Patrick Dempsey's Surprise Return to 'Grey’s Anatomy' Was 5 Years Ago

When escapism was No. 1 on audiences’ most-wanted list, the 17th season of Grey’s Anatomy leaned in to the pandemic, putting its cast behind face shields and infecting Dr. Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo) with coronavirus. But at the end of the two-hour Nov. 12, 2020, premiere, the sun came out: While real-world Mer lay comatose, another Mer was on a beach — and her late husband, Derek Shepherd (Patrick Dempsey), last seen six seasons earlier, was calling her name. It’s a medical miracle more shocked fans didn’t require a doctor! Who Was Involved ABC Dempsey, whose character had been misdiagnosed