McDreamy is back!
On the season 17 premiere of Grey's Anatomy, Patrick Dempsey reprised his role of Dr. Derek Shepard—aka McDreamy—after being killed off in a car accident in season 11. Though it would've been nice to see McDreamy alive and well again, his character didn't come back to life. Instead, he's meeting his wife, Meredith Grey, in dream-like state after she catches COVID-19 and falls unconscious.
"The most important task we had this season was to honor the reality of this global pandemic and the impact it's having—particularly on healthcare workers," showrunner Krista Vernoff explained. "Along with that we had to come up with creative ways to allow our show to still be fun and romantic and provide some escapism. Enter Patrick Dempsey."
"The beach motif—which will continue beyond the premiere - provided a way for us to live outside the pandemic even for a little while here and there," Vernoff continued. "And Derek's return provided pure joy for us, for Meredith, and for the fans."
Executive producers Andy Reaser and Meg Marinis confirmed that Derek Shepard will appear in at least three more episodes this season. Not only that, Reaser and Marinis teased the return of other fan-favorite characters who have left the show. “Wonderful and completely surprising things are absolutely possible,” the pair dished to People.
There is certainly no shortage of departed characters to choose from, either. Ellen Pompeo, who plays Meredith Grey, is the only remaining intern from season one. Since character who have passed on, such as McDreamy, it seems like no former cast member is off limits for a potential cameo this season.
Which former cast member would you like to see cameo on Grey's Anatomy?
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