Every Shondaland Show, Ranked

Many renowned shows fall under Shonda Rhimes‘ Shondaland production company, but, for obvious reasons, some of them easily rank above others in terms of quality and overall production. Television producer and screenwriter Shonda Rhimes started her career in television in 1995, and, since then, she has risen in the ranks to become one of the most accomplished figures in the entertainment space. Although she has achieved many feats since the beginning of her career, one of her most impressive accomplishments is that she became the first woman to create three shows that reached the 100-episode mark.

Shonda Rhimes also has five Primetime Emmy Award nominations under her belt and has won a Golden Globe. Owing to this, it is not surprising that all the shows that come under her production company, Shondaland, are always held to a high standard of quality and excellence. However, while all Shondaland characters are fun to watch and the shows they appear in are captivating, some are far more memorable and gripping than others.

12

Off The Map

2011

Off The Map is another medical drama on the Shondaland roster that centers on the lives of seven doctors in a remote South American village. In its 13-episode runtime, the show explores how all seven characters ponder over the driving factors that led them to pursue a career in medicine. Created by Jenna Bans, one of the producers and writers of Grey’s Anatomy, Off The Map could not even come close to lasting as long as other ABC medical dramas and was canceled after its first season. With an underwhelming Rotten Tomatoes score of 18%, Off the Map is undoubtedly not among Shondaland’s better TV shows.

11

Still Star-Crossed

2017

Produced by Shonda Rhimes’ Shondaland and ABC Studios, Still Star-Crossed adapts Melinda Taub’s novel of the same name. The show’s story attempts to expand the lore of William Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliette by taking the classic play’s ending as its starting point and building on the 16th-century feud between the Montagues and Capulets. Despite having an intriguing timeline and concept, Still Star-Crossed fails to live up to the high standards set by its parent narrative. However, it has its moments of charm and intrigue, particularly with costume designs, settings, and romantic subplots.

10

Inventing Anna

2022

Inspired by Jessica Pressler’s “How Anna Delvey Tricked New York’s Party People,” Netflix’s Inventing Anna loosely follows the true-story of Russian-born con artist, Anna Sorokin, who infiltrated New York’s high society and scammed millions of dollars out of them. With the talented Emmy-winning Julia Garner as its lead and Shonda Rhimes as its showrunner, Inventing Anna had immense potential. However, the show failed to leave its mark because of muddled ideas surrounding the moral and ethical implications of its main character’s actions.

The show also focuses a little too much on the media frenzy surrounding Anna’s crimes instead of highlighting her perspective and motives. Owing to this, the series falls short of achieving what it was truly capable of. However, like most Shondaland shows, it still has many redeeming elements that make it a decent one-time watch.

9

For The People

2018-2019

For the People brings even more diversity to the Shondaland storytelling landscape by following the prosecutors and federal public defenders who work in the Southern District of New York (SDNY) Federal Court. Although it is a legal drama, For the People features the same storytelling formula as Grey’s Anatomy, Station 19, and several other Shondaland shows by focusing on the professional lives of several different characters. It may not be as enthralling as Grey’s Anatomy, but it still does a decent job of combining courtroom thrills with poignant human narratives.

8

Private Practice

2007-2013

Serving as another spin-off to Grey’s Anatomy, Private Practice, like many Shondaland series, crossed the 100-episode milestone with an impressive six-season run. The show primarily unfolds at Seaside Health & Wellness Center, where Dr. Addison Montgomery leaves her job at Seattle Grace Hospital to work at a private practice. Similar to Grey’s Anatomy, it not only focuses on Montgomery and her colleagues’ work as medical practitioners but also highlights the troubles they face in their personal lives.

Compared to Grey’s Anatomy, Private Practice is often considered a relatively subpar take on the medical drama genre. Across all seasons, it has also received mixed reviews from viewers and critics, but it still manages to keep one engaged with its diverse legal cases and character relationships. It may not be the best medical drama, but viewers looking forward to Grey’s Anatomy‘s future installments can certainly check it out.

7

The Residence

2025-Present

Based on Kate Andersen Brower’s The Residence: Inside the Private World of the White House, Netflix’s The Residence unfolds like a typical murder mystery thriller. It begins with the mysterious death of the White House’s chief usher, AB Wynter, which leads to Detective Cordelia Cupp arriving at the crime scene to unfold the truth. Touting herself as the world’s best detective, Cupp compares herself to the likes of Benoit Blanc and even backs her claims with her brilliant crime-solving abilities.

