Grey's Anatomy in the Media: Incident Reporting

[Chas411]

Agreed. With the exception of the lead character who is one of the worst Mary Sue’s I’ve seen in years the show is pretty good. 

[taanja]

13 hours ago, Chas411 said:

Agreed. With the exception of the lead character who is one of the worst Mary Sue’s I’ve seen in years the show is pretty good. 

I personally love a good Mary Sue. Almost always my favorite type of character.

I just can't watch an entire ep of that Station 19 however. 

Glad to hear Grey's will be going back to the 8pm (CST) (9pm EST) that 7 o'clock shit was killing me! way too early!

[statsgirl]

The only Station 19 episode I've seen was the last crossover because I wanted to know how it turned out, but mostly for that Australian actor from the Saddle Club.

I'll never be back.

[BaseOps]

Grey's finishes the first first part of the 2019/2020 TV season as the #3 scripted series on broadcast in the demo (1.3), behind only This Is Us (1.4) and 9-1-1 (1.35). It is ABCs #1 series (scripted or otherwise). The shows boasts among the lowest year-to-year declines on TV. 

With 35-day delayed viewing (which counts DVR and official streaming numbers) it grows even more: The season premiere of Grey's Anatomy, for instance, posted an initial 1.5 rating among adults 18-49 and 6.51 million viewers. A week of delayed viewing pushed it up to 2.6 and 9.67 million. Four more weeks of viewing, plus digital plays for the full 35-day period, give the episode a 6.5 rating in the 18-49 demo — more than four times that of its first airing — and 16.6 million viewers, 2 1/2 times its same-day audience.

[breezy424]

After watching part of the Golden Globes, I've decided that Ellen Pompeo and Renee Zellweger have the same voice.

[Lady Calypso]

Justin Chambers to leave the show after sixteen seasons

Well...I certainly wasn't expecting this.

[Chas411]

Wow... well all I can say is that I nearly hope they let Camilla Luddington go too and him and Jo head off into the sunset and I never have to watch again. 

[Lady Calypso]

1 minute ago, Chas411 said:

Wow... well all I can say is that I nearly hope they let Camilla Luddington go too and him and Jo head off into the sunset and I never have to watch again. 

Seriously, I agree. Also let Jo and Alex have their happily ever after. Let them both be free from this show. Because I don't want another main character death (I don't think Krista would do it because she seems adamant to not kill people so easily) but I also don't want Alex and Jo to split up. They obviously are very happy together, so the only option is to see Alex and Jo decide to leave Seattle and maybe start their family elsewhere. 

[funnygirl]

There goes the best male character (currently) on the show.

Much respect to Justin, though. He's so talented and Grey's has been underutilizing him for years while propping others (*cough* Deloser, Glasses). I can't wait to see what he does next and will definitely be following his career. 

Curious how Alex will exit. As long as they don't kill him off, I'm good. But what will be of Jolex? Assuming Camilla doesn't leave, I find it hard to believe that they'd allow them to remain a couple while Alex is off screen when they wouldn't extend that same courtesy for the flagship MerDer. 

Wonder if this means Cristina's new Peds "present" to Meredith will stick around? 

Ratings and viewership be damned, from a creative and storyline perspective, Grey's really needs to end. 

Edited January 10, 2020 by funnygirl

[BaseOps]

Wow. So... we've already seen the last of him according to TVLine. Something must have happened. 

Grey’s Anatomy fans have already seen the last of Alex Karev. TVLine has confirmed that the final episode featuring Justin Chambers — whose departure from the show was announced early Friday — aired on Nov. 14. In the Nov. 21 episode, viewers learned that Alex had returned home to care for his ailing mother.

The fact that Chambers will not be given a proper onscreen sendoff suggests his departure came abruptly and without much notice.

Reps for ABC declined to comment for this story.

[TheOtherOne]

Yeah, odds are he was fired. Something went down.

Or else they just decided to give him the same ending Izzy got...which seems fitting. The character left town...and was never heard from again. Sorry, Jo.

[Lady Calypso]

7 minutes ago, BaseOps said:

Wow. So... we've already seen the last of him according to TVLine. Something must have happened. 

Grey’s Anatomy fans have already seen the last of Alex Karev. TVLine has confirmed that the final episode featuring Justin Chambers — whose departure from the show was announced early Friday — aired on Nov. 14. In the Nov. 21 episode, viewers learned that Alex had returned home to care for his ailing mother.

The fact that Chambers will not be given a proper onscreen sendoff suggests his departure came abruptly and without much notice.

Reps for ABC declined to comment for this story.

