Bob D'AmicoPraise Shonda Rhimes, people, because Grey's Anatomy is finally back tonight. Want an early look at what happens in the two-hour premiere (airing at 9 on ABC) and in the season to come? Are Meredith and McDreamy really going to move into the House of Candles? Is Izzie on her way out? What happens when Jeffrey Dean Morgan returns?
I've got the dish on all that and much, much more...
Meredith (Ellen Pompeo) & McDreamy (Patrick Dempsey):
- The show's marquee couple is finally getting together! Meredith is ready to commit, and McDreamy is happy to have her. Meredith will be taking baby steps (two forward and one back), so be patient with her, but they are on the road to happiness.
- One major obstacle is out of the way: Rose's (Lauren Stamile) last episode is tonight. McSteamy (Eric Dane) spends the episode nagging McDreamy to just take care of the Rose problem once and for all, but that's not exactly how the final Rose-McDreamy split goes down.
- Last but not least, the love shack is coming: Sources on the set told me that later this season they'll be working on a McMansion for the happy couple.
Izzie (Katherine Heigl):
- Izzie's dead fiancé drops by tonight. Jeffrey Dean Morgan's appearance is one of the dreams referred to in the title "Dream a Little Dream." (By the way, the title makes for a great tension builder. There were several scenes where I found myself wondering...wait, is this someone's imagination or is it real?)
- Izzie is also front and center this season. ABC boss Steve McPherson has said of Katherine Heigl: "She is absolutely staying with the show. She has an unbelievable storyline for her this year, which is really central to everything that is going to go on this season. Shonda is really excited about that; she's the one who actually crafted that."
- I've got the dish on Izzie's future, and I'll tell you all about it in tonight's "Grey's Anatomy Dissection" post after the show airs!
McSteamy (Eric Dane): Our mischievous little McSteamy is growing up! Mark Sloan (Eric Dane) is going to get a real, live, single love interest this season. Eric told me exclusively: "I think he's going to [find real love] this season. I don't know how long that's going to last. The nature of the show is people don't stay together very long. We always end up getting back together, and then we break up again, then we get back together again—but I think this year he's going to find somebody." Is it Lexie as the season premiere hints? (Sloan is unusually nice to her.) Could it be Izzie? Is it the Little Miss Type A character for whom they are now casting? The debate continues...
Major Hottie & Yang: There are more than a few meaningful glances exchanged between Dr. Yang (Sandra Oh) and Major/Dr. Owen Hunt (Kevin McKidd) when he arrives at Seattle Grace after having intervened on scene at a major trauma. Cristina also delivers the line of the episode (which I am sworn by Shonda under penalty of torturous death not to reveal) while in the presence of Owen Hunt. His accent is awesome, his acting is better, I have lurved him since Rome, and I think you guys will take to him right away. (The Chief certainly hearts him.) Keep an ear peeled for his description of trauma surgery in the field during war. It turns on Cristina, and it's fascinating for us civilians as well.
Our Good Friend the Nazi: I talked to Chandra Wilson at the Emmys and asked her how Bailey's marriage was doing, among other things. She said, "Bailey's trying to be real professional right now and take care of her stuff at the hospital. She's doing a lot of surgery this season and trying to move ahead, but I think there's going to be some counseling and therapy for her in there somewhere."
Alex: Ah, Alex. You know, the best thing about Grey's is it tells you what it's doing without ever being too on the nose. Alex and Izzie heat up tonight, and then flare out, but not before Justin Chambers breaks our hearts in one scene by helping a patient with her dilemma and in the process telling us a little bit about why Alex can be such a butthead.
Callie & Hahn: Callie (Sara Ramirez) and Erica Hahn (Brooke Smith) are a go. They're taking it slow, much like McDreamy and Mer, but they are gearing up to hook up. As Brooke Smith told me about the storyline, "Anything can happen...And it could really rock your world, I imagine, if you all of the sudden thought you were in love with a woman and maybe you weren't before..." Excitement in the works for both of them...BTW, in the premiere, George expresses regret about his the marriage to Callie. Too bad. Callie O'Malley was the best married name ever.
Now, press play to check out my E! News segment for some footage from the premiere, and then swing back here right after you see the episode to discuss what went down in my "Grey's Anatomy Dissection" post!
For now, the comments are open for your dreams and wishes about tonight's episode! Do you want to see Izzie and George get together again? Do you want Burke (Isaiah Washington) to pop back in for a bit? Should Kyle Chandler's character be reanimated and kick off the zombie season of Grey's Anatomy? Post your plots and plans below!