Since 2017 and 2019 respectively, Krista Vernoff has served as showrunner for both Grey’s Anatomy and Station 19 but has announced she will be leaving at the end of their respective seasons, which could spell big changes for both series. Along with being a showrunner, Vernoff has also served as head writer, and her impact can be seen in both series across the seasons in which she was at the helm. Vernoff has been involved in the Grey’s universe for over a decade on and off, and her exit leaves a lot of questions about the futures of both Grey’s Anatomy and Station 19.
Both Grey’s Anatomy and its spinoff Station 19 will return from their winter break on Feb. 23, and while it marks a continuation for both series, it is also the beginning of the end of Vernoff’s tenure with the shows. The fall finales culminated in shocking crossover episodes that left many characters in dismay through a massive fire and an unexpected accident. The Grey’s Anatomy winter premiere will deal with the fallout of these incidents and will be written by Vernoff and directed by Debbie Allen, who also plays Catherine Avery. The writer-director duo also took on the season 19 premiere, suggesting another new beginning for Grey’s Anatomy. Here’s exactly what Vernoff’s departure could mean.
Vernoff Leaving Marks The End Of An Era For Grey’s Anatomy
With over 400 episodes, Grey’s Anatomy is both ABC’s longest-running scripted series and the longest-running prime-time medical drama in history. There have been many characters who have come and gone and even returned, like Kate Walsh’s Addison. Thus, Grey’s Anatomy can be divided–for the most part–into distinct eras, that usually start and end with a character dying or leaving. For example, T.R. Knight’s George’s death in the season 6 premiere marked the end of an era, and the plane crash in the season 8 finale was another era-ender, while the new intern class arriving in the season 9 premiere represented a new beginning.
A criticism of the later seasons of Grey’s Anatomy has been a lack of distinct eras, with many pointing to endings where the series could have potentially called it quits, such as when Sandra Oh’s Cristina left in season 10 or when Patrick Dempsey’s Derek was killed off in season 11. However, Vernoff’s latest era saw some major changes and will end with the biggest one of all, as Ellen Pompeo’s Meredith is leaving Grey’s Anatomy in the winter premiere. Their joint exit in season 19 will surely mark the end of an era for Grey’s Anatomy, but has set up the beginning of a new one as well.
Krista Vernoff’s History With Grey’s Anatomy & Station 19
Vernoff has been a part of Grey’s Anatomy since season 1. Her first episode, season 1, episode 6, “If Tomorrow Never Comes” is likely remembered for the patient with the record-breaking tumor. One of her season 2 episodes, “Into You Like A Train,” is one of the most iconic Grey’s Anatomy episodes of all time, and earned Vernoff an Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Writing For A Drama Series. She became head writer and showrunner in Grey’s Anatomy season 4, and left following season 7, only to return years later in season 14.
On the other hand, Vernoff was not involved in Station 19 in its earlier days. Stacy McKee had been involved with Grey’s Anatomy since the beginning, and left only to create and oversee Station 19. When McKee departed Station 19 after season 2, Vernoff became showrunner for the spinoff as well, and wrote one of the show’s most notable episodes, season 4, episode 12, “Get Up, Stand Up,” which dealt with the trauma caused by the murder of George Floyd and the reckoning that followed, both within the fire department and the nation as a whole. This means that her departure may have an impact more on Grey’s Anatomy than its spin-off.
Why Season 14 Was A Turning Point For Grey’s Anatomy
Vernoff’s return in season 14 saw both April and Arizona leave, though Grey’s Anatomy may have set up a Japril spinoff, and while Jessica Capshaw has yet to make an appearance since leaving, Sarah Drew’s April has. April and Arizona were two of the longest-running characters on Grey’s Anatomy, so their departure was a huge turning point for the series and highlighted how impactful Vernoff’s involvement could be. Though neither was killed off and got their own happy ending, their leaving as a result of their contracts not being renewed, was a surprise to viewers.
As per usual, the end for some was the beginning for others. For instance, the end of season 14 also saw the return of Kim Raver’s Teddy, which consequently also played a part in ending Amelia and Owen’s marriage. With Vernoff’s appointment causing such a big change in Grey’s Anatomy, it’s reasonable to expect that her exit will do the same, especially with the season 19 tagline being “begin again.”
Krista Vernoff Brought Deeper Connection To Grey’s Anatomy & Station 19
One of the most distinctive changes made to Grey’s Anatomy and Station 19 under Krista Vernoff was one made between the two shows. Like Private Practice before it, Station 19 aired a backdoor pilot in Grey’s Anatomy season 14, episode 13, with the introduction of Jaina Ortiz’s Andy Herrera to the Grey’s Universe. The series were naturally intertwined due to the location of Seattle and Jason Winston George’s Ben Warren, who ushered in the spinoff with his career change as Addison had before him with the Private Practice spinoff.
The different work environments of the series and the many characters in both ensembles meant there wasn’t much crossover in Station 19’s earlier season as it worked to establish itself as a series in its own right. When Vernoff became the showrunner of Station 19, crossovers became more frequent, with her first episode at the helm being a crossover. The season also introduced two crossover couples, Jackson and Vic and Maya and Carina, providing opportunities for characters to crossover even when the episodes didn’t completely. If the strong connection between Station 19 and Grey’s Anatomy were to continue, it would be part of Vernoff’s legacy.
Is This The Beginning Of The End Of Grey’s Anatomy?
Neither Grey’s Anatomy nor Station 19 have announced season renewals yet, though Grey’s Anatomy could end with season 20. On the other hand, in some respects, Station 19 seems to be just getting started, especially considering the longevity of the show it originated from. Grey’s Anatomy has made an effort to start anew with its new intern class, but Meredith leaving marks the end of Grey’s as audiences know it.
Once Pompeo leaves, only Chandra Wilson’s Bailey and James Pickens Jr.’s Richard will remain as original cast members, as everyone else has either steadily left the show or been killed off over the 19 seasons. Whether the show can survive without Meredith Grey has been untested, and Vernoff will have to prove it can during the back half of season 19. The good news for Grey’s Anatomy is that though it has lost a lot of characters, it’s gained just as many, and there are many options for who could replace Meredith as Grey’s Anatomy’s main character.
However, Vernoff seems pretty confident in the show’s durability. In a statement to Deadline, Vernoff said, “The last time I left Grey’s Anatomy, I was gone for seven seasons and the show was still going when Shonda called me to run it. So I’m not saying goodbye … I’m saying ‘See you in seven seasons.’” For now, Grey’s Anatomy will likely undergo some big and necessary changes to hopefully allow the next showrunner to leave their own unique mark on the series just as Vernoff had. This suggests that, despite her absence, Vernoff’s departure doesn’t mean the end for either Station 19 or its predecessor.