Grey’s Anatomy season 20: Ellen Pompeo jokes about success

We’ve made it to the halfway point now in Grey’s Anatomy season 20 and based on what we’ve seen so far this year, there’s a lot of craziness still ahead.

So how has the show made it so long, especially when the bulk of even successful shows only last seven or eight years? It’s hard to have a specific explanation for it, but here is what Ellen Pompeo herself said (in jest) to People Magazine:

“[Creator] Shonda Rhimes is a great writer. Second, Taylor Swift named her cat after Meredith Grey! Just kidding. It is because of our awesome fans.”

A big part of the success is just due to the amount of personal attachment fans had to Meredith from the very beginning and even though Pompeo is not around in every episode anymore, it matters a lot that she still turns up! There is just so much nostalgia and comfort that comes from these characters and the hospital at large.

Also, we do think it’s helpful that while Grey’s Anatomy is serialized at times, it also is accessible enough that even if you’ve missed a few seasons, you can come back without feeling lost. It’s a complicated equation as to how we got here, but kudos to the producers for staying pretty consistent — even though Rhimes has not been the day-to-day showrunner here for a long time, her successors have found a great way to capture a lot of what people really like about both the characters and the show’s tone.

Grey’s Anatomy has already been renewed for a season 21, so you don’t have to worry about that! Per all indications, the plan is for it premiere at some point in the fall — pending some sort of last-minute changeup or surprise.

Related – Get even more news now entering the next Grey’s Anatomy episode, airing in early May

What do you most want to see the rest of the way on Grey’s Anatomy season 20?

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