Ellen Pompeo Says This Could Be The Final Season For Grey’s Anatomy

Ellen Pompeo has indicated that this year might be the last for Grey’s Anatomy as it enters its 17^th season. The medical drama has been the longest-running show on television.

The actress advised us that we should brace ourselves. This will also be the final year of her contract as the star and the producer of the show. In her recent interview with Variety, the actress reveals that they don’t know when the show will be ending. However, she also shared that this year could be it.

She said that she is constantly fighting for the show as a whole, to be as good as it can be. Ellen explained, “As a producer, I feel like I have permission to be able to do that. I mean, this is the last year of my contract right now. I don’t know that this is the last year, but it could very well be.”

The medical drama premiered back in 2005 and saw Ellen, playing Meredith Grey. Her character was initially a resident and eventually turns into a star surgeon of the hospital. The medical drama is still on top of certain demographics of viewers.

Ellen said that she does not take the decision of ending the series lightly. She has revealed that when the actress would decide her character’s story has reached an end she will end the series too. The actress said, “We employ a lot of people, and we have a huge platform. And I’m very grateful for it. I’m just weighing out creatively, what can we do?”

Grey’s Anatomy To Include Coronavirus In The Show

It was reported previously that the show will incorporate the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Ellen expressed that she is very excited about the coming season. According to her, it will be the best season ever. She said, “And I know that sounds nuts to say, but it’s really true.”

In a new Television Academy virtual panel, per Entertainment Weekly, showrunner Krista Vernoff reveals. She said there is no way to be a long-running medical show without including the medical story of their lives.

The showrunner adds that every year they have doctors coming in and sharing their craziest experiences. This year, however, it has felt like therapy. She continued that doctors come in and tell them their first-hand experiences. They are shaking and trying not to cry while talking about it. Vernoff explains they are talking about it like it is a war they are not trained for.

She says that it is one of their shows the biggest conversations about the character, Owen, played by Kevin McKidd. The character is actually trained for this in a way that most of the other doctors aren’t.

Vernoff adds on saying it is the show’s responsibility to portray what is happening in the world right now. “I feel like our show has an opportunity and a responsibility to tell some of those stories,” she said. The showrunner further adds that they have been brainstorming about how to keep humor and romance alive while dictating these painful stories.

Season 16 Will End Differently

The show could not finish season 16 due to the pandemic. Season 16 had four episodes left when production was shut down. However, the spin-off of the show, Station 19 did finish its production for season three. The shows have shared its storyline throughout these years and it was so this time also. But unfortunately, season 16 for Grey’s Anatomy could not be finished because of which they had to make a few changes.

Vernoff further said that they had to change a few dialogues and scenes because of it. Station 19 featured a hospital bombing but the bigger change is said to come for Greys.

Vernoff said that they had an ending for Grey’s but they will be changing it and only keeping a few things. She said, “We’re not going to do a bombing on Station 19‘s finale and then do it on Grey’s [next season].” The showrunner also said she is not planning to return to those planned episodes.

“We can’t just pick up with the plan that we had for the finale as the premiere. I don’t think that’s gonna work,” she said. Vernoff further added that she has some material in the can that they want to air. And she says they will take what was going to be episode 1622 and will keep some of the storylines. She says, “but we have to find a way to turn it into a premiere, and premieres and finales are different from, you know, random episodes. So we’ve got our work cut out for us.”

The new and probably the final season of Grey’s Anatomy will premiere on November 12.