Over the past two decades, dozens of characters have come and gone on Grey’s Anatomy.
I’ve loved tons of them; I’ve hated a few of them, too.
But one main character has been criminally underdeveloped, underused, and misunderstood for years, and it’s time we talked about it.
Amelia Frances Shepherd, M.D., F.A.C.S.
The thing about Amelia is that she’s something of a polarizing character, and I think that largely stems from the fact that Grey’s Anatomy has done nothing to honor her backstory.
I’ve talked with those Grey’s fans who dislike Amelia, and the consensus seems to be that she’s boring, noncommittal, and underdeveloped.
But those who have also seen Grey’s Anatomy’s first spinoff series, Private Practice, know that Amelia has a whole history that the flagship show has all but brushed under the rug.
Private Practice introduced Amelia in 2010 during its third season, and she joined the main cast by the following year.
Once Private Practice ended, the character moved to Seattle and put down roots, officially becoming a recurring character on Grey’s Anatomy in 2013.
I’m not going to tell you her entire backstory in detail because we’d be here for days if I tried, but I do think some highlights are important enough to mention.
At first glance, Amelia Shepherd looks like something of a nepo baby.
She’s the youngest sister of world-famous neurosurgeon Derek Shepherd (whose specialty she focused her career on, too).
She has three other siblings, all of whom are doctors.
Her mother was a nurse in the Navy, while her father was a small business owner.
But trauma started early for Amelia, and for some reason, the hits continued to come for most of her life.
Because, you know, watching her father get murdered in front of her when she was five years old wasn’t enough, apparently.
A Lifetime of Pain and Suffering
Grey’s Anatomy has briefly shown details of Amelia’s history with addiction, but it was on Private Practice that the dark story played out.
If I cried a couple dozen times watching Amelia hit rock bottom and then beat the odds, that’s my business.
Grey’s fans know that Amelia lost her father at a young age, and her brother’s death was a major plot point for the show, but other than a couple of subtle mentions, her other losses have rarely come up.
Here’s a nutshell review of the biggest traumas Amelia faced in less than three seasons on the spinoff:
- Her close friend received a terminal diagnosis and tasked Amelia with helping her die on her own terms.
- She relapsed on drugs, a period that nearly cost her her friends, her career, and her life.
- While in bed next to Amelia, her fiancé died of an accidental drug overdose after taking drugs they’d obtained using Amelia’s prescription pad.
- After her fiancé’s death, Amelia learned she was pregnant with his baby.
- Before she could wrap her head around how devastating that was, her baby was diagnosed with anencephaly while in utero — meaning her baby would be born without a brain, and his condition was incompatible with life.
- After giving birth, Amelia held her baby for 43 minutes and named him Christopher before sending him away to donate his organs.
Amelia Has Overcome the Odds
Obviously, this list doesn’t even touch on the things she’s been through since starting on Grey’s Anatomy full-time.
Despite the frankly bizarre and disturbing number of serious tragedies Amelia has suffered, she has grown into a stable, kind, and successful woman.
She’s had a son, Scout, whom she co-parents amicably with her ex. She’s the chief of neurosurgery at Grey Sloan.
Given her backstory, you’d think she’d be one of the most active and interesting characters on the show.
So why do the writers keep pushing her to the background?
The opportunities for developing Amelia’s character are virtually endless.
She’s canonically queer, having had meaningful relationships or crushes on people of all genders.
Romantically, her potential is wide open.
Her long, dynamic history on the show, and more broadly, in the Grey’s/Private Practice universe, makes her the perfect candidate to replace Meredith as the show’s lead.
So why haven’t they done just that?
Instead, the writers have moved away from the idea of a lead at all, sometimes making the show feel disjointed as a result.
Amelia Shines When It’s Her Time
I don’t deny that in past seasons, Amelia has been given a few important storylines.
Her relationship with Kai Bartlett, the show’s first main non-binary character, was groundbreaking.
Her time mentoring Betty/Brittany, the teen mom struggling with addiction, was a powerful reminder of how far Amelia has come in her own journey.
And, of course, her friendship with Richard has been a big part of his story, finally having someone at the hospital who understands his past and offers a friendly ear of support when needed.
It’s not just that it’s been years since Amelia has been a focal point of the show; it’s that even when she was, she seemed to exist to further other Grey’s Anatomy characters’ storylines.
Other than her own brain tumor and the one she miraculously took out of Nicole Herman (Geena Davis), how many stories has Amelia had that were just about her?
Amelia’s Stories Revolve Around Everyone Else
We rarely see her with her son, Scout, who is often instead being used mostly to show how Link and Jo navigate parenting together.
Her first son, Christopher, rarely gets so much as a passing mention.
She never speaks of her own losses unless it’s to tie into something happening with another character, most recently with Lucas in the convenience store.
Hopeful fans (myself included) have been eyeing Amelia’s interactions with new peds surgeon Monica Beltran (Natalie Morales), looking for a slow-burn romance between the two.
But halfway through Grey’s Anatomy Season 21, we’re no closer to seeing the two department chiefs together.
While the rest of the season is undoubtedly already meticulously mapped out, my sincere hope for Amelia is that she’ll be dusted off and brought to the forefront by the time the credits roll on the season finale.
With a history like Amelia’s and the unbelievable talent that Caterina Scorsone brings to the table, it’s truly a waste to hide this character under all her potential.
Tell Us How You Feel!
What say you, Grey’s fans?
Do you think Amelia deserves more screen time, or is it better to focus on other characters as the show goes on?
Let’s chat in the comments!
Grey’s Anatomy will return on Thursday, March 6, at 10/9c on ABC.
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