Grey's Anatomy Gave Meredith a Perfectly Dysfunctional Man (It Just Wasn't McDreamy)

Although Meredith Grey and Dr. Derek 'McDreamy' Shepherd are widely considered to be the best and most compelling couple on Grey's Anatomy, there was another original male character who fit Meredith much better. And that is none other than MAGIC member Alex Karev.

Now, before you throw away your phone, hear us out. There are some very good reasons to think so.

They are both dysfunctional

It is hard to find another character in the entire show who is as dysfunctional as Meredith. Alex is probably the only one who comes close. They both come from extremely troubled families that have greatly influenced their world view and relationships, and they both got themselves into many ridiculous (and life-threatening) situations, forcing others to rescue them again and again.

Finally, let's face it: Both of them behave in ways that are far outside the norms of society.

Their romance had a good foundation

Considering what troublemakers they were, Alex and Meredith always managed to overcome any obstacles together. Their friendship grew stronger over the years, and they truly understood one another and always (well, almost) looked out for each other.

While some fans will say that such a strong platonic friendship was perfect as it was, it could easily grow into something bigger. Add romantic feelings to the stable and loving foundation that Alex and Meredith had, and you've got the relationship that a lot of people dream of — a much healthier one than the characters were involved in. Being best friends with a spouse is just an extra layer of greatness.

Alex lasted longer than Derek

As a nice bonus, if Meredith had been paired with Alex instead of Derek, their union would have been much stronger and lasted longer. While Patrick Dempsey, who played McDreamy, left Grey's Anatomy in Season 11, Alex's actor Justin Chambers stayed until Season 16 and would probably stick around for longer if his character was given some interesting storylines (like a family arc with Meredith).

All of this proves that Alex was always, in theory, a perfect romantic match for Meredith, and it's not surprising that many fans shipped them.

But with that being said, it was probably for the best that Meredith fell madly in love with Derek and Alex ended up with Izzie. Because, in the long run, it's hard to find a fictional male/female friendship that is never ruined by romance or sex, especially on this show.