Not necessarily. It could be the reporter being mistaken, or getting false information. I highly, highly doubt that Alex gets a send off offscreen. I don't see Krista, or even Justin, allowing Alex to be tarnished like that. The only way this would be his last episode is if they do actually kill him off, and it's similar to George's death. 

I think we'll see Alex again, but it's more the question if he'll be around until the end of the season or not.

[TheOtherOne]

9 minutes ago, Lady Calypso said:

Not necessarily. It could be the reporter being mistaken, or getting false information. I highly, highly doubt that Alex gets a send off offscreen. I don't see Krista, or even Justin, allowing Alex to be tarnished like that. The only way this would be his last episode is if they do actually kill him off, and it's similar to George's death. 

I think we'll see Alex again, but it's more the question if he'll be around until the end of the season or not.

Well, then there are a lot of reporters being mistaken or getting false information, because Variety and the Hollywood Reporter are saying the same.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/justin-chambers-exiting-greys-anatomy-1268590

"Sources tell The Hollywood Reporter that Chambers' final episode has already aired — the Nov. 15 installment that saw Alex step in to help save Meredith's (Ellen Pompeo) career."

https://variety.com/2020/tv/news/greys-anatomy-justin-chambers-exits-1203463250/

"Sources confirmed to Variety that the Nov. 14 episode was Chambers’ final outing on the series."

 

Edited January 10, 2020 by TheOtherOne

[Lady Calypso]

1 minute ago, TheOtherOne said:

Well, then there are a lot of reporters being mistaken or getting false information, because Variety and the Hollywood Reporter are saying the same.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/justin-chambers-exiting-greys-anatomy-1268590

"Sources tell The Hollywood Reporter that Chambers' final episode has already aired — the Nov. 15 installment that saw Alex step in to help save Meredith's (Ellen Pompeo) career."

https://variety.com/2020/tv/news/greys-anatomy-justin-chambers-exits-1203463250/

"Sources confirmed to Variety that the Nov. 14 episode was Chambers’ final outing on the series."

I just....it's really hard to believe. With Justin's statement being fairly cordial, the only way I could see Alex suddenly being gone is if the actor was fired so unless his statement was completely fabricated by Grey's PR and not Justin's....

There's just such a vast difference between his statement of his departure and his supposed final episode already aired. With Jo's cliffhanger with the baby, there's no possible way that they could just get rid of Alex offscreen and have Jo's potential baby storyline continue.

All of this doesn't add up. There is something drastically missing, but I honestly choose to believe that these sources are completely wrong, just because it would make the show look worse for Alex not getting a proper sendoff and him being killed or shipped offscreen. 

[JessePinkman]

Something's going on here. Justin's always been a pretty quiet dude, he does the work and goes home, I can't imagine him just quitting without giving the fans a proper sendoff. 

That said, if this was just him saying "I'm done", I can't blame him. He's nearly 50, he's a millionaire several times over by now surely and he's...bored. Alex, unlike a lot of the other characters, only sporadically has something interesting to do. And frankly he looks bored in the majority of his scene because he has nothing to do.

[anna0852]

Something has to have gone down here. This can't have been planned.

[Lady Calypso]

16 minutes ago, anna0852 said:

Something has to have gone down here. This can't have been planned.

Someone suggested on another site that maybe Justin was having issues with another actor (maybe Ellen?). And that's why he was basically shipped off to Pac North all season with very little interaction with other characters. And that's also why they brought on Richard Flood as his replacement; because they knew Justin was leaving.

That would be the only explanation as to how this news of his last episode being episode 350 is true. Which, by the way, is still the worst sendoff ever. Not even a goodbye to an original cast member? Alex is just gone? If Alex's last episode being episode 350 is also the reason why they shoved a baby in Jo's arms, I'll be pissed as well.

If this was truly Alex's final episode, I'm probably going to quit the show again. Just...the disrespect for Justin Chambers would be the final straw.

[anna0852]

I just keep thinking that if his departure was planned, then ABC would have been promoting the heck out of it. An original cast member leaving is big deal. 

[Earmuffs Mom]

What a totally shitty sendoff after 15+ years.  This show has so much toxicity behind it.

[Deanie87]

Just popping in here to say what the hell?  I don't even watch this show anymore but he was the only reason I did for nearly 15 years.  I can't believe this. The Grey's tell all can't come fast enough.

 

[Lady Calypso]

Just now, Earmuffs Mom said:

What a totally shitty sendoff after 15+ years.  This show has so much toxicity behind it.

Yeah....I used to think that Krista was better than Shonda, especially since we know Shonda's had some very serious issues with some of the actors and that's why we've had some shady departures and behind the scenes drama.

