Dr. Jackson Avery Return Stirs Drama as Meredith Grey Exit Looms in Grey's Anatomy Season 22
- hace 22 horas
- 7 Min. de lectura
Grey's Anatomy has carved out an enduring legacy as one of television’s longest-running medical dramas, maintaining a remarkable emotional and intellectual impact on people all over the globe since its 2005 premiere. Part of the show's dynamic identity lies in the steady turnover of its central cast, leading to frequent returns and departures that keep the character dynamics fresh. The 22nd season recently brought fans a pivotal episode, "Goodbye Horses," which featured the highly anticipated return of a fan-favorite doctor, only to coincide with the temporary departure of the titular character.
This event crystallized the ongoing shift in the series, blending nostalgia with new challenges as Dr. Jackson Avery (Jesse Williams) came back to Seattle, sparking a significant conflict with Dr. Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo) that ultimately propelled her back to Boston. This dramatic episode served as a sharp reminder of the show's complex history and the ever-changing landscape of Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital.
The Triumphant Return of Dr. Jackson Avery
Fan-favorite character Dr. Jackson Avery returned to Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital in Season 22, Episode 4. Jackson, who originally moved to Boston during Season 17, visited Dr. Meredith Grey, with the upcoming episode's promo featuring a frustrated Jackson speaking to Meredith about researching Alzheimer’s Disease.
Jesse Williams initially joined the cast of Grey’s Anatomy in 2009 during the show's sixth season and remained a series regular until the Season 17 finale. Since his departure, he has made periodic guest appearances, including in Season 18, Episode 20, Season 19, Episode 5, and Season 21, Episode 1.
Williams had previously hinted that a Grey’s Anatomy comeback was "in the realm of possibility," noting, “It’s possible…Anything is possible”. However, he emphasized that his immediate priority was the launch of his new Amazon Prime series, Hotel Costiera, where he serves as an executive producer and stars as the character De Luca. Despite his new focus, Williams remains aware of the medical drama's massive appeal, noting that while filming Hotel Costiera in Italy, he encountered fans for whom Grey's is a "monstrosity". He shared that everywhere he travels, people have been moved by the show, with fans ranging from 12-year-olds to 72-year-olds who cycle through watching it multiple times.
Williams' Ongoing Impact and Future Focus
Williams expressed immense pride in his tenure on the show, sharing that the experience of creating nearly 300 hours of leading global television is a "gift" he will always carry. He is proud of the work and the impact they created, and is moving forward with many "tools, opportunities, allies and dear friends" gained from his time on the show. His willingness to guest star, even while prioritizing new ventures, confirms the lasting connection many actors maintain with the ABC medical drama.
A Clash Over Research: Meredith and Jackson's Tense Reunion
Jackson Avery's return was anything but friendly; the moment he and Meredith crossed paths, they "butt heads" over controversial Alzheimer’s experiments. The subject of their dispute was a published report by Tom Koracick, a former Grey Sloan Memorial surgeon. Meredith confronted Jackson because Koracick's research, concerning Alzheimer’s findings, only utilized male mice. She pointed out that she performed the same experiment with female mice and found no decrease in Alzheimer's when given antibiotics. Since Koracick had gone public with the findings, Meredith feared people would falsely assume the results applied to all mice.
Jackson, however, was initially uninterested in investigating the issue further, urging Meredith, "Don't start with me please". He quickly turned the critique back on her, accusing her of not "publishing anything" during her extended time back in Seattle and pointedly calling out her lab as "completely unused". He suggested that instead of "hiding out here all summer," Meredith should be actively working to figure out the discrepancy.
The tension escalated during a dual surgery they performed on a cancer survivor. They bickered over how to proceed, leading Jackson to make a "childish move" by telling her, "You made your point. Too bad you can't publish that," further exacerbating their disagreement.
Meredith Grey’s Continuing Seattle Exit
Despite the intense friction, Jackson eventually apologized to Meredith for his poor behavior. After witnessing the happiness of their patient, Jackson admitted that Meredith was right. Crucially, he then offered her a ride back to Boston, an offer Meredith accepted. Richard Webber, however, was not surprised by this outcome, noting that he started reassigning her planned surgeries the minute he read Koracick’s report, knowing she would be "driven back to the lab". This episode confirmed that Meredith is once again headed back to Boston.
Meredith Grey, played by Ellen Pompeo, made the decision to step down as a series regular in 2023, choosing to focus on new passions because she needed to "mix it up a little bit". She compared staying too long to doing "The New York Times crossword puzzle every single day," indicating a desire for mental change. Even though Pompeo is no longer a full-time fixture, she remains integral to the procedural as an executive producer and continues to record voiceovers for all the episodes.
