Going back to the very beginning, the premise revolved around Meredith starting as an intern at Seattle Grace Hospital alongside the rest of MAGIC. Meanwhile dealing with the aftermath of a one-night stand with Derek that led to one of the greatest love stories in TV history.
Yeah, a lot’s changed since then. The hospital’s had two name changes, half the cast died in tragedies, and Meredith’s gone on to receive multiple Harper-Avery Awards. Derek’s death was one of the most heartbreaking storylines of the whole series, and Nick was not right for Meredith.
When season 16 saw (or rather didn’t see) Alex leave for good, that was the last straw for me. The plot lines are annoying, we don’t have the lovable characters we used to or the music that fit so perfectly and gave us all the feels. Everyone overall just seems tired.
The best way to end it would be a glimpse into the future (or not, depending how long the writers manage to drag it out). It would be great to see Zola start her first day as an intern to call back to the pilot episode; along with an allusion to her intending to become a neurosurgeon, mirroring Derek. Close to the end, we need to see her begin her first solo surgery, saying “It’s a beautiful day to save lives.”
For a perfect finishing touch, one last cut from there to see Ellis telling everything to Meredith in a nursing home; revealing that the younger Shepherd has been narrating the whole flash-forward.
