Callie Torres - Reception

Reception

Maureen Ryan from the Chicago Tribune was critical about the character's initial development. Reviewing the third season's premiere, she wrote the writers should give up on Callie explaining they have made her "far too obviously the “weird girl,” but there’s nothing underneath her brusque persona." Her marriage to O'Malley was well received; Staci Krause of IGN wrote: "Their relationship has been a roller coaster and it was nice to see this turn of events, as she really is a perfect contrast to George." Discussing the character in terms of her relationship with Hahn, Williams was largely positive, assessing that: "The story line offered both the drama Grey's is known for and a truthfulness network television has rarely achieved when it comes to lesbian relationships." Trish Doolan and Nikki Weiss, invited by GLAAD to consult with Grey's Anatomy producers on the storyline, praised the effort put in to researching the issue by the writers and actors involved, though were more negative on the scene which saw Hahn kiss Callie in an elevator in front of Mark Sloan. Weiss commented: "I just felt like, if they really cared about each other, I don't think they would do that as a stunt. That seemed a little, I don't know, forced. was more like a conquest, like he could have too or something." LGBT website AfterEllen.com agreed with this view, criticizing the way the scene was edited so as to keep cutting to Sloan's point of view, as though "privileging the male gaze." AfterEllen.com also included Torres in their list of the Top 50 Lesbian and Bisexual Characters, ranking her at No. 6 and in their Top 50 Favorite Female TV Characters.

Commenting on Hahn's abrupt departure from the show, Dorothy Snarker, writing for AfterEllen.com, observed of Torres and Robbins' relationship: "I can't help but be wary of how the Grey's writers will handle this relationship. Jessica has proven lovely and likable in her brief screen time so far. But it's not how the romance starts, but what happens next that really matters." Speaking of the musical episode, Nicole Golden of TV Fanatic called Ramirez's rendition of "Chasing Cars" "amazing" and referred to her performance in Kate Havnevik's "Grace" as "beautiful". Ramirez was nominated for Outstanding Actress in a Drama Television Series at the Alma Awards, in 2007 and 2008. Also in 2007, at the 13th Screen Actors Guild Awards, Ramirez and the cast of Grey's Anatomy, were the recipients of the Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series. She and the cast were nominated for the same award, in 2008. In 2011, at the 42nd NAACP Image Awards, Ramirez was nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series.