Grey’s Anatomy: Patrick Dempsey Leaves ‘Grateful and Humbled’; EP Shonda Rhimes Talks Unimaginable Loss, Teases ‘New Chapter’ for Show
The following story contains spoilers from this Thursday’s Grey’s Anatomy. Proceed at your own risk…
R.I.P., McDreamy.
In a shocking development that ranks among Grey’s Anatomy‘s most tragic twists ever, Derek Shepherd died in Thursday’s episode after getting broadsided by semi. The catastrophe leaves Meredith (played by Ellen Pompeo) a widow and marks the end of an 11-year journey for Patrick Dempsey.
“It’s been a remarkable ride,” the actor tells TVLine, exclusively. “The worldwide impact has been extraordinary. It is incredible how devoted and passionate the fans are, and I will forever be grateful and humbled by the experience.”
Grey’s Anatomy creator Shonda Rhimes, meanwhile, released a statement lamenting the loss of Derek, praising Dempsey’s “meaningful” performance and teasing a whole new world, again, for Meredith, who almost a year ago said a (non-fatal) goodbye to BFF Cristina (Sandra Oh).
Derek Shepherd is and will always be an incredibly important character — for Meredith, for me and for the fans. I absolutely never imagined saying goodbye to our ‘McDreamy.’ Patrick Dempsey‘s performance shaped Derek in a way that I know we both hope became a meaningful example — happy, sad, romantic, painful and always true — of what young women should demand from modern love. His loss will be felt by all. Now, Meredith and the entire Grey’s Anatomy family are about to enter uncharted territory as we head into this new chapter of her life. The possibilities for what may come are endless. As Ellis Grey would say: the carousel never stops turning.
Lastly, ABC issued a statement of its own addressing Dempsey’s departure.
After 11 seasons on Grey’s Anatomy, Patrick Dempsey is moving on to pursue other interests. Dr. Derek Shepherd is an iconic character and we’ve been proud to be the home of ‘McDreamy’ and the ‘Mer/Der’ love story. The devotion of Grey’s fans throughout the years has been a testament to the creative mind of Shonda Rhimes and Dempsey’s talent. ‘McDreamy’ will be greatly missed and we wish Patrick the very best in his future endeavors.
What say you, Grey’s fans? Are you grieving along with Meredith? Hit the comments!
I’m speechless. That was one of the most beautiful hours of television I’ve ever seen, and I’m so so so sad. I can’t believe that just happened. RIP Derek Shepherd.
Beautiful? WTF? That was the worst episode of television ever written. Seriously. I’m never watching that show again.
Laughing so hard at shonda rhimes’ over-the-top melodrama being called “beautiful”.
Yea not impressed. We The fans deserved better! It’s implausible that Mer wouldn’t call for him to be transferred! Have his neuro Demi-God sister check him out! No goodbye from his family- sisters- mother. BOOO BOOO . Bad form. Bad writing.
The lack of other characters getting to say goodbye was my only complaint. I assume is was done this way because of Dempsey’s availability.
He was BRAIN DEAD. She examined his charts herself. She didn’t need diagnostic help from her colleagues.
The lack of other characters getting to say goodbye is life. That’s what happens. People don’t get to die in perfect settings.
SERIOUSLY! Why couldn’t Meredith call anybody? Call Derek sister so she can say goodbye! Have hope a MIRACLE would happe.!
She didn’t need a second opinion because she looked at his chart herself and saw he was gone. All your other questions will be addressed on the 2-hour special next week.
Agreed. I find this exit really hard to believe.
I think the knowledge Mer has as a doctor is beside the point in terms of calling his sister. Amelia should have been called because she’s his sister, not because she’s a neurosurgeon. I waited and waited for Mer to call his family, but she never did. That is unthinkable to me. If my sister-in-law let my brother die without allowing me -or my mother- the opportunity to say goodbye, I’d never forgive her. It’s a selfish and callous thing to do. I will watch next Thursday just to see if she gets called out, but I lost the ability to like Meredith so I just don’t feel any need to continue watching the show.
It’s insulting to Meredith as a doctor to say she should have called anyone at all. She knows how to read tests and diagnostics. She knew immediately what had happened. And like she said, she did what any “Good, rational doctor” would do. Meredith would’ve called Amelia a decade ago, but she didn’t need to now. She knew, just like she knew all last episode, that he was gone and nothing was going to help that.
I totally agree!!! I’m so disappointed in Shonda’s inability to give Mcdreamy’s fans a proper goodbye and Mcdreamy himself the exit he deserved. Really the most famous neuro surgeon on television killed by incompetent doctors, and all alone with no family or friends
I agree 100%! I am so sad right now & pissed!
Disagree. Perfect irony for Derek The Teacher to die at the hands of poorly trained doctors. Far more tragic was George, and the show survived. This will be interesting.
Absolutely. Very unrealistic. I’m angry.
I agree she needs to get off her high horse you cant just fire and kill the main characters that make the show work as far as I am concern we are gonna stop watching all of her shows bad bad decisions on her part andI hope all her shows fail due to bad writing
Yes but now there is a storyline where people can be pissed at merry-death for not telling them
Totally agree!
Can’t believe it.
So Shonda is saving corny ass Jake Ballard and killing off Derek?!?
Tonite was my last night in Shondaland- EPIC FAIL!!!
So true!! LAZY writing and a diss to her loyal fans for such a vacant episode
agreed…Sister Shepherd will be pissed!
Oh, come on! Give Meredith a *lot* more credit than *that!* She was very close to declaring Neuro as her specialty and had logged a lot of hours assisting Derek before the Alzheimer Trials fooforah derailed her from that track — she would be able to tell that if there was even a chance of Amelia being able to do *anything,* she would have had Derek transferred. It’s a no-brainer. (What? Too soon?)
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Of course, forget all that: we know from Derek’s own inner monologue that nobody was going to be able to do anything. We can infer from that that the damage was so bad that the greenest intern — Karev in his most incompentet Evilspawn mode in the pilot, for instance — could read the chart and know that Amelia wasn’t going to be able to do anything. Derek’s own observations proved that Meredith could figure out that Amelia didn’t need to be consulted professionally.
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So, Boooooo! Bad form, bad viewing, Kate.
