by Hailey Sepulvado ’22

For 17 years and as many seasons, Grey’s Anatomy has been a fan-favorite. While some viewers have been watching since the show first began, a number of teens have found the show through streaming services and binge-watched the many seasons. No matter how one first discovered  the show, its audience can agree that Grey’s Anatomy takes an emotional toll from following the intense plots and layered characters. With the 18th season just a few days away, many fans are questioning whether or not this will be the last season of the show. As a huge fan of the show, the thought of it ending is sad but at this point, it is long overdue.

The early seasons of Grey’s Anatomy are heartwarming, heart-wrenching, humorous, and filled with love and joy. When watching these seasons you know you are watching something special which only adds to the enjoyment. However, in recent seasons, this feeling has been slowly dwindling. 

Only three original characters remain on the show and the rest have been written off. The lack of the characters that made Grey’s Anatomy great in the first place is one contributing factor to the show not having the same spark as it used to. Many of the fan-favorite characters have been killed off, which has had a huge impact on the viewers and caused an uproar on social media from the show’s fans. Spoiler alert! When Derek Shepard, played by Patrick Dempsey, was killed off the show at the end of the 11th season, that was the perfect opportunity to end the series. Derek was the decade-long love interest of Meredith Grey and when he was killed off, the show’s spark died too. Many main characters have left since then and every time one leaves, the show gets less enjoyable to watch. 

Grey’s Anatomy is not the only show that has overstayed its welcome on a network. Some people believe that the hit show The Office was not good after the character of Michael Scott left. Much like Grey’s Anatomy, The Office continued even after the face of the show left and in both cases, the show took a turn for the worse. It is never easy saying goodbye to your favorite show, but a good ending is much better than watching the show you love become unrecognizable.