But Krista is certainly racking up her own fair share of behind the scenes drama. First, with firing Sarah Drew and Jessica Capshaw out of the blue, and now with Justin's shady and abrupt sendoff.

Justin's departure was either very abrupt on his end due to whatever shenannigans happened with him and someone behind the scenes, it was planned early on and nobody said a word about it, or his final episode is coming up and he really did leave amicably. 

[lorbeer]

What the hell?

Alex's storyline was the only I cared about due to him being the only original cast member I care about. Someone mentioned that there's maybe some beef between Chambers and Pompeo and now that I'm thinking about it I can't remember them sharing a single scene this season. Expect of course the trial-not-trial but it was with a lot lot other people too.

That's sad... I wonder what happens to Jo. They could pretend that she's in Grey Sloan's and his in Pac North but what about Owen and Richard? They would only show Richard and Owen and forget about the head of the entire hospital? (is Alex the head or just a chief of surgical floor?)

[catspjs]

Grey's Anatomy ABC and its show runners Shonda/Krista/Debbie strike again. I am not even surprised or shocked that that might have been Chambers last episode. They have been doing this for over a decade now, writting  off main characters in very shitty ways. The fans don't really get any closer. 

I do think something might have gone down. Maybe he voiced he didn't like where his character was heading, we know how much Shonda loves that. If you have an opinion other   hers you are toast basically. Chambers seems like a nice, decent man so I can't imagine this is how he would have wanted to have his character send off. Reminds me of the Dempsey interview, no one was there on set his last day to say good bye. 

They have said the set was toxic before but I think it might be even more toxic now. This show rummers are acting just like petty high schoolers. it seems like he is getting the Dempsey send off. Both Dempsey and Chambers seem like decent enough man, they don't deserve to be treated like this. They have always said how grateful they are for it and the opportunities they got but their bosses seem to be bitter, mean and angry. Yet homophobics like Washington are brought back on the show and celebrated. 

I wish Chambers all the best and not maybe he can get a role where they can really utilize his talents, since grey's doesn't seem to use it. 

[Chas411]

Of all the multiple disappointments that have come as part of investing in this show, this is the worst. Such a total waste.

[Guest]

9 minutes ago, lorbeer said:

(is Alex the head or just a chief of surgical floor?)

Like Grey's makes a distinction between these two things....

[GSMHvisitor]

This is how it ends for my favourite TV character ever? This just sucks. This shit show is dead to me now.

[Chas411]

No word from any cast mates yet. I wonder if they’ve a gag order like they did for Dempsey. I Went on twitter to check Camilla Luddingtons page as she’s always interacting with the fans esp in regards to Jolex but only noticed now that she hasn’t tweeted anything about them in months so wonder if they did in fact know this was happening. Maybe he wanted out of his contract early and that’s the bad blood and hasty exit. 

[CrazyInAlabama]

At least Alex went home to take care of his mother, and didn't get the Patrick Dempsey smooshed in a car wreck, never to be seen again exit.    I wonder what will happen with Jo now?    Or is she leaving too?   Or maybe Jo adopts the baby, and then goes to join Alex forever, working in the hometown, or they go to the other hospital, and are never seen again.    They've already said that Pac-North (or whatever the name is) won't be a spin off.     

So of the originals, that leaves Bailey who hasn't been the feisty, professional woman that she was the first few years, Webber who is not given decent story lines, and Meredith who is not a likable character for years now.     It's time for this show to end. 

I don't believe that Justin just would have been written out the way he was in mid-season,  unless there was some behind the scenes drama.    No announcement, or any other publicity for his departure, until after it happened?   This does not pass the smell test.    At least they didn't drop a helicopter on him like Dr. Romano on ER.  

I'll miss Alex, and seeing what happens with him.   I wish the best for Justin, and his family. 

Edited January 11, 2020 by CrazyInAlabama

[toomuchtv47]

If it's true and his last episode already aired, it sucks that Alex, a character from the beginning, gets the same kind of sendoff as Hahn. 

[catspjs]

16 minutes ago, CrazyInAlabama said:

At least Alex went home to take care of his mother, and didn't get the Patrick Dempsey smooshed in a car wreck, never to be seen again exit.    I wonder what will happen with Jo now?    Or is she leaving too?   Or maybe Jo adopts the baby, and then goes to join Alex forever, working in the hometown.    They've already said that Pac-North (or whatever the name is) won't be a spin off.     

I'll miss Alex, and seeing what happens with him.   I wish the best for Justin, and his family. 

