Grey's Anatomy season 17 executes some of the hit medical drama's best character exits in its impressive history. After so many years on the air, the show, created by Shonda Rhimes, has seen numerous instances of cast turnover. While most of Meredith's classmates and mentors have left Grey Sloan Memorial — many, presumably, for good — it must be said that some of the characters' resolutions were far more graceful than others.
Grey's Anatomy has faced various issues when determining the fates of its departing characters, most of whom have been killed off or else ran away to pursue an off-camera happily ever after. Izzie Stevens left the show abruptly after beating cancer and getting married, while George O'Malley was left dead after being hit by a bus (reportedly, both of the character's actors had expressed a desire to leave the show). Far more recently, Grey's Anatomy season 16 saw Alex Karev, the last of Meredith's original peers, seemingly evaporate from the story, not even appearing in his official final episode other than in some rather clunky narration.
Thankfully, the most recent batch of Grey's Anatomy departures have been far more effective and, instead of hastily dispensing with beloved doctors, actually manages to end their arcs with well-planned satisfaction. The first loss of season 17 came in the form of Andrew DeLuca, who was murdered in episode 7. The Italian-born surgeon's latest arc involved his struggles with mental illness and, despite accusations that he is being plagued by paranoia, DeLuca's assertions that a girl's life is in danger ultimately proved correct. After proving himself to those who doubted him, DeLuca's sendoff was ultimately a sweet one, visiting Meredith on her limbo-esque beach to chat before following his mother (who figured so heavily into his backstory) to the Great Beyond.
Jackson Avery, a staple of the show since his first appearances in season 4, departed in season 17 as well. Much of Jackson's story involved his uncertainty over what to do with his family's extraordinary wealth and the show's writers, led by showrunner Krista Vernoff, give him a swan song that involved using his influence to make the health care system more equitable. Grey's Anatomy season 17 didn't pull punches regarding injustice that disrupts the lives of Black and Brown people in and out of a hospital setting. Likewise, Tom Korascick, a notably cantankerous and outwardly self-interested character, decides to leave with Jackson after having his own epiphany on the world's harsh realities, which came in the wake of his own near-deadly bout with COVID-19. Both departures are examples of great writing, allowing for characters to leave the show on a heroic note while leaving the door open, however narrowly, for them to make one last appearance before Grey's Anatomy's eventual conclusion.
In all reality, the behind-the-scenes wheeling and dealing involving actor contracts and season renewals likely has much to do with the quality of each individual character's departure from any television show. However, it is commendable that, when given a bit of runway to execute a satisfying landing, Grey's Anatomy's writers deliver — at least more often than not. There was much fanfare surrounding Cristina Yang's exit in season 10 and the show wisely took the time to look back at her journey, preparing her for a life without Meredith but with the room to really spread her wings. A good departure will help reset the board, allowing for new dynamics to spring up without robbing the remaining characters of what made them worth watching in the first place.
Grey's Anatomy season 17's character exits have reoriented the show, which was renewed for an eighteenth and possibly final season. Jackson and Tom leaving for Boston speaks to larger real-world issues that, hopefully, the series will explore when it next airs. DeLuca's tragic death ultimately validates him and, on a more practical level, makes way for a potential Meredith-Hayes relationship. Though fans should prepare themselves to bid farewell to even more of their favorite surgeons, these recent skillfully-handled character exits should make them optimistic that more satisfying payoffs are on the way.