If it’s December, it’s time for Ellen Pompeo’s annual annoying– and insulting– “Grey’s Anatomy” contract negotiation.
Pompeo kicks it up every year around this time: either she’s leaving “Grey’s” or the show itself should end. She doesn’t care about all the people the show employs or the remaining fans who enjoy other characters.
Indeed, last year Pompeo’s Meredith spent the entire year in a COVID coma, entertaining dead friends at the beach while all the other medical personnel characters saved lives or cared for her. She lay in bed dreaming about more money and perks.
Now Pompeo is back at it. This week, promoting her line of over the counter generic drugs, Pompeo told an interviewer she was trying to convince Shondaland, the producer, and others that the show should end. (I don’t disagree with her, I can’t believe it lasted this long.)
But here’s an idea for Pompeo, Shondaland, and ABC: Let Meredith leave. Let her go somewhere else. They have plenty of characters. Bring back Patrick Dempsey as McDreamy’s twin brother. Bring back Katherine Heigl and Sandra Oh. Once Pompeo and her huge salary — reportedly $575,000 an episode — are gone, there will be plenty of money to spread around.
You know that the network and producers would like to get two more seasons out of “Grey’s” to make a neat 20. Right now they’re at 18. Pompeo is probably asking for $750k per show, which is ridiculous since the ratings are now consistently under 4 million viewers a week.
But really, this annual campaign is insulting to the audience, the fans, her co-workers, and to media who report it like it’s new every year. Let Pompeo go off to make faux Tylenol or whatever her company does. She’s never won an Emmy Award, and never had outside projects to prove her worth as an actress apart from playing Meredith Grey. Let’s give her the opportunity to spread her wings, and not bring up this subject every again.
PS I always liked Chandra Wilson’s Dr. Bailey. She’s still there. Change the name to Bailey’s Anatomy.
