Well, if there was any time that Shonda Rhimes was going to open the door of “Grey's Anatomy” to Isaiah Washington, this would be it. According to Deadline, Washington's Dr. Preston Burke will be popping up on the show seven years after the actor's controversial exit.
“It”s important to me that Cristina”s journey unfolds exactly as it should. Burke is vital to that journey – he gives her story that full-circle moment we need to properly say goodbye to our beloved Cristina Yang,” Grey”s creator/executive producer Shonda Rhimes said. So yes, it seems hell has frozen over. As some of you remember, Washington was sent packing, I mean left, the show shortly after it became public that he used a homophobic slur in reference to his gay co-star, T.R. Knight in 2006. It didn't help that Washington kept making inflammatory statements about the debacle to the press, either.
While lots of stars are known for coming back to a show to say a fond farewell to another character, it's usually after an exit that's less ugly. Still, Rhimes has an excellent point — Burke left Oh right before they were due to get hitched, so the relationship was never resolved. While Oh has gone on to have other relationships (and a marriage to Owen Hunt that didn't work out), she never had her moment with Burke. While her relationship with any guy was never going to be as intense as the one she has with Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo), bringing Washington back will finally close a door that had been left awkwardly open for too long.
Washington is currently on the CW show “The 100,” so he doesn't necessarily need the gig (though I bet the pay is better on ABC). Though some will be glad to have him back (Washington was one of the stronger actors in the cast during those early years), the off-screen brouhaha may have some fans of the show unhappy that he's returning for any length of time.
Do you think it's right that Isaiah Washington is coming back to “Grey's Anatomy,” even for one episode?