Spoilers are ahead for Grey’s Anatomy season 20 and the Station 19 series finale.
Summary
In the wake ofStation 19season 7’s ending, which also marked the series finale, actorJason George is discussing a return toGrey’s Anatomyfor the show’s history-making 21st season.George, who plays Ben Warren, first joined Shonda Rhimes' universe of TV dramas inGrey’s Anatomyseason 6. Initially an anesthesiologist at Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital, Ben decided to pursue his dreams of becoming a surgeon. Eventually, he landed in Grey Sloan’s surgical intern program, where he continued on as a resident. Eventually, Ben made another career change, leavingGrey’s Anatomyduring season 14 to become a firefighter.
Ben Warren is also one half of one ofGrey’s Anatomy’s best couples. The character’s marriage to Dr. Miranda Bailey (Chandra Wilson) is one of the franchise’s longest-standing relationships, and a huge reason for all theGrey’s AnatomyandStation 19crossover stories. While Ben seemed to find success at 19, the series finale sees him telling Captain Andy Herrera that he needs a change. After sustaining some injuries, Warren is worried about his abilities and rather ease Bailey’s mind by not running into dangerous situations. As Andy aptly discerns,Ben also wants to finally complete his surgical residency.
Ben Left Grey Sloan Memorial For A Reason
Warren’s Decision To Become A Firefighter Was Incredibly Fitting
When Ben decided to change careers, he didn’t make that decision lightly. Despite showing great potential as a surgeon,Ben Warren made a series of impulsive decisions that landed him on the wrong side of the then-Chief of Surgery: Bailey. Still a resident, Ben sliced open a patient with a clipboard; while Warrendidsave the patient’s life — and while moreoutrageous things have happened onGrey’s Anatomy— Bailey made an example of her husband. Several episodes later, a momentary hospital lockdown pushed Ben to perform a C-section in a hallway, resulting in less favorable outcomes.
Ben [realized] that his fast-acting nature made him a better fit for another line of work.
Suspended and falling behind his peers, Ben struggled to find a way back into the OR before realizing that his fast-acting nature made him a better fit for another line of work. Ben’s third act as a firefighter was more than just a way to connectGrey’s Anatomywith its latest spin-off — it was a natural step. However, in the series finale ofStation 19,Ben tells Andy he’s leaving the team to finish his shelved surgical residency. In many ways, it feels like a forced way to have theStation 19character return toGrey’s Anatomy.
Station 19
Station 19 is a spin-off of Grey’s Anatomy that premiered in 2018 on ABC. The series follows the professional and personal lives of the firefighters at Seattle Fire Station 19. Grey’s Anatomy and Station 19 sometimes have crossover episodes in which a storyline is depicted on one night throughout both shows.
Ben Warren Thrived As A Firefighter on Station 19
The Surgeon-Turned-Firefighter Found His True Calling After Leaving Grey’s Anatomy
Despite the odds being stacked against him, Ben was a great firefighter. While it was always great to see him pop up as a guest star onGrey’s Anatomy, it’s also clear that he thrived away from Grey Sloan. When he first told Bailey about his change of careers, it didn’t go over well. Although Bailey came around, she’s constantly fretting over his well-being, which is understandable. As she put it,Ben Warren runs toward the danger when he’s with Station 19. Plus, without the spin-off, one ofStation 19’s most compellingGrey’s Anatomycrossoverswouldn’t have happened.
Ben has put in too much time and work to just walk away from being a firefighter.
Throughout Warren’s stint as a firefighter, Ben and Miranda have navigated arguments and crises alike. They’ve grown their family and supported each other through thick and thin. While it’s hard topredict the stories ofGrey’s Anatomyseason 21,it seems like Ben really will leave his hard-won career as a firefighter behind. Even though his reasons are practical, Ben has put in too much time and work to just walk away from being a firefighter. However,Warren’s return does make Owen’s perfect story possible, with the former firefighter becoming a fixture in trauma surgery and the ER.
7 Reasons Station 19’s Series Finale Makes Me Worried About The Ending Of Grey’s Anatomy
After seven seasons, Station 19 came to an end, and its underwhelming conclusion has some lessons for Grey’s Anatomy’s eventual series finale.
Ben Would Be Lost In The Shuffle In Grey’s Anatomy Season 21
The Massive Ensemble Of Grey’s Anatomy Means Less Screentime
Although several keyGrey’s Anatomydoctors won’t be at Grey Sloanin the wake of Catherine Fox’s (Debbie Allen) firing spree,the 21-season medical drama still boasts a massive ensemble.Grey’s Anatomywas saddled with a slim 10-episode order, making it hard for season 20 to do its many characters justice. While some of that will be remedied inGrey’s Anatomyseason 21 with more episodes and several actor departures, the cast is still stacked. Ben and Miranda are crucial to the show, but bringing Ben back toGrey’s Anatomycould merely see him lost in the shuffle.
All 20 seasons ofGrey’s Anatomyare streaming on Hulu.
Grey’s Anatomy
A high-intensity medical drama which follows Meredith Grey and the team of doctors at Grey Sloan Memorial, who are faced with life-or-death decisions on a daily basis. They seek comfort from one another, and, at times, more than just friendship. Together they discover that neither medicine nor relationships can be defined in black and white.
