15 TV Shows To Watch If You Like Grey’s Anatomy

“Grey’s Anatomy” is one of the most popular medical dramas of all time, garnering numerous accolades and inspiring devoted fans to tune in week after week, year after year. Though TV mogul Shonda Rhimes was far from the first to prove that a soapy medical show could be a long-term hit (in fact, a few shows on this list precede “Grey’s”), her formula for high-stakes drama and dishy workplace relationships has proved uniquely successful.

If you’re a hardcore “Grey’s” fan who has watched every episode, you may be looking for something to tide you over before the next season airs. If you stopped watching the show when (almost) all of the original characters left, we’re guessing you’re in the market for your next TV obsession. What follows is a roundup of the best shows that will appeal to fans of “Grey’s Anatomy.” This list includes plenty of medical dramas, as well as a few non-hospital shows that will get your blood pumping. Here are 15 shows to watch if “Grey’s Anatomy” is your jam.

It’s hard to imagine “Grey’s Anatomy” existing without “ER.” The beloved medical drama revolutionized zippy hospital storytelling with accurate on-screen medical procedures and brilliant writing that balances workplace issues with personal crises. Like “Grey’s,” it also isn’t afraid to sprinkle some romance into the mix. The series premiered on NBC in 1994 and ran for an impressive 15 seasons. In fact, it was still on air when “Grey’s Anatomy” debuted. This is good news for those looking for a long-term TV relationship.

“ER” takes place at County General, a busy, underfunded hospital in Chicago. The doctors and nurses who work there battle overcrowding and lack of resources to save lives, attempting to manage personal matters amidst the workplace emergencies they face on a daily basis. The series’ cast, which includes Anthony Edwards, George Clooney, Julianna Margulies, Laura Innes, and Noah Wyle, is fantastic, and the guest stars are just as good. Significantly more fast-paced than “Grey’s” due to the nature of the ER, the show keeps you on the edge of your seat while allowing space for the characters to grow over time.

Private Practice

The first “Grey’s Anatomy” spinoff, “Private Practice” is also one of Shonda Rhimes’ best shows, full-stop. The series premiered in 2007, just two years after “Grey’s” debuted. It follows the powerhouse doctor Addison Montgomery (Kate Walsh), a former Seattle OB/GYN and ex-wife of Derek Shepherd (Patrick Dempsey). With her personal life in shambles, Addison moves to Los Angeles to work at a glitzy private practice. Her new job is quite different from her last one, with far fewer patients and a much calmer environment.

Addison is portrayed as a somewhat wicked character on “Grey’s,” and it’s a delight to get to know her better in a new context. “Private Practice” has a smaller cast than “Grey’s,” and as such, the drama is more low-key and grounded in real issues like fertility and the struggles of running a practice. Walsh is joined by a great cast that includes KaDee Strickland, Amy Brenneman, Audra McDonald, and Caterina Scorsone (playing Derek’s sister, Amelia). Though there are also men on the show, the relationships between the women are some of its most compelling elements.

Station 19

The second “Grey’s Anatomy” spinoff, “Station 19” uses the Shonda Rhimes formula to tell a story about firefighters. The two shows are connected by Ben (Jason George), a surgeon at Grey Sloan Memorial — and the husband of Miranda Bailey (Chandra Wilson) — who decides to become a firefighter. Later, firefighter Maya Bishop (Danielle Savre) begins a relationship with OB/GYN Carina DeLuca (Stefania Spampinato), further interweaving the two worlds

However, the real protagonist of the show is Andy (Jaina Lee Ortiz), the daughter of Station 19’s captain. When he almost loses his life on a call, she steps up as captain, a job she has to share with Jack Gibson (Grey Damon), her (secret) ex. For “Grey’s” fans, the tone of the show will feel familiar. It features hotshots performing heroic feats, messy workplace relationships, stirring dialogue, and topical needle drops. We love firefighter shows, and “Station 19” is a worthy addition to the first responder canon.

