The fate of Grey’s Anatomy is up in the air in the midst of its 18th season, as series star Ellen Pompeo has been increasingly vocal about being ready to end the ABC show. While the medical drama that bears Meredith Grey’s name may indeed conclude when the actress who plays her leaves the hospital for the last time, the world that Shonda Rhimes created for world-class Seattle surgeons is definitely strong enough to live on under a new lead (or two). There’s one iconic couple who fans would love to see heading up a new spinoff in the Shonda-verse, and Pompeo herself has thrown her support behind the idea of a Japril follow-up.
Jackson Avery (Jesse Williams) and April Kepner (Sarah Drew) were considered the ultimate endgame in the minds of the Grey’s Anatomy loyal. The iconic wedding scene where Jackson proclaimed his love for April in the middle of her wedding to Matthew lives on as one of the ABC drama’s most romantic moments. Grey’s Anatomy star Ellen Pompeo said she'd be on board to see a new series about the couple, telling Insider there’s a good reason fans love Japril.
Sarah Drew and Jesse are both great to watch, but whatever Jesse wants and whatever Sarah wants, if they wanted to do it, then I would be so happy for the fans. I get it. I'd watch it.
Ellen Pompeo may think she’s been doing Grey’s Anatomy for too long, but there’s no doubt she still cares about these characters and the stories the show is telling. She understands why fans would love to see what happened between Jackson and April, as their situation was left open-ended regarding their last appearance on Grey’s Anatomy.
Sarah Drew left the show at the end of Season 14, but made an appearance in Season 17 when Jesse Williams announced he would also be leaving. Jackson Avery made the decision to move to Boston to take over his family’s Catherine Fox Foundation and find a way to change the health system to better help marginalized communities. April — whose second attempt at her relationship with Matthew failed — agreed to move with Jackson so they could continue to coparent their daughter Harriet.
They didn’t get back together or even kiss during the episode, but there was enough hope there to leave fans wondering. Just look at how great Jackson and April are together. Who wouldn’t want to see more of this?
Jesse Williams himself has said a spinoff with Sarah Drew that would follow the work they’re doing in Boston is an interesting premise, and it’s clear to fans how much the actors enjoy working together. Williams addressed fans’ wishes to see them reunite in a new series, saying:
[Sarah] is such a tremendous person and actor. So, I get it. I'm with them.
Another Grey’s Anatomy spinoff is something that has always seemed like a possibility, after the years-ago success of the Kate Walsh-led Private Practice and firefighting companion show Station 19. Earlier this year, Jonnie Davis of ABC Signature sparked fan excitement when he talked about “the next phase of Grey’s Anatomy” but quickly walked back his statement, saying there were no spinoff conversations happening.
Still, the Japril idea does sound promising: strong story, fan support, Ellen Pompeo’s blessing. And with the way Grey’s Anatomy has been building up characters in Minnesota for Meredith and Amelia’s super secret Parkinson’s trial, it’s hard to imagine spinoff talks aren’t happening on some level. Which direction they would go with it — or them, since multiple spinoffs is hardly out of the question — is something we’ll have to wait and see.
Grey’s Anatomy is on hiatus after a cliffhanger-heavy winter finale. The show will return to ABC for a crossover with Station 19 starting at 8 p.m. ET on February 24, 2022, when we’ll see if the firefighters can save Owen Hunt’s life. In the meantime, check out our 2022 TV Schedule to see what’s coming up in the new year.