The Future of Mer at Grey Sloan
The extent of Meredith's time away from Grey Sloan is currently unclear. However, showrunner Meg Marinis sounded optimistic about her continued involvement in the series moving forward. Marinis stated that Meredith is "definitely splitting her time between Boston and Seattle" and expressed hope that fans would get to see her in Seattle more frequently. The goal is to see her more often in the O.R. and interacting with other characters, with Marinis noting, "The more we get Ellen, the happier I am".
The Legacy of Departures: Where Are the Original Grey Sloan Doctors Now?
The departure of Meredith, even if temporary, continues a long tradition of major character shifts that have defined Grey's Anatomy. Many fan favorites have left Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital for various reasons—from career advancements to tragic deaths.
Dr. Cristina Yang (Sandra Oh), for example, left in Season 10 after her former love, Preston Burke, invited her to Zurich to run the cutting-edge hospital he had opened so he could retire. Similarly, Dr. Addison Montgomery (Kate Walsh) left to star in her own spin-off, Private Practice, before returning for arcs in later seasons.
More tragically, the hospital has lost key figures like Dr. Derek Shepherd (Patrick Dempsey), who died in Season 11 after being hit by a truck following a massive car accident he had helped manage. Derek returned in Season 17 during Meredith’s COVID-19 coma. Dr. George O'Malley (T.R. Knight), another major loss, died at the end of Season 5 after heroically saving a woman from a bus, only to be hit himself. George also returned to meet Meredith during her coma.
Other high-profile exits include Dr. Izzie Stevens (Katherine Heigl), who left after getting cancer, and later we learned she had Alex's twins and became a surgical oncologist on a Kansas ranch. Dr. Callie Torres (Sara Ramirez) departed Grey Sloan in Season 12 when her girlfriend Penny received a fellowship in New York. These departures illustrate the high emotional stakes of the show, but also the real-world choices actors make, such as Pompeo's decision to leave the starring role to pursue new passions.
New Drama and Developing Relationships
Beyond Meredith’s immediate orbit, Season 22, Episode 4 featured several other developing storylines. The episode confirmed Amelia was on sabbatical. Meanwhile, new residents faced their own challenges:
Lucas asked Dr. Bailey if he could remain on Katie's cancer care team, showing a deep connection to the patient. Bailey also encouraged Ben to pursue his interest in plastics, suggesting he take on three more years of residency. Simone and Jules addressed their housing situation after Jules explained that her multiple loud alarm clocks would drive roommates crazy, opting not to move in together to protect their friendship. Kwan, attempting to make up for a poor first impression, pretended to have food poisoning, allowing plastics fellow Kavita to take his place in Avery's surgery, which helped him gain favor with both Kavita and Avery’s "plastics posse".
In terms of seasoned relationships, Owen apologized to Link for lashing out, realizing Link was one of the few people asking about him lately. Owen then encountered Nora, who offered condolences for his split from Teddy; Owen invited Nora to talk over dinner, seeking a fresh start. Teddy, for her part, apologized to Cass for making their relationship seem confined to the bedroom, explaining that she feels a loss of control in her life and seeks safety in those moments. Cass suggested that making their relationship more public might actually give Teddy a stronger sense of control, an idea she accepted.
🔖 Key Takeaways
The latest episode of Grey's Anatomy Season 22 reaffirmed the show’s reliance on dramatic character shifts to sustain its narrative depth.
🗝️ Jackson Avery Return Confirmed: Dr. Jackson Avery (Jesse Williams) returned as a guest star for Season 22, Episode 4, fulfilling Williams’ previous assertion that a comeback was possible.
🗝️ Meredith's Research Conflict: Jackson and Meredith immediately clashed over misleading Alzheimer’s research published by Tom Koracick, with Meredith criticizing the study for only testing male mice.
🗝️ Meredith's Partial Exit: Following the heated interaction, Meredith accepted Jackson's offer to return to Boston to focus on her research, continuing her pattern of splitting time between Seattle and the East Coast after stepping down as a series regular.
🗝️ Legacy and Longevity: The episode, like the updates on many former cast members (e.g., Derek, Cristina, Izzie, George), underscores Grey’s Anatomy’s long-lasting global impact and its capacity to bring back beloved characters periodically to influence the current storyline.
🌐 External sources
Keywords: Jackson Avery Return
Jackson Avery Return
