Grey’s Anatomy creator Shonda Rhimes weighs in on the show’s future, addressing the medical drama’s longevity and when it might come to an end.
Grey’s Anatomy creator Shonda Rhimes shares her thoughts on the show’s future, discussing the medical drama’s longevity. The network-defining ABC series has gone through big changes over the past several months. Ellen Pompeo has taken on a reduced role as Meredith Grey, with the actor focusing on other projects. It was also announced that showrunner Krista Vernoff is stepping away from the series, with longtime Grey’s creative Meg Marinis taking over the position for the upcoming season 20. All of these moves have again revived the discussion about when Grey’s Anatomy will end.
While promoting her new Netflix series Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story in an interview with E! News, Rhimes also addressed the future of Grey’s Anatomy. In the quote, which is included below, the mega-producer joked about the show’s longevity. She added that, as long as the series is still wanted by everyone, especially fans, Grey’s Anatomy will continue:
I might be a very old lady by the time we reach its last season because it doesn’t seem to be stopping, which is wonderful and I feel the world really belongs to the fans and the fans have been really clear about what they want. It’s such an amazing show and it’s doing so well as it’s moving forward. I’m going to leave it alone and see where it goes, and we’re going to stay a show as long as everybody wants to be there and as long as the fans want to be there.
How Long Can Grey’s Anatomy Last?
The biggest determiner of whether a show can last is typically its ratings and viewership. On that front, the series is strong. Despite some significant changes, Grey’s Anatomy season 19 has continued as ABC’s top-rated show in the key 18-49 demographic. The hospital soap also gets an average of 10.7 million viewers across platforms in its first 35 days, tripling its numbers. Grey’s is similarly a streaming success, regularly ranking in the top 10 of Nielsen’s streaming tracking.
Grey’s Anatomy has importantly demonstrated the ability to adapt behind the scenes. That occurred most recently with the upcoming showrunner change, but it’s long been baked into the DNA of the show. Grey’s Anatomy has become famous for not only leadership changes but also frequent actor departures and returns, maintaining consistent viewership all the while.
There may be a time when Grey’s Anatomy will have to consider crafting a fitting farewell. But after regularly demonstrating staying power, even in the face of big exits both on-screen and off, it’s no wonder the series seems like a relatively safe bet to continue for at least a few more seasons.
