Teddy Altman (Kim Raver) was suddenly fired from the Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital in Grey's Anatomy season 20, and it's not clear what's next for her in season 21. Since her first appearance in season 6, episode 9, "New History", Dr. Teddy Altman has been a consummate mentor to Cristina Yang (Sandra Oh) and a brave and talented Chief of Surgery. Teddy was a main character on the series until season 9 and then left the show only to reappear for a guest arc in season 14, returning to the main cast in season 15.
Season 20 of Grey's Anatomy premiered on March 14, 2024, and ended on May 30, 2024, after 10 episodes. This was the first season with Meg Marinis as showrunner after Krista Vernoff left following season 19 and many years at the helm. Despite the lower episode count in season 20, there was still plenty of drama to be had, even before the final episode aired. Teddy begins secretly funding Meredith’s Alzheimer’s research with hospital money, which ends up becoming a problem for her later in season 20.
Teddy Was Fired For Using Hospital Money To Fund Meredith's Alzheimer's Research In Grey's Anatomy
Owen Hunt Convinced Teddy To Come Clean To Catherine Fox
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| Season | Episode | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
Teddy's First Appearance | 6 | 9 | New History |
Teddy's Last Appearance | 20 | 10 | Burn It Down |
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In season 20, Teddy begins using the hospital's money to secretly fund Meredith's Alzheimer’s research to avoid having the Fox Foundation find out. However, Dr. Catherine Fox (Debbie Allen), the founder and current board chairperson of the Catherine Fox Foundation, gets wise to what Teddy and Meredith are doing. Teddy talks to her husband, Owen Hunt (Kevin McKidd), who tells her to come clean. Though at first, it seems like Catherine is taking the news in stride, Teddy receives a phone call at the end of the episode and learns she's been fired.
This storyline is the ultimate example of Teddy's best and worst traits on Grey's Anatomy. A former army trauma surgeon in Iraq, Teddy generally trusts her gut and would rather do the right thing than the "legal" thing if the legal option is morally questionable. Her "fire from the hip" style of leadership has often led to saved lives but has also not always been the best for her career. Teddy knew secretly funding Meredith could put her own job in jeopardy, but she did it anyway, recognizing the value of Meredith's research as more valuable than her job security.
What Will Happen To Teddy In Grey's Anatomy Season 21?
Teddy Is Rehired At The End Of Season 20
Despite being fired at the end of Grey's Anatomy season 20, episode 9, Teddy is still around for the finale. Though she isn't happy about Catherine's decision, she accepts that it was her call to fund Meredith's project and is willing to accept the ramifications of her actions. However, when she comes back to the hospital to tell her coworkers she won't be returning, she's roped into surgery to save a firefighter's life. Considering this action, and the importance of Meredith's research, Catherine decides not to fire Teddy and Meredith in the final moments of the episode.
Though there haven't been any specific announcements, there's been plenty of speculation about what's in store for Grey's Anatomy season 21. While Teddy isn't fired, Catherine will likely be keeping a close eye on her in season 21 and the season may see Teddy trying to get back into her good graces, either through work or perhaps simply as a friend. Meredith's research is likely to continue as well. Now, Teddy can work alongside Meredith in a more official capacity, considering she doesn't need to keep their association secret.
