She's Leaving Home (Grey's Anatomy)
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Episodes 22/23
| "She's Leaving Home" | |
|---|---|
| Grey's Anatomy episodes | |
 Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo) and Cristina Yang (played by a body double) at Derek Shepherd's (Patrick Dempsey) funeral. Sandra Oh did not return for the scene, because she had departed from the series in the Season 10 finale. | |
| Episode nos. | Season 11 Episodes 22/23 |
| Directed by | Chris Hayden |
| Written by | Stacy McKee |
| Featured music | |
| Original air date | April 30, 2015 |
| Running time | 81 minutes |
| Guest appearances | |
| |
"She's Leaving Home" is the 22nd and 23rd episode of the eleventh season of the American television medical drama Grey's Anatomy and the show's 242nd and 243rd episode overall. Written by Stacy McKee and directed by Chris Hayden, the two-hour episode aired on the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) in the United States on April 30, 2015.[1]
In the episode, the doctors at Grey-Sloan Memorial Hospital mourn the death of their colleague and friend Derek Shepherd (Patrick Dempsey), who died in a car accident in the previous episode. Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo), Derek's widow and the show's protagonist, struggles to cope with her loss. The episode follows Meredith as she disappears from Seattle, adjusting to life as a single mother and ultimately giving birth to her third child, Ellis Shepherd.
Although the episodes were fictionally set in Seattle, Washington, filming took place in Los Angeles, California. The episodes serve as a tribute to Derek Shepherd, marking the end of Dempsey's tenure as a series regular.
Upon its original broadcast, "She's Leaving Home" was watched by 8.74 million viewers in the United States, ranking #2 in its time-slot, and earned a 2.6 Nielsen rating in the 18–49 demographic. The episode received positive reviews from television critics, with Pompeo's performance receiving widespread praise; however, criticism was directed towards the writing for its lack of focus on Derek's death.
The episode opens with a voice-over narration from Ellis Grey (Kate Burton) and Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo) about choosing to let go of the past and embracing a fresh start.
Meredith returns to Grey Sloan Memorial to break the news of Derek Shepherd's (Patrick Dempsey) death. While most of the doctors mourn, Amelia Shepherd (Caterina Scorsone) hides her grief behind morbid jokes, unsettling her colleagues. After Derek's funeral, Meredith goes missing, leaving behind only a note saying she and her kids are fine.
Miranda Bailey (Chandra Wilson) and Ben Warren (Jason George) argue over end of life care—Bailey wants to be let go, while Ben wants every effort made to save him. Meanwhile, Richard Webber (James Pickens Jr.) plans to propose to Catherine Avery (Debbie Allen), but she rejects him before he gets the chance. Dan (Kevin Alejandro), Callie's ex-date and police chief, returns to the hospital as a patient, creating awkward tension.
Owen Hunt (Kevin McKidd) and April Kepner (Sarah Drew) head overseas for a military training program, but April extends her stay despite Jackson Avery's (Jesse Williams) pleas for her to return. Almost a year later, Alex gets a call from Meredith, revealing she is safe but pregnant, something only she knows.
Back in Seattle, Callie continues to treat Dan, fitting him with a robotic limb she and Derek developed. Amelia has a breakdown, almost relapsing into drug use, but Owen helps her confront her grief without resorting to drugs. On Valentine's Day, Ben changes his mind about life support, showing Bailey he wants the same as her now.
April surprises Jackson by returning home unexpectedly, and Catherine proposes to Richard at the hospital, and he passionately accepts.
Meredith begins to bleed and instructs Zola to call 911, mirroring her mother, Ellis' (Kate Burton) story. Meredith gives birth to a healthy baby girl, Ellis, and is surprised to see Alex at the hospital, as she had listed him as her emergency contact. They return to Seattle, where Meredith decides it's time to move forward and start fresh.
Release
"She's Leaving Home" was originally broadcast on April 23, 2015, in the United States on the American Broadcasting Company (ABC). The episode attracted 8.74 million viewers, marking a slight decline from the previous episode’s 9.55 million.[1][2] In the key 18–49 demographic, it scored a 2.6 Nielsen rating, representing a 7 percent decrease from the prior episode's 2.8.[1][2] Despite this drop, the episode was the second-highest rated since the mid-season premiere in both total viewership and the 18–49 demographic.[3]
In the 8:00 PM time slot, the episode ranked as the second most-watched show, outperforming Bones, The Vampire Diaries, The Odd Couple, and a rerun of The Blacklist, though it was outpaced by The Big Bang Theory. In the 9:00 PM slot, it was the top-rated show, surpassing Mom, The Blacklist, Backstrom and Reign.[1]
The 8.74 million viewers marked an 8 percent decline from the previous episode, and the 2.6 Nielsen rating in the 18–49 demographic also reflected a 7 percent decrease.[1] Nevertheless, the episode was the week's highest-rated drama and the third-highest rated scripted series in the 18–49 demographic, trailing only CBS's The Big Bang Theory (3.4) and ABC's Modern Family (2.9).[4]
