Too much of anything and everything is never a good idea. Too much chocolate and you get a stomachache. Too much alcohol and you get a hangover from hell. Similarly, too much Grey’s Anatomy and you get a letdown.
The show is returning for its 23rd season on 18 October, but who is even still watching? Yes, there are some die-hard fans, and it does fill a prime spot in American television. Yes, it is one of the last great shows still on air, at least to some extent. But in its heyday, Grey’s Anatomy was something else. The twists and turns had the Game of Thrones beat. So did the number of deaths, and honestly, no character has been more traumatised than Meredith Grey.
And yet, over the years, the show has fallen flat. Many of its lead actors have left the franchise. It has been on for so long that it now officially has three spin-offs. Even Ellen Pompeo, who plays Dr Meredith Grey, has stepped down as a series regular.
Throughout the show’s 21-year run, fans have parted ways with it for many different reasons. Among the first was the death of George O’Malley, played by TR Knight. O’Malley was the endearing underdog with a striking case of “problematic nice guy”; he was still a fan favourite. So when the showrunners killed him off toward the end of season five, it pissed a lot of people off.
Many Greyniacs could still overlook that. But then came season 10, episode 24. Sandra Oh’s Cristina Yang leaving was a deal-breaker for a lot of fans, especially those who grew up watching her friendship with Meredith evolve.
For me, the straw that broke the camel’s back, however, came in season 11. “RIP Derek Shepherd” was my WhatsApp status for at least a week. McDreamy deserved a better death, and the reason for it remains unknown.
I struggled on for a few more seasons, but eventually fizzled away. The show lacks the IT factor now.
‘Nobody knows where they might end up’
But the show’s genius didn’t lie in its over-the-top drama. When it first started in 2005, it was a simple show that followed the everyday lives of doctors in a Seattle hospital. Life and death loomed large, but so did the fear that Dr Bailey might actually kill you.
It created pop-culture moments that shaped a generation of classic American television. Izzie cutting the LVAD wire, Snow Patrol’s Chasing Cars signalling the death of an important character, the plane crash, even the “Pick me, choose me, love me” moment are all cemented in time. Iconic and unforgettable.
There are many more moments, but they aren’t tainted by the nothingness of the newer seasons.
The original characters remain, but they are either peripheral or their storylines just feel dragged out. There are only so many tragedies that can befall a building, a group or a character.
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Enough is enough
There comes a time when one must recognise that enough is enough. The makers of The Good Place (2016–2020) knew it. Four seasons, and they were done. Creator Michael Schur famously said that they wanted to conclude after four seasons so the story could finish on its own terms rather than drag on. Something for Shonda Rhimes to think about, perhaps.
It’s a bit late for that, but at least stop before Grey’s Anatomy becomes the next Days of Our Lives, which started in 1965 and is now 62 seasons young.
Grey’s Anatomy can’t recreate the magic of its past. It has given us many gems and made us suffer through countless unnecessary seasons. There is a reason: The Pitt is fast approaching as a better alternative. It no longer carries the baggage that Grey’s Anatomy does.
It’s time to hang up the stethoscope, Shonda.
(Edited by Maryam Hassan)