I am almost sure that everyone has watched at least one clip, maybe even an episode, from Grey’s Anatomy in their life. This iconic show has been running for sixteen years and is the longest running scripted show on ABC. But enough is enough. 

For sixteen years, we have watched characters move away or die. There are only three original characters left in the series. As much as I cannot bear another loss, yet again we are losing a character favorite. In  the recent episode, “Look Up Child,” in which we say goodbye to long running character, Jackson Avery. We will only see more and more characters leave as actors get new opportunities elsewhere. 

Sandra Oh, who played Christina, discussed her departure from the show during season ten. Sandra Oh had more opportunities elsewhere, and though it was not an easy decision to make, she chose to leave the show and pursue another. She states, “Creatively, I really feel like I gave it my all, and I feel ready to let her go,” Sandra told the publication while allegedly getting worked up. “It’s such an interesting thing to play a character for so long and to actually get the sense that she wants to be let go as well. [Cristina] wants to be let go, and I am ready to let her go.” 

We have not only watched characters progress and eventually depart, but we have watched the hospital progress as a whole. The hospital is now mostly being run by female attendings, there are LGBTQ+ support throughout the show, and many political issues have been touched on these subjects and more. In my opinion, I think it would be best to leave it on a good note. 

Also, by casting more and more new characters for the show, Grey’s Anatomy may begin to transform back into the same toxic environment as it started out to be. Who can forget the conflicts between Isaiah Washington, who played Preston Burke, and T.R. Knight, who played George O’ Malley? Entertainment Weekly reports, “After Isaiah Washington referred to Knight as a “f—-t” during an on-set argument with co-star Patrick Dempsey, the tabloids caught wind of it, Knight came out in the press, and Washington was fired.” And who can forget Katherine Heigl, the actress who had a public feud with Shonda Rhimes herself?

Viewers are also starting to be painfully aware that Grey’s Anatomy is also running out of plots. If it was not for the pandemic, I truly think that there would be no more plots and no more possible combinations of couples. There is nothing left to the show’s plots but recapping the current events happening now. I used to love how Grey’s Anatomy kept with current times, but it is just hard to watch now. Before this season had aired, many fans like myself were left unsatisfied with the opening episode because these are things we have seen time and time again. There are only so many on and off relationships, tragedies, tumor surgeries, and deaths we can watch. And who can count how many times we have seen Meradith close to death? One may argue that having Station 19 improved the plots, but Station 19 will never be as good as Grey’s Anatomy once was. Them being codependent on each other simply makes it more complicated and annoying. 

Grey’s Anatomy is such an iconic show with some of the most famous characters and episodes, it can never be forgotten. The fans have already let go, it is up to the producers to do the rest.