This sad pattern of dropping characters mid-series would drive anyone crazy.
Grey’s Anatomy is not exactly known for sticking with its characters, which is fair considering how many years it has been on the air.
Not many actors would be willing to work on a role for 20 years, so the need to bring in someone new and let someone go who is ready to move on to another project is completely understandable.
While the majority of series regulars have had their stories wrapped up to some degree and been given a decent send-off before leaving, it’s not the same for everyone.
Some characters’ disappearances just leave fans wondering about their fate forever.
Such is the case of Michelle Lin, who was (and apparently still may be) the head of plastics at Grey Sloan Memorial.
The character, portrayed by Lynn Chen, was introduced in season 18 as someone who would replace Jason Avery in his position.
Fans quickly fell in love with Michelle because she seemed very straightforward, very intelligent, and very ambitious.
She was used to dealing with the same skepticism that the fandom had throughout the series, and viewers became invested in her story.
However, from what it seems today, as season 19 is coming to an end and Michelle Lin has not reappeared, it was all for nothing.
Without a clear departure, without any explanation at all, the character was just dropped in the middle of her own storyline, as if the writers forgot to write her in.
This neglect of the show’s own characters has always driven fans crazy, but no one can remember it to this extent.
What’s even more confusing is that back in 2021, Lynn Chen was supposed to be promoted from guest star to regular cast member.
Since then, she has been anything but regular, leaving the audience with their questions.
While some believe there could be a bigger reason for the storyline to be dropped so suddenly, others don’t seem to buy it.
As unfortunate as it is, Grey’s Anatomy does not have a reputation for handling character exits in the best way possible, so fans believe in the producer’s inability to create a consistent ending rather than some behind-the-scenes drama.
Season 20 of Grey’s Anatomy will face a change as Krista Vernoff steps down from her position as showrunner, and some may believe that this decision will bring a positive change.
Stay tuned to see if fans will ever hear from Michelle Lin again, and tune in to ABC every Thursday to never miss another episode.