Remember That Time ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Featured Rochester?

Like many of us, you might be binge-watching a ton of different shows while we Stay At Home, perhaps some of those early episodes of Grey's Anatomy. So, do you remember when Grey's featured our own Rochester, Minnesota?

While my wife and I were Zoom-conferencing with some friends over the weekend, someone mentioned they'd been binge-watching some of the early episodes of Grey's Anatomy. (If you're curious, it looks like Netflix or Hulu might be your best best to binge some older Grey's episodes until this season comes out in June.)

Grey's Anatomy has a been a popular prime time show on ABC-TV for 16 seasons now, but do you remember when a Grey's story arc featured none other than the Med City itself?

You have to go back to the fall of 2012, which was season 9 for Grey's Anatomy, to find any mention of our fair city. The main characters had just been involved in a plane crash earlier that year (season 8, actually) and are trying to process their losses.

One of the main characters, Dr. Christina Yang, seeks out a new position at what Grey's called 'The Clinic,' which happened to be located in Minnesota, in fact, right here in Rochester. (Gee, which internationally-known medical facility were they trying to imply?!?)

I'm guessing Mayo Clinic didn't allow them usage of their name-- nor the right to film on their property-- so various other sets were apparently used to replicate building that kind of looked like the Gonda, Plummer and other buildings on the Mayo campus.

And, if I recall correctly, there was one scene involved Dr. Yang that was actually filmed here-- though it wasn't on the Mayo campus. It was shot downtown, in the old circle drive of Mayo Civic Center, and in the background behind Christina, you could see the Rochester Public Library sign along with a pile of snow.

While the plot lines involved various things I'm guessing would NEVER be allowed to take place at Mayo Clinic, it was still kind of fun to see how Hollywood portrayed our city-- and state. (There was the obligatory Mall of America reference, for example.)

You can check out Season 9 HERE. And if you pause the following trailer at 1:03 to see a screen shot of Dr. Yang-- wearing a big winter coat UNDER her scrubs, because that's what doctors DO here in Minnesota-- as well as 'The Clinic' sign on the door.

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