It’s kind of hard to believe that Grey’s Anatomy first premiered in 2005, which was a whopping 13 years ago. I know, I feel old, too.

I can still remember the first episode I watched. It was somewhere towards the beginning of the second season. I was hooked instantly. The rest is history! I’ve been a faithful fan ever since.

Despite 13 years of popularity, many people wonder how this show could still be on the air. Well, I have a few ideas why!

Nostalgia Without the Reunion Show

Think about how many TV shows are being brought back: Full House, Boy Meets World, the list goes on. We live in an age of nostalgia, hoping that one of our favorite shows might just come back!

With Grey’s, you don’t even need to think about that – the show is still on! If Grey’s had ended back in 2012, we would be in 2018 hoping for a reunion show or a reboot.

The TV Version of Comfort Food

Tons of TV shows get us emotionally invested in the characters, at least the well-written ones do! Some of Grey’s characters have been there from day one. Even if they haven’t, they’ve been there long enough for us to feel truly connected to them.

Watching these characters every Thursday week after week makes us feel like we’re in the company of friends.

Shonda's Cut-Throat Elimination of Characters

If you believe all the gossip you read (which, obviously, you can’t, but there may be some truth to it!), there has been some drama behind the scenes. (I’m looking at you Isaiah Washington). Shonda has no problem just letting these actors go. They cause issue on the set? Bye, bye!

That certainly helps moral and therefore makes the actors more comfortable on set!

Rotating Entrance of Characters

To piggyback off the elimination of many characters, as heartbreaking as it is, it leaves room for new characters. Admit it, some of your favorite characters haven’t been on the show since day one!

The introduction of new characters keeps things fresh and exciting! More storylines, hello!

Actor Chemistry

If you follow the cast on Instagram or any other form of social media (are you even a superfan if you don’t?) then you know that this cast gets along pretty well! You can see how friendly they all are. That has a major effect on the overall show.

Shondaland Is A Top-Notch Company

With all the talk about the Times Up movement, it’s been clear that the set of Grey’s Anatomy is a respectful place to be employed. That certainly is another tick in the column for keeping the cast happy! In addition, the show has a cast that comes from a variety of backgrounds. It seems that ABC has been make similar efforts for quite some time (remember the cast of LOST?). But still, it’s great to see more people of color represented on television.

The Stories Are Realistic

Ha! Gotcha there. But seriously, they do take some pretty heavy storylines straight from the media and hash them out, even if it does anger us or make us cry into our Chardonnay.

I admit, the storylines have gotten pretty crazy. (How many tragedies can happen to one person, in one place!?) But I’ll be honest, I’m not looking for too much reality! I get a daily dose of reality, well… daily! It’s nice to drop into a world that’s a bit out there and provides some entertainment!

I, for one, will be incredibly sad the day Grey’s Anatomy is cancelled. It’s a show that will forever hold a special place in my heart and I’ll continue to be a fan until the very last episode!