Grey’s Anatomy just came back for the back half of its 18th season last night after a long winter break. I’ve been a fan since 2011, when I binged all prior seasons to include the Cristina Yang character in my graduation thesis, and have seen every episode of the show and its first spinoff. I tried to quit after McDreamy died, but got sucked back in a few months later. I often rewatch and have an encyclopedic knowledge of the show and lots of opinions on the storylines, characters, and actors.
Even people who don’t watch this show probably know that it has been mired in behind-the-scenes controversy since the beginning. Some of that is public knowledge, some is only followed by superfans, and sometimes it’s the actors telling on themselves. On her own podcast, Ellen Pompeo volunteered a story about being an entitled jerk to Denzel Washington when he guest-directed an episode. She caught some well-deserved heat for both her behavior and telling the story like it was cool. Denzel didn’t even remember the incident, probably because people don’t remember things that aren’t important to them. Ellen’s talking again on her podcast about whether or not she watches the show, and when it might end after all this time.
During Wednesday’s episode of her podcast, Tell Me with Ellen Pompeo, the 52-year-old actress spoke with guest Martha Stewart about the ABC series, revealing she’s only seen a “handful” of the show.
“This is my 18th season, and it’s 392 episodes,” Pompeo told Stewart, admitting that she’s “not even close” to watching or even remembering all the episodes.
“I haven’t really seen most of them, I’ve watched only a handful,” she explained. “The few times I’ve directed, I’ve gone back and watched some old episodes. My intention is always to keep the spirit of the early days. That’s really the hard work, is to try to keep that sort of DNA, which is hard but gives us a goal at least to strive for…”
Despite the show’s renewal, Pompeo has been vocal in recent months about the possibility of Grey’s coming to an end. In September of last year, the actress told Entertainment Tonight that she’s been “trying to get away for years.”
“It’s not because I haven’t been trying,” she said of leaving Meredith behind. “I have strong relationships at the network [ABC] and they have been very, very good to me, and have incentivized me to stay.”
Pompeo, who serves as a producer on the show, also told Variety in 2020 that Grey’s would likely end when she leaves. “I don’t take the decision lightly,” she said at the time. “We employ a lot of people, and we have a huge platform. And I’m very grateful for it.”
What Ellen says about not watching many episodes doesn’t seem that unusual to me. I’ve heard before about actors on episodic TV not really watching themselves, partially because they don’t have time after those long days. Grey’s is nearing its 400th episode — that’s a lot of hours to keep up with on top of working hours and other responsibilities. And if Ellen goes back to watch when she knows she’ll be directing, she’s making sure she’s on top of her work.
This may be an unpopular opinion after that Denzel story, but I still like Ellen Pompeo! Some of it is residual affection for Meredith Grey, but I’m also generally drawn to a prickly vibe and admire her honesty about her salary negotiations and getting paid her worth. I can see why she wants to leave after 18 seasons, but I’d stay forever if I was pulling in $20 million a year. I read Ellen signed on for a 19th season, but I do think they’re winding the show down and maybe they want to end on an even 20 seasons. Hopefully, they go out on a high note after the 17th season, which was basically an incredibly depressing replay of 2020 a year later. I’ll stop now because I could talk about this show all day.
Photos credit: Avalon.red, Backgrid and via Instagram
I’m hate watching at this point. I can’t believe the one character I keep hoping they will give a storyline to, just got written off. Introducing that character was a complete waste of time. They initially built him up, got me invested, and then just dropped the story. If I were the actor, I’d be pissed. I hope they paid him well.
I am upset they wrote him off too!!! I really liked him, like what the HELL was the point???
If I got paid $20 M a year I would have a hard time working after 1-2 years unless I really loved my job, the work environment and felt the work was truly important in a “makes life better, eliminates suffering for many people”
I’d take the money, set myself up somewhere nice, and keep occupied with other stuff … maybe start my own business/non-profit. I know $20-40 million is chump change in some crowds, but for me I think I’d be fine just being wealthy and not striving to be Warren Buffet wealthy.
