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One of the longest-running medical dramas, Grey's Anatomy, kicked off with the journey of Meredith Grey, who began her career as a surgical intern and grew to be a highly experienced doctor. While Grey remained the key figure, the TV show also introduced viewers to new characters and their storylines.
Ellen Pompeo, who played Meredith Grey, stepped away from Grey’s Anatomy as a full-time cast member in season 19.
While Pompeo no longer plays the main character, showrunner Meg Marinis confirmed that Meredith Grey remains an essential part of the series. Marinis shared in an interview with LA Times:
"I hope that we don’t ever have to see a “Grey’s” without Meredith every now and then. We have an amazing cast alongside Ellen Pompeo. I think our episodes without her are just as strong, but it’s just so nice to hear her voice with the voiceovers."
The showrunner continued:
"We still have [Derek’s family] Amelia Shepherd [Caterina Scorsone] and Lucas Adams [Niko Terho]. The essence of Meredith never disappears."
Ellen Pompeo received limited screen time after Season 19, but her character’s influence still plays a major role in shaping the next generation of surgeons. According to the showrunner, in episodes where Meredith is absent, her presence is felt through references, voiceovers, and the mentorship styles of Bailey and Richard.
Continue reading to learn more about the showrunner's thoughts.
Grey's Anatomy showrunner called Meredith Grey the essence of the drama
Ellen Pompeo's Meredith Grey is no longer the focus of Grey's Anatomy, but the actress remains a key part of the medical drama as she continues to narrate the story and make occasional appearances. As seen in season 19, Meredith relocates to Boston for her daughter Zola's education.
As for her career, Grey continues her research on Alzheimer’s disease at the Catherine Fox Foundation. This marks a major shift in Meredith's career as she transitions from an active surgeon at Grey Sloan Memorial to focusing on medical research.
Other than the medical procedural, Ellen Pompeo has starred in Hulu's Good American Family, in which the actress played Kristine. With Pompeo's focus shifted to the new series, Grey's Anatomy showrunner mentioned that the show still sees her as an important part.
In the same conversation, Meg Marinis said:
"We want her here as much as possible because she is the essence of the show; her voice-over, it is still in every episode."
Marinis continued:
"What we did this last season, we tried to look at her episodes as groups of episodes because it’s more fun to tell an arc with Meredith, rather than a bunch of different one-offs."
The Grey's Anatomy showrunner explained that the writers have been trying to structure Meredith's episodes into small arcs rather than random guest appearances.
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