'I'm a Grey's Anatomy fan and here's why season 22 has already fallen flat'

*Warning - This article contains major spoilers for Grey's Anatomy season 22.*

Grey's Anatomy has finally returned for season 22 after a major cliffhanger at the end of last season.

Fans were left on the edge of their seats when a gas explosion occurred at Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital, leaving several long-running characters in danger.

The finale left six people at risk, including original cast members Richard Webber (James Pickens Jr.) and Miranda Bailey (Chandra Wilson).

Lucas Adams (Niko Terho), Jules Millin (Adelaide Kane), and Monica Beltran (Natalie Morales) were also in harm's way, as well as Atticus "Link" Lincoln (Chris Carmack), who recently got married to Jo Wilson (Camilla Luddington), reports the Manchester Evening News.

The season 22 premiere ended with the tragic death of Monica Beltran after she succumbed to the injuries she sustained during the explosion. What initially appeared to be just a shattered pelvis turned into a heartbreaking and unexpected death.

The pediatric surgeon had been guiding second-year resident Jules through a difficult solo procedure on a child.

However, she was trapped under operating light equipment that prevented her from performing the surgery and from being medically examined herself. Jules had completed the surgery by the time the fire crew arrived, but Monica had sadly passed away.

Grey's fans were left "fuming" after watching the death, as many felt bad for Amelia Shepherd (Caterina Scorsone), who had been growing close to Monica in previous scenes.

"Grey's you messed up REAL bad, damn. You had in your hands the potential to develop the next most iconic relationship with Amelia AND also Monica's backstory as a peds surgeon. That's what I call FUMBLE of the century," one angry viewer wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

Another added: "Monica still had so much growth left. Her and Amelia were building something real, they could have been THE love story of this era of Grey's," while a third said: "Please just cancel this show already."

A fourth fan echoed the sentiment, saying, "I'm in tears. Not only did I love Monica and Amelia, but I LOVED Monica as a character so dearly."

As a huge Grey's fan myself, I have to say that I agree with the fandom. Why is it that when we finally get a couple to root for, they're soon ripped apart?

I'll never forget the episode in which Alex Karev (Justin Chambers) left his wife, Jo, through a letter, as he ran off to be with his ex-girlfriend, Izzie Stevens (Katherine Heigl), who had mothered his two children.

Plus, when April Kepner (Sarah Drew) and Jackson Avery (Jesse Williams) split up for years following the death of their baby, Samuel. And not forgetting when Arizona Robbins (Jessica Capshaw) blew up her marriage to Callie Torres (Sara Ramirez) after she cheated with Lauren Boswell's character, played by Hilarie Burton.

I understand that there needs to be a bit of jeopardy in dramas, but when a show has been running for as long as Grey's has, why not just give the viewers what they want?

There would have been a much bigger impact if a longer-running character like Owen Hunt (Kevin McKidd) met his end, in comparison to a newly introduced doctor.

It just seems as though Grey's is running out of steam. Don't get me wrong, I loved Sophia Bush's introduction as Cass Beckman (OTH fans unite), and it would be great if she came back this season. But there's only so much a new face can do for a show that's slowly on its way out.

With Grey's spin-off, Station 19, being axed after just seven seasons last year, when will it be time for Grey Sloan Memorial to also shut its doors?

Grey's Anatomy is available to stream on Disney Plus