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PS: Regarding waiting for his sisters and mother: First, ignore the unlikehood of them being able to get all those actresses together at once (it would have been a scheduling nightmare). Second, Meredith knew what Derek wanted. They likely had the talk, but even if they didn’t, he likely talked in hypothetical terms while treating enough similar cases to his own that Meredith could figure out that he wanted to be disconnected ASAP if he were brain dead or otherwise in a persistent vegetative state. Third, Derek and Amelia aren’t the only medical professionals in their family — and moreover, they’re a not just a medical family, they’re a medical family whose two most prominent doctors witnessed their father’s murder when they were kids. They know what the severity of Derek’s injuries means. They almost certainly had the Talk regarding end-of-life decisions at some point and, thus, they and Meredith are likely all on the same wavelength regarding knowing what Derek would want. Fourth, that doesn’t necessarily mean that Amelia won’t get pissed at Meredith for not waiting for her before pulling the plug on Derek, given that she and Derek had the most unique (and likely closest) bond among the Shepherd siblings. But Amelia’s thing is to lash out first and think second. Clearly, how Amelia will react to the loss of Derek and how she will react to how Meredith handled pulling the plug are deliberately open questions that will be answered next week.
Totally agree!! They Suck!! They really needed to kill him off because he was being to difficult, oh poor babies, get a life grow a pair and move onto the next episode!! Ok so I’m a little mad they killed him off, but you didn’t see them kill of Burke or Yang, No! They left it open. Just terrible, you were right terrible terrible writing!! What’s wrong with you ABC, they never should have killed off Sloan either but there loss there his great on the last ship and cute as ever!! Just thought I’d add that in too!
Totally agree!! They Suck!! They really needed to kill him off because he was being to difficult, oh poor babies, get a life grow a pair and move onto the next episode!! Ok so I’m a little mad they killed him off, but you didn’t see them kill of Burke or Yang, No! They left it open. What’s wrong with you ABC, they never should have killed off Sloan either but there loss there his great on the last ship and cute as ever!! Just thought I’d add that in too!
Totally agree!! They Suck!! They really needed to kill him off because he was being to difficult, oh poor babies, get a life grow a pair and move onto the next episode!! Ok so I’m a little mad they killed him off. What’s wrong with you ABC, they never should have killed off Sloan either but there loss there his great on the last ship and cute as ever!! Just thought I’d add that in too!
I completely agree. it lacked everything derek deserved and im pissed. horrible writing.
By the time she got there it was too late. The incompetent doctors (the male drs) had botched it and murdered him.
Yes ! what was that about? I
was waiting for her to call someone. She didn’t let anyone he loves say goodbye? That is very unlike Meredith to do.
I couldn’t agree with you more
I agree !! Not believable at all !! Poorly written !
She couldn’t call to have him transferred. They didn’t even know who he was until it was too late.
You absolutely nailed it! And of course his sister woulda/shoulda been called in. And gee, I doubt he would have been feeble minded enough to stop in the middle of the road to get broadsided. Most stupid script ever Shonda! (But you got him gone…)
Agreed, they did this is such a terrible way
Kate, I said the same thing….they own an amazing hospital, and at the very least, Meredith wouldn’t have transported him to Grey Sloan and let him die instead at the backwater incompetent hospital where 4 prepped traumas were too much to handle? Give me a break
It’s totally plausible. She’s not a mushball softie, she’s a surgeon and knew he was already dead – deals with this at work and knows how awful it is for her and other docs to deal with, plus she was in shock and not exactly thinking about his work colleagues needs. Amelia was pretty rotten to her about Owen so its not like they are besties and text each other in crisis kind of family – if Yang was still around she would have been by her side – she’s the only person Meredith has ever needed to help her deal with anything. From day 1 of the show, Meredith deals with her stuff on her own – not telling people about her mother, her issues with her dad…viewers may not be like her but we sure love to watch her.
What part of brain Dead don’t you fully understand?
I could not agree more, Kate … but she wanted him gone and gone he became, no fuss, no muss… no creativity! ~
Not to mention not letting his kids say goodbye to him! Zola is old enough to hug Daddy and say goodbye while he is still warm. Was completely stupid. Also I really don’t think she would give a crap about lecturing the nurse about how she do better from on, in real life she would be an absolute mess. But really even more stupid is Derek stopping to check his phone in the middle of the road, having just helped after another accident….really?? Very disappointed in the whole thing.
I feel the same!
Ha! I agree.
I know, this was just cheap.
A very cheap ending to the story Derek and Meredith created from the first night on the first season. Shonda Rhimes should be ashamed. And yeah, to just let Derek go without Meredith consulting family. Weird. And the cheap accident after Derek saved everyone–and then wasn’t careful enough to get his car out of the road. Dumb. Please let this be a stupid dream. Bring McDreamy back!
Remember when medical dramas were about humanity, saving lives and learning to appreciate life while surrounded by death? I swear, TV doctors die more often than TV cops. Droppin helicopters on them all the time.
Cheap is right. I’m never watching this POS again. They’ve been losing me by inches for years, this finished it.
And right now I’m going to delete the last two episodes off my DVR, too! Killing off the hero/heroine at the end of a story to give significance to their life is always a sign of poor writing. Nihilism.
News flash for the crazy unrealistic folks: Nobody’s life (in real life) has a happy ending. Evwrybpdy dies and that has never been a moment of happiness. The vast majority of us will die without being able to say goodbye to immediate relatives. You will be lucky if you get to say goodbye to mom, dad, brother, sister. It doesn’t happen more often than it does happen. That’s reality. I read these comments and think that a majority of us are not prepared for or ready to deal with, reality.
Did you catch what I think i did? Derek will live on in Derek Shepard, Jr. the baby conceived on the morning of his death?
Maybe not beautiful, but realistic. Contrary to the opinion of those who are pissed, this episode does reflect what can and does happen in real life. Good people like good dreams can and do die. It is never glamorous or dreamy.
Isn’t TV supposed to be an escape from real life? Most viewers already know what real life is like, McDreamy was a pleasant escape each week. If I want to watch real life, I can just turn off my TV.
Good comment. I’m so sad & hate that he left but not angry like everyone else.
