Grey’s Anatomy Owen Isn’t All That Bad (If You Don’t Look Past His Introduction)
Why wasn’t Shondaland able to keep him that way?
If there's one character that pretty much every Grey's Anatomy viewer has hated at some point, it's Owen Hunt. No matter how handsome the actor who portrays the trauma surgeon is, or how great his performance is, it doesn't make fans any more fond of him.
In fact, Kevin McKidd's talent may be one of the reasons why Owen is such a believable jerk.
When Owen Hunt first appeared on viewers' screens in 2008, in an episode called "Dream a Little Dream of Me" (S5E1), he had every chance of becoming Seattle's new heartthrob. He came across as tough on the outside, but with a very gentle soul, and his backstory of spending many years in the Army was truly admirable.
Many viewers also bought into his chemistry with Sandra Oh's Cristina Yang and how the storyline of overcoming PTSD played out in both of the characters as the show went on.
This chemistry was ultimately what kept McKidd and his character, who was signed for the one-time appearance, in the cast as one of the series' regulars. And that is also what ended up completely ruining his character.
It's no secret that Grey's Anatomy is often compared to ABC's daytime drama General Hospital. Thanks to the number of seasons, the characters that are constantly in and out of the show, and the setting of the hospital and its surrounding area, it's easy to see the parallel.
If that's the case, it's safe to assume that Grey's Anatomy's core audience is also reminiscent of the soap's: primarily female. That is exactly why it was very easy for the audience to understand Cristina Yang and to side with her in her conflict about the family and the children.
Unfortunately, Owen Hunt's character was never really redeemed. Though he had a lot of potential, the writers didn't want to focus on him actually working on his mental health, instead sticking to the overused tropes like angry outbursts. Also, he never really moved on from treating women like his potential incubators, which didn't help the character's appeal.
Keep an eye out for more Grey's Anatomy news and updates to see what the future holds for Owen Hunt at Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital. The show's 20th anniversary season is set to begin production as soon as the SAG-AFTRA strike is resolved.