Ben Warren was an unexpected addition to the Grey’s Anatomy family. In a surgeon-dominated scene, a character like Ben felt like a breath of fresh air, accommodating an intriguing storyline that fans felt would become the show’s highlight. Although the new anesthesiologist rubbed several people the wrong way, he quickly gained traction, especially piquing the interest of the stealthy Miranda Bailey. It’s safe to say that while linear storytelling isn’t the medical drama’s style, it worked for a character like Ben to some extent.
He transitioned from being an anesthesiologist to focusing his energies on becoming a surgical resident, but along the way, he was inspired to become a firefighter. The lack of narrative cohesion in his case has been a source of confusion for the fans, making them believe that the show has no idea what to do with him.
Ben Warren Started Off as an Anesthesiologist
He and Bailey Handled a Tricky Case
Fans may disagree, but Grey’s Anatomy never really gave other medical professionals the same prominence as they did surgeons. Grey Sloan surgeons often teased or looked down on other health workers. For instance, when Cristina ended up at the Dermatologist Department, she implied that they were relaxed because their work wasn’t as “surgical” or demanding as theirs. Similarly, when Bailey first encounters Ben Warren, something goes wrong, and the two argue about it. Even someone as altruistic as Doctor Bailey called Ben the “gas man” and implied that the surgeons at Seattle Grace trusted their gas men while they did the actual work. So, it’s understandable why, at some point, Ben would have wanted to switch professions.
Nonetheless, Ben’s resolve to switch specialty felt like the first forced step to his inconsistent character development. Fans never understood why he’d take a step back despite being an attending anesthesiologist. He was essentially in a place of authority and even trained intern anesthesiologists. He spent a dedicated amount of time studying medicine, and all of a sudden, after the hospital shooting, he wanted to become a surgical intern. It seems that the show wanted to make Ben look like an ambitious character, but that never really flew for him in any sense.
On the contrary, when he got accepted to UCLA’s surgical program, he had to travel back and forth From LA to Seattle just to keep his personal life alive and kicking. It was baffling even to imagine the logistics of Ben’s career change because they were hefty even for a fictional drama. Ben wasn’t just an anesthesiologist; he was an attending, which means he put at least a decade’s worth of his life into attaining that position. It felt that Grey’s Anatomy had no idea what to do with Ben despite him having a potentially more interesting arc than most surgical interns at that time.
He Switched More Careers Than Anyone Else On the Show
Ben Took More Stressful Jobs Every Time He Changed Careers
One of the most defining features of Grey’s Anatomy doctors was that they’d rather be dealt a difficult hand, but they won’t give up being a surgeon. They had a hospital shooting, a bomb in a patient’s stomach, a plane crash, and a fire, but nothing could break the doctors’ resolve. Therefore, it confused fans when a character as promising as Ben Warren switched careers as if he were still in college. One would assume that an individual making a career change so late in their life must have sorted out every last detail. However, after quitting his money-making anesthesiologist career and going to LA, Ben decided to say goodbye to that prospect as well because he missed Bailey and Tucker.
Ultimately, Ben Warren landed back in Grey Sloan Memorial as a first-year resident, which proved to be a hefty challenge for him. It’s just that, for someone like Ben to be in a position of authority in his previous career, following the rules and taking orders didn’t suit him well as a resident. Therefore, he often found himself in hot waters over bending the rules and showing no respect for the hierarchy. It’s safe to say that Ben became chaotic and impulsive which somewhat proved that he may not have been cut out to be a surgeon after all. However, what really outraged fans was Ben’s audacity to make some very questionable decisions. It was painfully evident that the series didn’t have definitive plans for Ben because he seemed to be jumping from one bandwagon to another without thought.
Of course, it’s not unlike Grey’s Anatomy doctors to make poor choices, but Ben just took the nonsensical dial up a notch. Moreover, fans also worried about his financial stability because he would have taken at least a 70% pay cut working as a surgical intern rather than an anesthesiologist. If he had previous student loans, why on earth would he want to bury himself in more by starting fresh at UCLA? It’s not like he was Derek Shepherd kind of rich, but that’s not even the most perplexing part. During his time at Grey Sloan Memorial, a chance encounter with another respectable profession had Ben questioning his career choices yet again.
The Audience Never Understood the Character’s Intended Trajectory
He Left Grey’s Anatomy to Join Station 19
There are two sides to Ben Warren’s drastic jumps between careers. While it shows his dedication and zeal to take up challenges and having the courage to pursue his passions, the shift usually doesn’t do much to elevate his character arc. Many fans found Ben’s transitioning refreshing, but most of the fandom thought that it did not make sense for Warren to be all over the canvas. He gave up so much to be a surgeon, and when he finally got a chance, an incident pivoted his life in a new direction. After a tragic fire broke out in Grey Sloan in Season 13, Ben not only heroically helped fellow surgeons but also assisted the Seattle Fire Department. The thrill and reward of the task concluded with Ben having an epiphany about what he truly wanted to do in his life.
And just like that, he dropped everything and joined Station 19 as a rookie firefighter. It’s understandable that a grand hook was needed to kickstart a successful Grey’s Anatomy spin-off, but fans weren’t sure if using Ben Warren for that mission was wise. He just adhered to a stable storyline and was again plunged into unexplored territory, which may have been great for Station 19, but it did the opposite to his Grey’s Anatomy role. It’s safe to say that Grey Sloan surgeons have done many ridiculous things, but Ben’s becoming a firefighter was the most bizarre. Fortunately, Ben was smart enough to apply for the Medic One Program, which enabled him to continue as a surgeon whenever he saw fit. Ben Warren stays on Station 19 for all seven seasons, but by the end of it, he is again reminded of his love for medicine, which creates an opening for him to return to Grey Sloan.
His Return as a Surgeon Doesn’t Help His Case
Ben’s Character Arc Seems Stagnant In the Current Narrative
It’s safe to say that Grey’s Anatomy did not play it well with Ben Warren. His shaky and drastic story arc did not serve the purpose of onboarding a non-surgeon character. Ben would have been perfectly okay as an attending anesthesiologist, as his work could have offered the audience a different perspective. Viewers always saw the inside of the OR through the surgeons, but Ben’s initial input as an anesthesiologist was rejuvenating. The show’s scope beyond surgery was relatively limited, and characters like Ben felt like a lucrative opportunity to broaden the field, highlighting the stories of other healthcare workers.
Even after 14 years, Ben Warren still feels purposeless compared to other interns and residents who started off with him. It’s no crime to explore one’s options, but Ben’s choices never made sense in that regard. Now, Ben is back yet again at Grey Sloan Memorial to continue his run as a surgeon. While fans find his return sweetly nostalgic, many agree that he no longer fits in the landscape. In all honesty, it doesn’t matter how dedicated and caring Ben is; the events leading up to his suspension could have easily earned him a one-way ticket to jail in real life.
There’s no doubt that fans have to go with an unavoidable suspension of reality when dealing with Grey’s Anatomy surgeons who go well beyond their authority and capacity to save lives. Viewers believe that Ben has that itch to be the guy who saves the day, but his methods aren’t always correct. One can consider his Station 19 arc redemptive and a satisfactory way to bury the hatchet for all that happened before he left. However, fans believe it’s not the smartest move to have back in the fold. His presence and arc are both unnecessary and repetitive, considering he has been away from the scene for such a long time. Ben Warren may have been an integral part of the Grey’s Anatomy family; bringing him back won’t do much for his confusing character arc.