How does it reflect what happends in real life????? I have never heard of a hospital where so many staff members would die, so many tragedies happend. That’s not a real life! Meredith’s mother died, her sister, her husband, her best friend, her husband’s best friend, she survived what I would call her own death (drowning), she survived a planecrash, she held a bomb in her hand, Dereck was shot in the hospital shooting, am I forgetting something? That’s not realistic, I call that “desperately trying to keep the show interesting”, while the topic itself is interesting enough I think. I was forgiving everything so far, but this was too much, Meredith and Dereck deserved a happy ending.
I agree with Georgi! I watch TV as an escape. To have some fun and enjoy the wonderful that was Derek and Meredith. This sucked and I’m done. This story was cheap and manipulative. If his injuries were so severe, surely he would have been medevaced to a trauma hospital.
So in real life it’s plausible for a man to be involved in a bomb threat, get shot, go down in a plane crash, and then ultimately die in a car wreck? What world do you live in?
@Georgi,, Marketa, Cyndi,Lauren…………..Really? People die. You don’t know what’s coming up on the next episodes. Yes, I thought it was sad and also questioned why. But, at the same time I liked how Shonda had Derek trying to tell the doctors what they needed to do although they couldn’t hear him. I’ve read real stories of heroes helping people only to die tragically themselves. In the end Meredith and Derek became a love story once again. On the one hand you say that you watch television to get away from reality and then you say that the episode was unrealistic because no one goes through all of those things that that couple has gone through. It sounds like you at least partially got what you wanted.
Agreed my sister passed recently and not all of got to say bye to her life support body.. Seein her in an open casket will haunt my life.
While last night’s episode was heartbreaking, I thought it was very well done. Do people here really think that Shonda Rhimes decided to get rid of McDreamy? Patrick Dempsey had decided that he would like to get more involved in his car racing and was leaving the show regardless of how his character was ended. I thought that although it was so upsetting to see McDreamy die, it was realistic. People make mistakes. Doctors, especially after the way he had spent the previous few hours, make mistakes.
If you have ever been in the position of making that kind of earth shattering decision about when to discontinue life support, you’d realize that it is like a giant fist hovering over you, and some people need to make a decision quickly, and some others draw it out. The term “dying with dignity” relates to the situation of last night. Family would not be saying goodbye to his brain dead body any more than they will at the funeral/memorial next week. Meredith was tortured with grief and anger, and if she needed to make that horrible decision quickly, it was hers to make, and none of you who’ve never been in that prediciment have any idea how torturous each minute can be that the decision has to be put off.
Since Dempsey was leaving the show at his own decision, I thought this did great tribute to the character he played. He died indirectly because of the lives he so selflessly saved, and he can be remembered by fans as a hero. Would it have been better for him to be the jerk who left his family for the young doctor in Washington? No way. Derek died as Derek lived, and I thought it was done in a realistic and sensitive way.
We do not want REAL LIFE! That sucks very often, we want a pleasant experience to watch on TV ! A lucky, happy marriage! I am MAD!
Maybe she was being sarcastic! That was the lamest character death ever aired. Rhimes obviously didn’t respect the show, characters or fans of Grey’s enough to give them the ending to Derek’s character that they deserved. Disgusted!!
I agree..Connie…way to tragic of an exit for Derek..who want’s to see such a tragic end to a character we all loved..way too much drama..who wants to see reality on a TV show…..we have followed for so long….
Shonda doesn’t write everything
She’s Leaving Home” is the 22nd episode of the eleventh season of … The episode was written by Stacy McKee and directed by Chris Hayden. On its … The episode also focuses on the struggle of Meredith Grey (Derek’s wife and the show’s …
Seriously! If that was ‘beautiful’ what does she consider bad/lazy/lame writing?
Shonda do you honestly think i watch TV so that i can spend the next 1 week, depressed, life is already crappy as it is, and you make the supposed escape crappier? Even Sloan had a better exit, of all the characters so far that have left, this has to be worst exit, you reserved the worst exit for the greatest character???!!!!&*^%^$^&** way to go Shonda
I so agree
My words exactly! I’ve watched this show religiously since day 1 and this is, by far, the worst decision they’ve made! Next week’s season finale will not be seen by me. Never thought I’d be this attached to a show. #Disappointed
It was Dempsey’s choice. Not ABC. Not Writers.
His contract was for one more season after this, so it seems doubtful it was just his decision.
Holly, ABC doesn’t comment on contracts, so how do you know?
Ms. Rhimes wasn’t getting her arse kissed enough guys!
It was shondra not dempsey
Even if Dempsey was wanting to leave the show, Rhimes controls the show. Yet she gave him a cheap and unrealistic ending. Sickening.
I agree! His divorce and other personal issues. He just wanted personal time.
wrong. it was 100% abc/shonda’s decision. patrick dempsey was signed on through next season (and yes that was reported everywhere). he has nothing else lined up. they pushed the Scandal finale suddenly b/c this was a last minute firing and they needed a 2 hour finale for Grey’s after his death.
Holly: ABC says in the press release above that Dempsey is leaving the show to pursue other interests. That bit of Hollywoodspeak means that Dempsey asked to be released from his contract and Shonda and ABC granted his request. It’s not exactly a secret that the last couple of times he reupped with the show, his enthusiasm for it was waning. More speculatively, it could even be that his last contract renewal — Was it at the top of this season? I forget. — was a bit more loosely defined in some legalistic way than the typical two-year renewal. That it was more along the lines of “I only want to stay through to the end of this year, but if you need a couple of episodes next season to wrap Derek’s storyline up, I could be there, however many episodes you find out that you need to make the story work for you.” You know, a Josh Charles/Good Wife sort of thing. And in the story-breaking process, Shonda and her staff figured out a way to make his storyline finish at the preferred time.
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Even more speculatively (in retrospect), it’s easy to disguise a one-year agreement as a two-year agreement in the press when the two-year agreement is the standard one and the lead actress in the show also renewed for two years at the same time, don’t you think? 2)
Everyone knows that his ‘other interests’ he’s pursuing is his racing, yes? Trying to race and do a show at the same time is pretty difficult.
The episode and the cheap death was completely the writer/Shonda. Surely there was another way to write him off and if it had to be death, then not such a lame@$$ story like that! To quote our beloved doctors – “Seriously?!”
