Car, ferry boat, and plane accidents; the doctors at Grey Sloan Memorial have been through a lot. The hospital has been through many doctors and many names. For 12 seasons, Shonda Rhimes has given viewers characters to fall madly in love with before killing them traumatically. The most recent death has been the hardest for dedicated viewers. But even after losing Derek “McDreamy” Shepherd, the love of Meredith Grey’s life, and Christina Yang, her soulmate, the show continues.

But why? Why after losing so many and after so many different plot lines is the show continuing? Should Shonda Rhimes end Grey’s Anatomy and focus on her other ABC shows Scandal and How To Get Away With Murder? In my opinion, no. Grey’s Anatomy continues to develop different plots and characters that fans have become attached to. Ending the show now would leave so many characters’ lives unfinished. People have protested the show since Patrick Dempsey’s goodbye, but it’s important to understand that the situation of losing a spouse is one many people face. This event can connect to so many viewers of the show. The fresh faces on the show create new material, something many shows like Law and Order: Special Victims Unit do in order to keep content fresh.

Although fans have been through and lost so much, they are dedicated to sitting down every Thursday night and crying their eyes out. The show is not the same as it was 12 seasons ago, but it remains amazing.