Exclusive: Jackson's Grey's Stint Fades to Black

• Feb 22, 2008 05:16 PM ET
• by Michael Ausiello

It appears Joshua Jackson's Grey's Anatomy gig has ended before it began. And once again, the writers' strike is to blame.

To quickly recap, Grey's announced last fall that the ex- Dawson's Creeker would be joining the cast for a multi-episode arc as a doctor and, as I would later report, a love interest for Cristina. Unfortunately, just weeks before he was scheduled to shoot his first episode, the writers went on strike and Jackson's stint, just like the TV biz itself, was put on hold.

Cut to present day: The strike is over, Grey's is headed back into production, and Jackson is - yep, you guessed it - no longer available. During the work stoppage, J.J. Abrams hand-picked the actor to headline his new X-Files-esque Fox series Fringe, which is currently in production in Toronto (and will be through mid-March). Although an attempt was made to make the scheduling work, ultimately the logistics proved too daunting.

Now Grey's is forced to either recast the role or scrap it entirely. An ABC spokesperson declined to comment, but a Seattle Grace insider says a final decision will likely be made in the coming days.

Personally, I'm bummed we won't get to see Pacey and Cristina mix it up. I have a thing for unlikely romantic pairings, and this one was about as unlikely as they come. Feel free to agree or disagree with me in the comments section below. And while you're at it, throw out some names of potential replacements - should Grey's opt to go the recast route. Hey, I hear James Van Der Beek's free!