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.

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.

Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo), Maggie Pierce (Kelly McCreary), and Alex Karev (Justin Chambers) are stuck in traffic while carpooling to work, which turns out to be caused by a serious road accident.

Meredith teams up with Penny Blake (Samantha Sloyan) and Ben Warren (Jason George) to tend to Lou (Dohn Norwood), a patient requiring neurological care.

Ben calls in Amelia Shepherd (Caterina Scorsone) for a consult, but she chooses to assist Owen Hunt (Kevin McKidd) instead, still avoiding Meredith due to their unresolved conflict.

The hospital staff, including Richard Webber (James Pickens Jr.), April Kepner (Sarah Drew), Callie Torres (Sara Ramirez), Owen, Maggie, Ben, Jackson Avery (Jesse Williams) and Alex Karev (Justin Chambers) rush to save Meredith, whose injuries are severe.

As Arizona Robbins (Jessica Capshaw) helps Meredith prepare for a visit from her children, the reunion takes a heartbreaking turn when the kids, frightened by their mother's condition, run away in fear.

"[12] In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Pompeo called the episode "the best thing I've ever done on the show," and praised Washington's direction, saying, "His charisma changes the energy in the room completely.

"[5] Shonda Rhimes, the show's executive producer, described the episode as "extraordinary and very powerful", highlighting that it centered on Meredith, setting the tone for the second half of the season.

[21] "The Sound of Silence" received universal acclaim from television critics, with widespread praise for its direction, writing and Ellen Pompeo's performance as Meredith Grey.

[22]Maggie Fremont of Vulture praised Pompeo for delivering the same kind of "powerhouse performance" seen in many of Grey's Anatomy's challenging storylines, remarking how "Shonda continues to throw horrible situations at Meredith".

[25] Allanah Faherty of Moviepilot described the episode as an "emotional roller coaster" and "the perfect return to the series," further praising Pompeo's ability to "pull at our heartstrings".

"[27][28] Spoiler TV similarly lauded the episode as a "worthy and effective mid-season opener", singling out Pompeo's "frighteningly realistic" performance, Justin Chambers' "sensitive" portrayal of Alex Karev, and Stacy McKee's strong writing.

Bacle also highlighted Washington's direction, specifically the portion of the episode filmed in complete silence, calling it "especially powerful because of the lack of sound".