Millions of people were devastated when Shonda Rhimes killed off Dr. Derek Shepherd from her hit television series Grey's Anatomy. Upset fans vowed never to watch the show again, but Rhimes insisted the show would go on without him. With the new season premiering in 24 hours, discuss what kind of effect Derek's absence will have on the show, its huge following, and the ratings. Is Rhimes's writing strong enough to carry the show forward without the McDreamy star who so many tuned in each week to look at?

With many deaths that this series brings, I often feel a dark void when watching the show. This definitely changes the dynamic of the show immensely. So much of the story line was about Merideth and Derek, for about 10 seasons I would say. We, at least I did, loved seeing a couple that had to go through so many trials and tribulations end up together and build a life together. All that is now gone. So what is the point? Well, I think the point is that life continues to go on even though our favorite parts of it begins to vanish. – caitlinndwyer 10 years ago
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First and foremost, Meredith will definitely be effected by his absence. She now is a single mom who has to raise their three children without their father. Shonda's writing is strong enough, as she has proven season after season, but sometimes shows just run their course. It's been on the air for ten years now. Even without factoring the death of Derek, at what point do you just call it quits? Another show that lost its main characters was One Tree Hill. Chad Michael Murray and Hilarie Burton both left, but the show continued on for a few more seasons. At the end of the day, it really just comes down to the fans and if they're still engrossed in the show. – diehlsam 9 years ago
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Grey's Anatomy Post McDreamy