'Grey's Anatomy' Renewed for Season 15, as Two Stars Officially Say Goodbye
"Grey's Anatomy" stars Jessica Capshaw (Arizona Robbins) and Sarah Drew (April Kepner) are officially done with the show. They taped their final scenes last week, posting memories on social media, and getting heartfelt goodbyes from castmates. We can expect more goodbyes once the Season 14 finale airs on May 17.
Right as the two longtime cast members departed, ABC officially renewed "Grey's Anatomy" for Season 15. It was not exactly a shock, especially since Ellen Pompeo's (Meredith Grey) new deal extended her stay through Seasons 15 and 16.
But here's the press release, which lists the returning lead stars -- in case you were worried about more departures before Season 15:
'GREY'S' GOES FOR 15
ABC Renews Its Longest-Running Primetime Drama for a Historic 15th Season
'Grey's Anatomy' is ABC's No. 1 Drama Among Adults 18-49
ABC's hit medical drama series "Grey's Anatomy" has been picked up for another season, it was announced today by Channing Dungey, president, ABC Entertainment.
"'Grey's Anatomy' has a special place in my heart and millions of viewers feel the same way," said Dungey. "Thanks to fiercely loyal fans who have been on this journey since the beginning, and new generations of viewers who continue to discover the joy and drama of Grey Sloan Memorial, the show is as strong as ever."
Next season will be the 15th season of "Grey's Anatomy," which is ABC's longest-running primetime drama series. Only seven dramas in the history of television have had more seasons.
In its 14th season, "Grey's Anatomy" is ABC's No. 1 drama among Adults 18-49, ranking among the Top 5 broadcast series on TV, and is tied with ABC's "The Good Doctor" as the No. 2 broadcast drama. "Grey's Anatomy" is improving over this point last season by 3% in total viewers to deliver its most watched season in four years – since the 2013-14 season.
Recipient of the 2007 Golden Globe Award for Best Drama Television Series and nominated for multiple Emmys®, including Outstanding Drama Series, "Grey's Anatomy" is considered one of the great television shows of our time. The high-intensity medical drama follows Meredith Grey and the team of doctors at Grey Sloan Memorial, who are faced with life-or-death decisions on a daily basis. They seek comfort from one another, and, at times, more than just friendship. Together they discover that neither medicine nor relationships can be defined in black and white.
"Grey's Anatomy" stars Ellen Pompeo as Meredith Grey, Justin Chambers as Alex Karev, Chandra Wilson as Miranda Bailey, James Pickens Jr. as Richard Webber, Kevin McKidd as Owen Hunt, Jesse Williams as Jackson Avery, Caterina Scorsone as Amelia Shepherd, Camilla Luddington as Jo Wilson, Kelly McCreary as Maggie Pierce and Giacomo Gianniotti as Andrew DeLuca.
The news is bittersweet for fans of Arizona and April (and Japril), since it's official that Jessica Capshaw and Sarah Drew won't be returning. "Grey's" loses cast members all the time, but in this case -- unlike Patrick Dempsey, Sandra Oh, Sara Ramirez, etc. -- Capshaw and Drew did not want to leave the show. And their fans are upset that their stories are being cut short for "creative" reasons.
Both stars, their castmates, and showrunner Shonda Rhimes shared memories on the last day of filming:
Sarah Drew has already booked the role of Cagney in CBS's "Cagney and Lacey" reboot, which will hopefully be picked up for a full season so we can keep seeing her on our screens. Not sure what Jessica Capshaw has planned next, but we'll be watching.
We'll also be watching "Grey's Anatomy" Season 14 Thursday nights until the finale, and then Season 15 starting in the fall. If we've come this far, we're not giving up on it!
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