Grey's Anatomy Season 18 just premiered last month, but there are already speculations that this could be the final run for the hit ABC medical drama.
One of the reasons is lead star Ellen Pompeo's contract that is up at the end of Season 18.
ABC has not made an official announcement yet regarding the fate of Grey's Anatomy, but Pompeo seems to have everything planned out after the show goes off the air.
During a recent interview with Audacy's Dax Holt, Pompeo said that TV stars are no longer pigeonholed to appear solely on television shows due to the advent of streaming platforms.
But even if this is the case, Pompeo doesn't see herself acting for the big screen anytime soon.
"Before, being on a network for so long, you'd literally be doomed. That definitely is not the case anymore so I probably wouldn't do movies per se, but I probably will do some streaming television," the source said.
Pompeo is also developing a project under her production company, Calamity Jane. However, only time will tell if the project will be picked up by a TV network or a streaming platform.
Earlier this year, Deadline reported that Pompeo's production company is producing the black comedy Deeds starring Kristin Davis.
Other than this, Pompeo has also branched out into podcasting with her program Tell Me With Ellen Pompeo. The podcast premiered last month.
"I'm just trying to play in some different areas and do a few new things but I'm sure I'll act again," she said.
The actress's recent updates regarding her work post-Grey's Anatomy may very well hint at the future of the hit ABC series.
Is Grey's Anatomy Ending After Season 18?
Even though series creator Shonda Rhimes has not made an official announcement regarding Grey's Anatomy ending after Season 18, there seem to be some obvious clues that this could be the show's final season.
In 2016, Pompeo admitted that she regularly thinks about the end of Grey's Anatomy.
"I think about it a lot. And I can't really talk about my future plans, but yes, Shonda and I talk about it. We feel like we're in this together, and I think we don't want to do the show without each other. I think when either of us is ready when we feel like it's time to wrap it up [we will]. When she feels like it's time to wrap it up, I'm happy to, and if I were to feel that way, she would probably be OK too. We have a good relationship in that way, and hopefully, it's a decision we'll come to together," she told Cosmopolitan.
Grey's AnatomySeason 18 Clues That Hint At Show's End
In the recent episode of Grey's Anatomy Season 18, Meredith (Pompeo) reunited with Nick (Scott Speedman) at a bar.
In Grey's Anatomy Season 1, Meredith also met the love of her life, Derek (Patrick Dempsey), at a bar.
This seems to be an Easter egg that's been set up to slowly psyche the fans that Grey's Anatomy is ending after Season 18.
Since Meredith has not had much luck in love, audiences will agree that Grey's Anatomy should end with Meredith settling down with someone as good as her ex-husband.
Other than this, Dr. Hamilton (Patrick Gallagher) offered Meredith the rare opportunity to find a cure for Parkinson's.
Even though Meredith refused to leave Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital, this opportunity paves the way for her to take on other jobs eventually.
And when Meredith decides to take on a more prominent role alongside Dr. Hamilton eventually, this could mean that she will leave the hospital for good and Grey's Anatomy will end.
Fans of Grey's Anatomy who tuned in to the series since Season 1 Episode 1 must have felt nostalgic watching Grey's Anatomy Season 18.
After all, the recent episodes seem to be oddly similar to the first few installments from the hit ABC series.
In Grey's Anatomy Season 18 Episode 2, Dr. Webber (James Pickens Jr.) started training the residents again after an entire year of not being able to perfect their practice due to COVID-19.
Grey's Anatomy Season 1 saw Bailey (Chandra Wilson) training Meredith and the original characters from the series until they became the best of the best.
Of course, the return of some original cast members also serves as a wonderful ending to the show.
Since a lot of fans missed Derek, Sloan (Eric Dane), George (T.R. Knight), and Lexie (Chyler Leigh), Rhimes decided to feature them in Grey's Anatomy Season 17.
Their return gave fans the closure that they were asking for after all these years.
And if Rhimes will be able to bring back Sandra Oh and Katherine Heigl, then this could mean that Grey's Anatomy is ending after Season 18. After all, they are the only two original cast members who have not returned to the series since they exited years ago.
Check back for more updates, spoilers, predictions, and more from Grey's Anatomy Season 18 here at EpicStream!
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