9-1-1

Ryan Murphy’s “9-1-1” is an absolutely ludicrous show, and “Grey’s Anatomy” fans who like the series’ more over-the-top elements are bound to appreciate it. “9-1-1” centers on first responders in Los Angeles. Much of the drama takes place at Station 118, led by Bobby Nash (Peter Krause) and staffed by firefighters like the charming but immature Buck (Oliver Stark) and paramedics Hen (Aisha Hinds) and Chimney (Kenneth Choi). We also get a peek inside a 911 call center via 911 dispatchers played by Connie Britton (for Season 1) and Jennifer Love Hewitt. Angela Bassett rounds out the cast as Athena Grant, an LAPD sergeant with close ties to the 118.

The show follows the 118 as they’re dispatched on the most absurd calls you can imagine — many of which are based on real-life incidents (as well as some that are entertainingly unrealistic). A tsunami in downtown LA? Check. A swarm of bees that inadvertently forces Athena to land a commercial jet on the freeway? Check. Frogs raining from the sky? Check. In addition to these outrageous emergencies, we love “9-1-1” for its characters, who, like on “Grey’s,” form a found family and give the show a gooey, heartwarming center.

How to Get Away with Murder

Shonda Rhimes may have delivered TV’s most iconic mic drop moment of the 21st century with her hit show “How to Get Away with Murder.” If you don’t remember Viola Davis confronting her cheating husband by asking him, “Why is your pe*** on a dead girl’s phone?”, then it’s best you familiarize yourself with this classic. Davis plays Annalise Keating, a no-nonsense Philadelphia defense lawyer who teaches an intro criminal law course, also known as the show’s title. Annalise chooses five first-years to intern at her firm, which turns out to be much more than they bargained for.

In their first year, Annalise’s interns get involved in two separate murders, though thankfully, her class may have given them the skills they need to stay out of jail. Like Ellen Pompeo and Kerry Washington before her, Davis gives a powerhouse performance, and Annalise is a fascinatingly flawed character who will stop at nothing to survive. The show’s plotlines get increasingly outlandish, but Davis makes it impossible to look away.

Nip/Tuck

Though “Grey’s Anatomy” features death and illness almost constantly, its soapy tone keeps it from getting too dark. If you’re in the mood for a medical show that isn’t afraid to mine the pits of human depravity, look no further than “Nip/Tuck,” a 2000s drama from prolific TV creator Ryan Murphy. The FX series follows Dr. Sean McNamara (Dylan Walsh) and Dr. Christian Troy (Julian McMahon), two highly sought-after plastic surgeons working in Miami (and later Los Angeles). Sean is a father and husband trying to keep his family together, while Christian is a sex-obsessed playboy who uses his charm to bring in clients.

“Nip/Tuck” is quite graphic in many ways, featuring a copious amount of sex scenes and grisly surgery sequences in every episode. A psychological thriller as much as it is a medical drama, the series spotlights the darker sides of human desire, featuring a seasons-long plot about a serial rapist and a storyline about pedophilia. It’s certainly not for the faint of heart, but it’s a fascinating portrait of moral ambiguity and doctors behaving badly.

Suits

USA’s “Suits” had a surprise resurgence in 2023 (more than a decade after it premiered), so if you’re watching it in the 2020s, you’re not alone. Like “Grey’s Anatomy,” the legal drama features brilliant underdogs, dishy workplace drama, and a substantial number of seasons (nine, to be exact) to keep you entertained for a long while.

Patrick J. Adams plays Mike Ross, an ingenious legal scholar with a photographic memory and no law degree. He makes a living taking the LSATs for other would-be lawyers. He’s plucked out of obscurity (and a tricky legal situation) by Harvey Specter (Gabriel Macht), an ambitious New York City lawyer. Harvey hires Mike despite his lack of degree, keeping Mike’s secret from his colleagues.

Much of the drama on “Suits” revolves around the many convoluted machinations of the employees at Harvey’s firm, including his boss, Jessica Pearson (Gina Torres), his legal secretary, Donna Paulsen (Sarah Rafferty), his nemesis, Louis Litt (Rick Hoffman), and paralegal Rachel Zane (Meghan Markle). The cast has wonderful chemistry, and it’s a thrill to watch them fight to the top.

House

The cast of “Grey’s Anatomy” has a compelling dynamic and great chemistry, and their relationships with each other form the heart of the series. While chemistry and camaraderie might not be the first terms you think of when you consider the medical drama “House,” the dynamic between the characters on that show is just as interesting — though perhaps less warm.

