‘Grey’s Anatomy’ season 11: When will Patrick Dempsey’s exit be truly felt?

It’s always hard to lose a beloved character from a show, but it is far to say that losing someone is a little different when they are Patrick Dempsey, and they have been a part of a landmark show like “Grey’s Anatomy” since the very beginning. That is more than a decade’s worth of new episodes! He appeared in close to 250 episodes of the show, obviously changed the life of Meredith Grey, and his character Derek Shepherd died in a way that is probably still making some longtime fans sob. Yes, we are well aware of the fact that this is just a TV show, but fiction still makes an inescapable impact on the lives of many. It inspires them in many ways, or causes them to see something different in themselves.

While there may have been anger and outrage at the end of this past episode, there was most definitely ratings. The show featuring Derek’s death drew the series’ highest ratings since the premiere, and those numbers could soar with the two-hour episode airing next week.

What you have to wonder now is this: Will there be a coming-down period for the show where many of these people will tune out? It’s possible that it will happen, but our guess is that it will not be for at least a little while. We’d say to be on the lookout for the ratings in season 12. We cannot imagine a steep decline in numbers at this point, since many will likely choose to follow through until the finale.

The largest struggle for the show moving forward is ultimately simple: How Meredith moves forward, and if there is a way to turn her story around so that there is still a happy ending in the end. She’s lost her sister, her mother, and now her husband. She has her children, but her life has been one tragedy after the next.

Vote in the poll below to tell us whether or not you will keep watching the show. If you do want to see any other coverage related to “Grey’s Anatomy,” be sure to head over to the link here. Also, be sure to sign up now to get a further dosage of all things TV via our CarterMatt Newsletter. (Photo: ABC.)