It’s hard to believe it’s been five years since Patrick Dempsey exited ABC’s Grey’s Anatomy.
Now, the actor is lining up his return to broadcast TV — this time at CBS, according to THR.
Dempsey has been added to the cast of the pilot of the political drama Ways & Means, a project that was previously known as The Whip.
The potential series finds Dempsey playing the role of a powerful Congressional leader, who finds himself working with an idealistic young Congresswoman from the opposing party after losing his faith in politics.
His aim is to subvert the system he helped create, and together with this woman from the opposing party, they try to save American politics.
However, this is all assuming they do not get caught. They are breaking a lot of laws, so if anyone learns the truth, they could spend a long time behind bars.
The drama hails from Without a Trace executive producer Ed Redlich, who is co-writing the script with Mike Murphy, who is also an EP.
Denise Di Novi, Tom Lassally, Joannie Burstein, and former CBS president Nina Tassler also serve as EPs on the project.
This series would mark Dempsey’s first full-time TV role since departing Grey’s Anatomy in 2015. His alter ego, Derek Shepherd was killed in a car crash.
The development changed the fabric of the series, with Ellen Pompeo’s Meredith Grey forced to adjust to a world without the love of her life.
Despite staying with Grey’s for 11 years, the actor has been vocal about thinking he should have left earlier than he did.
It makes sense. Grey’s has been a tremendous success story and continues to be one of the most-watched TV shows in the world — even after 16 seasons.
Dempsey appeared on Epix limited series, The Truth About the Harry Quebert Affair.
We must stress that this new series is at pilot stage, and CBS could opt not to order a full series. It will all come down to whether the network likes the finished product.
What are your thoughts on Dempsey’s potential return to the small screen?
Are you on board?
Hit the comments.
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Paul Dailly is the Associate Editor for TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter.