TV shows can become addicting. You become attached to the characters, and feel as if you are feeling all the feelings right next to them. So when some of your favorite characters die, or decide to leave the show (why would they ever do that???), the emotion is real.
For one of my favorite shows, "Grey’s Anatomy," this emotion is prominent in almost every episode. Here are my rankings of the top 9 characters that have left the show, in order of who was the hardest goodbye.
9. Preston Burke
Preston Burke breaks Cristina Yang’s heart. While the way he leaves portrays him as a bad guy, he will be missed. Burke really pushed Cristina in her career, and she would not be the same if she had not met him.
8. Reed Adamson and Charles Percy
While these were new characters on the show, the way they died was very impactful. There was a shooting at the hospital, and both of these characters were unfortunately involved. The whole staff is rocked by this event and shows that these deaths will not be forgotten.
7. Izzie Stevens
After Denny Duquette’s death, it is all downhill for Izzie. She does not care about medicine anymore and decides to quit. Once she realizes that she still wants to pursue a career, she is diagnosed with cancer. She fights through, but everything ends up crashing down on her and she leaves Seattle for good.
6. George O’Malley
George always seemed like an afterthought type of character. He is involved, but definitely not a Meredith or Derek on the show. However, George’s death is pretty dramatic, when he saves a random stranger from getting hit by a bus.
5. Callie Torres
Callie is a true character on the show. From being in love with George to realizing that she actually is in love with Arizona, to having Mark’s baby, there’s never a dull moment in Callie’s life. It was unfortunate the way that Callie and Arizona grew apart in their marriage. However, Callie leaving with Penny to New York was probably best for the character.
4. Lexie Grey
Lexie’s death in the plane crash is definitely one of the hardest goodbyes ever. She was so full of life and was constantly on top of her game with her photographic memory. Even though her and Meredith’s relationship started off rocky, they love each other by the time they embrace the plane crash together.
3. Mark Sloan
Mark’s death follows Lexie’s, and they go hand in hand. After Mark gives this speech to Lexie about having a long life together, he is in critical condition in the hospital. Even though he showed slight improvement, it was only right for him to be with Lexie. McSteamy will be missed.
2. Cristina Yang
The duo of Cristina and Meredith is broken up when Cristina decides to leave and take a job (from her ex-fiance Preston) in Zurich. However, Cristina isn’t about to leave her person without dancing it out one last time. This leaves only two out of the original five interns left, Meredith Grey and Alex Karev.
1. Derek Shepherd
Obviously, the top of the list is Derek Shepherd. Derek has an off and on relationship throughout the whole show with Meredith Grey, and the fact that he is killed off is heartbreaking. Meredith and Derek are supposed to grow old and senile together like the PostIt says. How can the show go on without McDreamy?
