What does this news mean for George? What will Knight do next? And what about Izzie? Find out after the jump…
The actor’s exit closes yet another rocky chapter for the embattled primetime soap, one that opened with Isaiahgate and worsened when, amid rumors that Knight was clashing with series creator Shonda Rhimes, George O’Malley was backburnered. Finally, Knight grew so fed up with his character’s lack of storyline that he asked if he could check out three years before his deal expired. After that, all indications were that he would be let go, although Rhimes didn’t make a final decision until recently. (Contractually speaking, she had until June 30 to make up her mind.)
Last month, Rhimes told me that George’s relatively light storyline this year was the result of the normal “ebbs and flows” of ensemble television. But she did acknowledge that he was intentionally written lighter during the last half of the season so that viewers wouldn’t think it odd that he was absent from the season finale — something that was necessary to preserve the episode’s biggest twist: that George was actually a disfigured John Doe who had been hit by a bus. “I really wanted you to not notice that he wasn’t there for most of this episode,” she said. “I don’t think anybody noticed because of the way we laid it out this season.”
Knight’s departure would seem to confirm that George doesn’t survive, although fans have wondered whether Rhimes is planning to pull an Elizabeth Reaser (Jane Doe/Rebecca) and have him live, only to be replaced by another actor, thanks to plastic surgeon Sloane’s handiwork. That’s “hilarious, ridiculous,” the boss has said. However, I’ve heard that she was interested in having Knight appear in next season’s first three episodes, but a short-term deal could not be brokered.
What will Knight do now? Per an insider, the theatrically-trained thesp is in talks to start 2010 by headlining a Broadway revival of Lend Me a Tenor, the classic farce he recently did a reading of with Alfred Molina, Tony Shalhoub, and Marian Seldes.
Reps for Knight and ABC declined to comment.
Now that the question of George’s future seems to have been answered, another puzzler moves to the forefront: What’s going to happen to Katherine Heigl’s Izzie, whose life also hung in the balance in last May’s capper? Sources now confirm that ABC has formally picked up her contract option and she will be returning next season. But back to the matter at hand: Proceed to the comments and weigh in on Knight’s departure.
More Grey’s Scoop:
Jessica Capshaw promoted to series regular!
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This is not surprising but it makes me so damn sad.
See ya, George. Can’t say that I blame the guy.
I had a feeling, and had a dream about what they’re going to do with the elevator exit…
Kind of glad to see him go. His character had a small role in last season so that when she wrote him off…no one would miss him. MISSION ACCOMPLISHED.
that is so ridiculous! george made the freakin show and its stupid that hes off! his dyke wife should have died not george!
I will miss George but I’m excited about the possibilities this opens up for the series. Of course, I’m assuming his character dies… I do hope that’s how they choose to play this out and not try to replace him. I think that replacing TR with another character as George will just be a drag on the momentum the series has been building recently.
We all knew it… !.. pff so SOOOOO sad!
Damn, George was my favourite of the gang!
will miss George! Hope the Eva thing doesnt happen though.
So who is Dominic M playing?
I always hated George, mainly because of T.R. himself and all the issues with Isaiah Washington. Good riddance, George!
TEAM BURKE.
Ausiello, haven’t you reported this twice before as fact and then the producers spoke out against you both times?
Why should we believe you now?
BTW… I hope its just TR Knight leaving, two interns (I mean Izzie leaving too) would be the end of the show
It’s too bad. Now I’m officially done with Grey’s.
I’ll miss him.
This was reported a month ago…why re-report it.
http://tvdonewright.com/2009/05/27/breaking-news-is-greys-t-r-knight-leaving-spoiler/
I’m going to miss George. I was totaly stunned by the finale – I can’t wait for next season to start!
Good for T.R. Knight leaving. Aside from a paycheck, why does any good actor want anything to do with this played out show?
RIP George :’(
I’m sorry TR is leaving the show but with as little screen time that he was given this past season, it won’t make a big difference in the storyline. Too bad, though. I really did like his character and I don’t think he was properly treated within the scripts.
My biggest issue with Knight’s issue about being backburenered. Is that George had major storyline until the end of the season; the season before last. This was the first season where he was doing very little. And some of that had to contribute to his being a pain backstage so Rimes took it out on him on air. So I am not sure I see where his beef was legitimate until this past season. But regardless; this past season made me realize I wouldn’t miss George if he were to leave. So while it was extreme to “kill” him. I won’t miss him.
nooooo, I’ll miss George on Grey’s I still hope he might be on though and this is a hoax.
I am so saddened by this news. I really wish that TR KNIGHT and George could have stayed because he was the character that was at the center of likeability and the most relatable. It is rather unfortunate that Shondra could not have worked it out with TR.
Old news. Who cares. Who still watches Grey’s?
they really did george wrong this year. good for knight to recognize a bad sitaution and leave as soon as he could.
GOOD! George’s usefulness ran out a long time ago!
This just proves what a liar shondra rimes is — wasn’t her who said that TR Knight never complained publicly about wanting out (which he didn’t) so she didn’t know where all the press was coming from? I think in some way the ratings did suffer this past year because of george’s lack of storyline and the show itself will now suffer with the complete loss of his character. I honestly wish I never got into Grey’s — it’s not just TR Knight who got shafted, but viewers and fans of the show and of george did too.
YAYYYYYYY!!! It’s a great day for Grey’s Anatomy fans!!
I hope they don’t try to replace O’Malley with another actor playing him. T.R Knight was awesome – he really was a funny actor! Big shoes to fill so please don’t even try.
I suspect that George will die and Izzie will live. George was on a hospital floor implying he was dead and there in the hospital (like we’ve seen before). Izzie being in the elevator implies that she will be shocked back to life. I could be wrong, Meredith wandered around in dead hospital for a while before she was technically revived.
WHO CARES………It’s TV, do you think George (TR) gives a darn about you or what happens to you? I would be more than happy taking 20% of his salary, and then walking away.
Can’t say that I’m surprised or upset about it. Last season showed that George wasn’t needed and didn’t fit in anymore so this is an expected decision. Going by that final season, George was dead already but Izzie was still in limbo. I believe that Izzie will survive which is good, mainly for Alex’s sake. It would be way too depressing if Alex was a widow in season 6 and they also lost their friend George.
I would like to wish T.R. all the luck in the world. He looked really great in the last episode and now I believe he could get leading man roles. I want to see more of him and hope he gets his own show. Maybe with Katherine Heigl. I loved both characters.