The Big Picture

Besides being known as the longest running American medical drama, Greys Anatomy is also characterized by the carousel of characters that have come and gone. Its not a surprise at all, with such a large ensemble cast and with the show running for almost 20 years now. A common narrative device courtesy of creator Shonda Rhimes and crew to manage actors behind-the-scenes drama and contract expirations has proven to be controversial but effective: killing them off. One that still hurts and shouldve been handled differently at the time was the death of Chyler Leighs Lexie Grey.

Introduced in the Season 3 finale, Lexie was Merediths (Ellen Pompeo) half-sister. Yes, family twists are also one of Greys Anatomys staples, and Lexie was one of the earliest ones. For five seasons, we got to know who she was, with her eventually becoming a fan-favorite. When Leighs contract expired, she opted out of the show, looking to spend more time with her family. There was no foul play involved, as both her and Rhimes came up with what ultimately became her tragic end. Still, in retrospect, Leighs exit shouldve been executed in a way that wouldve allowed her to reprise her role as Lexie.

A drama centered on the personal and professional lives of five surgical interns and their supervisors.

While Season 8 is considered one of the best of Greys Anatomy, its finale proves to be a bit more divisive. In Flight, half the doctors of Seattle Grace, who were headed to Boise to assist in a surgery, are left stranded in the woods after their plane crashes. A Lost-like sequence reveals how injured everyone is, but the one in the worst place turns out to be Lexie, whose lower body is crushed by plane debris. Mark (Eric Dane), who by this point was totally devoted to Lexie, stays by her side at every moment. The most heartbreaking goodbye takes place as they visualize the life they couldve (and shouldve) had together.

Besides being unexpected, Lexies death was brutal. Seeing her as the crashs first victim turned the episode into a tragic experience. An inconsolable Meredith shows her pain throughout the whole episode, and not even Cristina (Sandra Oh) can sooth it. The devastation is only heightened when Mark succumbs to his internal injuries and also dies in the Season 9 premiere. Making matters abysmally worse, Cristina shares gruesome details when going through a PTSD episode about how the wolves in the woods didnt eat them because they were busy with Lexie.

At first seeming like a mere roadblock in Merediths way to emotional stability, Lexie became so much more and still had more to give. Her healthy upbringing clashes with Merediths darker nature. They eventually make peace and their relationship evolves into a real sisterhood. Lexies dazzling essence also affects Mark in such a way that he decides to leave his womanizer era behind and own up to his actions. By Season 8, their on-again-off-again relationship had finally reached common ground where they could finally plan a stable future together.

Although she humanizes Mark and Meredith, Lexie isnt only a plot device. She becomes her own character by growing personally and professionally. Going through a shooting (in one of the shows best episodes), the consequential PTSD, and her fathers death, end up building her up instead of bringing her down. She matures with the blows life deals her, but still remains the most goodhearted and brightest soul the hospital has seen. Her skills, like her photographic memory, prove extremely useful and earn her a promotion as a surgical resident. Those were just the early steps to seeing her grow and thrive as a surgeon. Had Lexie survived, it wouldve been totally understandable to have her leave Seattle Grace following Marks death and the door would still be open for future appearances.

Okay, yes, Lexie already returned during Season 17, while Meredith was in her middle ground between life and death. She gives one of the strongest pieces of advice when she reminds her that even with a global pandemic raging on life is worth celebrating. This is one of the greatest encores we get to see at Merediths beach, but it is still only a ghostly apparition fueled by Merediths state of mind while battling COVID. Had Lexie been alive, her returning to Seattle to look after Meredith and her recovery wouldve caused a greater impact.

Leighs reasons for exiting the show are totally understandable, but killing off Lexie removed any opportunity of having her back in the mix. Teddy (Kim Raver), Addison (Kate Walsh), and Jackson (Jesse Williams) are just some of the characters that have left the show, but have been intertwined with the story in later seasons, with their returns being earned and heartfelt. Ravers Teddy even became a series regular again after an absence of six seasons (and has perhaps overstayed her welcome). Lexie deserved an encore of this kind. With Pompeo stepping down from starring in the show, Zolas (Aniela Gumbs) education has been sped-up to apparently fit her in as some type of Doogie Howser who can still carry the Grey name. In a what-if situation, having Lexie return wouldve been the best way to sort out the fact that the show is still named Greys Anatomy.

More than a show, Greys Anatomy quickly became a rollercoaster of emotions. Each season finale turned into a whole event which had the burden of delivering something more impactful and emotional than the previous season while also making creative choices that fit with its actors decisions. Since Lexie had already cemented herself as one of Greys Anatomys essentials, her death made sense as a blow that would cripple the fanbase but would also keep the show in everyones minds. And it worked. Here we are 12 years later talking about the twist! With the show gearing up to start its 20th season on March 14, its clear the killing-off-beloved-characters formula is going nowhere. Well just have to wait and see whos next, hoping our hearts wont be torn apart once more.

All seasons of Grey's Anatomy are now available to stream on Netflix in the U.S.

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Read more from the original source:
'Grey's Anatomy' Never Should've Killed Off Lexie - Collider