A Definitive Ranking of Dumbest Decisions Grey’s Anatomy Characters Ever Made

I love Grey's Anatomy. 

I've been a loyal fan of the show for years and I'll continue to show my support, no matter how ridiculous it gets. However, as committed as I am to this show, I can also acknowledge that some of the decisions these characters make are just plain dumb. As in, truly, truly stupid and nonsensical.

Do I love them? Yes. Will I let their ridiculous choices slide? Absolutely not. Keep scrolling for a definitive ranking of the dumbest decisions Grey's Anatomy characters ever made.

10. Bailey Bringing in Eliza Minnick

At the bottom of the list, we have Bailey's decision to bring in Eliza Minnick, due to the fact that she was doubting Richard's teaching abilities. What? Bailey didn't have a real reason to doubt Richard. She based her decision off of Catherine's fears, which were mostly just conjecture. Not only did Catherine fail to speak to her husband first, but Bailey actually went along with it all! Never mind the fact that Richard was her mentor and friend for years, and that she looked up to him more than anyone else.

Knowing all that, it's a little ridiculous that she didn't even talk to him before bringing in another employee to basically take over his job. Beyond all that, Eliza was just annoying. She did nothing to help the hospital or advance their initiatives, and she wasn't even a remotely likable character. Still, this decision is at the bottom of the list because it didn't have too much backlash, other than general irritation from the viewers.

(Grey's Anatomy via ABC)

 

9. Owen Cheating on Cristina

We were so in love with Owen and Cristina's love story, but once they got married things kind of fell apart. Owen didn't have a true understanding of who Cristina was, so their marriage was filled with arguments about having a family and committing to each other above all else. Even though they spent so much time together, Owen didn't seem to understand that work would always come first for Yang, leading to a lot of anger from him about her decision not to have a baby.

Even though we understood the problems in their marriage, we were absolutely horrified when Owen admitted to cheating on Cristina. In that moment, Owen ruined their relationship forever. No amount of back and forth could repair the damage he had done, which ultimately pushed Cristina deeper into her cynical and fiercely independent mindset. It's on the list because it was heartbreaking, but it's No. 9 because we don't believe they were ever going to work out anyway.

(Grey's Anatomy via ABC)

 

8. Arizona Cheating on Callie

Ugh, why do all these beautiful couples cheat on each other? While Owen cheating on Cristina was definitely upsetting, Arizona cheating on Callie was almost infuriating. After so much strife in their relationship, it finally seemed like they were back in a good place. The cheating seemed to come out of nowhere, which made it all the more frustrating.

Callie was there for Arizona during the hardest time of her life. She cared for her and made the tough decisions that would keep her alive. Not only that, she also put up with Arizona's constant anger and verbal abuse as she came to grips with the loss of her leg. Why would Arizona give all that up, especially with a completely random person? We felt for Callie in this moment, and it was the closest I ever got to hating Arizona.

(Grey's Anatomy via ABC)

 

7. Alex Refusing to Get Help for Ava

Truthfully, I was never a big fan of Alex and Ava's relationship. It was endearing at first, but then it got obsessive and odd. However, Alex's refusal to get help for Ava was easily one of the worst decisions on the show. Ava was obviously struggling. She transitioned from happy moments to sad moods in the blink of an eye, and many of her behaviors were deeply alarming.

But instead of getting help, Alex insisted he could fix everything on his own. I know he was struggling with his own stuff stemming from his relationship with his mom, but still—it was the wrong call. By refusing to get help, Alex put Ava's life in danger. He didn't have the training to care for her, and—as a doctor—he should have known that finding someone who could meet her individual needs was the best option for both of them.

(Grey's Anatomy via ABC)

 

6. Meredith Interfering in Derek's Trial

Meredith messes up constantly. But one of her biggest mistakes was absolutely that she interfered in Derek's Alzheimer's trial. By rigging the system to ensure Adele was involved, Meredith ruined a potentially life-altering medical study that could have saved the lives of thousands of people. Not only that, she also threw another wrench into her relationship with Derek, starting a chain reaction of events that almost kept them from adopting their child. Meredith and Derek were finally good—why'd she have to go and mess it up? In addition, she's a doctor. Shouldn't she know that playing by rules is one of the key tenets of her profession?

