The Grey’s Anatomy fandom has never lacked for controversial characters. In fact, Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital seems to hire specifically for that quality. That said, I must ask: Have we ever seen a character redemption arc as pronounced as Amelia Shepherd’s (Caterina Scorsone)? Once perhaps the worst character wandering this hospital’s hallowed, absolutely uninsurable halls, she’s spent 13 seasons and counting becoming one of its most compelling.
ABC’s chief medical drama is all about stirring up our emotions and, sometimes, our angry keyboards. From the ever-complicated Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo), to the lovable but rarely logical Izzie Stevens (Katherine Heigl), to the well-meaning but absolutely toxic lover Owen Hunt (Kevin McKidd), Amelia’s peers have all had their less-than-stellar moments. For a while, however, everyone in the fandom seemed to hate her with a burning passion.
Maybe it was her ongoing competition with Derek that put people off, or maybe it was her short temper, but the hatred has been intense. Those who’ve been hanging out with Amelia since her time on the Grey’s spin-off Private Practice might have a deeper appreciation for her absurdly traumatic backstory. (For those who need a refresher: She watched her dad get murdered when she was just 5 years old; as an adult, she woke up one morning to find her fiancé dead from an overdose beside her; and she carried her son to term knowing he would not survive, just so that his death could become meaningful through organ donation.)
