Last night, Grey’s Anatomy delivered the ultimate shocking character death–after 11 years on the show, Dr. Derek Shepherd was killed in a car accident.
Fans are…hurt.
Because of their cute i will not see your show. Needed to kill Derek Shepherd? #disappointed You do not bring hope.You destroy @shondarhimes
— Esllie Sessa (@Esllie) April 24, 2015
@shondarhimes WHY DID YOU DO THAT !!!! #GreysAnatomy #DerekShepherd #NeverForget
— Manon Delort (@ManonDelort1) April 24, 2015
I cant MerDer was suppose to be forever. They were going to grow old together. I cant #GreysAnatomy #DerekShepherd pic.twitter.com/jJfiUp2TdK
— Angely Jandres (@Jandres_XVIII) April 24, 2015
@shondarhimes I hate you, I'm boycotting all your shows (jk) but I hate you for real #GreysAnatomy #DerekShepherd
— DINA (@dina_shaikh) April 24, 2015
god didn't die for shonda rhimes to kill off derek shepherd on greys anatomy
— arie (@starbucksjen) April 24, 2015
believe me shonda rhimes, i will never forget the day you took derek shepherd away from me
— Kanami (@Kazza169) April 24, 2015
And they had an excellent suggestion for the best way to honor his memory.
@taylorswift13 Taylor get another cat and name him Derek shepherd
— sad bc derek đ (@boydscrowder) April 24, 2015
Meanwhile Joss Whedon fans are like, “Yeah. Welcome to our lives.”
Why shonda,why. This is emotional pain on levels with doomsday. #DoctorWho #GreysAnatomy
— Lauren (@Laurenwelshh) April 24, 2015
But should people have been as surprised as they were? Just a few days ago, we heard rumblings that Patrick Dempsey’s diva-esque behavior was getting him canned from the show. And A Shonda Rhimes firing does not go quietly into that good night. When Shonda fires you, it’s not about packing up your Post-its and desk plant–she goes big. The surprising thing is we didn’t realize his attitude would get him fired this week.
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Dempsey addressed the whole “um, didn’t you just sign a two-year contract, bro?” thing:
Yes. youâre right. (He pauses) It just sort of evolved. Itâs just kind of happened. It really was something that was kind of surprising that unfolded, and it just naturally came to be. Which was pretty good. I like the way it has all played out.
Mostly he was still processing the big ending, but he did get super teared up when discussing Ellen Pompeo.
(For the first time in the interview, Dempsey tears up. He pauses before speaking.) It was magic. Itâs beautiful. Weâre like a married couple. Itâs 10 years, and it was magic from the beginning. Chemistry right away.
Meanwhile, Shonda Rhimes released her own statement:
âDerek Shepherd is and will always be an incredibly important characterâfor Meredith, for me and for the fans. I absolutely never imagined saying goodbye to our âMcDreamy.â Patrick Dempseyâs performance shaped Derek in a way that I know we both hope became a meaningful exampleâhappy, sad, romantic, painful and always trueâof what young women should demand from modern love. His loss will be felt by all. Now, Meredith and the entire Greyâs Anatomy family are about to enter uncharted territory as we head into this new chapter of her life. The possibilities for what may come are endless. As Ellis Grey would say: the carousel never stops turning.â
RIP Derek. And RIP Derek and Meredith.