While Grey’s Anatomy has introduced many new characters since we obsessed over the pilot in 2005, we’ve grown the most attached to Meredith Grey. Ellen Pompeo has portrayed the clever doctor since day one when the actress was in her 30s. While she appeared in fewer episodes over the last few years, she was given a bigger storyline in Grey’s Anatomy season 20.
We always love seeing Meredith Grey on our TV screens… especially when she’s showcasing her trademark intelligence and tough attitude. But we can’t say this was a satisfying group of episodes for the main character. So, should Pompeo’s brilliant surgeon stay on the ever-popular show?
Why Meredith Grey should leave Grey’s Anatomy when season 20 ends
While it sounds awful to imagine Grey Sloan without Meredith Grey’s witty personality and love of helping people, the character hasn’t been used properly for several seasons. Her reduced part in season 19 was compelling because her relationship with Nick Marsh (dreamy Ben Covington… we mean Scott Speedman) was explored. But when Meredith came back for Grey’s Anatomy season 20, her main plotline has been about conducting Alzheimer’s research in private. While she knows she’ll get in trouble if she’s found out, and of course she wants to find a cure given her mother’s suffering, not enough time was properly devoted.
According to Deadline, there will be an exciting resolution to Meredith’s Grey’s Anatomy season 20 storyline. Meg Marinis, the showrunner, said, “we really pay off what we started in episode one at the end of the season. Interns being in trouble, Meredith doing this secret research, things come to a head.” While it sounds like the Grey’s Anatomy season 20 finale will be great, we wish that we learned more about what Meredith was doing earlier.
Meredith also had a brief storyline that didn’t add much to her romance with Nick or show character growth. Meredith was mad when Nick took Bailey to the hospital for appendicitis without calling her first. Since previous seasons focused on Meredith’s commitment issues and trouble letting love into her life after Derek Shepherd’s (Patrick Dempsey) death, this plotline didn’t add anything new. It just made it seem like the show didn’t know what to do with Meredith and resorted to her old prickly personality.
It also feels like the right time for Meredith Grey to leave Grey’s Anatomy because, even though we love them all, there are just too many characters. Several actors are leaving Grey’s Anatomy after season 20, and while that’s awful, the show might have more room to focus on the characters who are left. Since she already moved to Boston and has a full and busy life there, it doesn’t really make sense that Meredith would keep popping back in.
Why Meredith Grey should stay on Grey’s Anatomy after season 20
As of now, there is no confirmation that Ellen Pompeo will come back to Grey’s Anatomy season 21. However, according to The Hollywood Reporter, it seems she will still have a role in season 21.
It would definitely be strange if Meredith exited Grey Sloan for good after Grey’s Anatomy season 20. Ultimately, she should continue to be part of the hospital drama, but in a more exciting capacity. It isn’t enough to just feature Meredith in her classic and famous voiceovers (although those are always fun and profound). Meredith needs a weighty plotline involving her professional and professional lives that sees her doing more than research that almost no one knows about.
Considering the strong storylines featuring Meredith Grey up until her smaller role in season 19, there’s no reason to think that this isn’t possible. It would be fun and moving to see Meredith take on a leadership role like Miranda Bailey (Chandra Wilson) at Grey Sloan. Meredith has spent enough time away that she might realize she wants to come back to Seattle.
No matter how Meredith Grey returns after Grey’s Anatomy season 20, let’s hope she gets the storyline that she deserves. Otherwise, we might wonder how much longer the show can go on for.
