Grey's Anatomy is a staple on television at this point. At 20+ seasons, they're entering the stratosphere of The Simpsons, Law & Order, and CSI. It's one of those shows you could reasonably expect to continue in some iteration for the rest of our lives. However, there was a moment early on where the show's creator Shonda Rhimes thought it might all fall apart before it even truly started. Now, two decades into it, she's revealing the moment where Grey's Anatomy felt like it could've been canned.
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Recently, Rhimes spoke with The Hollywood Reporter about her television empire. There, Shonda admits that there was a moment back in 2007 where it wasn't promised they would make it this far. The show's scandal with Isaiah Washington, who played Dr. Preston Burke, nearly derailed the crew. At the time, he uttered a homophobic slur on set. Consequently, higher ups fire him immediately.
Then, all the feel good vibes in the air from the first two seasons dim quickly. "That was the thing we thought was going to kill the show," Shonda says. "And it's funny, every Grey's actor I talk to who was there during that time is still traumatized by that incident. People still talk about it."
Shonda Rhimes Recalls Early Scandal That Left Grey's Anatomy in Jeopardy
Thankfully, the perseverance of Grey's Anatomy eventually brings that confidence back for the cast. Heading into their 21st season, the scandal essentially "stopped mattering," as Shonda puts it. Regardless, the memory still stands strong with the original cast members, a reminder that none of their success was promised.
As for Isaiah Washington, he never did get the spot back on the show from Shonda Rhimes, despite his earnest efforts to apologize. Arguing with Patrick Dempsey onset, Washington hurls the slur in reference to the openly gay actor T.R. Knight. He argues that his usage didn't have homophobic intent and he didn't mean anything derogatory. However, the actor ends up using the word again at the Golden Globes, in which he profusely apologized again.
