Grey’s Anatomyjust can’t let go ofEllen Pompeo. Afterbidding farewell to the title characterin 2023, the long-running medical drama never really abandoned Meredith Grey, and nowDeadlinehas revealed that ABC is preparing for Pompeo to make a major return to the show’s newest season. The new episodes are set to start rolling out this Fall.
Pompeo is slated to be in at least seven of the 18 episodes thatthe medical drama will put out in Season 21. The number is pretty hefty for a character that had pretty much gone away and hints at a story arc that might be extremely exciting for the new episodes. Additionally, it was hinted that Pompeo’s participation could extend to as many as 14 episodes, which would essentially mean that it would feel likeMeredith Grey never leftGrey Sloan Memorial Hospital.
In recent seasons, it wasn’t uncommon for Meredith to be sort of absent for a couple of episodes or just have a couple of scenes, especiallyafter the cast grew larger and larger. This is what promptedwriters in past seasonsto create episodes that they dubbed “All-Meredith,” in which the focus was put back on the character after fans started to feel she was too left out. This time, if Pompeo’s participation indeed extends to more than 10 episodes, it’s likely to feel like the old daysbefore her big send-off.
Meredith Was Never Really Gone From ‘Grey’s Anatomy’
Even though Pompeo formally announced her exit and the serieseven did a farewell episode, Pompeo continued to receive top billing in subsequent episodes and still did the voice-over narration that fans have come to know and love ever since episode one. Earlier this year,Grey’s AnatomyshowrunnerMeg Marinistalked about the extent of Pompeo’s participationin recent seasons and revealed that “she’s always a huge part of the show.” Marinis also commented that she’d be able to return whenever she wanted to, and it seems like this happened sooner rather than later.
We also can’t ignore the fact that Season 21 will be a bit different for fans, and maybe bringing Meredith back may be a way for ABC to keep the series' fandom at bay. The series isscaling back the participationof some of the show’s oldest cast members, as well as changing its airtime slot. According to Disney TV Group PresidentCraig Erwich, however,this isn’t an indication thatGrey’s Anatomyis near the endof its run.
ABC premieres Season 21 ofGrey’s Anatomythis Fall. A specific release date is yet to be announced by the network. You can stream previous episodes on Hulu.
Grey’s Anatomy
A drama centered on the personal and professional lives of five surgical interns and their supervisors.
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