Hahaha. I don't know which is worse though. In one hand Alex will be alive, or I hope, he can get dragged by a bus like George but at least Dempsey had one last episode to himself , I mean I will never forgive them about how they treater the character at the end or how they killed him off. But at least there was that "send off". I don't know really which is best. This does not take away from the fact that it seems like  the network and show producers don't seem to be the best bosses.  

Edited January 10, 2020 by catspjs

[Featherhat]

I have no idea what to think. JC has never seemed like someone to just say "I'm out" with no notice and his statement was a lot more thankful and polite than some more recent cast last words. None of the drama surrounding the show has ever been attached to him publicly, although that doesn't preclude having problems build up or crop up. 

If that truly was his last episode then something must have gone down or he needs to leave for a personal/family reason that they are keeping private for now. Even Izzy got a last episode/scene with Meredith, hollow as it was. JC and SD were fired between seasons, others were killed on screen and as much as that sucked, at least it was a send off or walked off into the sunset with viewers knowing it was the end. This is like GD Hahn walking off to the parking lot of doom or Burke never returning (for many seasons anyway) and we *know* what happened there. 

Seems like Grey's will have BTS drama until it ends, the departures we *know* were stormy and the ones only rumoured to be so. Most shows calm down a bit once the mega stardom years wear off. Shonda at times seemed unable to cope with a show that hit a zeitgeist and manage personalities because she was busy being one as well but it's still going on. 

 

Edited January 10, 2020 by Featherhat

[anna0852]

I hate to say it but maybe there's a health issue, either for Justin or a family member. That might explain a polite statement and abrupt departure. 

[Lady Calypso]

7 minutes ago, anna0852 said:

I hate to say it but maybe there's a health issue, either for Justin or a family member. That might explain a polite statement and abrupt departure. 

I didn't even think about that. But what makes me hesitant on agreeing is this particular part from his statement:

Quote

or some time now, however, I have hoped to diversify my acting roles and career choices. And, as I turn 50 and am blessed with my remarkable, supportive wife and five wonderful children, now is that time.”

If it was a health issue, not that he has any obligation to tell us, but I would think that this part wouldn't make it sound like Justin was tired of acting, or acting as Alex Karev. It honestly sounds like Justin just wants to move on from the character of Alex.

[BaseOps]

It seems like something happened pretty spontaneously to lead to this (it's hilarious that people go directly to randomly trying to blame Ellen). There's no way that the 350th episode was intended to be his last - Shonda, Krista, Ellen, ABC, etc. would have made sure it was an event. They've all worked hard to keep the 4 remaining regulars around. Justin was at the 350th party with everyone else. It would have been announced or addressed (Krista, Shonda, Ellen all made speeches). Saying that he went to his mom's was the type of thing that they always do when an actor is gone for an episode or two (which is common). I don't believe for a second that they didn't think he'd be back... I just also can't help but wonder what went down after episode 8 that caused him to not return. Nothing about the writing for him in those first 8 episodes hinted at him exiting.

I hope everything is okay with him personally and I'm sad that one of my favorite TV characters ever is going to just disappear. Unless they write Jo off with him (which doesn't seem to be the case, as Camilla is still filming) I think they're going to have word get back to Seattle that he was killed somehow. Nothing else will really make sense. 

[anna0852]

I understand if Justin has decided he's done but there's no way his contract would have run out mid-season. If he's leaving now, something has to have happened either in his personal life or on set. Based on his statement I'm leaning towards personal issues that he wants to stay private. 

[lorbeer]

10 minutes ago, Lady Calypso said:

I didn't even think about that. But what makes me hesitant on agreeing is this particular part from his statement:

If it was a health issue, not that he has any obligation to tell us, but I would think that this part wouldn't make it sound like Justin was tired of acting, or acting as Alex Karev. It honestly sounds like Justin just wants to move on from the character of Alex.

 

19 minutes ago, anna0852 said:

I hate to say it but maybe there's a health issue, either for Justin or a family member. That might explain a polite statement and abrupt departure. 

Or maybe Pompeo wants to be the only original intern there aka THE SUN. If they cut off the Pac North they're on the last stright to have Pompeo being the only original cast member there. And Bailey already has on foot out the door.

 

[Deanie87]

Hmmmmmm.

ETA - she is or was pretty good friends with him and his family. I think she would know if there was a health or personal problem. Or at least she would find out before tweeting. 

Edited January 10, 2020 by Deanie87

[Guest]

16 minutes ago, Deanie87 said:

Hmmmmmm.

 

The plot thickens....

[Lady Calypso]

14 minutes ago, Deanie87 said:

Hmmmmmm.

ETA - she is or was pretty good friends with him and his family. I think she would know if there was a health or personal problem. Or at least she would find out before tweeting. 

