Meredith Grey and Derek Shepherd were Grey’s Anatomy power couple for years, but the original plan for the series’ main pair was very different. Created by Shonda Rhimes, Grey’s Anatomy debuted on ABC in 2005 as a mid-season replacement, and it was so well-received by critics and viewers that it has lived on for over 10 seasons. Grey’s Anatomy has gone through a lot of ups and downs, including losing most of its original cast, but it continues to be very popular with viewers.
Like any other medical drama, Grey’s Anatomy follows the lives of surgical interns, residents, and attendings as they do their best to balance their professional and personal lives, which often end up overlapping. Grey’s Anatomy is led by Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo), who started as an intern at Seattle Grace Hospital and is now head of general surgery at the same place. The series has closely followed Meredith’s professional and personal life, and her relationship with Derek Shepherd (Patrick Dempsey) was at the front and center – but they weren’t the pair Rhimes was originally looking for.
The very first episode of Grey’s Anatomy established that Derek was going to be an important part of Meredith’s life. They met at Joe’s Bar the night before her first day at the hospital and ended up sleeping together. Once at the hospital, she learned that Derek was an attending there. Some time later, they began to date in secret, as her roommates and colleagues didn’t approve of their relationship as they thought she was trying to win favors. Meredith and Derek ultimately got married and formed a family, but Derek was killed in a car accident in season 11. Meredith and Derek became fan favorites, and even those not into Grey’s Anatomy know who they are, but they weren’t the original pair Rhimes had in mind for the show, and she actually wanted to pair Meredith with Preston Burke.
Played by Isaiah Washington, Preston Burke was the head of cardiothoracic surgery at Seattle Grace Hospital and is best remembered for his relationship with Cristina Yang (Sandra Oh), whom he left on their wedding day. Speaking to New York Post in 2013, Pompeo shared that the original plan was for Washington’s character to be Meredith’s boyfriend, as Rhimes “really wanted to put a black man in the mix” but she “didn’t want him” as Meredith being in an interracial relationship hit too close to home, as Pompeo is in an interracial relationship. Pompeo then expressed her desire to have “that Dempsey kid” as Meredith’s partner instead, which turned out to be a great decision. Washington left Grey’s Anatomy in season 3 after an on-set incident in which he insulted T.R. Knight (who played George O’Malley) with a homophobic slur, so Burke was sent to Switzerland.
Fans of Meredith and Derek’s relationship in Grey’s Anatomy have to thank Ellen Pompeo for it, though it’s inevitable to imagine how different Meredith’s life would have been had she been paired up with Preston Burke, especially after his departure – though it doesn’t compare to the heartbreak that came with the death of Derek “McDreamy” Shepherd.