Grey’s Anatomy hasn’t said goodbye to Alex Karev just yet.
The long-running ABC medical drama made waves last month when news broke that Justin Chambers was exiting the series after 16 seasons. But it turns out his final episode hasn’t aired yet, and ABC has finally released details about his upcoming farewell.
The Grey’s Anatomy episode airing next Thursday, March 5 will serve as the official goodbye to Karev. The hour, titled “Leave A Light On,” will “feature a farewell to Alex Karev, providing closure to his character’s exit,” according to a statement from ABC.
Back in January, Chambers shocked Grey’s Anatomy fans by announcing he left the ABC medical drama after more than a decade and a half.
“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,” Chambers previously said. “For some time now, however, I have hoped to diversify my acting roles and career choices. And, as I turn 50 and am blessed with my remarkable, supportive wife and five wonderful children, now is that time. As I move on from Grey’s Anatomy, I want to thank the ABC family, Shonda Rhimes, original cast members Ellen Pompeo, Chandra Wilson and James Pickens, and the rest of the amazing cast and crew, both past and present, and, of course, the fans for an extraordinary ride.”
While it was previously thought that Chambers’ final episode aired on November 14, and the November 21 episode mentioned that Alex had returned home to take care of his mom, it turns out that there’s still one more episode to explain why Karev will no longer be seen on Rhimes’ iconic drama. In the most recent episodes, his onscreen wife Jo (Camilla Luddington) hasn’t been able to get ahold of Karev and doesn’t know where he’s disappeared to. The last time he was seen on the series was when he helped save Meredith’s career. With a body count as high as Grey’s Anatomy’s, here’s hoping the show won’t kill him off and rather gives him a fitting end that honors his legacy as one of the last remaining series premiere interns.
Grey’s Anatomy airs Thursdays at 9 p.m. on ABC.