While this was undeniably a stupid decision, it's only No. 6 on the list because of the surrounding circumstances. Richard practically begged for Adele to be part of the trail. Meredith, who never really knew her own father, now has her most influential parental figure asking for something that could change the course of his life. What was she supposed to do? Well, she was supposed to remain ethical and play by the rules, but we do understand why she made the terrible decision she did.

(Grey's Anatomy via ABC)

 

5. Meredith Grabbing the Bomb

And here we are again with another stupid decision from Meredith. A patient arrives in the ER with a homemade bomb lodged into their chest. That's a definitely a problem. But you know what? Meredith was safe. She was in the operating room, but she wasn't in direct danger from the bomb. Until she decided to put herself in danger by sticking her hand into the chest cavity to hold the bomb in place.

Why would she do this? We've already established that Meredith has a slight death wish, but how did she even go about making this decision in her mind? Still, I have to place it at No.5 on the list because her impulsive decision did save the lives of multiple people. Putting your hand on a bomb? Dumb. Saving the lives of everyone in the operating room? A little heroic.

(Grey's Anatomy via ABC)

 

4. Derek Parking in the Middle of the Road

Derek's death was a particularly heartbreaking Grey's Anatomy moment, especially considering how it happened. Still, even though the doctors severely mishandled his case, his death can all be traced back to one single choice—parking in the middle of the road. It's a windy road in a scenic part of town with very little service. Knowing all that and having just helped to clean up a bad accident, Derek still stops his car sideways in the middle of the road to answer his phone.

Was the phone call really that important that he had to stop everything he was doing? If he were a responsible driver who pulled off to the side or didn't reach for his phone while he was in the car, he might still be alive today. Derek could have survived that accident if the doctors knew what they were doing, but he wouldn't have been in that situation at all if he hadn't stopped in the middle of the road, making this one of the dumbest Grey's Anatomy decisions of all time.

(Grey's Anatomy via ABC)

 

3. Burke Operating With a Tremor

After Burke was shot, he developed a bad tremor in his hand. Even though surgery is all about precision and steadiness, he rushes his recovery and returns to the operating table. With the help of Cristina, he hides his tremor for weeks and continues to operate on patients. Um, excuse me? Not only is this completely unethical, it's also totally out-of-character for a renowned surgeon. This decision has to rank high on our list because it puts other people's lives in danger—a fact that Burke doesn't seem to care about all that much.

(Grey's Anatomy via ABC)

 

2. Interns Operating on Each Other

Okay, so I understand that the interns were frustrated. They didn't feel like they were learning anything, which sucks. Being in school your entire life for one job, only to be blocked from actually doing that job is super infuriating—I get it. However, their solution was to operate on each other?!?! 

There was no logic in this. They weren't operating on patients because they literally didn't have the skills to do the procedures. Why would they assume that nothing would go wrong when there was no supervision and no training for the underground surgery ring? I will never get over the total stupidity of this decision, firmly planting it at No. 2 on this list.

(Grey's Anatomy via ABC)

 

1. Izzie Cutting the LVAD Wire

Last but not least, nothing will ever beat Izzie's stupid choice to cut Denny's LVAD wire. She's in love with him and she wants him to get a heart—understandable. However, she literally risks killing him on the off-chance that he just might get heart out of it. Why do Grey's Anatomy doctors think they're above the rules? And why did she have such little value for his life that her only options were "wait for another heart" or "murder him?" That's not love, that's just total and complete stupidity. Congratulations, Izzie—your choice will forever go down in history as the dumbest decision anyone ever made on Grey's Anatomy. 

(Grey's Anatomy via ABC)

 

If this show is so ridiculous, why do I keep watching it? Click HERE to see why I can't give up on Grey's Anatomy.