ABC’s Grey’s Anatomy aired Ellen Pompeo’s last episode as a main cast member on February 23rd. Her exit will test whether the show can succeed without her starring, via The Hollywood Reporter.
After nearly two decades as the titular character of the show, star Ellen Pompeo’s Meredith Grey said her goodbyes to Grey Sloan Memorial hospital for her family’s move to Boston in the midseason winter premiere of season nineteen, “I’ll Follow the Sun.” The episode marked Pompeo’s second-to-last appearance this season, with her next onscreen visit not coming until the season finale in May.
It was previously announced that Pompeo would be limiting her appearances on the show. Grey’s Anatomy is the longest running primetime medical drama in television history. But Pompeo’s exit as well as the departure of the show’s current showrunner, Krista Vernoff (Shameless), who took over for creator Shonda Rhimes, comes as the series awaits an official season twenty renewal.
“I’ll Follow the Sun,” was written by Vernoff and directed by co-star Debbie Allen (Fame, Grey’s Anatomy). In the episode, Meredith’s friends and co-workers put a goodbye party together for the esteemed surgeon since Meredith was moving to Boston. The episode solidified Meredith’s decision to move, with viewers watching the plane take off with Meredith and her three children, including Zola (Aniela Gumbs, Grey’s Anatomy), whose child genius prompted the family move.
It certainly left the door open for the character’s storyline to continue on, since during the goodbye party Meredith assured her fellow doctors that she would visit. “I’m only going to Boston and you know I’ll probably be here next week,” she said— signaling that she will loom over the rest of the season. This provided options for her to return to Seattle for a potential season twenty if the Boston plan falls through or the next showrunner does not continue with that storyline.
Seasons one through eighteen are available to stream on Netflix. Season nineteen can be watched on Hulu and airs Thursday’s on ABC.