Sorry, but I firmly believe that Derek Shepherd’s death on Grey’s Anatomy saved the series

Grey’s Anatomy is one of the longest running series on television, but I am beginning to believe that it would not have been successful for so long if Derek Shepherd had not died. The series was already getting old before Patrick Dempsey was cast during the Grey’s Anatomy Season 11. Due to this big farewell, Season 11, Episode 21 was one of the Grey’s AnatomyThe most important episodes. Before this development, I thought Derek and Meredith were untouchable because of their popularity.

The best way to give a show a new direction is to eliminate some of what made it so successful in the first place. Grey’s Anatomy The main attraction was the relationship between Meredith and Derek, so I had a hard time watching that dynamic get destroyed. Derek’s death shocked me to the core, but I will never forgive the hospital malpractice that led to his death. However, as time goes on, I can admit that his death was probably what saved the show.

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Derek Shepherd’s death was haunting

There was a huge twist in season 11 of Grey’s Anatomy

Derek’s last episode began with him saving victims of a traffic accident, but he was punished for his good deed when he was hit by a semi-truck. The episode was haunting because Derek knew what had to be done to save his lifealthough he could not tell the people in the hospital that much. While Grey’s AnatomyFor the previous 10 seasons, Derek was a fantastic neurosurgeon who saved many lives, so his inability to say what needed to be done to save his own life was torture for me. Even worse, one of the doctors was turned away by her boss when she requested a CT scan.

The tension was at an all-time high for me, as I believed that a last-minute miracle would save Derek’s life and allow him to be reunited with Meredith. The most shocking thing about the episode was how Meredith’s first instinct was that a CT scan should have been performed. It summed up their relationship perfectly, that even on his deathbed, Meredith knew what was right for her husband. Although the episode was polarizing, it forced the show to shift into high gear.

Derek’s death changed Grey’s Anatomy forever

Grey’s Anatomy broke new ground

Derek’s death ushered in a new era Grey’s AnatomyNine years later, the series is still going strong and is preparing for its premiere Grey’s Anatomy Season 21 in the fall. While the series neglected Meredith’s dating life in the following seasons, Derek’s death still has a halo effect even after all these years. I think Grey’s Anatomy might have fizzled out long ago if Shonda Rhimes had not been willing to write Dempsey out. The creative decision immediately brought the show to life.

Grey’s Anatomy returned to form in season 12, when everyone was feeling the aftermath of such a life-changing development. Meredith’s storylines were fresh and compelling, while Amelia’s downward spiral gave Caterina Scorsone some of the best pieces of her career. Without Derek’s death, many storylines from season 11 would have been carried over into season 12 and would likely have taken the series even further in the wrong direction.

Even though Patrick Dempsey was gone, there were still calls for his return. Although I never thought it was possible, Producers brought him back during Grey’s Anatomy Season 17 as a recurring guest star. Although Meredith and Derek are working through their past in Meredith’s dream-like state as she battles COVID-19, I thought it was a great way to give the couple the closure they deserved. The sad thing is that without Derek’s death, the show could have made a huge mistake.

Without Derek’s death, the series would probably have destroyed his relationship with Meredith

Derek’s death was the only sensible option

Patrick Dempsey’s time on Grey’s Anatomy came to an end, so it was best to kill Derek because there was no other logical explanation for his departure without tarnishing his relationship with MeredithDespite their problems, Meredith and Derek have always exceeded expectations because their marriage was built on a strong foundation. Derek leaving town would not have done his story justice because he would never leave Meredith.

Although Ellen Pompeo is no longer a series regular, she still pops up here and there, which makes me feel like Meredith isn’t really gone. A similar tactic could have kept Derek and Meredith’s relationship intact if Dempsey had been willing to become a recurring star instead of leaving. Still, I was happy about the big turnaround as it probably secured the future of the show. Derek was one of Grey’s Anatomybut I can’t deny that killing him laid the foundation for the series’ best future.

Grey’s Anatomy returns in fall 2024 with season 21 on ABC.

Grey’s Anatomy

Grey’s Anatomy is considered one of the best television series of our time and has won several awards and four Emmys. The high-intensity medical drama follows Meredith Grey and the team of doctors at Grey Sloan Memorial, who are faced with life-and-death decisions every day. They seek comfort in each other and sometimes more than just friendship. Together they discover that neither medicine nor relationships can be defined in black and white.

Pour

Kelly McCreary, Patrick Dempsey, Kevin McKidd, Chandra Wilson, Jesse Williams, Jake Borelli, Camilla Luddington, Ellen Pompeo, Chyler Leigh, Eric Dane, Caterina Scorsone, Giacomo Gianniotti, Anthony Hill, Kate Walsh, Justin Chambers, Sarah Drew, Greg Germann, Martin Henderson, Katherine Heigl, TR Knight, Sara Ramirez, Jerrika Hinton, Richard Flood, Sandra Oh, Kim Raver, Jason George, Tessa Ferrer, Isaiah Washington, James Pickens Jr., Gaius Charles, Chris Carmack, Brooke Smith, Jessica Capshaw

Release date

March 27, 2005

Seasons

20

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