‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Fans React on The Return of Popular Dead Characters

Still shook. Some of Grey’s Anatomy’s most popular dead characters made appearances during the Thursday, November 1, episode.

Patrick Dempsey on Grey’s Anatomy

Randy Holmes/ABC via Getty Images

By Sarah Hearon, Us Weekly

Still shook. Some of Grey’s Anatomy’s most popular dead characters — including Patrick Dempsey’s Derek Shepherd — made appearances during the Thursday, November 1, episode of the long-running medical drama and fans are still wiping away their tears.

At the end of the Dia de los Muertos-themed episode, Meredith (Ellen Pompeo) walked through Grey Sloan and saw Derek, her sister Lexi Grey (Chyler Leigh), her mother Ellis Grey (Kate Burton) Mark Sloan (Eric Dane), George O’Malley (T.R. Knight) and even her fallen dog, Doc.

“NO #GREYSANATOMY YOU CAN’T JUST THROW IN THE GHOSTS OF MCDREAMY AND MCSTEAMY AND EXPECT ME TO BE OKAY WITH IT,” one fan tweeted Opens a New Window. . “AND GEORGE. WHY DID YOU HAVE TO THROW IN GEORGE?!”

Another user shared Opens a New Window. a gif of a crying Will Ferrell shaking too much to drink his wine: “When chasing cars starts playing in Spanish…the you see Derek… @GreysABC #GreysAnatomy @EllenPompeo.”

“SHONDA… HOW DARE YOU?” a third person tweeted Opens a New Window. referring to creator Shonda Rhimes. “GEORGE? LEXIE? DEREK? ELLIS? MARK? THE GODDAMN DOG???? #GreysAnatomy.”

Showrunner Krista Vernoff revealed during an interview with The Hollywood Reporter Opens a New Window. that the returning stars did not film new scenes, but some of the footage used had never been seen before.

“The holiday is delightful … I suggested Meredith’s dead people come back and visit her in this episode. This was one of our first ideas at the beginning of the season,” Vernoff explained. “We have some iconic footage that the fans will immediately recognize: That shot of Derek, the fans who have watched the show multiple times know what episode that is from. There are iconic moments and shots that we pulled from moments that actually never aired on the show — like Mark with Derek.”
Grey’s Anatomy airs on ABC Thursdays at 8 p.m. ET.

Scroll through for more reactions to Grey’s latest tearjerker moment:

I WAS ATTACKED OUT OF NOWHERE #GreysAnatomy pic.twitter.com/c3dMYYVnoF

— 𝓑𝓻𝓮𝓮. (@50Shades0fDE) November 2, 2018

That episode just had me in all the feels.😭#McDreamy #McSteamy #GreysAnatomy

— Air-Wrecka (@erika_lang13) November 2, 2018

Was that McDreamy and McSteamy I just saw?!?!? 😱😱😱#GreysAnatomy

— ⭐Jayra&Jose Dilone⭐ (@JoseJayra94) November 2, 2018

Okay, but for real, as soon as @GreysABC started playing Chasing Cars by Snow Patrol in Spanish I just KNEW something was coming that was going to set me off. How they used that song/Dia de los Muertos for that ending was unreal. Instant tears. 😭LOVE this show #GreysAnatomy⁠ ⁠

— Katelyn Snyder (@KateSny) November 2, 2018

That freaking ending to Greys...it tore me apart. All the feels. 😫😫😫 #GreysAnatomy

— Diandra Fleming (@DiandraFleming) November 2, 2018

Current situation after that #GreysAnatomy ending pic.twitter.com/8eIMllsaUE

— Natalie Dost (@NatalieDost) November 2, 2018