The key to writing a good story is to always leave people wanting more. You never want readers/viewers to get bored and give up before you can bring your characters to satisfactory conclusions. But when it comes to Grey’s Anatomy, the longest-running primetime medical drama, that ship has sailed several times over. However, credit should be given to the Shonda Rhimes creation about to begin its 19th season for still garnering high viewing figures and generating profits for ABC. It has stood the test of time in the day and age of one critically acclaimed and entertaining OTT show after another.

But many early fans of the show resonated with Cristina Yang, when the plane went down in the eighth season, and she famously screamed in shock, “As soon as we get out of here, I’m getting the hell away from Seattle Grace Mercy Death!”

And one by one, they all did go away over the years. Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo) was the only one left standing from the OG team MAGIC (Meredith, Alex, George, Izzie, Cristina). However, Pompeo is finally stepping down, not entirely yet, but this season she will have a more limited role, which might just be a good thing.

Ellen Pompeo’s Limited Role in Season 19

     ABC

Grey’s Anatomy premiered in 2005, and in walked the golden-haired, messy Meredith Grey into our lives. She came bearing the cross of being an only child (at least at that point) from a dysfunctional family with a gifted parent’s legacy to shoulder. And she was one-of-a-kind. But she has been at it for two decades now.

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While Meredith Grey was a role of a lifetime, most TV actors long for when starting their careers; after a point, it can get tedious. Pompeo has spoken plenty of times about wanting to walk away but how she couldn’t for one reason or another. Even if she does move away from Grey’s bit by bit, it will be interesting to see how she shows up in other corners of the fictional universe out there; and, most importantly, if fans will be able to see Pompeo as anyone else other than Meredith Grey. Sandra Oh has done it with a lot of gumption and all that pizzazz.

Speaking about how she will always be a part of Grey’s, Pompeo noted to Deadline:

The Many Faces of Meredith Grey

Over the many seasons, Grey has played many roles – ace surgeon, twisted sister, monster boss, unconventional but an absolute romantic at heart. Even for fans who have only sporadically kept up with the show in the later seasons, Meredith Grey has etched a space in their hearts that cannot be scrubbed away so easily. But this goodbye was long coming. Speculation has been rife about Pompeo quitting the show or the show ending for a while now.

While Pompeo will stay on as the narrator of the show – honestly, it would feel weird if every episode did not begin with an introspective bit from Grey – but she will not be appearing as much in-person on the show. The baton has been passed on to a fresh batch of interns, who the creators hope will carry the flame in the coming years. The new cast includes Adelaide Kane, Harry Shum Jr., Alexis Floyd, Niko Terho, and Midori Francis. Chandra Wilson and James Pickens Jr. will be scrubbing back in as Bailey and Richard.

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In a recent interview, Pompeo said:

How Much Longer Can Grey’s Anatomy Go On?

While nobody really expects the magic of the original cast and characters to get somehow revived on the show, we will have to wait and watch how the new cast, with their new stories, hold up to the originals when the 19th season of Grey’s Anatomy premieres on ABC and streams on Hulu next month, from October 6, 2022. Maybe season 20 will also end up happening (because 19 would be an odd number to leave things on), and then who knows!