Hugh Laurie plays Dr. House, a cantankerous, often downright mean doctor working in a New Jersey hospital. Despite his terrible attitude, House is renowned for his ability to diagnose the most mysterious diseases and disorders. He works with a team of younger doctors, played by Jesse Spencer, Jennifer Morrison, Omar Epps, and Olivia Wilde, forced to tolerate his rudeness and frequent HR violations. The only person he seems to truly care about is his boss, Lisa Cuddy (Lisa Edelstein), with whom he has a complex relationship.

Though House is, in many ways, not a good person, the show is endlessly watchable, and it’s fascinating to ponder why his colleagues (and patients) continue to put up with him despite his terrible bedside manner.

The Resident

In the “Grey’s Anatomy” pilot, Derek Shepherd first utters his now-famous mantra, “It’s a beautiful day to save lives.” Though “Grey’s” can get dark, this kind of stirring dialogue characterizes the show’s tone. If you’re looking for a more cynical take on the medical industry with some soapiness thrown in for good measure, take a gander at “The Resident.” Matt Czuchry plays Conrad Hawkins, the titular resident. Hawkins is something of a rebel, known for practicing “cowboy medicine.” Hawkins works alongside his ex-girlfriend, Nic Nevin (Emily VanCamp), and a new intern, Devon Pravesh (Manish Dayal).

“The Resident,” one of the best medical dramas of all time, sets itself apart from other shows of its ilk through its trenchant critiques of American healthcare. This isn’t a show about shining heroes, but rather a group of people fighting their way through a corrupted system (and at least one outright villain, a doctor played by Bruce Greenwood). Because of these serious elements, there is a darkness to “The Resident,” but it still features some welcome melodrama via the relationships among hospital staff.

New Amsterdam

“New Amsterdam” tackles the many bureaucratic issues embedded in the healthcare industry, but puts a more optimistic spin on things. Based on a memoir by Bellevue Hospital’s medical director Eric Manheimer, “New Amsterdam” follows Dr. Max Goodwin (Ryan Eggold), the director of a crumbling public hospital in New York City. Max has big ideas about shaking things up at New Amsterdam, bulldozing through red tape and bureaucracy to revolutionize patient care. It takes a while for the staff to come around to his way of doing things, but he eventually wins over the skeptics.

As in “Grey’s Anatomy,” “New Amsterdam” tackles the gap between doctors’ hopes and dreams about practicing medicine and the often frustrating reality of the medical system. Both shows have an underlying optimism about healthcare workers’ ability to change lives, even when disaster — a common experience at Grey Sloan Memorial — strikes. “New Amsterdam” doesn’t shy away from tackling serious, real-world issues, like the overturning of Roe v. Wade. But it also gives fans juicy drama in the form of relationships between the doctors, like Max’s romance with Helen (Freema Agyeman).

Saving Hope

Though “Grey’s Anatomy” never gets truly supernatural, it does feature some surreal moments, like the head-trauma-induced musical episode. If you like your medical drama with a dash of ghostly phenomena, “Saving Hope” may be right up your alley. The Canadian series is set in a Toronto hospital called Hope Zion. Erica Durance (of “Smallville”) plays Dr. Alex Reid, a surgeon engaged to fellow doctor Charlie Harris (Michael Shanks). Charlie gets into a car accident on the way to their wedding and winds up in a coma — but he’s not gone. In Season 1, Charlie wanders the halls as a spirit of sorts, having various epiphanies about life and death.

The show’s supernatural elements continue in the following seasons, but “Saving Hope” also functions like a typical medical drama, with all the familiar trappings. Sexual tension between staff, medical mysteries, and tear-jerking sob stories are common. The show is solidly sentimental, but in a comforting way that recalls the melodrama of “Grey’s.” The cast is charming, and their relationships are worth investing in. Fans of Callie (Sara Ramirez) and Arizona (Jessica Capshaw) may appreciate the coupling of Maggie (Julia Taylor Ross) and Sydney (Stacey Farber), one of the show’s sweetest duos.

