Ellen Pompeo defends Grey's Anatomy's Alex Karev exit amid backlash

TVLine

It seems like every Grey's fan is upset with the handling of Justin Chambers' character's exit last night. Yet Pompeo posted on Instagram this morning -- accompanied by a video of their time on the show together -- that Alex Karev had "the best possible storyline." "Thanks to our national treasure @therealdebbieallen and the writers for giving Alex Karev the best send off," she wrote. "Thanks to @shondarhimes for creating the most amazing character. For me personally for Karev to go back to the beginning.... was the best possible storyline. It pays homage to those incredible first years and the incredible cast ...that created a foundation so strong that the show is still standing. So let’s not be sad."

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• Give Grey's Anatomy credit for taking a big swing and avoiding a tidy ending for Alex Karev: "With (Justin) Chambers unavailable to be seen, only heard, EP Krista Vernoff & Co. could’ve written a neat and tidy resolution to Karev’s storyline that dropped him in a pine box with his halo still intact," says Charlie Mason. "Instead, the show took a bigger swing, giving the beloved character a happy ending that was as messy and complicated as life itself." Mason adds: "For me, Alex isn’t ruined at all. He remains what he’s always been: perfectly imperfect. In other words, human. And while I’m certainly sorry to see him go, I appreciate the daring way that Grey’s chose to have him leave."
• After 15 years on the air, you would think that Grey’s Anatomy would be better at writing off long-term characters
• Grey's hits a six-week high with Alex Karev farewell