Once again, Surgeon Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo) sees her beloved hospital in flames. In last season’s finale, the long-running medical drama offered declarations of love, a wrenching breakup, a resolved hostage negotiation, and then… disaster. A distraught mom (Piper Perabo) threatened the OR with a tank of toxic acetylene, demanding Amelia (Caterina Scorsone) perform life-saving surgery on her daughter. When the tank blew up, Grey Sloan Memorial was in toxic chaos.
The Grey’s Anatomy Season 22 premiere on Thursday, October 9, “picks up right where we left off in the finale — seconds after the explosion,” says showrunner Meg Marinis. “We couldn’t show the aftermath of that, so the premiere will focus on figuring out where everyone is, who’s OK, and who’s not.” Look for a season starting with several episodes of “non-stop action,” Camilla Luddington, who plays Jo Wilson, has promised.
The doctors most in peril: expectant father Link (Chris Carmack), Webber (James Pickens Jr.), Monica (Natalie Morales), and residents Jules (Adelaide Kane) and Amelia’s nephew, Lucas (Niko Terho), who ran to warn Webber and the others. Could one of the show’s most beloved linchpins, Miranda Bailey (Chandra Wilson), possibly be among the casualties? There will be devastating losses, for sure.
“The season will touch on the long road to recovery,” says Marinis, “but I also want to focus on hope and where we look for it during trying times — the hope that Grey Sloan Memorial will be able to rebuild and the hope our doctors have for themselves and their patients.”
Is there hope for the surviving medicos’ twisty romances? “It wouldn’t be Grey’s Anatomy without some relationship drama!” the showrunner states. After Lucas’ recent avowal of love for fellow resident Simone (Alexis Floyd), “she’ll be forced to deal with the ramifications of her actions from last season and what the means going forward.” Those actions, of course, include her fling with hunky new resident Wes Bryant (Trevor Jackson). “I’m excited for fans to meet Jackson’s character and the dynamic he brings to the hospital. He’s not afraid to go after what he wants, whether that’s in his work on in his personal life,” she says
We’ll also see the fallout from Teddy (Kim Raver) telling Owen (Kevin McKidd) their marriage is over. Is it really over between them, and how will they handle working together through this? Fans no doubt will be split over whatever the outcome is.
As for Meredith, she’ll finally spend more time as a surgeon in Seattle than a researcher in Boston. “We’ll still get to follow her Alzheimer’s research, but with her being in Seattle more, I’m really excited to get her back into an OR, occasionally,” says Marinis. “I really love seeing her interact with patients, the interns, and residents.” After all, those moments and her ups and downs with love are what the show’s long devoted followers have tuned into for 22 seasons!
Grey’s Anatomy, Season 22 Premiere, Thursday, October 9, 10/9c, ABC