Shonda Rhimes: Great Grey's Anatomy Stuff Ahead!
Get ready for pulse-pounding end to 2009 and new beginnings in 2010.
That's according to Shonda Rhimes herself, and we couldn't be happier.
“It’s starting to get really exciting, especially as we head towards these episodes that end the year and start off the new year,” the Grey's Anatomy creator and executive producer told TV Guide Magazine. “We’ve got some really great stuff coming.”
Now that Owen and Christina are a couple, will the new resident surgeon Teddy Altman - a.k.a. “cardio god” (played by guest star Kim Raver) - put a heart-stopping wrench in their fledgling romance? Rhimes urges fans to stay tuned on that front.
“Yes, but not how you’d expect,” revealed Rhimes. “I think everyone assumes it’s going to go one way. It’s a very different story than we’ve ever told before.”
Meanwhile, Meredith and Derek will continue to take the audience on a roller coaster ride of typical emotional highs and lows, yet even more challenges await.
“I think a lot of what’s going on is watching them come into their own as doctors [and] watching what goes on between them in the hospital,” said Rhimes.
With the Chief falling off the wagon once again, leaving his wife’s imagination to run wild - and straight down to the hospital where she accuses Dr. Bailey of having an affair with him - the repercussions will go a lot deeper than just the bottom of the bottle.
“That’s going to get a little complicated,” she said, promising more info in coming episodes. “That’s going to get more complicated than anybody expects.”
Maybe another botched surgery?
“We’re not going to do the botched surgery conflict,” added Rhimes.“ I really want to portray what happens when a doctor goes off the wagon and how they deal with that.”
As for the Chief’s wife Adele (played by Loretta Divine), expect to see more of her.
“We love to have her. There’s going to be more coming up with them. I think you’re going to see what happens to the marriage and what happens to him at the hospital.”
We’ve also seen the dramatic return of Izzie Stevens, but it turns out that her welcome back will be somewhat short-lived, with Katherine Heigl taking maternity leave.
“She’s going to be taking a leave,” Shonda also confirmed. “We adapt and change. That’s what that means,” she said of what Heigl’s departure will mean for the show.
As for how long Heigl’s locker will be empty is still unknown.
“I don’t know how long, but I think it’s wonderful that a mother wants to spend time with her baby. So I have no problems with that,” said Rhimes.
Off camera, Eric Dane is expecting his first child with wife Rebecca Gayheart, while in typical life-imitating-art fashion, Mark happiness with Lexie could be shaken - by his past.
We're already wondering: Does Mark have a grown up child?
“Yes!” revealed Rhimes, who used to be anti-Grey's Anatomy spoilers. “And that’s going to be interesting. We’re going to dive very far into Mark and discover a bunch of stuff.”
We already know he’s a master with the scalpel and it seems he’s got more than just the arrogant appeal and handsome good looks fans have grown to love and hate.
“It’s going to be more than just the pretty face,” she added.
“Also just how he would actually cope with something serious.”
Steve Marsi is the Managing Editor of TV Fanatic. Email him here.
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June 3rd, 2010 9:38 AM
We need more black female characters in grey anatomy. We need more people of color in grey anatomy. I have stoped watching the show because of lack of diversity.
March 9th, 2010 4:38 PM
so let me get this straight- you're saying the fact that a black man would run after a white woman is insulting?
I think you are being a little oversensitive to old stereotypes. A lot of men run after woman. So what if this woman happens to be white, and this man happens to be black?
Bailey happens to be my favourite character on the show. In my opinion, she is the most competent surgeon. She also has extremely strong morals which I IDOLIZE. Bailey is the ONLY a woman on this show that i would want to emulate.
Practically all of the other women (who happen to be white) are sleeping around and/or letting their love lives affect their work.
There are SO MANY more episodes and situations where the white person/couple was portrayed negatively and the black person/couple was portrayed positively. But I don't believe for a second that racial stereotypes are part of this show. I judge the people individually, by their actions and words and not by there color.
March 5th, 2010 12:00 AM
Why are black people being so carelessly portrayed on bith Grey's Anatomy and Private Pratice. Is there is problem with a Black man being the chief of Surgery and if you had to move him could you not retire him gracefully. What benefit is there is showing a black man losing his job and them becoming a snickering sycophant. Aren't you guys embarassed. Why does the other idiot on Private Practice have to be running after a White woman. Could you not introduce another black female doctors. This does not happened on all white shows why is this happening on two shows that started out so diverse. I AM SICK OF THIS JUNK> BE more creative and lect stereo-typical. There are wonderful intelligent BLACK PEOPLE who watch these shows and are offended. Why are we always made to look lesser than. Enough already.
November 26th, 2009 10:35 AM
does anyone read this? I´m reading this right? So MerDer are really together FOREVER? No more break up for them or love triangle :D
From Ausellio:
With new mom Ellen Pompeo firmly entrenched back at Grey’s Anatomy, the show is moving Derek and Meredith back where they belong: front and center. That’s the good news. Here comes the bad…
“They will face some relationship challenges, many of them work-oriented, in the second half of the season,” reveals exec producer Shonda Rhimes.
The Queen of Shondaland, however, insists that this latest obstacle will not result in the newly married-via-Post-It pair breaking up — a rumor that has been making the rounds on the Internets (and stirring Der-Mer fans into a veritable frenzy). “I don’t know how many times [I] can say, ‘Derek and Meredith are together forever’ and have anybody hear it,” she sighs. “I can only reassure so much.
“In order to [produce] a drama you need to have some drama,” Rhimes adds w
November 26th, 2009 7:06 AM
mark and lexie are so good together, but that child of mark i hope it doesn´t really bring this much problems for the couple.
as for it lexie looks hot in that picture
November 22nd, 2009 5:09 PM
Sp Glad That Mer Is Back!! I cant Wait For Some More MerDer Seens! Best TV Couple Ever! aha
November 22nd, 2009 6:43 AM
hi patrick wie geht es ihnen
Rank: New User
November 19th, 2009 10:35 PM
I'm really excited for what's about to happen next year in Grey's!
I don't think MerDer are going to face any of those ups and downs like in the previous seasons. I feel like the challenges are gonna be different this time. After all, they've been struggling from the 1st to the 5th season. It's time for new struggles for them, maybe career wise now.
Now I really wat to see Alex and Izzie story come to a happy ending. It's not fair that after all they've been through, they just let it be the way it is now. It doesn't feel right for the way it was portrayed in the 5th season: they were so serious about it!!! I did get disappointed with Izzie's return, though. It felt like nothing was resolved, and she left no hopes at all about their romance!
I know Heigl seems kinda tired of the show and really involved with her Hollywood projects, but I do think Izzie and Alex's romance deserve a happy ending.
About Mexie, I really like them. They're fun and they really connect. Of course,
November 19th, 2009 10:50 AM
I don't think there is any suggestion of a MerDer breakup, Shonda is saying she's keeping them together, and relationships do involve disagreements, arguements etc. But Shonda should be more understanding that GA / MerDer fans always get concerned when they read general spoilers about MerDer having more challenging times ahead. I just hope we see more MerDer cos Ellen is working again.
Rank: Regular Character
November 18th, 2009 8:07 PM
I really really don't believe that MerDer will break up. It'd be old but I understand the need to push a little drama for them. It's a drama after all. It's going to be interesting to see how they deal with this differently than the usual. Last season, Mer stuck through Der's tough times. I'm kinda excited about it.