Shonda Rhimes used death by car for Dempsey because the actor revealed in an interview very late 2013 (I think) that he wanted to leave Grey’s and become a race car driver. He no doubt had a great deal to do with how he was to be permanently written out of the show. Also, how it is that only eleven years has passed since Meredith met Derek but they all look about twenty years older? My first disappointment was death by bus for George. There was (to me) more chemistry between Yang and Burke than Meredith and Derek, whose vanilla relationship was just typical Yuppie stuff. The second disappointment was sending away that beautiful man Burke, whose reprised roll finally gave him a dignified ending not just with Yang’s character but for his fans who vehemently did not want to have hyped, and/or need to hyped the T.R. Knight – Isaiah Washington – Patrick Dempsey stand-off as anything other than a clash of egos. Again, it is ironic that Derek leaves with death by car. Maybe now Burke’s roll can come back one last time to honorably close out this drama. Irony too that Isaiah Washington seemed want to be a longstanding character – not T.R. Knight (Grey’s was just a stepping stone, he said) and not Patrick Dempsey, who stated acting is really just job but his true passion is racing, hence, death by racing car. As far as what is next, I don’t think the show stands a chance of more than one season to just wrap-up.
Totally agree
I SO AGREE!!! My feelings exactly!!!! They did not have to kill him!!! And especially in this manner!!! Balled my eyes out like a baby!!! I am in total shock and so pissed off right now!!!
Hell I’m still mad about them killing Lexi.
I agree too. I am so upset. Haven’t cried this much in a very long while. I really don’t see myself continuing to watch the show. I don’t care if Mer knew he was gone at all. She should have picked up the phone to call his sister and family while en route to the hospital when she knew he was in an accident. I have every emotion right now. Sad, angry, disappointment, disbelief
Some of these commenters SERIOUSLY need to get a life. A REAL life….of their own. Not living through a TV drama. THAT is more disturbing than the end of Derek or Grey’s. jeez, how are some people going to deal with the end of the show? They do know that is going to happen one day, right? They do know that we all die in real life one day, right? They do know that the vast majority of us will die without the vast majority of our immediate family members getting a chance to say goodbye, right? SMH
It’s easy to kill someone off,but takes real talent to end it in a positive way. I’m angry and disappointed with the ending. I’ve never missed one episode of GA and even have some some of the DVD’s .We watch TV for entertainment and this was not that.It was torture for me.After all the fans have been through would it be to much to ask for Mer and Der to get their happy after.
The Season Finale is May 14th… Next week is a 2 hour special
I honestly for some wierd reason just think this all has to do with Merideths state of mind and possibly Alzheimers or something and her mind is playing tricks on her.
What Angela said. Racing schedules are a nightmare, not to mention the diet and training regimen required to be a racer in the kind of circuits Dempsey wants to run are difficult and time consuming. The races run most of the summer, which would put him out of the first half of every upcoming season since that’s when they begin filming for the fall. I doubt very much he was fired. He was likely let out of his contract when he began discussing summer filming for the next season and his availability.
Secondly, having him die instead of break up with Meredith actually strikes a better chord with me. I find the ease with which a lot of these doctors come and go from relationships they themselves describe as amazing with always (at least they always seem to say it) THE MOST AMAZING SEX EVER, to be too trite. It lessens the impact of each new relationship if they are constantly finding the next greatest thing ever around the corner. So it’s nice she wrote Derek out as having reconciled with Mer rather than having dumped her for some nice new young doctor.
I agree!
I can’t ever watch it again either! what was the creator thinking? I give the show one more season because it’s going to lose so many viewers!
Agreed, it might not last
I agree it was done terribly that character deserved a more pleasant way out she should had let it end with him staying in D.C. WHATEVER IT WAS JUST AWFUL!!!!!!!
I have been a big fan of Greg’s since the beginning. I too was sad how Derick died, but he wanted to leave to pursue his car racing. Also, he is going through a divorce and from what I read he let it interfere with his work such as; showing up late and not remembering his lines. Stop blaming Shonda! If that’s the case why not blame his wife Jill for filing for a divorce from Macdreamy and causing added stress in his life. Why not write her a petition to stay with him so that he won’t have to carry his personal problems into his work. Ibam still watching Grey’s and for all the fans whose loyalty apparently died with Derick, boo hooo! Derick was suspended for the first 6 episodes due to bad work ethics, that was during the time his character went to Washington and frankly, the show went on and he really was not miss. I think that during that suspension period the network and Shonda probably tried to work things out and that Demsey departure was mutual agreement. Listen to Demsey, while he his grateful for Greg and the money he made ( 400,000) per episode that’s probably some of our salary for 20 years on the job. He said the hours were long and he spent a lot of time away from his family. In fact, he kind of eluded that his job contributed to Jill filing for a divorce. People this is TV! Give the other actors a chance. After so many years some actors want to move on. With that said, I think Shonda and the network needs to tie up all the characters in Greg and end it after the 12th season. Not because the fans say so, but because its time. Everyone is older now, just transition each character storyline in a final ending. Grey’s has run its course and frankly I think everyone is tired. Look at Charmed, they had a great story ending, Friends ended, many long standing series eventually has to ended. P.S. they can bring Derick back in flashbacks it’s TV.
Great comments, totally agree, especially about wrapping up after season 12. I watched the episodes in reverse, Apr 30, then 16, then 23 and the tribute to the MerDer romance was very well done.
I think it would be helpful if we the fans and experts in all things Grey’s Anatomy could at least spell the character’s names and show name accurately. (Such as Grey’s vs Gregs, Derek vs Derick and McDreamy vs Macdreamy etc).
Look guys, we are fans and that is all! We really know nothing about these people and their real lives. While we may have our thoughts about how a character may have been written out of the series, we might want to leave the writing to the pros. They are pretty good at writing drama without our help. All things for good reason, right? Or “when one door closes another one opens”?
I guess it is time for the show to be off the air too many seasons already
I agree too. Shonda needs to end it and focus on How to Get Away with Murder.
agreed!!!
I’m with you. I’m not watching Grey’s any longer. Patrick Dempsey was a big part of the show. Now that he’s gone, there’s no point.
The show is called Grey’s Anatomy not Sheppard’s Anatomy? Meredith is the main character and focus of the show, so I’m at least glad that his death (which is better than a divorce as a way to write him off) will bring the focus back to her and away from her half sister and Hunt and Amelia
Kendall, thank you and well said. I think people are missing the big picture.
