing window. Meanwhile the playside safety has to respect the threat of two vertical routes working his way from the three-receiver side of the formation, and he cannot bail too quickly and give Fitzpatrick an easy read and throw over the middle. That creates a big ol Turkey Hole as Gruden terms it himself for Fitzpatrick to attack:

Of course, what compounded the problem from the Raiders perspective was that Fitzpatrick was making this throw while having his head torn from his body:

The 34-yard gain, plus the 15 yards added with the facemask penalty, put the Dolphins in range for the game-winner. If youre curious as to the technique on the play, watch the cornerback on the other side of the field, who does a much better job sinking with the vertical route to constrict that throwing window. He is not as focused on the re-route part of the play as much, so perhaps if the Raiders combined the two cornerbacks on this given play, they would have executed the coverage precisely as called.

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Anatomy of a Stunner: Fitzpatrick throws the Raiders out of the playoffs - Touchdown Wire

Anatomy

Anatomy of a Rematch: How the Rams attacked Seattle through the air in Week 10 – Yahoo Sports

With the NFC West on the line the Seattle Seahawks and the Los Angeles Rams will square off in a rematch of their Week 10 on Sunday. In that game, the Rams emerged victorious as quarterback Jared Goff completed 27 of 37 passes for 302 yards and did not throw an interception.

The Seahawks this season have been a heavy zone coverage team, playing over a mixture of Cover 3, Cover 2 and Cover 4. Many teams utilize Cover 4 when playing the Rams, as a way to neutralize all the pre-snap movement from the Rams offense and take away the bevy of crossing routes that Sean McVay calls for Goff.

In that Week 10 matchup, however, the Rams found ways to make plays against those zone coverage looks, attacking their coverage rules and showing Seattle what they were looking for, but with minor variations. In this video well look at three different ways the Rams attacked Seattles zone coverages through the air back in Week 10:

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Anatomy of a Rematch: How the Rams attacked Seattle through the air in Week 10 - Yahoo Sports

Anatomy

Grey’s Anatomy: 5 Times We Were Heartbroken For Jackson (& 5 Times We Hated Him) – Screen Rant

Although Jackson Avery isn't exactly a firm favorite on Grey's Anatomy but there were times where fans couldn't help but sympathize with him.

Grey Sloan Memorial plastic surgeon, Jackson Avery, has been a key member of the Grey's Anatomy family ever since he was introduced in the Season 6 episode "Invasion."As the grandson of Harper Avery, he has worked hard to get out of his famous grandfather's shadow.

RELATED:Grey's Anatomy: 10 Most Memorable Patients, Ranked By Likability

Despite his family never expecting much from him, Jackson has excelled beyond their expectations. He is one of the few surgeons in the show to be double-board certified. In addition to his skills in reconstructive surgery, he can perform ENT procedures too. But not everything about him is pleasant. Here are some things that make fans hate or pity him.

Jackson's stubbornness has frustrated viewers on several occasions. This is because this trait tends to interfere with the lives of other characters in the show. There are a couple of examples that point to this.

He takes a long time to apologize to Stephanie after hurting her feelings by publicly declaring his love forApril at her wedding. And when he starts seeing April, he strongly opposes her religious views only for him to become religious after the love between them fades. He also refuses to apologize - even when he is in the wrong.

During the mass shooting incident at the hospital, Jacksonends up being one of the heroes as he tricks the disgruntled widower, Gary Clark, into thinking that Derek has died. Sadly, Jackson's resident friend, Charles Percy, dies as a result of injuries sustained during the incident, which affects him deeply.

For the next few months, Jackson is haunted by recurrent nightmares about his friend's death and the horrific event as a whole. It is for this reason that he and April Kepner move into Meredith's house so that they can offer each other support.

Jackson'scondescending nature is hard to stand. He has clashed with his colleagues and lovers a couple of times because he believed they didn't know what they were doing and that he was in the best position to lead them.

RELATED:10 Most Questionable Parenting Choices In Grey's Anatomy

For example, in the season 15 finale, "Jump The Fog," Maggie blows up at Jackson for criticizing her and suggesting that she made poor life choices in the past. During his marriage to April, he tries to control her too. He even gets Owen to pull her from surgery because he believes she shouldn't be there.

When April becomes pregnant for Jackson, the couple looks forward to a bright future as a family. However, Jackson soon learns that their baby might die because he potentially suffers from a condition known as 'osteogenesis imperfecta.'

April is in denial when Jackson breaks the news to her. But it doesn't get better. The couple receives more heartbreaking news. Their baby has type II osteogenesis imperfecta, meaning he is likely to die a few hours after birth. This ends up becoming a reality. When the baby is born, they baptize him and name him Samuel but he dies a few hours later.

