Grey’s Anatomy season 16 episode 8 preview: Is this the end for Meredith Grey?

Ever since the end of last season, Grey’s Anatomy fans have been asking: Will Meredith Grey really leave her doctor life behind?

Is this Meredith Grey’s final day as a doctor — possibly forever? That’s the question on everyone’s minds as Season 16 of Grey’s Anatomy draws closer to its midseason finale.

This week’s episode just happens to be episode #350 in the series. Which, judging by what went down in Episode #300, probably means big things are happening.

It’s also the episode Meredith Grey will go on trial and (presumably) learn the fate of her medical license. A major contrast to 50 episodes ago, when she was at the top of her game, winning the most prestigious award in her profession.

Her character isn’t going anywhere — if Ellen Pompeo leaves, the show ends; she has made that perfectly clear. But after this, her story may never be the same. Who is Meredith Grey without a medical license? We don’t know. And honestly, neither does she.

But we have seen glimpses of what could be. We have seen her consider the possibility of life beyond medicine. We have seen her remember the importance of family, of being a mother to her kids.

She has even begun to question whether or not her relationship with Andrew DeLuca is sustainable in the long-term, hinting she truly is ready to “settle down” again — whether that means she ends up with a romantic partner or not.

However this plays out, Meredith’s life is certainly due for another big change.

Would Grey’s Anatomy really go THAT far? It’s completely unpredictable at this point. Either option — taking her license away or letting her keep it — would make total sense in the context of the Grey’s universe as we know it.

The real question is whether or not the show can or is willing to take that big of a risk.

There are fans who want Meredith to face consequences because, honestly, it would be realistic based on the circumstances. We’ve seen doctors pay for their mistakes on this show before, but this was a big mistake. One a doctor (hopefully) wouldn’t get away with if this were the real world.

But there are also fans who would basically riot if Meredith Grey were suddenly no longer a doctor. The entire show’s premise is that she is a surgeon, like her mother before her, trying to make her mark on the world.

Could the show go on with her doing something else, in a completely different career? Anything is possible. But that might be too big of a leap if this season’s goal is to keep the show afloat. The writers would have to get very creative if they were going to make it work.

And based on the number of pregnancies that have randomly happened so far this season, many fans are seriously questioning the level of creativity that is going into these storylines.

Maybe that’s all part of the plan. Maybe they just want everyone to think they’re going to play it safe so we all lose our minds when they don’t.

Hey, it could happen. Derek died and the show went on. Cristina Yang left and the show went on. Some might argue it shouldn’t have, but to each their own.

Everyone take a deep breath. Knowing how this show runs, it’s probably not going to end the way any of us think it will. And that’s much better than the outcome being too predictable, don’t you think?

How far do you think the show will take this storyline? Is it coming to an end, or is the drama just beginning?