This is just one opinion, not a good one
Oh please, do you think that Demsey would put his passion of car racing aside because one of his fans didn’t like it? In fact, do you think he would quit a role if any of his fans had a problem with it? The answer is no!! As long as he is getting paid. I enjoy grey not just because of Demsey, but because of all the actors especially Dr. Baily!! People please! Take a step back & stop blaming Shonda, haters stó hating.
Amen!! Horrible!! No thought for all of the faithful fans that watch every week!!
I agree I think this show will go down fast. This is the worst season
Trust me Shonda and the actors will not suffer. They made their money off Grey’s Anatomy.
Beautiful what?? No nothing was beautiful about Derek dying
Agree!
Yes it was. I was like please be dreaming Meredith.
You re right it’s absolutely ridiculous . Always melodramatic to the point that it doesn’t make sense. And Meridith is absolutely cold in this episode almost no feelings involved. He might as well stay in Washington send divorce papers never see him again it would have been more intriguing interesting. Bad writing SHONDA
I agree. She kills everyone she doesn t like…..she killed mark Sloan now she kills Derek.amaze me who takes Derek so place? Wanna bet is a black dude? Just like sonda likes them.
Don’t take this to a racist issue it has nothing to do with that !! How do people that think like you still exists? ?
Nathaniel, very well said and I agree. That opinion was uncalled for. Some thoughts should remain unspoken.
Couldn’t agree with you more! I thought that kind of thinking had crawled under a rock and faded away. Sorry to see it here?!!
That was an ignorant statement. The race comment was inappropriate and unnecessary. Shonda Rhimes has three shows currently airing and one that had a successful run and end (Private Practice) and none have been “black.” Attacking this woman personally or alluding to race in reality for a fictitious show is absurd. If she likes Black men so what, she is a Black woman. Nonetheless, It is after all a TV series and if you are experiencing real grief as in the vstages of grief (I.e. anger, disbelief, bargaring, etc.) Over a tv series on the contrary Shonda must be an awesome writer.
Well said! Kudos for Shonda, she got people talking
You dirty jackass! That’s probably how most of your kind feels, you can’t be happy with a successful black woman. Shonda please bring Derick back and then kill him again only this time let him lose both his arms and cannot operate the linger on for the rest of the season.
I am now watching it anymore ever. The wrong character was killed off
I am not watching it again either. I’m done after this.
Me too.
I agree!
I won’t be watching it anymore. The Derek & Meredith characters were the main reason I watched this show from day one. The chemistry between Patrick & Ellen was so great. Shonda Rhimes made a huge mistake killing him off. I won’t be watching. Big Bang Theory will be my choice at 8pm.
shonda can go screw herself. She literally can not just do that and pretend we (the fans) will accept it. Greys Anatomy was my life but now i wont watch it anymore thanks to the unhappy, stupid woman that is shonda, demon.
Wow! That’s great for you because now you can function in reality and have a real life. Unbelievable.
Haha you are crazy! Omg get a vlife! Everyone on Greys has one!!!!!
Omg thank you so much. What world class surgeon doesn’t have an adequate first aid kit in their car? Especially after all of the plane crashes, ferry crashes, bombs, shootings, car accidents etc etc etc… Then there were no police? Just ambulance and fire trucks. Then you’re telling me that someone who is not only a WORLD CLASS brain surgeon who worked for the WH would be so stupid to stop in the middle of the road to look for their phone, after a just helping in a major accident?
I have so many issues about this episode, Shonda really expects us to believe that everyone in this world is that incompetent? It’s like Shonda said, “Please write a terrible episode so Patrick can go out as stupid as possible.” It’s clear that the writers, and even the actors have just given up.
I concur.
It’s a show agreed but the ending truly did show how Rhimes as stated doesn’t get mad just gets even! Yes no respect for the fans! Dempsey should of had a better ending as he was a long time commited actor and star of this show! I’m sure this will be the final season and major loss of viewers myself included. Really too bad getting even is karma biting you in the butt in the end.
I totally agree, horrible ending. Unfortunately for me, I will no longer waste my time on a show that toyed with me and my emotions. I cried and although a fictional person I felt he should have been kept alive but of well all good things must come to an end, and so does my time wasting on this show. I was faithful from the beginning, no more. I am moving on to better things….Hopefully, life won’t kill me off as bad as they did Patrick Dempsey.
I totally agree, horrible ending. Unfortunately for me, I will no longer waste my time on a show that toyed with me and my emotions. I cried and although a fictional person I felt he should have been kept alive but of well all good things must come to an end, and so does my time wasting on this show. I was faithful from the beginning, no more. I am moving on to better things….Hopefully, life won’t kill me off as bad as they did Patrick Dempsey…..
Totally agree
DONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! DONE, DONE, DONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Me too, I hate them all!!
It was so classic epic episode
This is worse than a daytime soap. How is it that over half the cast throughout the years has died tragically? At least ER would just send most of their people away, and kill only a few people……i can only remember Green, Knight, Romano, Pratt….maybe Gallant….I forget if he died…..but anyway……Greys totally blows er out of the water when it comes to killing everyone off.
I guess you never watched St. Elsewhere.
agreed
Character deaths E/R vs. Greys:
Green/George
Knight/Lexie
Romano/Mark
Pratt/Derek
Gallant/Heather (Mousy) Brooks
Denny and Henry don’t count because they were PATIENTS to start with and it was clear they were always going to die.
Seems pretty equal to me, perhaps you just care more about the characters on Grey’s then you did about the ones on E/R (with the exception of Dr. Doug Ross who a star).
Izzie died too!!!!!!
No she didn’t! She’s alive and well. Look it up.
Gallant was killed when he was called back to activity duty in the service.
And George was killed when he was getting ready to leave for basic training so what’s your point?
I’m a different B. And I couldn’t disagree more. That was awful. Unworthy. Absurdly written with caricatures for doctors (perhaps excepting the red-haired woman) to force an outcome. The outcome could have been the same with competent doctors because of course they can’t save everyone. Why write them so poorly, so ridiculously? As others have said, why not helicopter Derek to a level-1 trauma center? Land in the freakin’ parking lot if you have to. Just absurd and unworthy. I swore I’d stick with Gray’s to the end, but I’m really not sure now. It needs to end anyway. So much feels forced anymore; just end it.
