As the show gears up into entering its sixteenth season, it goes without saying that Grey’s Anatomy has been a smash hit. The show isn’t even due to end soon either, meaning fans will have many more episodes to follow their favorite characters.
This doesn’t mean that all the characters should be kept on, though, because the show can benefit by going out with the old and in with the...old? That’s right, Grey’s Anatomy has had so many characters as regulars that there’s a lot of room to bring in former characters back. In order to do so, the series should curb its cast by letting some go, and here are 5 characters we wish would leave and 5 we want back.
Want Back: Izzie Stevens
It’s high time we get closure for Izzie’s storyline, because fans are still hoping for her to make a comeback even though she’s been off the show for ten years. Since Grey’s Anatomy is expected to last at least another two years, Izzie doesn’t need to be brought back just to wrap things up.
As the actress will be free soon since Suits is ending, Izzie can come back permanently on the show. Ideally, this should lead into Izzie and Alex’s story having a definite progression toward an ending, rather than a hushed one we had in Season 6.
Should Leave: Jo Karev
We feel the show has really been reaching very far to give Jo storylines of her own. At one point, she had a long-lost husband, then it was revealed her real name isn’t even Jo. Now, the reality of her conception has caused her to spiral into the psych ward.
There’s too many tragedies with Jo and it has become very much like a soap opera. In an ideal scenario, Jo should be written out, preferably dying in such a way that reflects her tragic life. Even more ideally, this could bring Izzie back to tend to a grieving Alex.
Want Back: Cristina Yang
The show is called Grey’s Anatomy, but it was very much a ship steered by Meredith and Cristina until the latter’s departure. Since she’s been gone, Meredith has had plenty of people the show has wanted us to see as her confidante, but none have reached the right kind of chemistry.
Cristina’s return is pretty much impossible, though, as the actress is currently killing it on another show, but the heart wants what it wants. Should there ever be a way to bring her back, it should have Cristina return to the hospital as the Chief of Surgery.
Should Leave: Teddy Altman
Teddy should never have returned in the first place, as her departure in Season 8 had been very well done. She and Owen were one friendship that hadn’t been twisted because of drama, but we’re at that point where they’ve become parents.
Now that things have gone so far, you can be certain the show is only going to give them further problems that will ruin the current situation she and Owen have. It’s better to simply let her go with one actual happy ending, because otherwise you can be certain it’s only going to get bad for her.
Want Back: April Kepner
It’s hard to believe we actually want April back, as she had gotten really rather annoying by the end of her time on the show. However, since Jackson is pretty much lost as a character at present, it’s better to bring April back.
Sure, she had a good departure when she got married, but the fandom has never been onboard with that coupling and still crave April to be with Jackson. The best course would be to bring April back for one more long arc that culminates in her and Jackson finally remarrying and staying together for certain.
Should Leave: Maggie Pierce
When Maggie was first introduced, it appeared as if the show was going for an overhaul, but she hasn’t done much. Instead, we got to see her and Jackson get together, a couple that has been largely panned by the fanbase.
Before that, she was in another ill-received love triangle involving her own sister, which makes it clear that Maggie doesn’t have much of a place on Grey’s Anatomy. It would be more intriguing to see her having a last arc where she goes on a journey of self-discovery, before heading on out and leaving her job to find herself.
Want Back: Addison Montgomery
This is one character we definitely won’t be seeing coming back, but the hope remains we’ll at least see Addison one more time. There’s too much ambiguity over what happened to her for fans to be completely satisfied.
Knowing Addison, there most probably happened to be some sort of problem in her most recent marriage, and it wouldn’t be the worst thing to have Addison return to Seattle the same way she had left it back in Season 3. As both Derek and Mark are gone, now might be the best time for Addison and Meredith to be seen together.
Should Leave: Amelia Shepherd
It was a surprise seeing Amelia transition from Private Practice to Grey’s Anatomy since she wasn’t the most noteworthy character on the former, and she hasn’t exactly set the screen alight on the latter show either.
She was brought back to be the love interest for Owen, but now it seems that ship has sailed. At present, her relevance is tied down to being Meredith’s sister-in-law and Owen’s ex-wife, rather than having a connection to the audience itself based on her own characterization. There’s not much else to say about her other than it’s better she skidaddles.
Want Back: Callie Torres
It was fine seeing Callie go when Arizona was still on the show, as we could imagine her moving on into an actual relationship. However, since Arizona’s exit yet again apparently brought her together with Callie, we’d rather see her back.
Callie and Arizona were always breaking up and getting back together, which made their exits feel hollow and incomplete. Since this time Arizona won’t be returning, it would be good to see Callie having a fresh start back in Seattle where we can see her settle with a permanent love interest.
Should Leave: Owen Hunt
It pains us to say it, but Owen has outlived his usefulness on Grey’s Anatomy. He was initially reliant on Cristina for relevance, but his “nice guy” persona made him likable and we were invested in him finding new love.
Now that he does have that in Teddy and the child he had craved for so long, Owen’s story is complete and there’s no need to keep him on. Like we mentioned with Teddy, there’s only heartbreak and drama waiting for Owen by sticking around, and it’s better if we see him go happily into the sunset with his child.
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