ABC’s hit medical drama - now the longest running medical drama on TV - has already been renewed for a sixteenth season, before its fifteenth has even concluded.

With Grey’s Anatomy being such a long-running series, it has become a constant in many viewer’s lives. The cast of characters have become so beloved over the years, that even people who don’t watch Grey’s probably know who Dr. Meredith Grey is.

Grey’s Anatomy is so well loved that it is hard to foresee the day when it will come to an end. Even with fifteen seasons under its belt, Grey’s still has storylines to resolve and questions to answer. Let’s explore ten things that need to happen before the smash-hit comes to an end.

10. CLOSURE FOR CALLIE AND ARIZONA

The relationship between orthopaedic surgeon Callie Torres and paediatric surgeon Arizona Robbins was definitely one of Grey’s best. It was their first major LGBTQ+ romance, and has captivated the hearts of fans ever since the early seasons.

However, Grey’s Anatomy writers have developed a bad habit of injecting unnecessary drama into every romantic relationship on the show. Sure, every couple has their fights and problems - but Grey’s takes this to the extreme. And in Callie and Arizona’s case, this drama destroyed their relationship and simultaneously broke the hearts of almost everyone in the fanbase.

As of the fifteenth season, Callie, Arizona, and their daughter, Sofia, have all been written out of the show. Their storylines ended abruptly and were left unresolved, so some closure on one of the most iconic relationships in the series would be greatly appreciated.

9. THE RETURN OF CRISTINA YANG

Cristina Yang was arguably the best character on the show, and her exit in season ten left a significant hole in Grey’s. Her loss was one that changed the entire series, and was one it never quite recovered from. The show has never felt quite the same since Cristina’s departure.

The return of Dr. Yang would be beautiful, even if it were just for an episode or two. It would be nice to see the beloved friendship between the “Twisted Sisters” - Meredith and Cristina - rekindled. Most everyone would benefit from Cristina’s return, as the show feels incomplete without her.

8. WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO IZZIE STEVENS?

Izzie was one of the most likeable, popular characters, even though she was only on the show for less than six seasons. After a falling out with show-runner Shonda Rhimes, Katherine Heigl was fired from Grey’s in 2010, and the show has worked hard to banish Izzie Stevens’ memory.

She’s been gone for nine years now, but Izzie is still missed by many to this day. Since her story was so abruptly cut short when she hastily left the hospital after a fight with Alex, fans have wondered what ever became of her. Some closure and maybe even a reappearance of the beloved, outgoing model-turned-doctor would be appreciated by several viewers.

7. JACKSON AND APRIL

“Japril”, as their ‘shippers lovingly refer to them, was one of the most popular Grey’s Anatomy romances. Jackson and April met when they were both interns at Mercy West Hospital, and their friendship became very strong after they were transferred to Seattle Grace in the merger, and shortly after became the only survivors left from Mercy West.

Jackson and April have been through a lot together, and their romance was one that touched the hearts of many viewers. In season fourteen, April was written out of the show in a largely disliked storyline where she married her ex-fiancee, Matthew, and ended her career as an attending trauma surgeon. This was an arc that did not do April’s character justice at all, and also destroyed her relationship with Jackson.

A large portion of the fanbase would be delighted to see some reconciliation between Jackson and April - especially considering they have a child together.

6. ADDISON’S RETURN

Addison had only been on Grey’s for a short-time when she earned her very own spin-off series. The neonatal surgeon became so popular so quickly, that Grey’s writers decided she was worthy of her own show. Private Practice premiered in 2007, but sadly this meant saying goodbye to Addison on Grey’s Anatomy.

In earlier seasons of Grey’s, Addison made the occasional guest appearance, but since Private Practice concluded back in 2013, Kate Walsh’s bold, outspoken, lovable doctor has been sorely missed. Addison’s return would be bound to be highly celebrated.

5. AN ACTUAL SLOW-BURN RELATIONSHIP

Romantic relationships are kind of Grey’s speciality, but slow-burn romantic relationships are not. The show has a real tendency for rushing romance, and in its fifteen seasons, has never portrayed a true slow-burn relationship.

Since the Grey’s Anatomy writers have a knack for romance, it would be a beautiful addition to the series to have a couple who takes several seasons to actually get together. The friends-to-lovers trope is a very popular and successful one, and is one that Grey’s has yet to conquer. So this really should be on the writers’ buckle list to tackle before the show wraps up.

4. MORE FOCUS ON FRIENDSHIPS

Romance is great, but some of Grey’s Anatomy’s most iconic relationships have been friendships. Meredith and Alex’s bromance is always fun to watch, and of course, Meredith and Cristina’s soul-sisters bond is one for the ages.

Lately, Grey’s Anatomy has been putting a lot of focus on its romantic relationships, and season fifteen has even been dubbed the “season of love”. But love can be portrayed in countless different ways, one of the most beautiful and important being friendship. Before Grey’s Anatomy ends, a focal point on the lovely platonic and familial relationships - such as Meredith, Maggie, and Amelia; Alex and Meredith; Richard and Bailey - would be wonderful.

3. MEREDITH’S KIDS GROWING UP

At times, it is fairly easy to forget that Meredith has three kids, as their appearances on Grey’s are fairly rare. Right now, they are all still very young, so their limited presence is understandable.

It is uncertain how much longer Grey’s Anatomy will be on the air, but it would be quite inspiring to see Zola grow up and become a surgeon like her mother, carrying on the Grey/Shepherd legacy. Seeing where Meredith’s children end up in their adult lives altogether would be satisfying.

2. REVISITING ABANDONED CHARACTERS

Over the years, Grey’s has boasted a sizeable cast of characters. Due to sometimes having an excess of doctors on board, the series has been known to dispose of them quietly.

There are actually countless characters who have basically up and disappeared from Grey’s with little to no explanation as to why. Most notably; Eric Hahn, Callie’s first female love interest; Stephanie Edwards; Robert Stark, an attending paediatric surgeon; Leah Murphy; Virginia Dixon, the autistic heart surgeon; Sydney Heron, the perky surgical resident. Even Callie Torres, who had been a major character since the second season of Grey’s, was let go in a hasty, unceremonious manor.

The series certainly has made a habit of quick and mostly unexplained character departures, and this a flaw that really could use some attention.

1. THE GOOD OLD DAYS

It’s pretty much a consensus among the Grey’s fanbase that the show was at its finest in the early seasons. The most iconic and memorable episodes came in the old seasons, when the series was at its peak. Episodes like the two-parter “It’s The End of The World” and “As We Know It”, which featured Meredith’s harrowing encounter with the bomb, were unforgettable.

It’s been a while now since Grey’s has produced an episode as iconic as the ones they once did. Though they may never recapture the magic, it would be beautiful to see Grey’s Anatomy get back to the feel of the good old days.