McDreamy? More like McDrama. The 2005 premiere of Grey's Anatomy was met with almost instant success, thanks to series creator Shonda Rhimes' tight writing and a talented cast that seemed destined for stardom (if they didn't already have it, like teen dream Patrick Dempsey). But it wasn't long after the series' debut that rumblings of backstage drama started brewing, turning Grey's Anatomy into a tabloid headline that also happened to win a lot of Emmys.

In this week's episode of TV. Watch. Repeat., my co-host Allison Piwowarski and I research the humble beginnings of the medical series, and the not-so-humble endings of some of its earliest characters. (There's a reason Rhimes once told The Hollywood Reporter that the Grey's Anatomy had a "no Heigls" policy.) Plus, we look into the Discovery Channel-fueled inspiration behind the series, the Grey's Anatomy cast that almost was, and which character was digitally added to the pilot.

So sit down and relax STAT, and listen to the latest episode of TV. Watch. Repeat. on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts, to learn about the longest-running medical drama on TV that you just can't quit.

Image: ABC