By Nicole Fiorica

At a glance:

Genre: Medical Drama

Seasons/Episodes: 11/245

Avg Episode Length: 42 minutes

Available on: Netflix

What it’s about:

“Grey’s Anatomy” follows a group of surgical interns at Seattle Grace Hospital as they learn how to practice medicine and rise in the ranks of the hospital, while also combating their own personal dramas. First among them is Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo), the daughter of a famous surgeon, whose emotionally fraught past threatens to get in her way as she navigates through Seattle Grace and pursues her romantic interest, neurosurgeon Derek Shepherd (Patrick Dempsey).

Why it’s so good:

If you are skeptical of “Grey’s” because you fear its plot may resemble a soap opera – okay, you might be right. But, that doesn’t change the fact that the characters are so compelling. As the plot expands to encompass more than the five main interns in Meredith’s class, it becomes both more diverse and more complex. And while the medical component keeps the general mood of the show constant, the personal relationships, both romantic and otherwise, are what will keep you coming back for more.

Why you should binge it:

There’s something wholly satisfying about watching 11 years worth of television in a short period of time — Meredith and Derek’s relationship unfolds so slowly throughout the first few seasons that I’m not sure how regular viewers survived it. Watching Meredith grow over the course of a decade, from a novice intern to an attending surgeon is tremendously satisfying. Of course, the series isn’t even over yet; as season 12 prepares to air later this month, you may just want to refresh your memory before coming back for more, and that’s fine too.

Standouts:

As legendary as Meredith’s relationship with Derek is, her friendship with fellow intern Cristina Yang (Sandra Oh) is the highlight of the show. Not only is Cristina Meredith’s go-to person in times of need, but her own storyline as an ambitious, career-driven doctor is a brilliant contrast to Meredith’s own romantically invested plotline. A big surprise to look out for is Alex Karev (Justin Chambers), whose shallow disposition in season one doesn’t appear to lend itself to an interesting story, only for his character to slowly redeem himself throughout the later seasons and become one of Meredith’s closest friends. In the revolving door of “Grey’s Anatomy” doctors, there are a lot of other characters to keep up with, and you’ll meet and fall in love with them as the show progresses.

Potential Pitfalls:

It is entirely possible that your favorite character on “Grey’s Anatomy” will die in an entirely sudden and tragic way. There’s no way to sugarcoat it: bad things happen to the doctors at Seattle Grace, sometimes if only to prove that life is fleeting and that this lovable cast of ambitious surgeons can’t save everyone. In that vein, I’d advise first-time viewers to beware season finales, although quite frankly, any and every episode on “Grey’s” is an opportunity to break your heart just a little bit. It won’t matter; you’ll still be clicking on that next episode as fast as you can.