*Grey’s not Gray’s
Derek’s injuries weren’t believed to be as severe as they turned out to be at the time he was delivered to this hospital. IMO, the doctors at this non-trauma hospital weren’t written poorly — Shonda made the point 100% clear when she had Derek note that these Doctors were not trained to handle traumas. The Red-Haired Doctor wasn’t as assertive as any trauma surgeon of any gender would be, even though she was right, her Attending was dismissive, overconfident and totally out of his league regarding Derek’s head injuries, but knew what he was doing in his area of expertise, which was general surgery pertaining to the injuries Derek suffered over the rest of his body. Also, while Derek was stabilized at the turning point moment where they failed to take him to get a Head CT, he wasn’t necessarily stable enough to survive a flight to the nearest Trauma Center (almost certainly Grey/Sloane, of course). These are, in fact, competent doctors — while the failure to get the Head CT was a bad call, it likely didn’t rise to the level of malpractice and the territory arguments that Meredith and Pierce had at the beginning of the season regarding which tests to run when showed Pierce learning the same lesson as the Red-Haired doctor with a better outcome because she *did* assert herself. But then again, Pierce had the benefit of actually being the head of the cardio department at Grey/Sloane, an urban trauma center, while Dr. Red Hair was just a leading resident at a suburban non-trauma center. Trauma Centers don’t grow on trees — and the stark difference in the level of expertise between this suburban hospital and Grey/Sloane, as illustrated in the competent, but far-from-cutting-edge treatment that Derek got — is especially poignant for people in the San Francisco Bay Area this week as the city of San Pablo lost its only hospital with an ER.
Point well made.
And I’m also sure you find nothing wrong with the on-call neurosurgeon taking an hour and a half to respond to several 911 pages because he was having dinner????
Agree… let’s face it, Shonda came up with a sloppy ending… intentionally?… who knows ~ it is quite obvious that she is done with “Grey’s” … no Mer-Der NO show ~ too many irons in the fire I guess… oh well, she can always write commercials or just cash residual cheques~ Personally, I hope she regrets this for a long time ~
I agree 100%. Seems like a very unlikely way for him to die. I mean seriously who would have their car across the road in a curve?
I agree;forced is the perfect word . And melodramatic. It’s time to end.
Knew this was coming… rats wanna leave the sinking ship, and that cold hearted b*tch, Shonda, she aint gonna let them go easy… nothing beautiful about this episode, cheap shock-tactics to try and save the ship. I see you Shonda-one-trick-pony… Milk it while you can honey, people are slowly getting sick of your shonda-nanogans… :-)
Wow haven’t seen this much anger since Obama was elected president. Patrick Dempsey has barely been on this season HE wanted to leave and Shonda has a staff of writers.
Here’s some more vitriol:
Dear Shonda: Eff off and go die in a fire!
Amen to that
But, it was poorly written that’s the issue. Many great characters have left because they wanted to. Lexie died but got told by Mark he loved her and they’ll have kids etc etc. Mark died after having said all that, and the fans even though it’s fiction can now think of Mark and Lexie being together. It has some sort of good ending and closure. This was just, hey let Derrick die by random crap.. I could have written better than this and I do not write, ever..
I just feel suck. After 11 years. this was a stupid decision. their love story carried that show. they should of gotten rid of both characters. moved them to DC.
Excuse you! Shonda is not a bitch! If she is a bitch then your mama is a bitch. I bet if a man did the same thing it would be OK. Demsey had a huge ego which his what fame does to you. No one man is bigger than a ensemble. People who are talking that they won’t be watching because Demsey left is foolish.
No no no cannot happen I love mer/der why why why stop
The actor quit, so she had no choice but to eliminate him. But I agree that it was completely despicable to her viewers to end it this way. There would have been no less drama had she let the rest of the gang say goodbye before she pulled the plug.
I need to stop being this invested in shows, my heart bleeds for Derek. This sucks!
RIGHT??? I dreamed about this last night, FFS!
I’m in complete and utter shock. Still hasn’t sunk in yet. I never thought this would ever happen. Can’t believe it.
Beautiful? No. Badly written and obviously vengeful? Oh, yeah.
.
I agree!
I hate the writers!
So this kind of dashes my hopes for a “coma”, “miracle” and other visions of it didn’t happen. Sigh. RIP Derek Shepherd.
Me too.. hayayay…*sigh
Yeah, I thought maybe a transfer then a miracle, so sad
I didn’t know this was coming. I kept waiting for the flash of bright light to say it wasn’t real. Because that happened so often this episode, it in a way distracted from the sadness.
When the police lights reflected on Meredith’s window last week, it was clear that he was dead. Anyone with enough life experience knew that. We had a week to prepare for this. It was inevitable. In fact, if he were still alive after tonight, it would have been a cheat, and i really would have been angry.
It was expected but kind of disappointed, he died on the hands of terrible surgeons
Yes, that was an interesting story. TV never explores the problem of bad or insufficiently trained doctors (it also points out the problem of doctors who are intimidated by other doctors). That gives this episode an interesting edge.
Creatively, I’m looking forward to the exciting twists and turns to come… The sexism of the two male doctors (original and too-late-neuro) towards the young and smart female surgeon was typical behaviour. Many women have to deal with that every day in their lives/careers.
All the life experience in the world wouldn’t be enough to predict the choices that Shonda might make on any given day.
Oh, come on. Shonda is as predictable as the Crazy Internet People who are freaking out tonight!
I don’t find her choices to be logical so I can’t predict what choice she’ll make next.
What the actual eff?
nooooooooooooooooooooooooo
Heck of a midlife crisis, Patrick Dempsey…
^^^^^ THIS! Yes.
That was really depressing.
From the previews it looks like Meredith is going somewhere after the funeral. I hope she goes to see Cristina, even if we don’t actually get to see Cristina. After Lexie and multiple scares with Derek’s life, I know Meredith is more prepared than anyone would be to lose Derek, but she still needs Cristina. Wow. This is still so crazy.
Sandra should really come back for this. It’s not as though she burned any bridges when she left, and there’s no reason why she wouldn’t drop everything for Meredith after this.
Agreed.
Exactly! I’m really hoping for that!
I think Meredith going to see Cristina is more realistic. I can picture Meredith wanting to get away from Seattle Grace/Grey Sloan. Her whole career there was with Derek, she met him on her first day. With all the blow back (I expect) from not calling anyone, the pity from people, and the memories, leaving town would make sense.
That is twisted. You seem to have a hard time separating real life actors from made up television characters. THAT is more sad than any chosen way to kill off Derek or anyone else.
