First, the public relations fallout from the incident between Washington, Knight, and Patrick Dempsey thrust T.R. onto the front page of countless tabloids and newspapers, and put him in the position of being a national spokesperson for a very private aspect of his life. With only a handful of credits on his resume prior to landing the part of George, the jury was out on how a young actor, inexperienced in the ways of celebrity, would handle such intense media scrutiny. In the short term, Knight appeared to benefit from the controversy, with fans, journalists, and opinion leaders rushing to praise his calm and dignified exterior. With the benefit of hindsight, I believe that Knight may have read a little too much of his own press and misjudged his value, both on Grey’s Anatomy and in the entertainment industry as a whole. Both T.R. Knight and his good friend Katherine Heigl (who has been the subject of behind-the-scenes nightmare stories regarding salary and storylines since Roswell) have overplayed their hands, but Heigl remains because the show’s ratings benefit from the presence of America’s newest romantic comedy star. Until Knight figures out how to snag the lead in a Judd Apatow flick, I believe that his diva act will be a mistake that he will always regret.

Second, the absence of Dr. Burke gutted Grey’s Anatomy of its most engaging relationship, that between mentor and pupil. I am a sucker for these types of storylines, as are many viewers. Despite an off-screen relationship that was obviously imperfect, Knight & Washington were must-see TV every time they shared a scene. Neither actor was ever as good on Grey’s as they were with one another, and I miss seeing O’ Malley running around the hospital, trying to earn the respect it took to be “Burke’s Guy.” Once that relationship was fractured, and the writers attempted to move George in a new, more mainstream direction, we were subjected to the Gizzie storyline. Need I say more?

I don’t know T.R. Knight, and I hope that the next phase of his career provides him with the creative satisfaction that making $100,000+ per episode on Grey’s could not. I would give him this piece of advice, though. When Knight emerges from the shadows to give his first “post-Shonda” interview, he needs to be very careful not to bite the hand that fed him millions of dollars. With so many fans having experienced true financial hardship in the past few years, I think Knight would be well-served to take the high road. Why then, do I worry, will he do the exact opposite?

I originally thought after the season finale that only one of them would live, and it would be George. But I guess not.