Night Shift

“The night shift is not like the day shift,” says hospital administrator Michael Ragosa (Freddy Rodriguez) in the “Night Shift” pilot. “It’s an undisciplined zoo.” Set in a San Antonio hospital, the NBC series is fast-paced and filled with the kind of shocking medical maladies we’ve come to expect from shows like this. The protagonist, T.C. Callahan (Eoin Macken), is an Army veteran who rides a motorcycle and refuses to play by the rules. Dr. Jordan Alexander (Jill Flint) is the night shift’s new chief, and she and T.C. used to date. Topher Kia (Ken Leung) and Drew Alister (Brendan Fehr) are also vets, and Landry Miller (Daniella Alonso) is on hand to help with psych cases.

Ragosa also notes that the staff “work hard” and “play hard,” which characterizes the general mood at the hospital. Though not novel by any means, the characters have their charm, and the drama is zippy enough that episodes fly by. Fans of “Grey’s Anatomy” will find familiar tropes here, but with a nocturnal, Texas outlaw twist.

Chicago Med

Dick Wolf is the king of procedurals, having created the “Law & Order” franchise, the “One Chicago” franchise, and the “FBI” franchise. Though many of his shows will appeal to procedural fans, the Wolf production most similar to “Grey’s Anatomy” is “Chicago Med.” A spinoff of “Chicago Fire” and “Chicago P.D.,” “Chicago Med” takes the tried-and-true formula of those shows and transplants it to a hospital setting.

The franchise is a well-oiled machine at this point, and “Chicago Med” is an effective drama that propels the plot forward with both efficiency and heart. The staff at Gaffney Chicago Medical Center get along relatively well, and, as fictional healthcare workers are wont to do, they’re always fighting to save lives. Oliver Platt is a standout as Dr. Daniel Charles, the kindhearted, brilliant chief of psychiatry. The show’s resident hotshot is Dr. Connor Rhodes (Colin Donnell), while Dr. Natalie Manning (Torrey DeVitto) begins the series as a pregnant widow. The show fits well into the “One Chicago” universe, which doesn’t get enough credit for its innovative interweaving of storylines, but also functions as a compelling medical drama in its own right.

St. Elsewhere

“St. Elsewhere” ushered in the modern era of serialized medical dramas, and without it, it’s unlikely “Grey’s Anatomy” would be what it is today. Prior to “St. Elsewhere,” most medical shows were episodic, with self-contained narratives. “St. Elsewhere” features storylines that continue over the course of several episodes or even seasons, and doctors who are not unimpeachable heroes, but real people with struggles and flaws.

“St. Elsewhere” includes some amazing actors, including movie star Denzel Washington, Mark Harmon, Bruce Greenwood, Alfre Woodard, Howie Mandel, and William Daniels. Though not as gritty as some more contemporary medical shows, the series tackles pressing issues facing the medical industry, including the AIDS crisis, poverty, the underfunding of hospitals, and the mental health struggles of doctors. Set in St. Eligius Hospital in Boston, the staff there struggle to make do with limited resources, and go on personal journeys of both empowerment and suffering. Just do yourself a favor and skip that controversial series finale.

Offspring

The Australian series “Offspring” is part medical show, part family drama, and part comedy, and it balances these three genres wonderfully. In many ways, the characters in “Grey’s Anatomy” are sort of like one big dysfunctional family, akin to the literal dysfunctional family at the center of “Offspring.” Our protagonist is Nina Proudman (Asher Keddie), an OB/GYN working in Melbourne. Nina attempts to balance her professional responsibilities, her demanding family, and her love life, with middling success.

All of her family members live in the same neighborhood, and boundaries are all but nonexistent. Her older sister, Billie (Kat Stewart), is a real estate agent dating a musician. Her brother, Jimmy (Richard Davies), can’t keep a job to save his life. Her mother, Geraldine (Linda Cropper), is reeling from the news that Nina’s father, Darcy (John Waters), has fathered a child with the much younger Cherie Butterfield (Deborah Mailman), who works with Nina. Meanwhile, Nina keeps dating her coworkers, which leads to further complications in her life. Funny and heartfelt, “Offspring” begins every episode with a birth (much like “Six Feet Under” begins with a death), emphasizing both the miracle of life and its frustratingly cyclical nature.