Meredith and Derek: The love story that ruined all other TV romances.

Grey's Anatomy premiered on a Sunday night in Australia in March 2005. I was just 15 years old, my brain completely squishy and adaptable to the way two characters looked at each other, wanted each other, and felt an undeniable spark. Meredith Grey and Derek Shepherd — Mer-Der — was born.

Queen Shonda Rhimes — as she shall henceforth be called — is the ultimate master of the will-they-won't-they romance, making Ross and Rachel seem completely forgettable.

From the problematic (hot) connection of Olivia and Fitz in Scandal to the electric (hot) tension between Annalise and Nate in How to Get Away with Murder, and quite literally every single storyline in all three seasons of Bridgerton—it's the will-they-won't-they dynamic that keeps us hooked. Bow down to Queen Shonda.

Meredith and Derek's love story was one for the ages. Image: Disney Plus.

When Meredith found herself making out with her boss in the lift at work, important x-rays falling to the ground, at the time, given I was 15, I didn't fully understand the true complexity of sexual chemistry or the toxic butterflies that come with lust, forbidden attraction, or "wrong" sex — like the thrill of an affair or falling for someone in a relationship.

But even as this young girl, I was captivated by the simple idea of wanting someone and, in turn, being wanted just as intensely. As a viewer, I felt just as many butterflies as the bright-eyed intern Meredith Grey.

What Meredith and Derek had transcended hot elevator make-outs and abandoned patient-room sex—their connection more chemistry.

They may not have known it themselves in the beginning, but yet with every road block they were given, they persisted. Shunned by colleagues, promotions stripped away, their professional education restricted.

Their story of star-crossed lovers overcoming adversity isn't new—we've seen it in countless stories from Romeo and Juliet onward.

But what makes Meredith and Derek's love story unique is how this spark they couldn't quite define turned into something real... and with real comes complication. Enter, Addison Montgomery Shepherd.

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What we can respect here is that Derek gave his marriage one last shot — albeit a lukewarm one. He wasn't ready to throw away their history. Did he communicate this well? Absolutely not. And so, Meredith was thrust into an all-too-relatable place: tequila and sex. Some may call this problematic, but I call it a well-deserved sexcapade — a tour of d**k-scovery, if you will. Good for her.

Where Derek's behavior really warrants analysis is in his reaction to Meredith's perfectly acceptable decisions. And so begins the grey area of his actions — where he calls Meredith a wh*re for sleeping around. At first watch, it's easy to label Derek as misogynistic and sexist. But this is where the nuance in Queen Shonda's writing shines. A true connection is never without its hurdles, and if we pull back the not-so-hidden layers, we see two hurt souls who, at their core, are just missing each other.

It wasn't time for Mer-Der to come back together just yet. Derek leans into his marriage with Addison — as much as he's willing to, which, unfortunately, isn't great for Addison, who is genuinely trying to make it work. Meanwhile, Meredith finds herself staring down the barrel of uncomplicated stability with Finn, the McVet.

It's easy to draw comparisons to Zooey Deschanel's character in 500 Days of Summer. When I first watched it, my younger self was ready to call her cruel and aloof, unfairly toying with Joseph Gordon-Levitt's lovable puppy-dog character. But the truth is, sometimes you meet someone who seems perfect — but they're just not your person. And ultimately, that's why Meredith ends things with McVet. He's stable, kind, and everything she should want… but he's not her person. Well, Christina is her actual person.

I sometimes wonder where Finn is now. I hope he's happy.

Derek and Meredith evolve together over time. The giddiness of a young Meredith Grey highlights the gap between them — her immaturity, his life experience. Derek has already lived a whole chapter — he's had a marriage, endured the gruelling years of being an intern and resident, and risen to become a world-class neurosurgeon. He's ready to move forward, to build a life, while Meredith spends years running from commitment.

What makes their love story so special is that, unlike so many before them, they do the work on themselves. And nearly four seasons in, in a house built of candles, Meredith finally steps up. She chooses commitment, a future, and the kind of relationship—and parenthood—that her mother never could. And somewhere, therapists everywhere rejoice.

We know that Meredith's commitment to McDreamy and their happily-ever-after ultimately creates tension with her true soulmate, Cristina Yang. But that's a deep dive for another day.

In the meantime, who are your favourite Shonda romance couples?

Feature Image: Disney Plus.