‘Grey’s Anatomy’ season 11, episode 21 reaction: Shonda Rhimes on Derek Shepherd decision

While we are sure that the events of tonight’s “Grey’s Anatomy” episode were in many ways collaborative, we would be kidding ourselves rigorously if we did not think that it all ultimately came down to Shonda Rhimes and what she decided to do. It has not come out yet what went into the decision to kill off Derek, which could have been financial (a move to save the show money), creative, or something that Patrick Dempsey wanted to see happen so that he could focus on racing and some other projects.

What we do know at the moment is that Derek is gone, and the rest of the season will likely be all about seeing how the rest of the characters move forward. Obviously Rhimes understands the emotion that goes into such a move (she has been there before with “Flight”), and in a statement per People Magazine, she discussed some of what went into this episode and, at least to us, insinuated that this was not her original plan for the character:

“Derek Shepherd is and will always be an incredibly important character – for Meredith, for me and for the fans. I absolutely never imagined saying goodbye to our ‘Mcdreamy.’ Patrick Dempsey’s performance shaped Derek in a way that I know we both hope became a meaningful example – happy, sad, romantic, painful and always true – of what young women should demand from modern love.

“His loss will be felt by all. Now, Meredith and the entire Grey’s Anatomy family are about to enter uncharted territory as we head into this new chapter of her life. The possibilities for what may come are endless. As Ellis Grey would say … the carousel never stops turning.”

We’ll likely have a better idea of what to expect with the show after next week’s “She’s Leaving Home” (watch a promo here), which will feature the funeral for Derek and some more insight into how Meredith, and the other doctors, are going to handle this.

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Update: A new statement from ABC has confirmed that it was Dempsey’s decision to move on from the show, even though he was under contract still for another season.