Whatever cliff-hanger Grey’s Anatomy has in store in its May 14 season finale, it’ll probably pale in comparison to the one T.R. Knight is experiencing in real life.
Last fall, the actor — frustrated by his lack of airtime — asked to be released from his multiyear Grey’s contract. Now, as I first reported in Ask Ausiello, his wish may be granted by an upcoming story line that finds (MAJOR SPOILER ALERT) George marching off to war as an Army medic. Just as the season wraps up, George gets injured in the line of duty, leaving his fate up in the air for viewers — and even Knight himself. “T.R. doesn’t know whether George lives or dies,” explains a source close to the show. “And, as a result, he doesn’t know whether or not he has to come back next season.”
Legally speaking, Grey’s creator Shonda Rhimes has until
mid-June to decide whether to drop Knight — and all indications are
she will use every last second of that time. Some are suggesting she
may be forcing Knight to sweat it out as payback for wanting to jump
ship. (The two have had a strained relationship since the Isaiah
Washington blowup in 2006.) While Knight’s rep and Rhimes both declined
to comment, a Grey’s insider scoffs at such a notion. “At the
end of the day, Shonda is going to do what’s best for the show,”
maintains the source. “Everything else is just idle gossip.”
What do you think is best for the show at this point: Cutting Knight loose via a season-ending tragedy, or forcing him to return next season for an indeterminate period of time (thus dragging out this off screen soap opera even longer)? Sound off below!
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Even though I kinda like George if T.R. doesn’t want to stay on the show he should be let go. An actor that hates what he’s doing should not be in Shondas interest either.
Even though I kinda like George if T.R. doesn’t want to stay on the show he should be let go. An actor that hates what he’s doing should not be in Shondas interest either.
sweet sweet revenge for Shonda.
I would love to have George stay but if she’s going to cut him loose than torturing T.R. in that manner is just cruel.
I couldn’t care either way, I hardly even notice George is in the show anymore.
Shonda Rhimes kind of sounds like a really nasty person, haha.
I’d be devestated if George left. He isn’t my favorite character, but I love him nonetheless. I had issues with him when he cheated on Callie then got with Izzie, but he’s wormed his way back into my heart.
His character has been so underused this season that it’s sad. With all the drama of Izzie, Meredith and Derek getting their happy ever after, and Callie’s sexuality crisis, Bailey going into Peds and the Mark and Lexie angle, there’s no time to give George a storyline. And while I understand where the actor is coming from, I’m not above begging him to stay.
Him going into the army would be an interesting angle and if he has to leave, I beg that Shonda doesn’t kill him. I don’t even understand how he’d be able to get in and injured by season’s end. What about basic training? Even as a medic, doesn’t he at least need basic training?
I hope that he stays. George is a great character that deserves a storyline of his own. I just hope that his doesn’t end in his death.
A- I think that’s exactly the point. He’s not even ON the show at this point, except to show up for about 30 seconds each week. I say let him go. I like George, but Gray’s is already overcrowded. As much as I like the characters, George and Izzie’s (possible) deaths/departures will shake up the show and maybe reinvigorate it.
I still say the Army storyline is way too rushed.
He should leave after Izzie’s death, which is understandable since they are so close. It also saves the option to bring him back.
http://tvdonewright.wordpress.com/
I don’t watch this show (it used to be because of Meredith – now they are all ridiculous) but this sounds incredibly petty and childish of Rhimes if true – which explains so many things about the show itself, now that I think about it!
I find this show very disappointing because they are not using TR knight at all — he is one of the most relatable person on the show and to get of rid of him is just tragic.
There’s been a few eps lately that have had snippets of old George and it made me realize how much I miss him on the show. If they’re not going to give him a significant part, they may as well get rid of him. I agree with the others–there are too many characters on the show..Tone it down a bit to how it used to be.
http://tvdonewright.wordpress.com/
Keep him! Make him finish his contract and give him one line per episode!
GA is better off letting TR go. George just doesn’t seem to fit in anymore. Everyone has moved on and left him in the dust. The writers don’t seem to know what to do with him so it is probably better off to have George leave to become an Army medic or die in the line of duty than to have him around takin gup space and not doing anything. Besides, the character has never been all that interesting. He only had some usefulness to inject some humour because he was the token awkward dorky character but he hasn’t even provided that for 2 seasons now. I’m more than ready to see him go.
I don’t understand how they just cut him out the whole season. Every year Shonda tends to almost ignore a cast member. Last year it was Izzy, I think they year before it was Alex for a time… Shonda. This should show you to stop adding cast members to an already big cast. You’re turning out to be almost like Heroes… and that is in its last throws of existence.
I like George. This show has become a mess. There are too many characters. Shonda shouldn’t have deviated from the core 5. Meredith, Cristina, Alex, Izzie and George should have been the focus of this show. Those were the 5 that drew me in the show…and those are the ones that is keeping me in this show….but now I have to FF some other crap.
Just let him go. The poor guy is miserable at Grey’s.
I think they could send him off to the war and let him languish in obscurity. Which is basically what he does right now on the show.
I don’t think he should get killed off, because I hope Izzie gets killed off. And two deaths would be just too much.
What a nasty little tyrant Rhimes is. So TR wants out of the nasty, cesspool of a hostile work environment you’ve created? You’ve already got your pound of flesh out of him, by benching his character for the entire season. Just let the poor kid go, you witch.
Here’s a news flash: It was announced on FEBRUARY 10, 2009 that T. R. Knight and Katherine Heigl were leaving Grey’s Anatomy! Considering all the people who want to jump this sinking ship; why not just cancel the program and be done with it?! This program has flatlined. Time to pull the plug and end the life support that’s keeping it on the air. Everyone can join Denny in the hereafter.
I hope that TR doesn’t leave grey’s, the show is seriously lacking and he could be what could pull it back up to the show everyone fell in love with. George was an amazing caracter in season 1,2, and 3 Rhimes needs to remember the sucess he brought to the show!!!
Keep TR Knight on the show, but give him more air time! He hasnt been visible much at all this season, which is a shame since George actually is an interesting and important character.
Maybe someone needs to introduce Knight and Heigel to David Caruso and Shelley Long. It seems they both have egos far greater than their acting abilities should allow. This show brought them into the spotlight and to disrespect it by constantly complaining about it and wanting to leave early is ungrateful and they deserve to both be blacklisted in Hollywood. There isnt actually a need for that since both actors are so un-skilled they’ll have no trouble being rejected for role after role. I hope they have fun on the unemployment line together!
George has always been a whiner. Him and Mer get annoying there. And George just doesn’t fit anymore. I don’t care if he goes. But I do feel bad for TR Knight. Shonda needs to get it together.
I get the feeling that Knight is being punished for the Isiahgate thing by being benched this season.
The show, however, can survive without him and I won’t miss him as long as they lock in Kevin McKidd forever!
I’ve loved George on GA for 4 years, but it is time to let him go.. everytime I see him on screen, I think about how he wants out, how they never give him a respectable storline anymore, how it was his fault Burke left (maybe this is his karma??), etc.. they should let him go.
However I want Izzie (Katherine Heigl) to STAY–I love her storyline with the sickness and Alex and want her to be here when the series ends.
kill of Shonda Rhimes, let George and TR stay
george should not leave, I dont care what the circumstances are!
Give George a good story line then maybe he’ll be interested in staying. Get rid of McKidd, can’t stand where that story line is going.
George has always been one of my favorite characters. If they could come up with a decent storyline, I would love it if the character stayed. However, if they will continue to use him as wallpaper, let him leave and find a real part to play.