Since the show first premiered in 2005, Grey’s Anatomy has impressed fans with its promising assortment of characters. Not only are these cast members admirable surgeons, but they’re also teeming with secrets and flaws, making for great television. As such, even though Grey’s Anatomy has been criticized in recent years for overstaying its welcome on primetime television, many fans have stuck with the hit medical drama because of its selection of popular characters.
Yet, when fans are forced to say goodbye to their favorite character, they often expect a profound and heartfelt exit. However, that wasn’t the case for Alex Karev, one of the show’s longest-running characters. So, why did Alex Karev decide to leave Grey Sloan, and why were fans so disappointed by his lackluster departure?
Why Did Alex Karev Leave Grey’s Anatomy?
Alex Karev first appeared in the pilot episode, “Hard Day’s Night,” and was quickly established as the show’s heartthrob and bad boy. Throughout the earlier seasons, Karev had dalliances with just about every woman who strolled into the hospital, but he had a significant bond with his co-worker, Izzy Stevens. Yet, when Stevens got fired in Season 6, he quickly went back to his old ways. In later seasons, fans had the privilege of watching Karev grow from a boy to a man, extending his skills as both a surgeon and a husband to Jo Wilson.
After 16 seasons, Alex Karev said his final goodbyes to Grey Sloan, an institution that guided him through his career and personal life. In Season 16, Episode 16, “Leave a Light On,” Karev sends a series of letters to his peers, Meredith, Miranda, and Richard. The letters explained why he hadn’t been returning their calls, and he also confessed that he wasn’t in Iowa visiting his mother but had actually reconnected with his first wife, Izzie. Before Stevens’ major tumor surgery in Season 5, she froze a set of embryos with Alex with the hopes that the pair could have children in the future. As such, Karev decided that he was going to leave Seattle and help Izzie raise the two children she conceived with the same frozen embryos. Though fans found this revelation a tad confusing, a lot of audiences were proud of Alex for moving all the way to Kansas and being the father he never had to his twin children.
It should also be mentioned that Karev was absent for the vast majority of Season 16 and his last appearance on screen was in “My Shot,” when he showed up to Meredith’s hearing. In turn, a lot of audiences were shocked to hear that he was leaving the show, particularly since they had no warning or indication that he was living a double life with Izzie. Thus, even though fans missed seeing him stroll around Grey Sloan, they weren’t expecting him to randomly walk out of his job just a few episodes later, making his exit one of the most surprising in the show’s history. As a result, a lot of fans believe that his exit was rushed and poorly planned, even though the actor publically announced that he would be resigning from his position in 2020. In a statement to Refinery 29, the actor stated
There’s no good time to say goodbye to a show and character that’s defined so much of my life for the past 15 years. For some time now, however, I have hoped to diversify my acting roles and career choices.
Why Were Fans So Disappointed With His Exit?
Though many fans were very sad to see Alex Karev leave the hospital he had worked in since the very beginning, they were more annoyed with the way the show wrote him out. A lot of fans will agree that Alex Karev can talk his way out of any situation and isn’t afraid to raise his voice in order to do what’s right. Thus, it seemed so strange that he couldn’t face his closest colleagues to discuss why he was resigning from his position. Plus, he wasn’t seen for much of Season 16, so his departure also felt like a sub-par goodbye to the fans who had been following his arc from the very beginning. Though leaving his wife Jo for his old fling, Izzie, is not the best thing to do, he doesn’t seem ashamed of his decision and is proud to inform them that he’s moving on to focus more on being a better father and partner. As such, hearing this news via a voice-over just makes it seem like Alex was a minor character, and it felt like his strong presence on the show was just being swept under the rug to make way for a new character.
It’s also important to note that, up until his departure, Alex Karev was one of the longest-running interns on the show. While Izzie, George, and Cristina had all moved on, or in O’Malley’s case, passed away, Karev was still keen to make his mark on the hospital. So, why didn’t the writers allow him to say his goodbyes personally? Some fans believe that the letters were used to differentiate Alex’s departure from the rest. Since he was such an integral character on the show, it seems that the writers were keen to make his exit stand out from the crowd, but this idea arguably backfired. Because his face is barely shown throughout this episode, the camera tends to focus more on Grey, Bailey, and Webber’s reactions, which tends to pull the focus away from Alex. In turn, it’s clear that Grey’s Anatomy wanted to make Karev’s departure special and worked to use a voice-over technique to discuss his legacy in the hospital without too much exposition. But, overall, this technique just made Alex seem less important, and many fans were upset that their favorite surgeon didn’t have the chance to say a proper goodbye to some of the closest people in his life.
In contrast, it seems that actor Justin Chambers was pleased to put his time on Grey’s Anatomy behind him and extended his thankfulness to the series creator. During a chat with TV Line, he simply says:
Thank you forever, Shonda Rhimes.
Is There a Chance That Justin Chambers Could Return to Grey’s Anatomy?
Ever since he left the show in 2020, Grey’s Anatomy fans have been desperate to know whether Justin Chambers will return to his old stomping ground of Grey Sloan. As an accomplished and experienced actor, it comes as no surprise that he’s delved into a few exciting projects since leaving the hit medical drama. For example, in 2022, he gave a striking performance as Marlon Brando in Paramount’s spin-off series, The Offer. The series explores how the cult classic The Godfather was made and also stars Miles Teller, Matthew Goode, and Burn Goodman. After the success of its latest project, it seems very unlikely that Chambers will reprise his role as Alex Karev. Not to mention, he has explicitly told certain news outlets that he is not keen on putting on his signature white coat again. In an interview with TV Line, the actor explains:
That chapter is closed for now.
Yet, it’s clear that Chambers is grateful for his time on Grey’s Anatomy and regards it as: “One of the most incredible experiences of my life.” Thus, even though Alex Karev will not be returning to fans’ screens any time soon, it’s apparent that Justin Chambers isn’t slowing down his acting career, as he’s also set to join Fox’s Accused anthology series. In the episode “April’s Story,” Chambers will star as Tyler, a nurse who is set to appear on trial after experiencing a bout of intense road rage. In turn, avid fans of Grey’s Anatomy will simply have to hold onto their memories of Alex Karev for a little while longer before seeing him onscreen again.