Jackson's mother Catherine has too much control over his life. Instead of standing up to her when he feels she is wrong (he stood up to his grandfather after all), he lets her interfere in his affairs and ruin important moments in his life.Catherine constantly mocks Jackson for becoming a plastic surgeon, because she considers the department inferior.

It's because of his mother that he decides that Lexie needs to go to her sister's house. He also instructs Stephanie to flee so that his mother wouldn't be able to interrogate her.She then forces him to sign a prenup and sabotages his 'relationship' with April.

Despite joining the show in the sixth season, Jackson has been romantically involved with six different people. Jackson may give off the impression that he is a hopeless romantic but by digging deeper, one discovers that dating or being married to him isn't all sunshine and roses. Jackson frequently mistreats his partners, and that's why his dating statistics are high.

RELATED:Which Grey's Anatomy Character Is Your Soulmate, Based On Your Zodiac?

His questionable actions are numerous. He sends Lexie to her sister's place to prevent her from meeting his mother. He severely humiliates Stephanie by declaring that he is in love with April at her wedding.He serves April divorce papers at the hospital, of all places, and nearly cheats on Vic with Maggie too. It's really is getting sad at this point...

After not being able to see him for many years, Jackson decides to track down his father. April tries to help him but he is hostile towards her. Interestingly, April is the one who finds his father Robert and convinces him to have a conversation with the old man, which he does.

Robert explains to Jackson how he met his mother, Catherine, and what ruined their relationship. Apparently, Catherine had unrealistic expectations of him, so he walked out. Jackson is heartbroken when he realizes that Robert knows nothing about him. He tells him he is glad they met but he'll never see him again.

Jacksonhas perfected the art of staging coup-de-tats in other people's relationships. He infamously declares his feelings for April just when she's about to say "I Do" to Matthew and runs away with her.

When Mark tasks him with finding out Lexie to find out if she still has feelings for him, Jacksonbegins courtingher instead. This almost ruins the friendship between him and Mark. Instead of being honest to Mark about his feelings for Lexie, Jackson decides to keep it a secret. Mark finds out about them after seeing them walking out together.

After the death of his grandfather Harper Avery, Jackson falls into depression despite being left with a fortune of $250 million dollars. He buys a boat but it doesn't give him happiness. He then funds a contest for surgeons.

RELATED:Grey's Anatomy 10 Famous Actors You Forgot Were In The Series

Later, he makes the spontaneous decision to go on a journey that would enable him to find himself spiritually. Instead of telling Maggie about it in person, he simply leaves her a voice mail and goes.Jackson travelsto national parks to just stare at nature but it doesn't bring him joy so he returns and immerses himself in his work. It really is heartbreaking to see him suffer so much.

In later seasons, the writers decided to make Jackson nicer. However, when he was first introduced in the series, he almost qualifies as a villain. His arrogance is plastered across everything he says and does.

He almost knocks Cristina over then he kisses her, despite her not having any interest in him. He also ignores Alex likes he doesn't exist. Not to forget that he refers to the residents as "douches." He laughs at April for making a mistake and boasts about the surgeries he has been chosen to participate in.His arrogance almost costs a patient's life too.

NEXT:Grey's Anatomy: 10 Worst First Dates The Main Characters Had

Next Which Euphoria Character Are You, Based On Your Zodiac Sign?

Philip Etemesi is an author, journalist, screenwriter and film critic based in Nairobi. Kenya. As a child, he preferred watching movies like The Goodfellas instead of Home Alone. His girlfriend constantly has to pull him from the front of the TV but he just keeps returning. Stubborn dude! An animal lover, Philip also has a pet giraffe called Refu.

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Grey's Anatomy: 5 Times We Were Heartbroken For Jackson (& 5 Times We Hated Him) - Screen Rant

Anatomy

Anatomy of . . . the World Darts Championship | Sport | The Sunday Times – The Times

The annual Christmas and New Year tournament has been going 42 years and will crown a new champion next Sunday at Alexandra Palace.

Key dates 1989 Alcohol banned from stage1993 Leading players plit from BDO to form PDC and start new world championships from 19942007 Smoking ban for indoor spaces comes in2013 Phil Taylor wins the last of his 16 titles2020-21 First championships behind closed doors after London goes into lockdown restrictions

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Anatomy of . . . the World Darts Championship | Sport | The Sunday Times - The Times

Anatomy

‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Fans Are Devastated Over the Latest Season 17 Episode News – GoodHousekeeping.com

Season 17 of Grey's Anatomy has already given us so many twists and turns: There's been jaw-dropping character returns, an intense COVID-19 storyline and even a major character's life in the balance. But just when things turned even more suspenseful in the latest episode, it turns out that the ABC medical show is taking a break starting this week which means, sadly, there will not be new episodes of Grey's Anatomy until early next year in March.

