Burke Coming Back? Little to No Chance
November 5, 2009 by Ingrid Diaz
When it comes to television, it’s usually safe to maintain a “never say never” mentality. Situations change all of the time, contracts change all of the time. Bridges are burned. Issues are fixed. People move on. People come back. And when it comes to Grey’s Anatomy there is an ever-revolving door of actors entering and exiting.
So it’s a fair and resonable request – and one that I see very often – to want Burke to return to Seattle Grace. The topic keeps coming back over and over again, and I see it in the comments over and over again, so I wanted to reiterate that while I still maintain a “never say never” philosophy, the current state of things is that Burke is never coming back.
It has even been suggested to Shonda Rhimes that she recast Burke with a different actor if the issue is with Isaiah Washington. But – and I’m relieved to hear this – she feels that none of the characters on the show are re-castable. I think there’s a lot of viewers that don’t mind it when a different actor comes in for a character, but I seriously loathe it when that happens.
Unfortunately, with regards to Burke, it means that it’s very, very unlikely that he’ll ever return to Grey’s Anatomy.
The most recent quote by Shonda Rhimes on the topic of whether she feels that the Burke storyline was left lingering is, “I feel like we really played that storyline out in the way we meant to play it out – and I think it worked.”
But for the sake of conversation, if left up to you, would you bring Burke back? And would you be okay with it being a different actor that plays him?
Image: Pacific Coast News














I don’t think they should make the mistake of changing the actors. Isaiah Washington made that character what it was. They should definitely consider bringing Burke back, because he is awesome and Cristina needs a cardio god.
BRING BURKE BACK SHONDA!!!!!
i don’t think that the Burke storyline is played out. Cristina will never be the same, she really misses Burke, me too. as he said once, he is a nice person, an excellent doctor and Seattle Grace needs a character like him. with all these new faces, we need some stability. Burke would mean that
I don’t believe Burke should be played by a different actor but I wish he would come back (played by Washington). He was, with Yang, one of my favorite characters. He was very complexe and very interesting.
I agree with Emma. Though I do like Arizona and Owen, I wanna see Burke back in SGH. Cristina will never be the same, absolutely true. She’s actually losing herself. I’d love to see Cristina with her hardcore-ice-in-her-veins-edge again – I know she always is and that’s true but I think we all know what I’m referring to.
Bring him back
He will always be my favorite doctor in Grey’s. I was never big on DerekMeredith. For me, it was all about BurkeChristina – and to a lesser extent AlexIzzie. So I’d want Dr. Burke back. And oh, Preston Burke IS Isaiah Washington.
Bring erica back!
Bring him back! but not another actor!
Shonda please bring him back. He is greatly missed. No one has the elegance, sophistication, tranquility nor level headedness he had. Cristina has suffered greatly by his absence. Their pairing was historic, utterly compelling and beautiful to watch. Their struggle to communicate because of their respective neuroses was transfixing. They were such a unique pairing. Burke fans m i s s him terribly.
Plus AA female fans who loved him have no one to long for and swoon over like other fans take for granted and who have many choices to fulfill their romantic escapist tv fantasies. It is your show Shonda. Be the power. Return to your bold, innovative self. Please! If it’s a “ratings/Peoria/suits” thing,
well, the ratings were through the roof when he was on. If it’s an “Isaiah” thing, well Don Imus was forgiven why can’t Isaiah be? Please Shonda!!!
I think he should come back. Seattle Grace really needs a Cardio God, and it would be interesting to see how it affect Christina and Owen’s relationship. I f he does come back, it should be Isaiah playing him. I also hate it when different actors or actresses come in to play a character. HATE it!
I really liked Burke’s character also. I would be happy to have Isaiah Washington play him again. I would be surprised if they hired him back though. I’m really glad that Shonda doesn’t feel the characters are recastable. I can not stand when shows do that!!
I think it would be awful if they tried to re-cast him – that NEVER works. I also think he’s better off gone to be totally honest. Cristina’s finally moving past him and it would just suck for everybody if Burke was around again.
I want to see Hahn come back!
Bring him back as isaiah washington, and no one else. it would be great for the tv show, and aslo the big changes that are going on why not a change that we use to know
Please, please bring Burke back, if only for adult content for Christina, I don’t like her relationship with Owen, Burke would make it so much more interesting, and George is gone now isn’t he ????
.
I’m sure Washington has learnt his lesson
I expect Burke to come back after Christina blurted out his name recently. Isn’t that foreshadowing writers???? I will be extremely disappointed if that is not the outcome.
PLEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAASE FOR god sake bring him back
he is not the devil and he didn’t do “THE WORNG” thing
he is the best actor in the show pleaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaasw shonda
bring him back
please let burke come back ! he was so important in the show !! A cardio god would be greate for critina who i think is not the same without him
I want Burke back as the same actor but that makes too much sense. The show will fail and they’ll hav only themselves to blame. The ratings are slowly going down as it is. Bringing Burke back is too logical and it makes too much sense. The show started decaying years ago. We are watching another good show go nowhere.
I don’t mind Burke, if they do bring him back. However I would rather a recast and seeing that Shonda doesn’t do recasts, I doubt we will be seeing Burke anytime soon with IW playing him….Thank God!
I AM FROM SOUTH AFRICA AND A GREAT FAN OF GREYS ANATOMY. I ALSO AGREE BURKE SHOULD COME BACK(ISIAH WASHINGTON). HE HAS PAID HIS DEBT AND IS A GOOD ACTOR. HE GELLS VERY WELL WITH ALL ACTORS AND HIM AND CHRISTINA MAKE A GOOD PAIR. BESIDES, CHRISTINA’S LIFE HAS BEEN TOO UNDEFINED. BRINGING BURKE BACK WILL MAKE IT MORE DYNAMIC AND THROW SOME EXCITEMENT AS WELL. THE RESPONSES IN SEATTLE GRACE AND WHAT OTHER DOCTORS WILL THINK. BESIDES WE HAVEN’T HAD A CARDIO GOD SINCE BURKE LEFT.
I just wanna see cristina’s face when she says burke for the first time. i would also love to see burke try to get cristina back and owen get jealous. lol. that would be awesome!!!
please i beg u,george,burke bring them bck…mk george come bck n pls we need, i need..chritina needs a strong man,a cadio,…a burke…a mento he made grey worth watching.dnt think dt by bringing cute,hot characters it will mk it any better.i have seen season 1,2,3,4 n 5 so manyt
mes i dnt think chnging d docs will mk it any better.lets stick 2 d beginners dt made grey the best medical series ever….havent seen anything like this. its ma best,so please stop dem from leaving.!
bring burke if the chance arises ok?
Bring him back as isaiah washington!!!
bring him back!!!pleeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaassssssssssseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
different actor that plays Dr. preston burke it’s no good idea, Dr. preston burke is isaiah washington n Dr. christina yang is sandra oh…just bring burke (isaiah w) back…and burktina back..
Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeease bring him back! would be amazing (but, never wih another actor)