Grey’s Anatomy season 16: Katherine Heigl ambivalent on a return

Let’s face it — however long Grey’s Anatomy is on the air, there will be a conversation about whether or not Katherine Heigl will return to it. That’s just a part of the DNA of the series’ history and also those who report on it. Izzie was such an important part of early seasons of the show and because her exit was so tumultuous, there are a lot of people who think that a return would offer up a way in which to calm down the storm.

At a certain point, though, we think that you get so far away from the storm that it really doesn’t matter anymore. There was a time when Heigl’s exit was one of the biggest stories around Grey’s Anatomy but it no longer is. It’s probably not even one of the first few things that come to mind. There may be some old-school fans who still want an update, but Alex has moved on and we think that the show’s addressed Izzie enough in its own way since her departure. Is there really a need? That’s one way to think about the question. Another is whether or not executive producer Shonda Rhimes would even want her back; in the past, she’s had very little interest in Izzie making a return. (Rhimes is no longer the primary showrunner, but her stance remains the same.)

There’s also this other wrinkle in a possible Izzie comeback — Katherine Heigl herself doesn’t seem altogether enthused about the idea. While she doesn’t shut it down completely, she does suggest to Entertainment Tonight that there may not be any value in the story idea at this point:

“I haven’t [thought about Izzie] in years. I don’t know. I don’t know if I would or if I wouldn’t … I almost feel like that would almost be distracting again to, sort of, what they’ve done with that show in the seven years since I left… and what that’s become and what it is to the fans now.

“It must feel like it would just be kind of like, ‘Yeah, we already let that go… why are you here?'”

Want some more Grey’s Anatomy video discussion? Then check out our take on the series’ long-term viability below! Once you do that, remember to subscribe to CarterMatt on YouTube and also take a look at our series playlist.

Grey’s Anatomy has moved on from Heigl, and so has Katherine as a performer. She’s got a chance to be on the show now as Samantha Wheeler and, after that, she’s got another project lined up at Netflix.

Do you think a Katherine Heigl – Grey’s Anatomy return will ever happen?

Be sure to share in the comments, and remember to come back soon for some other discussion on the show. (Photo: ABC.)