Over the course of more than 15 seasons, Grey’s Anatomy has seen many beloved characters die, among them Denny Duquette Jr. (Jeffrey Dean Morgan), who almost returned to the show for the third time – and here’s when and why he didn’t come back. Grey’s Anatomy has stood out for its combination of drama and comedy, though it has become best-known for its most dramatic and tragic moments, which have been a lot, especially involving some of its most popular and beloved characters.
Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo) and company have gone through many tragedies since season 1, and unfortunately, those include the deaths of some of the people closest to them, of which some ended up becoming fan-favorite characters. One of those is Denny Duquette, a heart patient waiting for a heart transplant who became one of Izzie Stevens’ (Katherine Heigl) most memorable love interests. Denny and Izzie actually got engaged, but their story ended in tragedy as Denny passed away due to a stroke following a heart transplant. However, Denny returned later on two different occasions and almost returned for the third time in Grey’s Anatomy's “Day of the Dead” episode, but ultimately, he was left out.
Why Denny Duquette Didn’t Return During The Day of the Dead
Denny Duquette’s death is one of Grey’s Anatomy’s most heartbreaking moments, but his legacy continues as he left a big amount of money to Izzie that she used to fund the free clinic Miranda Bailey (Chandra Wilson) wanted to open, naming it “Denny Duquette Memorial Clinic”. Denny actually returned to Grey’s Anatomy twice after his death: first when Meredith drowned in Elliott Bay in season 3 and later when Izzie started having hallucinations as a result of her cancer in season 5. The first time, Meredith woke up in the “afterlife” and saw Denny and Dylan Young, a member of the Police Department Bomb Squad who died in an explosion at the hospital, who encouraged her to fight back. On his second return, he followed Izzie everywhere and expressed his disgust over her relationship with Alex (Justin Chambers).
Denny Duquette almost came back to Grey’s Anatomy again in season 15’s episode “Flowers Grow Out of My Grave”, in which the family of one of Meredith’s patients was celebrating the Day of the Dead, prompting her and the rest of the doctors to remember the loved ones they have lost. Speaking to THR in 2018, Grey’s Anatomy showrunner Krista Vernoff revealed that an earlier version of the episode included Denny Duquette and Dylan, but when watching that version, she “didn’t believe in the emotional reality” of these two characters visiting Meredith, as they weren’t Meredith’s loved ones – if anything, Denny would have visited Izzie, and having him and Dylan return felt “like a clip show”.
Will Denny Duquette Ever Return To Grey’s Anatomy?
Denny Duquette didn’t return on the Day of the Dead because he has no emotional link to Meredith, but he might have appeared when she drowned because his and Dylan’s deaths were still recent at the moment. However, a long time has now passed since Denny’s death, and Izzie is no longer part of Grey’s Anatomy either, so there really isn’t a reason to bring Denny Duquette back, aside from flashbacks or a casual name-drop. Denny Duquette will remain one of the most beloved and popular characters in Grey’s Anatomy, and his death is one of the show’s most heartbreaking moments.