The Sound of Silence (Grey's Anatomy)

"**The Sound of Silence**"
"The Sound of Silence"
Grey's Anatomy episode
	Richard Webber (Pickens Jr.) offers advice to Meredith Grey (Pompeo) after the attack.
Episode no.	Season 12; Episode 9
Directed by	Denzel Washington
Written by	Stacy McKee
Featured music	"My Girl" by The Temptations; "I Surrender" by Aron Wright
Original air date	February 11, 2016
Running time	43 minutes
Guest appearances
	Giacomo Gianniotti as Dr. Andrew DeLuca; Joe Adler as Dr. Isaac Cross; Samantha Sloyan as Dr. Penelope Blake; Dohn Norwood as Lou;
Episode chronology
← Previous; "Things We Lost in the Fire"	Next →; "All I Want is You"
	Grey's Anatomy season 12
	List of episodes

"The Sound of Silence" is the ninth episode and the mid-season premiere of the twelfth season of the American medical drama television series Grey's Anatomy, and the 254th episode overall. Written by Stacy McKee and directed by Denzel Washington, the episode aired on the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) in the United States on February 11, 2016.

The episode centers on Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo) being viciously attacked by a patient, resulting in severe injuries. The doctors at Grey Sloan Memorial work together to aid her recovery and stand by her through the traumatic aftermath. Additional storylines include Alex Karev (Justin Chambers) grappling with the aftermath of his proposal to Jo Wilson (Camilla Luddington), and Jackson Avery (Jesse Williams) serving divorce papers to his estranged wife April Kepner (Sarah Drew).

Upon its original broadcast, "The Sound of Silence" was watched by 8.28 million viewers in the United States, ranking #3 for the night, and earned a 2.4/8 Nielsen rating in the 18–49 demographic. The episode received universal acclaim, with widespread praise for its direction, writing, and Pompeo's performance.