Grey’s Anatomy
Ellen Pompeo has ledGrey ’s Anatomyas Meredith for all 18 season , with the actress only being absent from a few episodes . Grey ’s Anatomypremiered in 2005 as a phenomenon , picture the medical drama , workplace conflicts , and romances of young medico at Seattle Grace Hospital ( finallyrenamed Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital ) . The show is lead by Dr. Meredith Grey , who begins the serial publication as an intern before working her elbow room up to Chief of General Surgery inGrey ’s Anatomyseason 12 .
away from its dramatic romances , Grey ’s Anatomyis also known as a mysterious series where the doctors ’ survival charge per unit is almost on equivalence with their patient role . Out of the original casting , only Ellen Pompeo ( Meredith ) , Chandra Wilson ( Miranda Bailey ) , and James Pickens Jr. ( Richard Webber ) remain in season 18 . Fan favorites like Derek , Alex , Izzie , George , Christina , Mark , Lexie , Callie , Nathan , April , and Andrew have all either been killed off or departed on their own terms , with many only lasting a few season . Through the vastrevolving casting and characters ofGrey ’s Anatomy , Ellen Pompeo has always hold her leading position , even if her eccentric was unconscious for most of time of year 17 .
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It would n’t palpate likeGrey ’s Anatomywithout Meredith Grey ’s presence , which is why many suspect Ellen Pompeo ’s eventual exit will signalise the series ’ stopping point . Out ofGrey ’s Anatomy ’s greater than 350 episodes , Ellen Pompeo has only missed a handful , with these absences occurring in later seasons . Pompeo unveil ahead ofGrey ’s Anatomyseason 17 that she has asthma attack , and due to base hit protocol and precautions with COVID-19 , the crew made a life - alike dummy of Pompeo to lay on the hospital beds for a significant dowry of these scenes , so she did n’t have to unnecessarily be on hardening . With her character is back in activeness during season 18 and no end in flock for Ellen Pompeo ’s role onGrey ’s Anatomy ’s original series , here are the only episode the actress was n’t feature in .
Grey’s Anatomy Season 13, Episode 16, “Who Is He (And What Is He to You)?”
give over the narration reigns to another role , Meredith Grey is n’t the doctor providing the voice - over for time of year 13 installment 16 , with the job die to Jesse Williams ’ Jackson Avery rather . mate with no narration , Ellen Pompeo also does n’t appear on - screen inGrey ’s Anatomy ’s sequence . “ Who Is He ( And What Is He to You ) ? ” stick to April and Jackson as they travel to Avery Medical Center in Bozeman , Montana , teaming up to execute a surgery on a untested patient , with this being the only plot line of the sequence . Meredith is n’t actually sport , but her character is referenced numerous time as she was originally supposed to fly to Bozeman withJackson inGrey’sAnatomy ’s episodeinstead of April . Making story , this is the first episode in 13 entire seasons not to sport Ellen Pompeo as Meredith Grey in any capacity . “ Who Is He ( And What Is He to You ) ? ” is largely a stand - alone instalment , with the plot only serving to focalize on the confined relationship between Jackson and April , while the other character are only passively bring up .
Grey’s AnatomySeason 14, Episode 11, “(Don’t Fear) the Reaper”
Grey ’s Anatomyseason 14 ’s “ ( Do n’t Fear ) the Reaper ” is only the second social occasion in which Ellen Pompeo is fully pretermit from an instalment . The only appearance of Meredith comes from archival footage , which has already been used and does n’t count for a new , operative mien of Pompeo . Instead of Pompeo narrating the installment like common , Chandra Wilson narratesGrey ’s Anatomy ’s installment asoriginal series quality Miranda Bailey . The episode heart and soul on Miranda Bailey as a patient at a different hospital , featuring recurring flashbacks of her childhood and important moments in her living . Meredith appears in a brief flashback to an early episode during a surgical process , but there ’s no novel footage nor a spokesperson - over from Pompeo in this installment . Along with archival footage of Meredith , season 14 ’s “ ( Do n’t dread ) the Grim Reaper ” also brings back many departed characters from flashback clips , including fan - favorite Derek Shepherd . The instalment also just features any scenes at Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital , making it a rarefied installment in this sense as well .
Grey’s Anatomy Season 17, Episode 14, “Look Up Child”
At the time of writing , Grey ’s Anatomyseason 17 ’s " depend Up Child " is the last time that Ellen Pompeo has been completely absent from an sequence . After 17 seasons , this is only the third occasion in which Pompeo neither appear on - screen nor in a part - over capacity . Interestingly , this episode is fairly similar to the circumstance of her absence in " Who Is He ( And What Is He to You ) ? " The time of year 17 installment again follow Jackson and April ( in Sarah Drew ’s first appearance since her exit in time of year 14 ) outside of the hospital , with Jackson face a living - changing predicament as he searches for counseling from his hump ones . The installment also features flashbacks ofDr . Harper Avery ’s grandson ’s animation with April from previous episode , with her documentation helping Jackson make up one’s mind to impart Seattle ’s hospital and instead take over Catherine ’s foundation in Boston . While " Look Up tiddler " is an April and Jackson - centric episode , Meredith is still mentioned as Jackson confirms she has fire up up from her comatoseness .
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Grey’s Anatomy Season 13, Episode 10, “You Can Look (But You’d Better Not Touch)” (Voice-Over Only)
While many of the main lineament have been abstracted here and there , Grey ’s Anatomyseason 13 episode 10 , “ you may depend ( But You ’d well Not Touch ) ” marks the first prison term that Ellen Pompeo does n’t appear on - screen as lead graphic symbol Meredith Grey . Neither rooter - favorite doctorAlex Karev ( Justin Chambers ) nor Meredith Grey physically appeared in “ you may Look ( But You ’d well Not Touch ) , " with the drama of this episode centering on doctors Jo , Bailey , and Arizona facing a dangerous state of affairs while sent to attend to a young yard bird in a women ’s maximum - certificate prison house . This episode was action - sonorous and in the first place focused on one burden storyline , leaving the looming tensity about Alex ’s potential prison conviction from assaulting Andrew and Meredith ’s supportive voicemail for the next sequence .
Grey’s Anatomy Season 13, Episode 13, “It Only Gets Much Worse” (Voice-Over Only)
standardized toGrey ’s Anatomyseason 13 episode 10 , “ It Only Gets Much bad ” was amazingly still well - find , even though it was suspected to be stymie by the on - screen absences oforiginal lead characters Meredith Grey and Alex Karev . The season 13 sequence is the second fourth dimension that Ellen Pompeo did n’t seem as Meredith on - screen , but she still provided the character ’s usual voice - over . The reason for Meredith ’s absence in this episode is that she was suspended , which was due to her turn down to allow Eliza into her OR . Instead , Ellen Pompeo only appears in thisGrey ’s Anatomyepisode by furnish the narration , kicking off and ending the drama with explanations of Murphy ’s Law . Pompeo ’s narration connect the law to the tumultuous dramatic play through definition of “ anything that can go wrong , will go wrong , ” a meet verbal description of the pandemonium fromGrey ’s Anatomy ’s episode .
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