Grey’s Anatomy: 8 Sweetest (& 7 Saddest) Episodes of Season 2

With over 16 seasons under its belt, Grey’s Anatomy has become the longest-running medical drama on television. For those wondering how it has reached such a successful milestone, many fans would credit the talented cast and crew. The writers have created a lot of compelling storylines, the actors have been great at bringing their characters to life, and the production team has ensured everything has run smoothly.

However, if fans had to pick their favorite season, a lot of people would choose season 2. This was the season where the writers found a perfect balance between drama and comedy; the one where fans saw massive character development and were taken on a huge emotional roller coaster.

Updated February 5th, 2021 by Kayleigh Banks: With Grey’s Anatomy continuing to go strong, fans of the long-running series often find themselves going back over the earlier episodes of the show, particularly as old faces from the first few seasons show back up in the story and get the nostalgia flowing. With these devoted fans in mind, let’s take a further look back at the sweetest and saddest episodes of the second season with a further 5 examples added to our list.

15 Sweetest: Thanks For The Memories

Although this episode did have a few tragic moments (such as the case where Meredith has to tell a teen that his father had died after waking from a coma), it was quite light-hearted compared to the others.

Here, the viewers see Izzie and Burke bond as they volunteer to cook Thanksgiving for everyone. Fans also got a chance to learn more about George’s personal life and the type of relationship he had with his family. Considering how intense the last few episodes had been, this was a nice change of pace.

14 Saddest: Deny, Deny, Deny

When it came to “Deny, Deny, Deny,” the writers created a series of heartbreaking storylines that resonated deeply with the viewers. Alex realized he had failed his exams and was on the verge of being kicked out of the program.

The viewers saw the extent of Ellis’s Alzheimer’s, and Bailey lost one of her favorite long-time patients after complications arose in surgery. Cristina and Burke were also given their own storyline as they trying to come to terms with their grief and Cristina’s ectopic pregnancy. Fans will agree that the actors in this episode did handle their roles with the utmost responsibility and care.

13 Sweetest: Tell Me Sweet Little Lies

“Tell Me Sweet Little Lies” was just another sweet and groundbreaking episode as the fans saw all of Team MAGIC take huge steps. They were delighted to see Alex and Izzie had begun to repair their friendship and realize how thoughtful George was with his patients. However, the one character that underwent a huge growth in this episode was Cristina.

Not only did Cristina decide to take huge steps in her relationship with Burke but she also decided to confront Derek about the way he was treating Meredith. Fans were absolutely thrilled by the fact that she was standing up for Meredith as it showed how much she cared.

12 Saddest: Owner Of A Lonely Heart

The events of “Owner of a Lonely Heart” directly followed those of the previous episode as Izzie’s quintuplet case took center stage. As fans know, Izzie had been working night-and-day to make sure that the babies had survived, with the help of Meredith, Alex, George, and Cristina.

Unfortunately, one of the babies doesn’t survive, which devastates Izzie. However, in a cruel and harsh lesson, Izzie learns that Addison knew this in advance and decided this case would be a good example of why one should never get attached to their patients. As one expects, Izzie doesn’t take this lightly.

11 Sweetest: Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head

As fans know by now, each episode has at least one or two characters that stand out the most. While “Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head” did mark the beginning of Meredith and Cristina becoming each other’s person, it was George who was the standout star as he went above and beyond to protect his friends.

For instance, after Joe collapsed in the bar and got emergency surgery, George manages to get his surgery covered with a grant so he didn’t lose his bar. George also decided to cover for Cristina and Burke after the Chief asked about the ongoings in the hospital. For all the flak they gave him, George was a good guy.

10 Saddest: Enough Is Enough (No More Tears)

In this particular episode, Grey’s writers took on another sensitive and taboo subject when the surgeons discover one of their patients is a victim of domestic violence. The situation became even more complicated when the son of the abuser contemplates whether he should donate part of his liver to save his father.

Alex seemed to particularly relate to the young man’s experience, revealing that he grew up with an abusive father, too. Fans were extremely sympathetic to the young man’s case, especially as he was under an immense amount of pressure. It was quite a tense and hard-hitting storyline.

9 Sweetest: Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer

The episode “Grandma Got Run Over By A Christmas Tree” was one of the more thoughtful episodes when the fans saw the interns help Alex study for his boards. Viewers also saw a more humanized side to Cristina when she stepped up for a young boy after he suffered an existential crisis.

That case was particularly heartbreaking to watch as it appeared Justin struggled with the reality of the transplant procedure. He also seemed resentful of his mother for hiding the truth from him, which deeply affected his recovery. In the end, it was Cristina who managed to give him a purpose by convincing him to become a doctor when he grew up.

