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'Grey's Anatomy' showrunner says it wasn't easy to write off Alex Karev

Fans had mixed reactions to Justin Chambers' goodbye.
March 6, 2020 11:04 a.m. EST
March 11, 2020 12:00 a.m. EST
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Alex Karev may have written that he’s finally exactly where he should be, but not all fans agree. On Thursday night, the question of how Grey’s Anatomy (Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET on CTV) was going to say goodbye to one of the few remaining original cast members after Justin Chambers abruptly left the show in January was answered. As showrunner Krista Vernoff explained in a statement about this week’s episode, it’s never easy to say goodbye.Vernoff released a statement shortly after Thursday’s episode aired, writing “It is nearly impossible to say goodbye to Alex Karev. That is as true for me and for all of the writers at Grey’s Anatomy as it is for the fans. We have loved writing Alex. And we have loved watching Justin Chambers’ nuanced portrayal of him. For 16 seasons, 16 years, we have grown up alongside Alex Karev. We have been frustrated by his limitations and we have been inspired by his growth and we have come to love him deeply and to think of him as one of our very best friends. We will miss him terribly. And we will always be grateful for his impact, on our show, on our hearts, on our fans, on the world."Chambers announced in January that he would be leaving Grey’s Anatomy effective immediately. The actor, who played Dr. Alex Karev for all 16 seasons of Grey’s Anatomy, said that his departure was in order to diversify his career and acting experiences, but reports later surfaced that Chambers had checked into a facility to seek treatment for stress and depression. Chamber’s exit leaves show lead Ellen Pompeo as the only remaining original intern still on the show. On Thursday’s episode, Alex said his goodbye with letters to Pompeo’s Meredith, as well as Alex’s wife Jo (Camila Luddington), Richard (James Pickens Jr.) and Miranda (Chandra Wilson), who along with Pompeo are the only original cast members remaining.
Chambers’ sudden exit made it difficult for Grey’s writers to give the character a send-off that would help the reformed ‘evil spawn’ keep his hard-earned status as a good guy. Chambers had already filmed his final episode when he announced he was leaving the show. His character’s absence in recent episodes was explained with the storyline that Alex was visiting his sick mother. As it became clear to the other characters that Alex was not with his mother, the true reason for his absence was revealed on Thursday through a voice over provided by Chambers.Fans learned on Thursday night that Alex reached out to ex-wife Izzie Stephens to help with Meredith’s trial, which took place in the November 14 episode that marked Chambers’ final appearance. The pediatric surgeon found out Izzie had used his sperm and her embryos to have twins, who are now five. In an effort to give his children the idyllic childhood he never had, Alex said that he was leaving Seattle and his wife Jo to reunite with Izzie and raise their children together on a farm in Kansas. Killing off Chamber’s character would have been a less painful ending for Jo and a way to preserve the likability of Alex Karev, but it also would have been an easier ending and one that wouldn’t allow for Chambers' return to the show in the future. As with any major character exit, fan reactions were mixed after Thursday’s episode. There were those who appreciated seeing their #EndGame couple of Alex and Izzie together once more. And there were those who wanted #JusticeForJo. But one thing most fans can agree on is that we’ll miss Alex Karev. Watch new episodes of Grey’s Anatomy every Thursday at 9 p.m. ET on CTV and catch up online anytime at CTV.ca.[video_embed id='1915557']RELATED: Grab your tissues, 'Grey's Anatomy' is officially saying goodbye to Dr. Alex Karev[/video_embed]

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