Over the course of what has been a rollercoaster of clinical drama in the 19 seasons and counting of the medical drama series Grey’s Anatomy, audiences had to finally say goodbye to Ellen Pompeo’s Doctor Meredith Grey, who left the show after being a series regular all through its run. Building to the second half of Season 19 that saw Pompeo’s departure, Season 19’s mid-season finale, saw Meredith email Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital to announce her departure. In the past few years, Dr. Grey had been through a lot, including losing her home to a fire. Now she’s ready to move on and start a new chapter in her life. However, it would seem that the farewell might not be final.
Speaking to Variety in a recent interview, Pompeo revealed that Dr. Grey could return in the 20th season of the medical series with a guest appearance. Season 19 had seen her character appear in fewer episodes than in previous seasons, however, her departure to research Alzheimer’s with the Catherine Fox Foundation in Boston would certainly impact the show. Pompeo discussed the research and Meredith’s exit from the show, saying:
It’s a little bit of trickery, because I’m not completely gone. Actually, the storyline is very cool. There’s a lot of real research that’s changing very rapidly about Alzheimer’s disease and about what they believe is the cause of Alzheimer’s disease. It’s pretty controversial. So Meredith’s character left to go to Boston because her daughter needed to go to a special school. I will be making some appearances hopefully next year, if I can find some time.
The interview was a Grey’s Anatomy reunion of sorts with Katherine Heigl, who played fan-favorite Isobel Stevens in the early seasons of the series before departing halfway through the sixth season. On Meredith’s departure from the series, Heigl inquires “So we don’t have to completely say goodbye.” To this Pompeo answers, “No, it’s not a complete goodbye. And I think we’ve got an interesting story to tell.” Given that Meredith was one of the protagonists of the show, and given that the show could continue further, cutting her out all together might bother some fans. While her role in the story might not be focal anymore, a minimal presence could still be key.
Next Steps for Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital
In what can be considered stellar news for fans of the show, ABC has officially renewed Grey’s Anatomy, the network’s longest-running prime-time scripted series, for a 20th season. Despite Pompeo’s exit at least for the moment, the Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital will be accepting patients The series has in recent times, been shifting focus to new interns who might take up the torch of series regulars if the show persists. Season 20 will also see Meg Marinis replace Krista Vernoff as showrunner. Grey’s Anatomy is currently on hiatus, but the series has been renewed for Season 20. You can watch the conversation between Pompeo and Heigl down below.