8 Saddest: End Of The World/As We Know It

This episode sees Grey Sloan involved in a bomb threat. Richard had a panic attack, Bailey discovered her husband was in an accident while she was in labor, and Meredith found herself with her hand on the device.

As expected, all characters struggled in the wake, with Meredith witnessing Dylan getting blown up and Bailey having to give birth while Tucker was on the operating table. It was particularly emotional when Meredith began to panic about dying and imagined Derek calming her down. It was an episode full of tragedy.

7 Sweetest: Deterioration Of The Fight Or Flight Response

After the events of the previous episode, fans were on tenterhooks when “Deterioration of the Fight or Flight Response” first aired. The interns were working fast to keep Denny alive, Derek and Bailey were trying to stabilize Burke, and Webber was having a family crisis.

To an extent, everything was seen to work out. Denny got a new heart and proposed to Izzie, Burke was okay, and George and Meredith repaired their friendship. Fans were even surprised that Alex put his feelings about Denny aside to cover for Izzie. There were a lot of sweet gestures of friendship here.

6 Saddest: Break On Through

In “Break on Through,” the writers provided another emotional episode when the nurses’ strike allowed the surgeons of Grey Sloan to work on their bedside manner. Fans saw Meredith form a close attachment to Grace, a DNR patient whom she accidentally intubated when she noticed the woman couldn’t breathe.

The viewers also saw a bit of Izzie’s past is revealed when she bonded with a young teenage girl over her pregnancy and personal life. One could tell that they were all emotionally impacted by the events, especially as Meredith ended up having a panic attack and Izzie got upset talking about her daughter. It’s definitely a tearjerker.

5 Sweetest: Let It Be

“Let It Be” was another standout episode for the surgeons of Grey Sloan, who managed to change the lives of several patients. Derek and Addison helped lessen the strain between their married friends, Cristina and Burke saved a man’s life while they were on a date, and Meredith helped keep an elderly couple’s secret.

However, the kindest gesture had to have been the one George made for his patient who “fell” five stories. When George realized Stu was suicidal, he attempted to convince him why life was worth living again. Even when his ex-girlfriend refused to see him, George didn’t tell him the truth because he wanted that hope to help him pull through the surgery. It was sweet to see how much George cared.

4 Saddest: Make Me Lose Control

“Make Me Lose Control” is probably one of the more emotional episodes in the entire series as it saw many secrets exposed, including Cristina’s pregnancy and Ellis’s Alzheimer’s. Emotions were running high throughout the episode as fans worried for Cristina when she was rushed into the OR after suffering from an ectopic pregnancy.

Although she wasn’t keeping the baby, fans were still concerned about Cristina’s mental health and the trauma she could feel afterward. Fans also showed some compassion for Preston, who fretted over Cristina while trying to come to terms with her pregnancy. There was just a lot of tension and stress for all characters involved.

3 Sweetest: Yesterday

While most people remember “Yesterday” as the episode where they first met the infamous Mark Sloan, it also had some crucial character development for the interns. Meredith gained the confidence to confront her father on why he left, Izzie embraced her feelings for Alex, and George decided to tell Meredith he was in love with her.

However, this episode saw the most crucial character development for Alex and Cristina when they helped a patient achieve his dream. After a boy comes in with several facial tumors, Mark agrees to help reconstruct his face. However, the teen sadly passes away in a different operation. While everyone clears out, Alex and Cristina decide to hunt down Mark and ask him to still do the operation. It was a lovely gesture as it provided the parents with some comfort.

2 Saddest: Into You Like A Train

Most fans will say that the saddest season 2 episode is “Into You Like A Train.” As many remember, Meredith and the other surgeons were called in to work after a train crash brings several patients to Grey Sloan. This was the episode that saw the heartbreaking case of Bonnie and Tom — the two patients who were impaled by a pole.

After much deliberation, the surgeons figured out that only one person was going to make it out of the situation alive. Fans were heartbroken for the surgeons as they could see how difficult it was for them to come to this decision. Poor Bonnie didn’t even get the chance to say goodbye to her fiancé. It was a hard-hitting episode.

1 Sweetest: Losing My Religion

Although Camille Travis’ was one of the most poignant storylines, fans did enjoy watching the prom episode. Most fans will recall that Camille was the niece of Dr. Webber, who was admitted to Grey Sloan after she passed out during a romantic encounter with her boyfriend. After missing her prom, Richard ordered the interns to throw her another one and allowed all her friends to attend, which was quite sweet of him.

The episode was also quite iconic as it tested MAGIC’s loyalty to one another. While they all knew who cut the LVAD wire, viewers admired them for sticking together — even when Webber pressured them. For the first time, fans saw how deep their loyalty to one another ran.

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