That’s what I call ‘stupid money’. It’s more than I can comprehend, really. I’ve been very impressed that she’s been able to negotiate this for herself, but it would be super great if the rest of the cast & crew were as well compensated. I watched this show when it first started, but stopped after a few seasons. It just got so repetitive.
And welcome to new writer, Peridot!
I’ve only watched a handful myself.
Been watching since episode one when I was 24/25 and I cannot stop even though it’s comically bad at some points. It’s been part of pretty much my entire adult life. I always say I’ll watch until the final episode or I die, whichever comes first. Which could be either since it just keeps on going!
Same! I was a single 21 year old when I started watching Grey’s. I’ve stick with this show through marriage, three kids, degrees, owning a house. It has been a major constant in my life and I am here to the bitter end.
Me too, although I was so upset at the way they wrote off Karev that I almost gave it up completely
@Kath
OHHH, the way they wrote off Karev PISSED me off so badly!! He never would have left like that – going back to Izzy, leaving Jo and Meredith like that !!
That was GOD awful; I was so upset too!!
I do dislike it when people tacitly agree that making the most money means that you win the game. This is just another example: If A can make 6Billion, than I, B, must make at least 6.5Billion. We should think about the obscene wealth inequalities between the “stars” and the teachers of the world.
I agree with what you’re saying, and as I mentioned above, personally I think I’d reach the stage where I said “nope, I’m good with the pile of money I’ve got … I’m going to go live my life”. One could make an argument that as a society, and even species, a lot of damage has been caused in the relentless pursuit of more more more, growth growth growth instead of “a good amount that’s enough to live well and some for a rainy day” and “sustainable” without the enormous concentration of wealth in the hands of very few people.
Yet it’s interesting to me that whenever there’s a variation of a “making way more than enough money is a problem” or “but what about the teachers, health care workers, etc… our society doesn’t pay them enough” or “aren’t they already rich enough??? Why are they being greedy” in the posts, most often it’s on a post about a woman making a lot of money. ScarJo, Angie, and EP here. It’s occasionally mentioned about a male athlete, but usually it’s about a successful woman. Heck, Disney has even tried to use that argument in court filings, but oddly, never against RDJ or Pratt.
The part that usually goes unmentioned is that those women wouldn’t be getting paid what they’re paid … which BTW is often less than what their male peers are being paid … if there wasn’t a giant corporation or several making even more money off their work product. And in several of their situations, they work for The Mouse House, Disney, which is one of the biggest money makers on the planet, with top male execs making multiples of what any of these actors/producers are making every single year.
I love Greys and have been there since the beginning, watching the pilot on regular old TV. I’m a day after streamer on Hulu now but I won’t quit the show.
I feel like the only successful ending is Meredith, happy, secure, family happy & secure, no more trauma. No Alzheimer’s. It would be an amazing bookend to see Zola going to medical school with Meredith as the opposite of Ellis, having a strong support system.
@souperkay I agree. I have watched all along, it started during my second year of medical school and I ended up being a surgeon (no, the show did not influence my choice of specialty). The medicine is mostly terrible, but some of the voiceovers really do hit the mark about what it’s like to do this job. I am shameless in my fandom, and even met McDreamy twice through my hospital (he was charming, he remembered our first conversation when we met again, no complaints). Anyway, I would so love to see Zola go to medical school and yes, have Meredith be the anti-Ellis. That would be right.
I know more about this show than I should admit LOL! I have seen the first few seasons so many times I can practically remember all the dialogue!! Christina Yang is my favorite character and my heart broke when she left, more so than when McDreamy died! The show is def dragging and IMO, should end soon. But I will watch until the end. I miss so many of the characters that have left in more recent years – Alex Karev, Arizona Robbins, April Kepner, Jackson Avery, Callie Torres…just isn’t the same for sure.
I love to chat with other fans of the show though – who know it as well as I do