Grey’s Anatomy could send Owen and Teddy off with a happy ending — or not.
ABC announced last month that veteran stars Kevin McKidd and Kim Raver would be exiting the long-running medical drama created by Shonda Rhimes in the upcoming May 7 season finale. The actors have played Owen and Teddy, respectively, since season five for McKidd and season six for Raver (she took five years off and later returned).
Their co-departure is major news for the hit series, which has successfully navigated a changing industry and remains a hit in its 22nd season, but it also makes sense narratively. Their characters are intricately linked on the series as coparents who have had a long on-and-off relationship on the series. The doctors came onto the show as best friends. They eventually got married in season 18, only to split up recently, finalizing their divorce at the beginning of this season. The pair, who share two children, have been toying with reconciling of late, however, and have been sleeping together in recent episodes.
Which brings us back to the question: Will Grey’s send the fan-favorite couple off together, or not? Well, the penultimate episode that aired on Thursday hinted at maybe the opposite sort of ending. Just as it seemed like they wanted to sit down and discuss their possible future — including a new job offer in Paris for Teddy, who is Chief of Cardiothoracic Surgery at Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital — the episode ended on a cliffhanger, hinting at a troubling fate for Owen.
After viewers were told about a bridge collapse and an incoming rush of patients to the Grey’s hospital, Teddy listens to a voicemail from Owen, who is cut off while on said bridge, as it sounds like it’s collapsing.
Teddy and Owen, it should be noted, have each survived many near-death experiences during their Grey’s tenure, which means a happy ending could still be possible. Viewers will have to tune into the finale to find out just what sort of ending showrunner Meg Marinis has cooked up for McKidd, who has also directed nearly 50 episodes of Grey’s.
Here were the actors’ statements when announcing their departures:
McKidd: “Grey’s Anatomy has been a huge chapter of my life, creatively and personally, and I’m deeply grateful for everything the show has given me over the years. As that chapter comes to a close, I’m looking forward to what’s ahead — building new work, telling new stories, and taking everything I’ve learned into the next phase of my career. Playing Dr. Owen Hunt and directing on the show have both shaped me enormously, and I’ve had the privilege of working with an extraordinary group of people throughout that time. I’m particularly thankful to Shonda Rhimes for creating Owen, and for the encouragement she gave me as I stepped into directing.”
Raver: “Playing Dr. Teddy Altman will always hold a dear and special place in my heart. Sixteen years ago, I had the incredible privilege of stepping into this role thanks to the vision of Shonda Rhimes and Betsy Beers. Since that day, it has been a true gift to bring the iconic words of Shonda and our brilliant team of writers to life. I am especially grateful to our current showrunner, Meg Marinis, for her leadership and heart, and I want to honor the immense talent of the showrunners who came before her, including Krista Vernoff whose guidance helped shape Teddy’s journey through the years. I feel so fortunate to have worked under the brilliance of Debbie Allen, who not only mentored me but welcomed me into the director’s chair. To my amazingly talented castmates and our formidable, tireless crew: Playing in this arena with you has been a joy, and I will carry this company in my heart always. To the fans — your unwavering devotion and support are the reason this show remains such a force. Thank you for making this set my place of magic and my home.”