TV

5 Grey's Anatomy Scenes So Cringey, They Gave Us Second-Hand Embarrassment

5 Grey's Anatomy Scenes So Cringey, They Gave Us Second-Hand Embarrassment
Image credit: ABC

Grey's Anatomy can play on our emotions, and make us cringe too.

The award-winning medical drama is known for graphic emergency surgeries, steamy hookups, and heart-wrenching medical cases.

But occasionally, slipping through the cracks of the show's brilliant writing and acting, are moments of unbearable cringiness that we wish we'd never had to witness.

Izzie and Denny ghost sex

Sex scenes have the potential to be awkward enough as it is, but Izzie sleeping with ghost Denny has got to be the most embarrassing of them all.

In one of her encounters with the late Denny, Izzie hallucinates having sex with him. In real life, this equated to some suggestive sounds coming out of a bedroom that everyone knew had only Izzie behind the door. It was unbelievably uncomfortable to watch, and a really weird storyline to have on the show. It is still talked about to this day.

Lexie saying 'Teach me'

In her effort to seduce Mark Sloan, Lexie uses the phrase 'teach me' over and over whilst removing her clothing in front of him. Mark tries to stop her, calling her 'Little Grey' and reminding her that he is her teacher. Lexie's response? More 'teach me.'

Her persistence was embarrassing, for her and everyone watching. The scene would have been fine if it hadn't been for the 'teach me' line that is still considered one of the cringiest things said on the show to date.

Owen Hunt singing

5 Grey's Anatomy Scenes So Cringey, They Gave Us Second-Hand Embarrassment - image 2

Watching grave-faced doctors suddenly break into song was cringey enough, but we lost it when Owen Hunt started singing. The whole Grey's Anatomy musical episode was weird, but watching a character as serious and intense as Hunt belt out vocals had us burying our faces in our hands and begging for it to end.

Matthew's flash mob proposal

April probably appreciated the very sweet, very public display by Matthew, but many of us did not. Watching everyone break into dance around her in unison, including Matthew, gave us second-hand embarrassment on another level.

Jackson interrupts April's wedding

5 Grey's Anatomy Scenes So Cringey, They Gave Us Second-Hand Embarrassment - image 3

What makes this moment all the worse is the fact that Jackson could have said something before the wedding, but instead, chooses to stand up in the middle of April and Matthew's wedding ceremony and proclaim his love for her. Shock, horror and absolute cringe. We could not imagine anything worse happening at a wedding, and the secondhand embarrassment for April (and Jackson) was something that every fan felt. It was hard to watch, but also impossible to look away.