‘Grey’s Anatomy’: The Writers Have ‘Destroyed’ Miranda Bailey’s Character
Dr. Miranda Bailey is one of the few characters who has been with Grey’s Anatomy since the beginning. But after 16 seasons, fans don’t necessarily feel the same about her as they did in Season 1.
However, this isn’t just normal character development. According to viewers, the show’s writers have destroyed Bailey’s personality.
Miranda Bailey has changed over time
When Bailey was first introduced, she was shown as a tough, no-nonsense boss. The interns even referred to her as “The Nazi” because of her strict attitude. But as the show went on, a softer side of Bailey became very apparent. She had a warm heart, and would often take interns who needed more help under her wing.
Her severe persona was just a front, concealing a kind, and empathetic woman. The character felt balanced, real, and extremely likable.
However, there’s been a huge shift in the way viewers perceive Bailey over the last few seasons. Gone is her mother-like persona, and instead, we’re left with a cold hypocrite who seems to have forgotten where she came from.
Fans don’t blame Bailey, or even Chandra Wilson, the actress who portrays her. Instead, they seem to base the awkward turnaround on bad storylines from the show’s creators and writers.
The change in Bailey’s personality has been done slowly, over several seasons. But there is one event that seems to represent the change, and angers viewers the most: Her firing of Dr. Meredith Grey.
One event especially symbolizes the change in Miranda Bailey
It all started when Grey committed insurance fraud to fund the surgery of a child with cancer. She broke a rule to save a life. Which, let’s be honest, has been done multiple times at Grey-Sloan Memorial in the past. But it was an extremely unpopular storyline. Fans pointed out that as part-owner of the hospital, Dr. Grey could have just done the work pro-bono.
“I’m still trying to understand why Meredith committed insurance fraud when she like owns the hospital??” tweeted one fan.
When the fraud was discovered, Bailey, as chief of surgery, really had no choice but to fire Grey. However, what really upset fans, and turned them against the character, was when she also fired Dr. Richard Webber and Dr. Alex Karev for their part in covering up the scam. Then, she also fired Dr. Dahlia Qadri for standing up for Grey.
Bailey seemed to go on a rampage, ready to scour the hospital of anyone who had anything to do with Grey. And that’s what really upset fans, because Bailey is far from innocent when it comes to breaking little rules to save a life.
Fans believe the new Miranda Bailey is a hypocrite
Viewers immediately remembered multiple times that Bailey had committed fraud or broken rules.
“Wait a damn minute. Didn’t Bailey commit insurance fraud back in the day when she got Karev to change the time on the clock?!…” One fan tweeted.
The instance their referring to happened in season five. A patient came into the hospital with insurance that canceled at midnight. When Bailey finished operating at 2:30 AM, she asked that records show a completion time of 11:58 instead. Which, let’s face it, is a pretty similar situation to what Grey did.
And there are more examples of Bailey’s hypocrisy. “…Didn’t Bailey cover for Dr. Weber when he was drinking on the job, yet she was absolutely unforgiving to Meredith when she helped Adele get into the Alzheimer’s clinical trial!” Another viewer posted on Twitter.
Then, in season ten, there was the case of the “Bubble Boy.” A child, whose immune system was in such bad shape, that he was forced to live inside a bubble. Against the parent’s permission, Bailey injected him with a deactivated HIV trial drug to save his life. The treatment worked, but what if it hadn’t?
Fans blame writers for destroying Miranda Bailey
While Bailey used to be a likable character, viewers can’t help but be angry about the new direction writers have taken her in. A recent Reddit discussion demonstrated how many feel about the issue.
“The writers have written her into a direction that I don’t appreciate or like. Her character and personality form earlier seasons were so much better. In the newer seasons, she seems a bit more jealous and mean. It’s like the writers have written off the touch that she had and her appeal to the watchers,” one user wrote.
“She was probably the best written character from season 1-4 maybe even 5. Perfectly amazing. Started rewatching the newer seasons…..well f**k those seasons, they know how to destroy everything,” another shared.
One fan summed it up simply by saying: “I love bailey, I hate how they’ve written her character in recent seasons.”
Another wrote: “I feel the same way about Bailey that I do about Teddy: the writers have destroyed a character I once loved & it infuriates me.”
So, will Grey’s Anatomy writers listen to their viewer’s concerns? Season 17 starts November 12, 2020. Fans hope it will mean a return to the kind-hearted Bailey, but there are no guarantees.