Ha! You’ve sure misread me! Most of my comments on here have been toward comments of people who can’t separate reality from fiction. Nice try, though.
Here, Gord? P’shaw! ;)
:-D
Knowing how Grey’s has been going lately, I’d say Meredith will suddenly discover that she’s gay and she and Callie will get married!!
Ah but, Callie is rediscovering men and will soon have a male main squeeze.
I found it so unreal that Mer didn’t call Cristina from the hospital. That’s what people do.
Merideth’s (outward) lack of emotion could have come from many places. I didn’t find that unreal at all.
Clearly Shonda wasn’t as pissed at Dempsey as she was at Knight (George). She let Patrick keep all his skin!
I’m no expert, but I’m almost certain you can have actors leave a show without killing them off in droves.
Grey Sloan Memorial has a pall hanging over it.
Farewell Derek. I do hope Patrick’s career doesn’t follow that of David Duchovny, Gellar, and for those of you old enough, Denise Crosby.
~Bev~
Why oh why???
Well that’s pretty much it then. No reason to renew as next season it will have no ratings. Best now to end it here.
Derek’s only been in a handful of episodes lately. His presence does not make or break ratings by any means. Don’t be dramatic.
He may not have been in many episodes this season, but after 11 years of ups and downs with him and Mer, and now they were finally happy without major drama, and then it ends Luke this? They should have just left him in D.C. This was horrible writing!
But we never really knew anything for sure, with him only being in a handful of shows. There was always that chance that he was going to stay on.
That’s kind of how I felt. He was onky Ina handful of show – to accommodate his request most likely. But it never dawned on me that they’d kill him off.
Thank you, I really wonder if some of the people who are complaining realize that. Lol…people are going crazy to create drama. Demsey was missing for the firstv6 episodes this season and he was not missed. No one is irreplaceable or indispensable.
It needs to end.
DerMer should’ve ended together. Now that he is gone, what was the 11 seasons all about for her? What did she fight for in the beginning? The show needs to end. End while it can on a good note instead of a bad spiral down, it will never be the same withouth McDreamy
He wasn’t on air very many episodes as is. I still found the show interesting. Patrick Dempsey is not this show.
It’s called Grey’s Anatomy and this is not the first time we have lost major characters. It always keeps moving
Nicely stated. I am so tired of the threat to never watch again, etc. It is the turning saga of a drama series.
Yes but still, they were the happy couple that no matter how much Stuff happened in the show, it always came back to them, their beginning, their talks in bed, their sweet adoption and their struggles, their sticky note that meant more than a legal contract. It’s a sad ending for Grey’s because it proves that no one, Not even MerDer can be happily ever after in this show. What’s the point? More heart ache?!?! No thanks!
OMG!! I totally agree.
Agreed! I don’t understand why this show has to keep killing off characters like this, and to kill off Derek??? It doesn’t make sense. Why didn’t they just leave him in D.C? He could have been there without being on the show. Done with this show!
So leaving a husband and FATHER in a totally different state would be better???? SERIOUSLY?? Oh yeah that would be a “great” love story. And how would Merideth (the writers) explain that to his kids???? *Mer to their kids: “Oh daddy loves us but he rather not be with us and I don’t want to move to DC to be with him.” Yeah that would be the best idea for their “great LOVE story” uh?? Patrick wanted out Ellen did not so how else could you have written Derek off without him being a complete a-hole by walking away from his family???
Yep
AGREED
Writing this through tears. What a great episode. I’ve never been the biggest Derek fan, but Meredith is my favorite so this does not make me happy because of the effect its going to have on her. I really didn’t think they were going to kill Derek though. Thought they would find some other way to write him out, so he and Meredith could still be end game.
I thought it was a great episode too. He went out a hero and it also shows the dangers of incompetent doctors and the dangers of not having trauma hospitals available.
So will Cristina be returning for an ep? Meredith can’t deal with this without her person.
yeah there’s no way Christina wouldn’t fly a jet herself to be there for Mer. I’m wondering what nonsense they’ll come up with if she’s not. Ugh. I can’t even. I get Patrick wanted time off, then give him some. He could have worked for POTUS and only referenced on the show. But no. Shonda doesn’t know how to write mature relationships, so she does what she always does and kills them off. For that reason I never watched Scandal or HTGAWM because I was so over her writing style. I haven’t watched this in years but did tonight just to see if she’d do it. So yeah I’m done. So done.
HE. WAS. FIRED.
Even if he was fired or released or whatever happened behind the scenes doesn’t mean they couldn’t have written him off while still leaving and opening for him to come back at the end. The actor who played Burke was also fired..but they didn’t kill him off..Katherine heigle was also basically fired and they didn’t kill her…but you kill off the reason a lot of these devoted viewers tuned in to the show in the first place? after 11 years? It sucks for anyone who may have watched this show for as long as it’s been on. So much tragedy has already been bestowed upon meredith grey, now you’re making her a widow and leaving 2 kids as orphans…that stings for everyone..in my humble opinion.
How else could they have quickly written off such a crucial character? A Mer/Der quickie divorce is even less believable.
Seems to be a trend she has with actors and characters.
SONOFABITCH!!!
The exact same group of words I have used for the last hour ~
Best comment!! Lmao
Ditto!
All I can say is that freaking hospital is CURSED. Cursed worse than Kennedy men (not named Ted). Life expectancy for doctors at Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital: Low.
Preach!
i cant believe it…
My heart is broken.
There is a vast void in my soul now that McDreamy is gone. I loved that man!
I think it’s time for the show to end. She literally killed the series couple of the show for 11 years and gave the middle finger to all the fans that have invested 11 years in this relationship. I am disgusted and I am not watching this show anymore.
I agree. The season finale needs to be the series finale.
It was Dempsey’s choice to leave.
It was Shondra’s.
Who’s Shondra?
Hee hee. Shondra. 2nd person to call her that.
It was Patrick Dempsey’s choice. You know, that actual real human being who has a real life. He choose his real life over the fictitious life of the fictitious character that he portrayed for a pay check.
Um, that real life person- was fired. He signed on for the 2015-2016 season back in Jan.
No. It was hers. I’m almost positive he was fired because of his “attitude” she did not like.
…based solely on your overactive imagination?
