Over the previous 20 years, dozens of characters have come and gone on Gray’s Anatomy.
I’ve cherished tons of them; I’ve hated a couple of of them, too.
However one fundamental 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 factor about Amelia is that she’s one thing of a polarizing character, and I believe that largely stems from the truth that Gray’s Anatomy has completed nothing to honor her backstory.
I’ve talked with these Gray’s followers who dislike Amelia, and the consensus appears to be that she’s boring, noncommittal, and underdeveloped.
However those that have additionally seen Gray’s Anatomy’s first spinoff sequence, Personal Apply, know that Amelia has an entire historical past that the flagship present has all however brushed below the rug.
Personal Apply launched Amelia in 2010 throughout its third season, and she or he joined the primary solid by the next yr.
As soon as Personal Apply ended, the character moved to Seattle and put down roots, formally turning into a recurring character on Gray’s Anatomy in 2013.
I’m not going to inform you her complete backstory intimately as a result of we’d be right here for days if I attempted, however I do suppose some highlights are essential sufficient to say.
At first look, Amelia Shepherd seems like one thing of a nepo child.
She’s the youngest sister of world-famous neurosurgeon Derek Shepherd (whose specialty she centered her profession on, too).
She has three different siblings, all of whom are medical doctors.
Her mom was a nurse within the Navy, whereas her father was a small enterprise proprietor.
However trauma began early for Amelia, and for some purpose, the hits continued to return for many of her life.
As a result of, you recognize, watching her father get murdered in entrance of her when she was 5 years previous wasn’t sufficient, apparently.
A Lifetime of Ache and Struggling
Gray’s Anatomy has briefly proven particulars of Amelia’s historical past with dependancy, however it was on Personal Apply that the darkish story performed out.
If I cried a pair dozen occasions watching Amelia hit all-time low after which beat the chances, that’s my enterprise.
Gray’s followers know that Amelia misplaced her father at a younger age, and her brother’s demise was a serious plot level for the present, however apart from a few refined mentions, her different losses have hardly ever come up.
Right here’s a nutshell assessment of the most important traumas Amelia confronted in lower than three seasons on the spinoff:
- Her shut good friend obtained a terminal analysis and tasked Amelia with serving to her die on her personal phrases.
- She relapsed on medicine, a interval that just about value her her buddies, her profession, and her life.
- Whereas in mattress subsequent to Amelia, her fiancé died of an unintended drug overdose after taking medicine they’d obtained utilizing Amelia’s prescription pad.
- After her fiancé’s demise, Amelia realized she was pregnant together with his child.
- Earlier than she might wrap her head round how devastating that was, her child was recognized with anencephaly whereas in utero — which means her child can be born with no mind, and his situation was incompatible with life.
- After giving delivery, Amelia held her child for 43 minutes and named him Christopher earlier than sending him away to donate his organs.
Amelia Has Overcome the Odds
Clearly, this listing doesn’t even contact on the issues she’s been via since beginning on Gray’s Anatomy full-time.
Regardless of the frankly weird and disturbing variety of critical tragedies Amelia has suffered, she has grown right into a secure, variety, and profitable girl.
She’s had a son, Scout, whom she co-parents amicably along with her ex. She’s the chief of neurosurgery at Gray Sloan.
Given her backstory, you’d suppose she’d be one of the crucial lively and fascinating characters on the present.
So why do the writers preserve pushing her to the background?
The alternatives for creating Amelia’s character are nearly limitless.
She’s canonically queer, having had significant relationships or crushes on individuals of all genders.
Romantically, her potential is vast open.
Her lengthy, dynamic historical past on the present, and extra broadly, within the Gray’s/Personal Apply universe, makes her the right candidate to exchange Meredith because the present’s lead.
So why haven’t they completed simply that?
As an alternative, the writers have moved away from the concept of a lead in any respect, typically making the present really feel disjointed because of this.
Amelia Shines When It’s Her Time
I don’t deny that in previous seasons, Amelia has been given a couple of essential storylines.
Her relationship with Kai Bartlett, the present’s first fundamental non-binary character, was groundbreaking.
Her time mentoring Betty/Brittany, the teenager mother battling dependancy, was a robust reminder of how far Amelia has are available in her personal journey.
And, in fact, her friendship with Richard has been a giant a part of his story, lastly having somebody on the hospital who understands his previous and affords a pleasant ear of assist when wanted.
It’s not simply that it’s been years since Amelia has been a focus of the present; it’s that even when she was, she appeared to exist to additional different Gray’s Anatomy characters’ storylines.
Apart from her personal mind tumor and the one she miraculously took out of Nicole Herman (Geena Davis), what number of tales has Amelia had that have been nearly her?
Amelia’s Tales Revolve Round Everybody Else
We hardly ever see her along with her son, Scout, who is usually as a substitute getting used largely to indicate how Hyperlink and Jo navigate parenting collectively.
Her first son, Christopher, hardly ever will get a lot as a passing point out.
She by no means speaks of her personal losses until it’s to tie into one thing occurring with one other character, most lately with Lucas within the comfort retailer.
Hopeful followers (myself included) have been eyeing Amelia’s interactions with new peds surgeon Monica Beltran (Natalie Morales), in search of a slow-burn romance between the 2.
However midway via Gray’s Anatomy Season 21, we’re no nearer to seeing the 2 division chiefs collectively.
Whereas the remainder of the season is undoubtedly already meticulously mapped out, my honest hope for Amelia is that she’ll be dusted off and dropped at the forefront by the point the credit roll on the season finale.
With a historical past like Amelia’s and the unbelievable expertise that Caterina Scorsone brings to the desk, it’s really a waste to cover this character below all her potential.
Inform Us How You Really feel!
What say you, Gray’s followers?
Do you suppose Amelia deserves extra display screen time, or is it higher to deal with different characters because the present goes on?
Let’s chat within the feedback!
Gray’s Anatomy will return on Thursday, March 6, at 10/9c on ABC.
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