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Despite having a familiar setup, The Residence fascinates viewers with the strong performances of its cast and comedic twists and turns. Among the vast array of detectives that have glazed the big and small screens, Detective Cupp also manages to etch her own identity by adopting unique crime-solving methods and traversing her knack for bird-watching into her profession. The Residence waits until its final moments before revealing the truth about its central crime but features enough gripping story beats along the way to make viewers stick around till the end.

6

Station 19

2018-2024

Grey’s Anatomy‘s success has led to the development of many extensions of its universe. Station 19 is one of these extensions, following the lives of the people who work at Seattle Fire Station 19. When it comes to critical ratings, Station 19 has not been able to maintain its parent series’ consistency and has experienced a few ups and downs in overall reception. However, almost all the seasons of the show have been commended for their ability to keep viewers invested with their character chemistry and heightened melodrama.

Although Station 19 can be fairly predictable at times, viewers who have enjoyed the usual fare of long-running Shondaland shows will embrace its corny and often convoluted storytelling. With a 105-episode run, Station 19 also promises to keep viewers satiated by delivering a steady stream of action, drama, and character-driven storytelling. It never breaks new ground with its soapy drama, but also rarely leaves a dull moment.

5

Grey’s Anatomy

2005-Present

Following the lives of the surgical staff at the fictional Seattle Grace Hospital, Grey’s Anatomy was the first series that put Shonda Rhimes on the maps. After being fascinated by the medical world for a long time and obsessing over surgery channels, Rhimes directed her passion toward writing a medical drama that combined everything she knew about healthcare workers and human relationships. After she pitched it to ABC Entertainment, the studio, too, gave her the green light.

Over two decades after the release of its pilot, Grey’s Anatomy is still going strong and showing no signs of slowing down. Although, arguably, it is not the best Shondaland series, it is easily the one with the most cultural impact and longevity. It has become a television staple and its influence will only grow from strength to strength as more time passes.

4

Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story

2023

Serving as the first spin-off to Netflix’s Bridgerton franchise, Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story is a limited series that presents an alternate take on Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz’s 18th century. In its 6-episode runtime, the series walks through everything from Queen Charlotte’s rise to power to her struggles with mental illness.

Although the prequel spin-off series is not as acclaimed and well-known as its parent show, it still carries the franchise’s charm and features many intriguing historical references. It also presents the franchise’s first major LGBTQ+ representation, which further adds to its appeal.

3

How to Get Away with Murder

2014-2020

Created by Peter Nowalk and produced by Shonda Rhimes and ABC Studios, How to Get Away With Murder, as its name suggests, is a legal thriller. Starring Viola Davis as its lead, the series follows Annalise Keating, a defense attorney and law professor, who finds herself embroiled in a complex murder plot with five of her students from Philadelphia University. Although How to Get Away With Murder has a lot to offer, its primary appeal comes from Viola Davis’ brilliant performance as the main character.

Like most legal thrillers, How to Get Away With Murder is not bereft of the familiar tropes and storytelling devices that are often found in several other murder-mystery crime dramas. At the same time, in its six-season run, the show also ends up having a fair share of narrative inconsistencies and plot holes. However, what keeps it engaging across all seasons is its quick pacing, well-written character beats, unforeseeable twists, and talented cast.

2

Scandal

2012-2018

In its long seven-season and 124-episode run, Scandal unfolds as a gripping political thriller that partially draws from the life of former George H. W. Bush administration press aide Judy Smith. The show’s main character, Olivia Pope, serves as a crisis manager in a firm, Olivia Pope & Associates (OPA), where she and staff must make the necessary provisions on a daily basis to protect their high-profile US clients from public scandals and potential political fall-outs. While walking through Pope and her staff’s professional struggles, the show also gives a glimpse of their personal struggles.

Across seven seasons, Scandal consistently maintains an impressive Rotten Tomatoes score of 93% and none of its installments ever dip below 90%. This alone is a testament to the show’s compelling writing and ability to maintain its quality one season after another. Since Scandal season 7 ended the show’s run with a satisfying conclusion, viewers who have not watched it have the perfect opportunity to binge it without worrying too much about waiting for its new installments.

1

Bridgerton

2020-Present

Easily serving as one of Shondaland’s greatest hits, Bridgerton has been as successful critically as it has been commercially. The period romance drama follows Daphne Bridgerton in its early arcs and walks through all the snags and complications of high-society life in Regency-era London she must navigate. With each new season, the series follows a similar Regent romance but keeps things fresh by focusing on a new set of characters.

Despite its risky approach of focusing on new characters with each season, Bridgerton has managed to keep viewers invested with each installment. In terms of critical ratings, the show experienced a minor dip with season 2. However, the Shondaland series made a quick comeback with season 3, proving its intriguing setup can pave the way for many diverse Regency-era romance stories.