I’m Sorry But 20 Years Later, Grey’s Anatomy Needs to Get Rid of 1 of Its Biggest Characters

For over 20 years, Grey’s Anatomy has been an example of how to produce primetime television. Even in the age of streaming, the show continues to break viewing figures and shows no signs of stopping anytime soon. As such, while other medical dramas are working tirelessly to match up to its success, Grey’s Anatomy keeps on pushing forward.

Although the show has changed quite a lot over the years, three things remain the same: Meredith Grey, Miranda Bailey, and Richard Webber. This trio of characters has been in the show since the first episode and has been involved in an abundance of memorable episodes. Yet, some fans are starting to wonder whether these powerhouses have overstayed their welcome.

Meredith Grey Has Run Her Course

While there could be some discrepancy in this argument, the audience typically sees everything through the eyes of Meredith Grey. Fans follow her through every break-up, major catastrophe that changes her life, and steamy love triangle, making her the ultimate protagonist. Her voice-overs are also a key part of the show’s narrative and tend to accompany every integral milestone. So, even though Meredith may not be the main focus of every episode, her role as protagonist gives the show a reason to push forward. However, everything changed in Season 19 when Meredith decided to leave Grey Sloan for a new hospital in Boston.

After her emotional departure, fans were convinced that the show was getting ready to slow down and conclude. However, Meredith continues to pop up every so often, suggesting that she hasn’t exactly left the show for good. While her appearances may seem like a simple cameo, it really interrupted the flow of the show. Every time fans thought that a new character would take center stage, Meredith would swoop in and take all the glory. A prime example of this is in Season 13, Episode 24, “Ring of Fire,” when she charges in after the hospital explosion and tries to take more control over the situation. Although it’s nice to see Meredith every once in a while, her infrequent schedule makes her seem more like a guest in the hospital rather than a respected member of the team.

As such, now that she’s taken a backseat, a lot of fans think that it’s time for Grey to hang up her doctor’s coat for good. Though it may seem controversial, Grey’s Anatomy doesn’t necessarily have to end with Meredith’s departure. The show is still incredibly successful, so there’s no point ending such a lucrative opportunity. However, fans are growing tired of seeing Meredith face countless traumas and don’t really have a great understanding of her research. So, the show doesn’t necessarily have to kill her off or succumb to the popular fan theory about her Alzheimer’s diagnosis. If anything, fans want Meredith to have a happy ending, perhaps surrounding her moving on and getting over Derek, or perhaps centered on her children reaching a big milestone, like entering college.

Richard Webber Deserves to Go Out With a Bang

Unlike Meredith and the rest of the interns, Richard Webber had a sense of superiority about him. In the earlier seasons, it was clear that he had put his youth behind him and was committed to building his extensive career at Seattle Grace. Back in the day, he was involved in almost every storyline and was used as a prominent vehicle for resolving conflicts and allowing the interns to gain new experience. Yet, since he received a massive electric shock in Season 9, fans can’t help but notice that they have been slowly but surely phasing him out. Some even argue that the show has been presenting Webber as a frail old man, which seems to be incredibly ironic since he’s constantly marching around the hospital.

Another big issue with Richard Webber’s arc is his addiction to alcohol. Again, in the earlier seasons, this was very intriguing because a lot of audiences were very shocked to hear that Webber had his demons. However, Webber has fallen off the wagon multiple times over the past 20 years, so the impact of his struggles has weakened tremendously. As such, it seems that whenever the show doesn’t know what to do with Richard anymore, they make sure that he breaks his sobriety for a brief moment, only for things to go back to normal a few episodes later. Thus, Richard has been reduced from a powerful teacher and surgeon to an old man who can’t keep on top of his impulses.

Admittedly, a lot of fans feel it would be wrong to kill Richard in the same way that Grey’s Anatomy got rid of characters like Derek Shepherd or George O’Malley. Instead, audiences believe that it’s time for Richard to retire. This has been a major talking point since Season 2 for many of Richard’s loved ones, including his late wife Adele. So, it would be nice to see Richard leave Grey Sloan behind after years of commitment and perhaps take a slower pace. Richard Webber is undoubtedly a pillar of Grey’s Anatomy’s success, but when he is constantly pushed to the side so that weaker characters have the chance to build their stories, a lot of fans feel that it would be better if he left the hospital with his head held high instead of being forced into the background.

Miranda Bailey Finally Found Her Happy Ending

Although she’s one of the show’s most beloved characters, when Miranda Bailey first emerged in “A Hard Day’s Night,” she was presented as the ultimate protagonist. But, as fans managed to tap into her stern exterior, they discovered that Bailey had a lot on her plate. Her relationship with her husband, Tucker, was on the rocks, and she missed a lot of her son’s key milestones. This quickly changed how the audience viewed Bailey because, for the first time, they saw her not as Meredith’s enemy, but as a full-fledged character. As the years went by, Bailey got her motivation back and finally entered the elusive dating pool, where she met the ever-charming Ben Warren.

Bailey’s life really took off in 2023 when she won the prestigious Catherine Fox Award for her work in teaching and reproductive care. This was a big moment for Grey’s Anatomy fans because a worthy winner finally got the recognition she deserved. She was no longer a shadow in the hospital, but more like a light that guided others. Therefore, by Season 20, Bailey had everything she could ever ask for, both personally and professionally.

Unfortunately, Bailey is now stuck in a loop, which was created merely out of nostalgia. Every few years, a new batch of fresh-faced interns walk the corridors of Grey Sloan, and she’s forced to recite her “Five Rules” speech all over again. Of course, this is a nice nod to the good old days of Grey’s Anatomy, but it evokes the idea that her character is nothing more than a way to hark back to earlier seasons. In turn, it may be time for Bailey to move on from her role at Grey Sloan. Obviously, since she is such an integral part of the show, she deserves to hang up her glad rags in style. Yet, it’s also important that the show remembers her impact in some way, in the same vein as characters like Mark Sloan.

A lot of avid fans may be questioning why these characters need to leave the show if they are still so popular. Unfortunately, it’s clear that Grey’s Anatomy is eager to shift its tone and direction, but doesn’t want to disappoint fans by booting off some of their favorite characters. For the past few years, Grey’s Anatomy has been trying to bring some of its younger characters to the forefront, perhaps in an attempt to replicate the success of the MAGIC era. However, with the likes of Meredith, Miranda, and Richard still around, the show is forced to continuously look back so that it can find new ways to reintroduce these characters. It should be noted that Grey’s Anatomy doesn’t have to give these people a terrible final fate but merely has to shuffle them along so that the show can keep on finding new fans and acclaim.