It sometimes feels like our heads are spinning when we think about all the Grey’s Anatomy characters who have left. Meredith Grey’s (Ellen Pompeo) half-sister Maggie Pierce’s (Kelly McCreary) departure was particularly moving.
McCreary joined the ABC drama in season 10, was upped to series regular in season 11, and left in season 19. While we could have watched Maggie as a brilliant cardio surgeon forever, her storyline reminds us that no doctor or intern is going to appear in every episode of the series, which is approaching its 21st season. Thankfully, Maggie came back for a great episode of Grey’s Anatomy season 20. Why did Maggie leave and why did we see her again at Grey Sloan?
Why did Maggie Pierce leave Grey’s Anatomy in season 19?
Maggie Pierce left Grey’s Anatomy in season 19 because Kelly McCreary felt the character had done everything she could and needed to change her life.
In an interview with Deadline in April 2023, McCreary said, “every season I asked that question, has Maggie figured out what she wants, does she have a new question?” She continued, “I wondered if the struggles she was facing, the compatibility questions she was having with her husband were really questions about herself and who she really was and what she really wanted.” McCreary spoke to showrunner Krista Vernoff about exiting the show and even said that she understood if her character had to die.
It’s not easy for an actor to decide to leave a TV show after nine seasons. McCreary was very thoughtful about staying true to her character and making sure that Maggie would leave at the exact natural, right time.
While we never wanted to lose Maggie on Grey’s Anatomy, we’re eternally grateful she didn’t meet the same brutal fate of Andrew DeLuca (Giacomo Gianniotti) and wasn’t a victim of the awful plane crash from several seasons back. In season 19, episodes 14 and 15 called “Shadow Of Your Love” and “Mama Who Bore Me,” Maggie knows that her marriage to Winston Ndugu (Anthony Hill) is really over. She moves to a new city and becomes the Attending Cardiothoracic Surgeon at the Heart Center of Chicago.
Why did Maggie Pierce come back in Grey’s Anatomy season 20?
Maggie returns in Grey’s Anatomy season 20, episode 9, “I Carry Your Heart” because of big moments in her personal and professional life. She consults on the case of a patient she helped early on in her career, Brady Hauser (Devon Graye). Brady will die if he doesn’t get a heart transplant, which is devastating and scary for Maggie who gets fully invested in her patients.
Maggie’s return is also necessary because she and Winston need some closure. He finally signs the divorce papers he had been avoiding, and they almost kiss before realizing they need to move on. When Winston says he’ll never forget the lessons he’s learned from Maggie, it might be cheesy on another show. But on Grey’s Anatomy, it’s super sweet and makes us almost think that they should get back together (almost).
While Arizona Robbins (Jessica Capshaw) returned in an earlier episode of season 2 and didn’t do that much, Maggie’s return is perfect. She showcases her bubbly and sweet personality when chatting with Brady and his partner, revealing that she learns a lot about her patients’ personal lives because she cares so much. We’re glad to see that Maggie seems at peace and happy with her new life in Chicago. While it was hard to leave her job and her husband, she needed to stay true to herself.
Published: May 30, 2024 03:16 am