If it seems like the new season of Grey's just started, it's because it essentially has it only premiered in early November, and there's only been a total of six episodes since then! Needless to say, fans were devastated over the news especially as last week's episode ended with a major cliffhanger as we saw Meredith (Ellen Pompeo) getting put on the ventilator after her battle with COVID-19 took a turn for the worse.

"So youre telling me I have to wait till March to see if Meredith makes it??" one fan wrote on Twitter. "The fact that I have to wait until March to see what happens after the Grey's Anatomy winter finale, I'm livid," another tweeted.

Following last week's episode, which served as the show's winter finale, Grey's Anatomy is taking a hiatus for the winter season. Though the show has taken mid-season breaks before, this season's hiatus comes only after six episodes which is fairly early even considering the fact that season 17 will have a total of only 16 episodes, making it one of the shortest seasons in the show's history. Still, it's not unusual for shows to go on a hiatus during the holidays.

Unfortunately, it'll be quite a while until we can reunite with the doctors over at Grey-Sloan (and find out what happens with Meredith!), as Grey's Anatomy will be returning on Thursday, March 4, 2021. As usual, the show will air on ABC during its timeslot of 9 p.m. ET.

In the meantime, I guess we'll just have re-watch all those emotional beach scenes over and over again while we patiently wait for Grey's to return!

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'Grey's Anatomy' Fans Are Devastated Over the Latest Season 17 Episode News - GoodHousekeeping.com

Anatomy

‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Keeps Trying to Replace Derek, But It Will Never Work – Showbiz Cheat Sheet

Greys Anatomy wouldnt be in its 17th season if it didnt have a strong opening, and while the show remains a massive hit nearly two decades into its run, it still owes a lot to its earliest days.

While the show is, at its core, an ensemble piece about theworkers at Seattle Grace Mercy West Hospital, its really about the titular Meredith Grey. While fans still love the series, many miss a character who hasnt been on the series in years.

Dozens of characters have come and gone throughout the series run, but Ellen PompeosMeredith Grey remains headstrong17 years into her run on the series. Throughout that time, fans have watched Grey fall in and out of love, watched as her loved ones pass away, cope with the tragedies that come with her job, and manage several difficult personalities both through her doctors and her patients.

In many ways, it is Greys private life that shapes everything else. The show has gotten bigger in scale and made stars out of more than one cast member, but had Grey not been there as the hospitals backbone, things might have gone much differently.

As a hard-working doctor with little time to waste on love, several men have tried throughout the series run, but her original relationship with Derek is still the highlight of her love life.

Meredith met Derek through their job. As her married boss, the twotried to keep their relationship professionaluntil a spur-of-the-moment one-night-stand complicated things. However, rather than hiding her feelings, Meredith and Derek eventually come clean after he agrees to leave his wife and start a relationship with Grey.

The relationship had its ups and downs for eleven years, but when Dempsey left the show in season 11, a wrench was put into the whole thing.

From Chris ODonnells Finn, a rebound after Derek resisted her pleas to Nathan, Finn, and William Thorpe, Meredith has had her ups and downs when it comes to her relationships. Pompeo reflected on this shifting tone, acknowledging that she wanted Greys love life to be authentic.

I think that a show that runs for as long asGreys, the show has had to grow with the characters, Pompeo told Good Housekeeping. Im 15 years older now, so Im so much stronger a person than I was then. It just evolves, the actress said (per Good Housekeeping). The writers get to know you, they watch the dailies and they watch the show.Greysis so unique, because weve been on the air for so long, theyve all watched me grow up. Shonda and the writers, weve all grown up together.

Despite Dereks death and Dempseys departure, that initial relationship is still the best the show has had to offer.

Speaking about the men in Merediths life, manyfans on Reddit spoke about their desireto see her end up with someone like Derek. However, as u/HorseToothGary points out, recreating what once worked doesnt necessarily make for compelling television.

Meredith and Derek were too good together. They made the show the hit it was in the beginning. No other combo will ever come close. Patrick Dempsey was just too perfect. It would be like trying to replace Han Solo with Leia. Not possible.

Meredith has to grapple with loss like everyone else, and while the series has had its hits and misses over 17 years, this helps keep the show fresh. After all, Meredith is the driving force that has allowed Greys cast to flourish for as long as it has.With no signs of slowing down, either, perhaps true love still awaits its biggest star.

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'Grey's Anatomy' Keeps Trying to Replace Derek, But It Will Never Work - Showbiz Cheat Sheet

Anatomy

Grey’s Anatomy: 10 Saddest Things About Derek | ScreenRant – Screen Rant

Grey's Anatomy's Derek Shepherd may come across as pompous and arrogant, but this is a facade to hide his tragic backstory.

