'Grey's Anatomy' Season 12 News, Spoilers: Ellen Pompeo Says Show Is Doing 'Very, Very Well' Despite Patrick Dempsey's Exit
"Grey's Anatomy" star Ellen Pompeo recently opened up about how the long-running medical drama is faring a year after her former co-star, Patrick Dempsey, who played fan favorite character Dr. Derek Shepard, exited the series.
The departure of Dempsey, who had been Pompeo's on-screen love interest since the show's very first episode, incited the fury of many of the show's fans, who thought that "Grey's Anatomy" would not be the same without the brilliant neurosurgeon.
In a visit to "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" on Monday, April 25, Pompeo commented on the expectation that the series would not do well following Dempsey's exit, telling the host, "It's amazing how much you get done without a penis."
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"We miss him dearly, but yeah, the show is doing very well," she added (via USA Today).
"I think a lot of people were really upset about his departure, which is super understandable, but I think the change is part of the reason the show goes on so long," the actress explained. "People tune in to see, 'What does the show look like now? What is Meredith going to do without Derek?' They get so upset about the change, but change is precisely what everyone always needs to sort of get to the next place."
As for how her on-screen husband's departure affected her own performance on "Grey's," the actress reported that she now feels more challenged and more "invested" in the series. As Pompeo explained to DeGeneres, she has had to work harder to ensure that the show's quality stays up to par with fans' expectations. She also said that she has been "more engaged" in the show than she has been in a long time.
Pompeo also assured "Grey's Anatomy" fans that the show's current season is not its last.
In the next episode of "Grey's Anatomy," titled "You're Gonna Need Someone on Your Side," Stephanie (Jerrika Hinton) grapples with boundaries as Callie (Sara Ramirez) and Arizona (Jessica Capshaw) turn to their friends for comfort and support.
"Grey's Anatomy" airs Thursdays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.
