Her husband Derek Shepherd might have died of brain-bleed from a car accident in the series finale of Season 11 of the American medical drama TV series “Grey’s Anatomy” but Meredith Grey’s story will continue. The big question now is will Season 12 be Meredith’s last and the show as well?
With Season 12 slated to begin on September 24, fans are excited to see how ABC plays out “Grey’s Anatomy’s” first ever season without the beloved Derek Shepherd a.k.a McDreamy, played by Patrick Dempsey.
Executive Producer Shonda Rhimes said that starting with Season 12, the doctors, Meredith especially, will be entering uncharted territory as they try to live their lives post-Derek.
ABC has managed to pull off one season without one of its main characters Cristina Yang when Sandra Oh left the show after Season 10. Although she didn’t die in the series like Derek so the possibility of her returning even for one episode is always in the wings.
But is Rhimes trying to pull off a goodbye MerDer act too soon? Recently, rumors have spread that writers and producers of the hit medical drama are planning to focus the plot for Season 12 on Meredith’s Alzheimer’s disease to give way for Ellen Pompeo’s smooth exit on the show.
Pompeo’s character tested positive on tests for the disease back in Season 9 as she inherited the same gene from her mother, Dr. Ellis Grey, who suffered from Alzheimer’s ultimately leading to her death in the third season.
Since then, Meredith has given thought the impending risks of Alzheimer’s and how it can affect her and her family. This isn’t the first time news of the 45-year old actress leaving the show started circling around. Back in 2013, after the show celebrated their decade on TV, speculations that she and Dempsey would leave the show were at an all-time high but rumors were put to bed when they both signed up for a two-year contract extension.
Dempsey was still expected to appear in Season 12 but had to forego the second season because of an alleged diva attitude on set and constant falling out with showrunner Rhimes.
Picking up from the series finale of Season 11, the show will focus a year or two after Derek’s death, with Meredith having another baby named after her mother. It will also show how the other doctors of Grey-Sloan Memorial accepted and dealt with Derek Shepherd’s death and how they went on with their lives.
Adding more fuel to the speculations that the upcoming season is Meredith’s last is the fact that Pompeo only signed up until season 12 amid denials from Rhimes in recent interviews that there will be more seasons ahead for “Grey’s Anatomy.” It would really look absurd if Meredith Grey will exit the show whose title was named after her surname and the series would still continue without her.
The Alzheimer’s storyline has been a recurring plot ever since the series began and would seemingly be the best fit for producers to use for Meredith to exit the show. Pompeo however had stated in an interview back in April that she is excited to see what’s next for Meredith after Derek’s untimely demise even hinting fans to get ready for a lot of photos once Season 12 starts filming.