Over the years, fans have been introduced to so many interesting characters on Grey's Anatomy. Some ended up tugging at our heartstrings more than others, and perhaps the one character that everyone had trouble letting go of was Derek Shepherd - the love of Meredith's lifethat left this world too soon.

RELATED:Grey's Anatomy: 10 Major Relationships, Ranked From Weakest To Strongest

While he was alive and working at Grey Sloan Memorial, there was a lot to love about Derek. There was also a lot of sadness and strife surrounding him and his life. Derek is a deeply flawed and complex individual, yet Meredith loved him regardless. Here are just some of the saddest things about everyone's handsome, maybe-misunderstood, and often wayward doc.

Viewers never even knew a Derek who didn't have fidelity issues. Derek's inability to stay true to the person he has committed to is a serious character flaw. He cheated on Addison with Meredith and then cheated on Meredith with his assistant in DC. His serial cheating is simply sad, especially considering how much Meredith loved him, flaws and all.

The sparks had already flown when Grey's Anatomy viewers discovered that Meredith's McDreamy was married. His wife Addison was back in New York while Derek was out in Seattle talking up Meredith like he didn't have a care in the world. Meredithwas clearly Derek's forever person, and he and Addison were never meant to be. While Derek ended up with the woman made for him, divorce is still a sad circumstance to go through - especially as it meant ending an eleven-year relationship.

One of the most emotional and intense moments that the show ever saw was when an active shooter took over the hospital that Derek and the other surgeonsworked at. As fans remember, the season 6 finale sawDerek placed in immortal danger whenGary Clark returned to the hospital to enact his revenge. Derek spent most of the episode ensuring that everyone was safe.

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However, it wasn't long before he ran into Gary Clark, who proceeded to shoot him in front of Meredith. The doctors are able to save him, but this moment took every viewers' breath away.

Derek has displayed issues with fidelity since fans first met him. However, it didn't take long to discover the reasons why he had these insecurities. As fans remember, Addison arrived in Seattle at the end of season 1 and revealed that she was married gave Derek.

After seeking him out, Meredith later learned that Addison had cheated on him with his childhood best friend. There was no excuse for him keeping it a secret from Meredith, but the fans did sympathize with the fact that he was betrayed by the two people he trusted most.

Seeing terrible things happen to your parent would do a number on anyone, and sadly Derek saw his father lose his life. As many fans remember, Derek's dad owned a shop, which Derek and Amelia hung out in frequently.

While they were there, the shop eventually got robbed. Since Derek's father refused to give up the watch, it eventually cost him his life. To make matters worse, Derek had witnessed it all as he had been hiding in the back with Amelia. One has to wonder how that shaped Derek as an adult.

Derek Shepherdand Meredith have had a relationship that seemed to have been tested at every possible turn. One of those many tests came in the sixth season when Meredith discovered that she was expecting Derek's baby.

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Sadly, their joy was short-lived. Meredith suffered from a miscarriage because of the severely stressful events surrounding the pair. The aftermath of the loss was massive and stayed with the couple for years.

Back in season 11, fans were taken by surprise when they witnessed Derek's car get hit by a truck. Instead of going to Grey Sloan, Derek ends up arriving at a hospital that does not have good resources or medical expertise. The surgeons also don't seem aware of his reputation either.

What makes the situation even worse was that Derek could not speak or tell them what was wrong. As a result, he passes as a result of his injuries. Not only does Meredith have to turn his life support off but she also realizes that the hospital's negligence cost Derek his life.

Fans have seen so many characters on Grey's Anatomy pass on. At least favorites, like George, had friends working on them, trying to save their lives. Poor Derek didn't have this luxury. The professionals who received his battered body didn't know him. They weren't his friends.

In the end, Derek was alone in his final hours. Even for someone who had seen so much loss in his life, leaving Earth like this had to be terribly scary and difficult. What was more tragic was that Derek's family didn't even get a chance to say goodbye - which was something he wished for in "The First Cut Is the Deepest."

Derek and his sister Amelia have an interesting relationship. Derek hasn't always been supportive of Amelia, and even seems insecure and jealous of her talents when she came to work in Seattle.

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That said, he was there for her when she needed help. When Amelia overdosed and was gone for roughly three minutes, Derek was the one who had to resuscitate her. While Amelia got help and sobered up, it was clear that this trauma had deeply affected him and their relationship.

Derek and Meredith really had to fight for their relationship. There were times that they broke up, and other times where there were infidelity and secrets between them. Nevertheless, they managed to pull through, get married, and start a family.

The pair had two children and a third on the way when Derek suddenly passed away. However, Derek never had the chance to meet Ellis as Meredith was unaware that she was pregnant when his accident occurred.

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