It’s pretty funny how Shonda has fired how many characters now for “diva attitude”??? I think the problem is her and her only. She’s the diva and the reason this show isn’t going to last more than 3-4 episodes next season. Mcdreamy was signed on to finish out season 12 and they had an argument….she suspended him for a few episodes then decided to fire him. Brutal and I refuse to watch anything that Rhimes creates!
Again, that’s all in your overactive imagination. You have no proof of any of your theories. Crazy Internet People.
Troll.
People have been saying this since S4
I have to watch next week….but after that it’s goodbye time
I’m with you on that. Can’t watch it now
Well said….and 100% agree..he could gave stayed in coma…stayed in DC and car end of show they are together…its like all Meredith has fought for in 11yrs…doesn’t mean a thing…e1 dies on her..her mom. Her da . Her sister..George…her best friend leaves and now the love if her life… Which is the glue ofvthus TV show..sorry but their relationship is… it is disgusting as a fan to feel like the jokes on us. .I will never ever watch another minute of it….poor taste…
I agree … Just because there was some personal differences goin in off screen have the decency to maybe leave him in a coma or working in DC but was really a bummer to just write him off literally after Dempsey contributed so much to the show in the first place. He and Meredith were the show as far as I am concerned and that did it for me. No point to watch anymore. Show is dying and DNR.
Who said anything about personal differences? Sometimes, people just leave. There doesn’t always have to be drama in real life.
Sad……
Well that’s one Grey’s death I never though I’d ever see.
Has Sandra Oh booked a guest star gig? Cause she absolutely has to be there.
I seriously stopped taking Grey’s Anatomy seriously years ago. Not even in ER that many people died.
During the show I was so mad… I am still LIVID. I can’t believe they would do this, and that they’d bring Derrick back just to kill him… I’m so over it, so upset, and so so disappointed…
Me too
If you were such a fan of Derek’s, you would think you’d learn how to spell his name.
TVGord, now you’re getting personal. Your opinions are not more important than anyone else’s. Stop already
When did I say my opinions were more important than anyone else’s. and how is it getting personal by pointing out that someone has misspelled a name THAT IS IN THE STORY ABOVE?
Well, you are pointing out meaningless things. If you are so concerned about grammar, maybe double check your punctuation and learn how to use the shift key when starting a sentence. And btw, he WAS signed on for 12 seasons and Shonda decided this during Feb./ March.
I hit the period key instead of a comma. My apologies. Good catch. Thanks.
Lol…lol….good call TV Gord.
A-Freakin’ -Men !!! ~ I have been waiting a full week for someone to call out the ‘rabid-since the beginning-fans … who clearly can’t spell … makes me wonder what they’ve been watching? ~ Let’s hope there are lots of ‘calming substances’ tonight… and hey, there is always another series starting this fall… that will take your breath away… ~ not from Shonda Rhimes… who no longer deserves her fame ! ~
They brought him back so he and Meredith could be all lovey dovey again so that when he was killed off, Meredith’s memories of him, her mourning and the way she talked about him would be all McFlowery. In reality, Patrick wanted out, he is having a lot of personal issues, he was fence teetering, so Shondra pulled the wishy washy plug.
Shocked, sad part is I didn’t really believe he was really dead till I read this article since you never know with Greys….which meant I didn’t really appreciate it while watching
please don’t try to find another love interest for MER nobody is going to be good enough for her like McDreamy !! so sad
just let her be the best doctor she can be
This.
Yes. I get that she is young& deserves to be happy in a new relationship but her love was Derek. I could never see her with anyone else.
What if Finn come back? Then they can bond over their widowness.
honestly what human being wouldn’t be in a straight jacket dribbling drool on themselves if they had to deal with everything the character of Meredith has had to deal with nobody is not strong nobody. in real life anybody would have been broken down and be unable to function at some point after all this tragedy…its too much…over the top…kinda makes regular soap operas look normal atctjis point lol
You’d be surprised how much tragedy real life people have endured and carried on.
No I wouldnt..but tgecshow has gone way over the top..
I agree,,,since day one, this show has been way over the top! That’s Shonda’s trademark.
I am in shock!! Stuned. I will miss Derek. I cried like he was a friend of mine.
Oh me too, so sad, I can’t believe he’s gone.. Poor mer!!!! what if she’s pregnant??? You guys remember he talked her into having another baby? Aww I’m so sad for her!!!
I totally was thinking the same thing about her being pregnant. Would they really make her pregnant and have to go thru all that alone?
Sobbing and speechless.
Me too, Mike….
I hate greys anatomy now. gotta find something else to watch cuz i can’t deal with this bs writing anymore. why do you have to keep killing people.
I’m so mad. Did he quit or did he get fired? Why do they insist on killing everybody? They killed Mark. They killed Lexie. Now, they just have to kill Derek?! They should have killed Izzie and left everybody else on the show. It doesn’t make a show better by killing the characters that we have all loved and grown with over the years. It’s senseless. I hope this marks the end of this show. I can’t imagine Castle killing Rick or Bones killing Booth. This makes no sense to the fans who loved Grey’s and loved Derek!
I agree. Never watching again!!
Dempsey was leaving (he’s talked about it for years!). How else could they write him out? Would it be better if they had his character cheat on Meredith and run off with someone else?
@TV Gord – How about ending the show? It’s been 11 years, what is left to prove. Half the people stopped watching after Burke left, then some more after the plane crash… now the rest – including me – will stop watching. There is no story worth following anymore. Should have just called this the series finale.
Besides, this isn’t real life. It’s TV. People don’t like sad endings, or endings where everything isn’t tied up. If they wanted it to be like life, they probably wouldn’t waste their ACTUAL life watching it. People expect happy endings…he could have been written off in a million different ways. Is it really sane to think that the show will even exist after this?
You’re speaking for a lot of people when you should be only speaking for yourself. I don’t expect or even like happy endings all the time. How boring would TV become if that’s what we always got? I’m surprised that you have lasted this long with Grey’s Anatomy if you want happy endings. You should know by now that this show isn’t about happy endings. The ratings are still strong for the show, so it’s not going to end anytime soon. I thought the way they wrote Derek off last night was poignant and right up Shonda’s alley. The irony that a brilliant surgeon would die at the hands of doctors who made basic errors in judgment? That’s a compelling premise. I thought it was well for a show that has a long tradition of clubbing viewers over the head with syrupy melodrama.