By Solé Scott
Editor-in-Chief
“Grey’s Anatomy” has been on air since 2005, and while its legacy in television history is undeniable, the show has reached a point where it should end expeditiously.
I grew up watching this show every week on Thursday nights as myself and millions of Americans tuned in for “TGIT,” Thank God It’s Thursday.
The anticipation of dramatic plot lines and emotional character arcs made millions of people tune in each week.
Recently, I watched an episode from season 22, and the production quality is still there without the storylines that were once compelling enough to grasp my attention for 45 minutes.
Many episodes feel repetitive, and some events, like a hospital explosion, are being reused from previous seasons.
Another issue is the cast as a whole.
While the show has introduced new characters over the years, the current ensemble does not have the same chemistry or depth as the original group.
Part of what made the earlier seasons so special was the connection between the characters.
We all watched them grow from interns into experienced doctors, forming friendships and rivalries that felt authentic.
There are still a few familiar faces. Miranda Bailey, Richard Webber and Meredith Grey remain important to the identity of the show despite some character decisions over the years that I personally question.
Unfortunately, nostalgia can only carry a show for so long. I understand that a show that has been on for 21 years needs to revitalize itself for the new generation of audience members, but there needs to be a change as soon as possible.
I believe the last great season was season 11. My favorite character, Cristina Yang, had left the season prior to go to Switzerland, and Derek Shepherd had just died in a gruesome car accident.
The emotions of these departures were still felt in season 12, as the rest of the doctors were lost and broken.
Grey was the most broken because Shepherd was her husband and the father of her children.
After his death, she finds out she is pregnant with their third child and ultimately leaves with their children until she gives birth.
Season 12 was an emotional roller-coaster from episode 1 until episode 24. This was the beginning of the end for me and the show.
After this, I would sporadically watch out of boredom, but it never gave me the same euphoric feeling.
What I will say is that Shonda Rhimes is a fantastic television producer and scriptwriter.
She not only created “Grey’s Anatomy,” but also “Scandal,” “How to Get Away with Murder” and “Private Practice,” which is a sister show to Grey’s.
Rhimes already defeated Hollywood norms by being the first Black woman to create and executively produce a top 10 network show.
She is one of the few people I admire in Hollywood.
Hopefully, once this season is over, all its writers will have an emergency meeting where they seriously discuss the show’s direction.
I need fewer random hookups and more realistic events since they are doctors at the highly respected Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital.
In the end, the show will always hold a special place in television history and in the memories of viewers who grew up watching it.
Sometimes, the best way to honor a beloved series is to let it end before it loses the magic that made it special in the first place.
