Grey's Anatomy has taken the medical drama genre by storm for almost two decades. That doesn't mean it should last for much longer. Season 19 of the ABC series will premiere this fall -- and there's more than enough reason for the series to call it a day by the end of the season.
Season 18 ended with startling revelations, surprising promotions and of course, romantic tribulations played like a broken record. A frustrated Bailey resigned as Chief of Surgery, Owen and Teddy were suddenly fugitives after helping fellow veterans, and Jackson and April were officially a couple again. The series' titular character Meredith Grey was asked to be interim Chief of Surgery, which was a very questionable request given she's broken plenty of laws and crossed ethical boundaries during her time at Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital. But hey, it's Grey's Anatomy -- anything goes. That's definitely the mindset the writers have these days, and now Pompeo will only appear in eight episodes of Season 19, leaving the rest of the cast to run the show.
Over the years, it's become normal for actors to leave Grey's Anatomy regularly. Characters die, actors get involved in scandals and the story is never-ending -- the latter of which persuades some stars to move on to other endeavors. It was sad to see characters such as Derek Shepherd or George O'Malley die in earlier seasons, but fans accepted their deaths as part of the story. However, actors leaving in later seasons has felt more like an exhaustive measure that needs to happen. 19 seasons can take a lot out of an actor, and no one can fault Pompeo or former co-star Justin Chambers for either exiting the show entirely or taking a short leave of absence.
The problem that's arisen in later seasons is when a fundamental member of the cast leaves, there's no one fascinating enough to take their place. Richard and Bailey are still hanging around, but their stories are just sad at this point. Richard's wife has cancer and Bailey has a nervous breakdown every other week. What fans are really tuning in for is the romance, but the show doesn't have steamy, complicated relationships like the one Meredith and Derek had. Even Jackson and April's rekindled love affair feels dry; the height of their drama came in Season 12 when they were settling their nasty divorce.
Not even the medical procedures can save this tired medical drama. The surgeries used to be unconventional and spine-chilling. Season 2, Episode 17, "As We Know It," featured a conclusion to the "bomb in the body" that left dilemma left everyone speechless and solidified that Grey Sloan Memorial (formerly Seattle Grace) was no ordinary hospital. Quirky cases such as a man who ate Barbie dolls and the woman who had spontaneous orgasms made the personal lives of the doctors even more interesting and complicated. The medical plots are an important part of the Grey's Anatomy equation, but haven't been pulling their weight in recent seasons.
Grey's Anatomy tried to redeem itself in Season 17 by bringing back Derek and George for Meredith's COVID-19 beach hallucinations. But the returns of fan-favorite characters weren't enough to fully bring the show back to its golden days. The series' refusal to end on a good and well-overdue note is leaving both fans and cast members exhausted -- and no one will be able to catch a break until Meredith has performed her final surgery. With that in mind and Pompeo moving on (at least in part) to other things, it's time for the once-beloved hospital to close its doors.
Grey's Anatomy Season 18 is now streaming on Netflix. Season 19 is expected to premiere in October 2022 on ABC.