Ellen Pompeo’s last Grey’s Anatomy episode teased a potential replacement for Meredith as the show’s main character and chief of surgery, but it also proved that there doesn’t need to be a new main character. Grey’s Anatomy season 19, episode 7 saw Meredith leave Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital to start research in Boston and her daughter Zola, but a lot of the storylines in the episode had nothing to do with her. As Grey’s Anatomy enters its post-Meredith era, they might also be looking for a new main character, but the show has proven that it would be unnecessary.
Since it premiered in 2005, Grey’s Anatomy has revolved around Meredith and the large cast of doctors around her. Viewers have seen her highs and lows, losses and successes, and how much Meredith has grown throughout her 19 seasons on Grey’s Anatomy. As other cast leave, and potentially return, and others the long-lasting medical drama, Pompeo’s Meredith has been a constant. However, Grey’s Anatomy has always been about more than just Meredith, with a talented ensemble cast full of interesting characters that can both offer a new main character or change the direction of the show now that Meredith’s gone.
Amelia Is A Natural Replacement For Meredith In Grey's Anatomy
Longtime Grey’s Anatomy viewers slammed Meredith’s exit episode because of how little she was involved with it, deeming it a lackluster tribute to the show’s central character. Outside of Meredith’s short goodbye party and her final surgery, there wasn’t much said about Meredith's Grey's Anatomy exit and the impact she has had and will continue to have on the series and its characters. This led viewers to believe that the episode was actually setting up Grey’s Anatomy’s new main character in Amelia Shepherd, who would be a natural replacement for Meredith.
The promo video for Grey’s Anatomy season 19, episode 8 revealed that Amelia will be in the running for the now-vacant Chief of Surgery job, which is another indicator that she could be on her way to replacing Meredith. Amelia has been a part of Grey’s Anatomy for almost 10 seasons, after having starred in multiple seasons of its spinoff Private Practice. Due to this, Amelia has created strong relationships with multiple characters in the Grey’s universe, including her sister-in-law Meredith. Her history as well as her potential would make her a great replacement for Meredith as both chief and Grey’s Anatomy’s main character.
Meredith’s Farewell Episode Hinted That There Will Be No New Main Character
While Meredith’s farewell Grey’s Anatomy episode might have spent a lot of time with Amelia, she wasn’t the only character to receive a major storyline in that episode. In fact, the storylines were divided among multiple characters, from Amelia to Yasuda to Teddy and more. The episode was an ensemble effort, hinting that there will be no new Grey’s Anatomy main character, but rather the show will focus on its ensemble and sharing the spotlight among the previously ing characters.
The tagline of Grey’s Anatomy season 19 has been “begin again,” particularly with the new group of Grey's Anatomy interns, and in beginning again, Grey’s Anatomy might be going in a different direction. Some of the new characters parallel the original interns, with Simone becoming Meredith’s main mentee, though not receiving more attention than her fellow interns, such as Yasuda, who seems to parallel Cristina. There may be certain episodes and storylines that require characters to step into the forefront, but Grey’s Anatomy season 19 has been an ensemble effort thus far, and Meredith’s exit appears to only point the series further in that direction.
Why Grey’s Anatomy Doesn’t Need A New Main Character
While Meredith has always been a driving force behind Grey’s Anatomy’s success, the longevity of the series is not solely because of Meredith, but because of all the complex, interesting characters that make up the ensemble. Characters like Cristina Yang, Miranda Bailey, Lexie Grey, Derek Shepherd, Addison Montgomery, and more have all kept viewers tuning in beyond Meredith’s storylines and drama. The show was always at its best when it was sharing screen time with a host of characters, just like Meredith’s finale episode had done. It may have not seemed like a fitting farewell episode, but it set Grey’s Anatomy up for a strong future without Meredith.
A new main character would be constantly compared to Meredith, taking away from the potential to tell more stories and share the spotlight among the characters. Replacing the main character sets the new character up for failure, as they often tend to pale in comparison to their predecessor in the eyes of the viewers. Beyond the Grey's Anatomy ensemble cast are memorable patients and their families, sometimes played by famous guest stars, who add variety and excitement to a show that easily could have gone stale seasons ago. The Grey’s Anatomy ensemble cast is what makes the show, and it doesn’t need a new main character to replace Meredith.