Did ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Showrunner Krista Vernnoff ‘Ruin’ Miranda Bailey?
Grey’s Anatomy has become famous for the intricate, nuanced way that the characters are written. One of the show’s original characters, Dr. Miranda Bailey, has been portrayed by Chandra Wilson since the show premiered in 2005.
While Miranda Bailey was one of the most popular characters in the first few seasons, over the years, her character has undergone probably the most dramatic transformation of anyone in the show’s history.
Many fans have been vocal about their dislike for Bailey’s changed character arc and recently opened up on Reddit about the issues that they have with her.
What does Miranda Bailey do?
Miranda Bailey, as played by Chandra Wilson, was not necessarily the kindest staff member at Seattle Grace Hospital when she was first introduced to viewers in 2005. Bailey started out as a resident at the hospital and gradually worked her way up the ranks to assume the role of Chief of Surgery.
Bailey’s career path is closely entwined with other main characters, including Meredith Grey and Cristina Yang.
At the beginning of the show, Bailey is introduced to other characters, including interns at the hospital, as “The Nazi.” She earned the nickname because of her toughness and ferocity, her no-nonsense attitude serving her well in the often cutthroat world of general practice. However, as the show went on, viewers gradually learned more about Bailey’s softer side, and her tendency to take other, younger residents under her wing.
Miranda Bailey struggles with a notorious mental health disorder
Over the years, viewers have learned more and more about Bailey, including that she is obsessed with Star Wars and had a very strict upbringing. Still, she eventually became very close to Dr. Grey – so close, that Grey and Shepherd named their son, Derek Bailey Shepherd, after her.
Fans also discovered that Bailey suffers from a very common mental health disorder that affects a growing number of Americans — obsessive-compulsive disorder. Bailey’s struggle with OCD has been explored on the show, and though Bailey has thoroughly accepted her disorder, she has admitted that the disorder is “just one piece” of her story.
Bailey’s battle with OCD was first revealed in Season 10 and has progressed over the past five seasons. Several episodes of Grey’s Anatomy have dealt with it directly, and for many viewers, it is the most accurate portrayal of OCD that has been featured on television so far.
In spite of the praise that Bailey’s storyline has received, and the acknowledgment that Wilson has gotten for her work on Grey’s, it was around season ten when many viewers found their relationship with Bailey’s character gradually starting to change.
Fans don’t like how Bailey’s character has changed
Recently, a group of fans opened up on Reddit to discuss where exactly Bailey’s character went south. While some fans pointed out that it is Bailey’s personality that is a turnoff, including how she acts as though everything should be “handed to her,” others stated that they enjoyed how she was written at the beginning of the series, only taking issue with her actions in the past several seasons.
Krista Vernoff, one of the showrunners for Grey’s Anatomy, has received some criticism for her specific handling of the Grey’s Anatomy characters. Some fans have even accused her of being “disrespectful” to long-term fans of the show and have spoken out against her handling the show’s future seasons.
In fact, one Reddit user even stated that the direction of Grey’s Anatomy, in general, has strayed so far from the original course that it is time to end the show with dignity.
Miranda Bailey fans will have to tune in when an all-new season of Grey’s Anatomy premieres in September to see where showrunners end up taking her story arc.
