“Grey’s Anatomy,” has kept fans enthralled with its messy medical drama in relationships and operations rooms for 18 years. The show  is deeply beloved by fans because of its addictive storylines and binge-worthy seasons. Infamous for killing their characters left and right or mercifully sparing them by leaving the hospital, the show has somehow managed to endure 19 long seasons.

Viewers and even Meredith Grey’s actress, Ellen Pompeo, have voiced the need for the show to end for the past eight seasons. The announcement of Pompeo leaving the show had most fans speculating and celebrating the show’s end since she’s been the main character for the past 18 years. Most viewers assumed the show’s continuation would be impossible without her, considering most of the episodes are narrated by Grey and its title is “Grey’s Anatomy.”

However, rumors were quickly shut down when the 19th and 20th seasons were announced. The new seasons are desperate attempts by the writers trying to salvage the show by introducing new interns in hopes of reviving it, reminiscing on its good old days and almost entirely ripping off its first earlier seasons.

The only thing “Grey’s Anatomy” has managed to maintain throughout all its episodes is Grey’s stubbornness, which has gotten her in serious legal trouble more than once. Although annoying, her character trait of selflessness and the willingness to help everyone around her no matter the circumstances is admirable.

For example, she came close to almost ruining her marriage and losing her adoptive daughter because of her tampering with her husband’s Alzheimer’s trial to try and get a cure for another character’s wife. In addition, she almost lost her medical license for committing insurance fraud by putting her daughter’s name in the place of an immigrant girl who couldn’t pay for a live-saving surgery.

Considering the show is saying goodbye to its main character, expectations were high for the farewell episode; however, it was entirely anticlimactic. Fans were astonished when less than half of the episode was dedicated to Grey at all, especially when comparing her goodbye to Alex Karev’s, which was entirely dedicated to his goodbye letters, or Jackson Avery’s two-episode departure. 

The writers need to take notes from Pompeo’s fellow co-stars, who did a much better job at saying goodbye to her, as they left heartfelt goodbyes to her and her character in a series of Instagram posts. 

However, Pompeo is happy and excited to leave the show. During an appearance on “The Drew Barrymore Show” in December, Pompeo said she felt “super happy” about her decision to exit the ABC drama after 19 seasons. While the “show has been incredible” to her and she has “loved a lot of the experience,” Pompeo said to Barrymore, “I got to mix it up a little bit. I’m 53. My brain is like scrambled eggs.”