This was her response to the news, which....does raise my eyebrows:

 

[moonorchid]

Sara has tea!

[Deanie87]

It is time for somebody to publish that tell-all.  They need to strike now while the iron is hot LOL!

 

[Featherhat]

Sara's tweet certainly points to it being a sudden and potentially messy departure. 

I don't know where he was in his current contract but it wouldn't have ended mid season. If he had previously asked to be let go it would have been agreed at the beginning of the year that 350 would be his last (massive achievement for anyone) and they'd have given him some sort of proper send off and announcement then. If he or they decided recently the character had run his course (not likely with what's going on with Jo) then they could have written him out at the end of the season.

Whatever the reason this is a scrambling, even if he does come back to do a goodbye ep at some point. I think ABC would have corrected the information  by now if the last episode info was wrong. 

I just wonder on who's side the issue is. As I said upthread this would be the first time JC has been (publicly) linked to BTS drama and he doesn't seem like a guy to just up and leave but you never know. Whereas this would be the 12435th time there has been showrunner/writer drama.

Edited January 10, 2020 by Featherhat

[Pallas]

Confirmed by ABC, via People. He's long gone.  

[Lady Calypso]

So...with no cast members, so far, making any posts about Justin's departure, or any PR teams making a statement to clarify the whole "Justin's last episode already aired", it does seem like the reports are true and that Alex got virtually no good sendoff....and we're likely to hear about his clunky departure in the midseason premiere. Which is way worse than I wanted it to be.

Alex gets replaced by new Peds Doc, Jo gets a baby, and I guess we're supposed to feel satisfied that Alex will either get killed off or that he abandoned his wife for no real reason.

1 minute ago, Featherhat said:

I just wonder on who's side the issue is. As I said upthread this would be the first time JC has been (publicly) linked to BTS drama and he doesn't seem like a guy to just up and leave but you never know.

I'm gonna take a wild guess and say that Krista had a hand in it. Now, for all we know, Justin decided to walk off after his last episode and told Krista afterward that the 350th episode would be his last...but we also know that Krista hasn't handled actor departures very well. And with Sara's tweet seeming like she knows exactly what trouble went on behind the scenes, possibly from her own experience, I'm going to wager that the behind the scenes drama is way worse than what we think it is. 

When we have so many actors not leaving very amicably, it stops being just an actor's problem and starts being a show problem. And Justin doesn't seem like the diva type to throw a fit and walk off set. I think we would have heard about something like that by now. So, if he did quit the show mid-season, or if he told Krista as season 16 started that he'd be done after episode 350, there has to be a good reason...and it sounds like "creative differences" and being done with having his character basically in the background. 

So let's say that Justin told Krista and the team that he'd be leaving the show. Why not give him a better sendoff? Why send him to another hospital for half the season? Why not bring him back sooner if they knew Justin was planning to leave? And if he walked off and quit halfway through, can we attribute that to him being sick of not getting good storylines? How come they couldn't convince him to come back for a goodbye episode, if he truly is gone for good? 

And, again, now I don't think it's a coincidence that Richard Flood was hired mid-season as an Alex replacement (why wait so long to do so if they were expecting Alex to return to the hospital?) and Jo's storyline with the baby...ok, that's a bit clunky but it looks like it's only to serve as another replacement to Alex leaving or dying. 

We're missing something major here and with this not even being close to the first instance of an actor's departure being fishy, I'm going to go with the issue not way, way deeper than Justin's statement is implying. 

[Deanie87]

This is from the former creator of TWoP. I have no idea if they are related or if she has any inside scoop but...

 

[Chas411]

I don’t get it...

[catspjs]

17 minutes ago, Deanie87 said:

It is time for somebody to publish that tell-all.  They need to strike now while the iron is hot LOL!

 

That would be one book I would definitely preorder lol. This show can't seem to keep itself out the drama offset 

[windsprints]

Popping back to say I wish Justin nothing but the best. Unless he did something completely heinous (& I struggle to believe that) there is no reason not to give him some kind of decent exit. Pure guess -  He came back early from his visit & Alex is the driver of the car that drove the bar & they'll kill him off. It would be so Grey's.

[DEL901]

In his statement he mentioned his kids.   I checked on IMDb and his youngest will turn 18 this year.   Since he has been on Grey’s, he has barely acted in anything else... possibly for family reasons... he has 5 kids and he probably wanted to spend his hiatuses at home with them, but now they’ll all be out of the house, so maybe leaving was his idea, but the way it was handled, with no proper send off, sucks.   

[Chas411]

Alex Blue Davis mentioned his departure on his insta and tagged him. That’s the first cast member to mention it.