All good things must come to an end, but if we had anything to say about it, Grey's Anatomy wouldn't be one of those good things.
15 seasons in and we're still fully on board, living in constant fear that Ellen Pompeo and Shonda Rhimes will suddenly decide they're tired of the hospital. Lucky for us, an ending doesn't seem to be in the show's immediate future, but that doesn't mean we won't keep asking, just to make sure we don't have to start preparing ourselves just yet.
After all, we've got a whole new romance with DeLuca to explore, and more surgery records to break, and a whole bunch of drama going on throughout the hospital as usual. Plus, the show itself is breaking records. With the February 28 episode, Grey's officially becomes the longest-running medical drama on TV, beating ER's record 331 episodes, and we personally wouldn't mind seeing it become the longest-running drama of any kind. Currently that record is held by Gunsmoke at 20 seasons. Grey's could get there!
It probably won't, but we can dream, can't we?
E! News caught up with Pompeo on February 21 at at the Sergio Tacchini pop up shop she hosted along with husband Chris Ivery, and she reiterated a few of the most important elements of the potential end of Grey's.
First, this season is probably not the end: "I'm contracted for season 16, if we get the pickup for season 16. We have not been picked up yet for season 16...I don't like to assume anything."
Second, Pompeo wants to branch out, but she is getting to do that on Grey's: "I'm definitely starting to branch out and do other things with my time...I'm definitely itchy to try some other things," but "we're having a great time. I'm enjoying feeling my success and this road that I've traveled, which isn't a typical one for an actor. Most actors would have peeled out by now...I never expected to be in this position on this show. I get to call a lot of shots, I have a lot of say."
Third, the show will end when Shonda and Ellen want it to end: "I think Shonda has said publicly that we'll decide collectively when to wrap it up, and we'll end the show together. I don't think she has any plans to continue the show without me, or any of the originals for that matter...but who knows, it's Hollywood. They can kick you out any time they want...but I think she has said publicly that we'd like to end this together, and her and I and the other three originals that are on the show—Jim Pickens, Chandra Wilson, and Justin Chambers—I think we'd like to sort of finish this together."
See below for everything else we know about the potential end of Grey's Anatomy.
We sure as hell won't be ready whenever Grey's Anatomy ends, but we'd also trust Ellen Pompeo with our life, so we'll trust her with this decision too.
Grey's Anatomy airs Thursdays at 8 p.m. on ABC.
For more from Pompeo, watch the video above!