In 19 years of existence, the writers of Grey’s Anatomy have killed off many iconic characters. Shonda Rhimes, the creator of the medical series, revealed last week the name of the one she would like to see return…
Like Game of Thrones or The Walking Dead, Grey’s Anatomy has never been afraid to kill its key characters. From Derek Shepherd to George O’Malley, via Andrew DeLuca or even Lexie Grey, many doctors from the Gray Sloan Memorial did not survive their time in the medical series, much to the dismay of fans. But in 19 years of existence, there are screenplay choices that Shonda Rhimes, the creator, regrets today.
On January 13, the producer of Grey’s Anatomy engaged in a series of questions and answers on her Instagram account. Fans took the opportunity to ask him: “If you could bring back any character from Grey’s Anatomy, who would it be?”. And Shonda Rhimes did not hesitate for a second before answering George O’Malley.
“I love George so much. and I miss him a lot”, she explained in her video. “He was a great character, he was very funny, adorable and extraordinary.” And we must believe that TR Knight, the interpreter of the character, shares this feeling since he replied to this post with a “George loves you”.
After 19 years on the air, the death of George O’Malley remains one of the most significant deaths in the medical series. In the Season 5 finale, which aired May 14, 2009 on ABC, George was involved in a bus accident while trying to save the life of a young woman. He was then transferred to Seattle Grace.
Unrecognizable following the accident, his friends do not realize that they are treating one of their own. It is only several hours after her arrival that Meredith understands that the stranger is none other than George when she deciphers the code 007 (his nickname), which he draws on the palm of her hand. Despite Derek’s best efforts, George dies, leaving Callie, Izzie, Meredith and Bailey, along with all fans of the medical series, inconsolable.
If TR Knight said goodbye in 2009, he still returned to Grey’s Anatomy for an episode of season 17, in which the character of George found Meredith (Ellen Pompeo) on the imaginary beach, of which she dreamed during his coma. The door is therefore not closed for a return of the actor during a flashback in the next episodes of Grey’s Anatomy.