‘Grey’s Anatomy’: How Meredith Bid Farewell To Seattle Amid Headache & Hope And Set Up Series’ Future

deadline.com:

SPOILER ALERT: The story includes details about the Feb. 23 midseason premiere of Grey’s Anatomy. On March 27, 2005 Grey’s Anatomy launched on ABC with its pilot episode, which chronicled Meredith Grey’s (Ellen Pompeo) first day at Seattle Grace as a new surgical intern.

Almost 18 years later, tonight’s episode of the ABC medical drama followed Meredith’s last day at the hospital, now named Grey Sloan Memorial, where she has been overseeing the new group of interns.

Titled “I’ll Follow the Sun,” the episode, written by outgoing Grey’s Anatomy executive producer/showrunner Krista Vernoff and directed by the series’ executive producer/director Debbie Allen, marked Pompeo’s last as a full-time cast member as she is leaving to do a Hulu limited series and other projects — but will return for the Season 19 finale and could appear beyond that if the show is renewed for Season 20, something which is fully expected, as Deadline reported.

Meredith’s last day in Seattle featured a heartwarming moment when Maggie and Winston performed successfully a first-of-its-kind risky partial heart transplant surgery on a newborn baby, and the surgical staff later gathered together to see Meredith off with a toast and heartfelt speeches.