<P> Rhimes felt that the 100th episode showed well Meredith's evolution throughout the show from a "dark and twisty girl" to a "happy woman". She said: "She is the thing her mother wished for her . She is extraordinary . Because, to get past the crap of your past? To move on? To let the past go and change? That is extraordinary . To love? Without fear? Without screwing it up? That is extraordinary . It makes me happy to see her happy ." </P> <P> Following the departure of Patrick Dempsey's character, Rhimes was quoted as saying that "...Meredith and the entire Grey's Anatomy family are about to enter uncharted territory as we head into this new chapter of her life . The possibilities for what may come are endless ." With at least a year left in Pompeo's contract with the show, viewers are sure to witness some of the most difficult times of Meredith's life yet . </P> <P> The character has received both overwhelmingly positive reviews to weary response from television critics throughout the course of the show . The initial response to the character was positive but as the series progressed Meredith Grey became immensely popular and Pompeo established the character as a critic and fan favorite featuring on a number of Top TV Character lists . The development of the character has been deemed as the highlight of the show . Grey has constantly been defined as "the heroine of Grey's Anatomy". At the time of inception Newsday's Diane Werts praised the character stating, "Like Hugh Laurie's irascible "House" title character, star Ellen Pompeo's newly minted Dr. Grey conveys such substance that you simply can't stop watching ." Ellen A. Kim of After Pompeo not receiving an Emmy nomination for her work as Grey, McNamara of the Los Angeles Times suggested that Pompeo, "who has worked very hard and against all narrative odds to make Meredith Grey an interesting character at last" should have received a nomination at the 61st Primetime Emmy Awards . Later, during the twelfth season Western Gazette gave Ellen Pompeo the credit for carrying the show and re-ittirated ." (It's) time for Pompeo to finally win an Emmy Award ." Tanner Stransky of Entertainment Weekly referred to Grey as the "trusty voice over master" of Grey's Anatomy . </P> <P> Former television columnist for The Star - Ledger Alan Sepinwall expressed his boredom on the focus given on Grey's relationships storylines while reviewing the second season's finale: "On those occasions when Meredith's not involved in a plot about her love life, I do kind of like her, but those moments are so infrequent compared to her constant angsting over McDreamy--not to mention all those seemingly unrelated storylines that always turn into a metaphor for that relationship--that I really, really can't stand her ." During the show's third season, the development of the character received negative reviews, with Cristopher Monfette of IGN stating that her storyline has become "some bizarrely under - developed sub-plot about depression and giving Derek a season's worth of reconsidering to do ." Also during the third season, Robert Rorke of the New York Post noted the decline in Meredith's role in the show, expressing disappointment: "She used to be the queen of the romantic dilemmas, but lately, she's been a little dopey, what with the endless McDreamy soliloquies ." Similarly, Macleans.ca found their storyline in the fourth season overused, "This whole' Oh I need more time,' but' Oh, I'm jealous if you look at someone else' angst was tired in the second season, frustrating in the third and now a total channel changer . The will - they - or - won't - they plot doesn't work because they've already been in and out of that relationship too many times . Meredith is a nag and McDreamy is henpecked ." On a more positive note, her relationship with Shepherd was included in AOL TV's list of the "Best TV Couples of All Time" and in the same list by TV Guide . During the sixth season the development of the character was praised, Glenn Diaz of BuddyTV commented that "You gotta love Mer when she's gloomy .", in addition to praising Pompeo's performance . In her review of the episode Tainted Obligation she wrote "I felt for Meredith, but after Lexie's heartfelt begging and pleading, I was happy that Mere finally grows up and casts her selfishness aside . Three seasons ago Meredith would never have dreamed of putting Lexie first, and I was proud of her for giving up part of her liver--her offer to get to know her dad was an even bigger milestone ." Reviewing the first part of the eighth season, TV Fanatic lauded the character and wrote: "this season belongs to Meredith Grey . She is the heart and soul of the show and has been outstanding . This is a character that used to be so dark and twisty and has now grown into a more mature woman . Ellen Pompeo has been at the top of her game this season ." </P>

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