ABC/DANNY FELDWe hope you got a chance to watch the livestream of our Kristin Dos Santos moderate An Evening with Shonda Rhimes & Friends at the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Showrunner extraodinaire, Shonda Rhimes was joined by her friends, including some of the stars of your favorite ABC dramas, Grey's Anatomy, Private Practice and what's sure to be your newest obsession, Scandal.
The group—including Ellen Pompeo, Sandra Oh, Taye Diggs and KaDee Strickland—talked writing, acting and how they got their big breaks, but most importantly some scoop on what's to come for your favorite couples. (Crowen fans we hear your sobs!)
We think Ellen Pompeo put it best when she said, "The Shondaland logo isn't a rollercoaster for no reason." Buckle up for the scoopy highlights...
Big House on the Hill: So you know how Shonda promised us a house? OK, she didn't promise us a house but she did say we might see Meredith and Derek (Patrick Dempsey) move into their dream house by the end of the season? Well, plans change and during the writing process of dismantling the finale she may have accidently dismantled their porch, kitchen and move-in date. Three days ago, they were getting the house by season's end. Now? Not so much.
Graduating Class of 2012: Things are in flux at Grey's Anatomy and Shonda explains why that is, this little group of interns we met way back eight years ago are graduating. She elaborates: "They are going to become attendings, they have to take their boards, they have to interview for jobs all over the country. We don't know where people are going to end up in that sense. There's this very nostalgic sense that something is being lost for all of them." While we may what to cry at the idea of losing any of our favorite docs, Shonda promises some of the funniest moments are still to come this season, too. So...get ready to laugh-cry. Hard.
Slow Burn: Owen (Kevin McKidd) and Cristina might be in the most difficult place of their, at times, rocky relationship but Sandra Oh said this has been building for a few seasons and might not be solved instantly: "If you can take a look and go back for years, you can see places where things were glossed over, decisions were made out of haste." She continues: "The question of where they are going, what I can say in a very general but truthful way, is that hopefully they are going to a place that is truthful for both characters, that is not am immediately solvable situation. So we're going to be in this storyline for a bit." It has to get worse before it can get better, right?
Scandalous: Brace yourself for some uber hot scenes between Kerry Washington and Tony Goldwyn in the new political fixer drama, Scandal. When the woman whose imagination created McDreamy and McSteamy says she had to leave the soundstage because she felt too dirty, well, you just know it's going to be good!
Mother of Transitions: This season has shown Charlotte King (KaDee Strickland) struggle to connect and comfort her stepson in the face of his mother's illness. Shonda Rhimes explains that Charlotte and Cooper are "going through a huge transition. Charlotte King is on her way to figure out how to be a mother." We know KaDee Strickland is phenomenal at the heavy storylines so no doubt there will be so tears ahead.
Sam and Addison: Shonda promised that something is coming up on Private Practice that has been building since the very beginning of the series. That might have to do with Sam and Addison, that might not. She also promises that something big is happening in the final episode. And that might have to do with Sam and Addison, and that might not. Basically, this woman is trying to torture us. But you know that already. And she's kind of an evil genius at it.
Be sure to check out Scandal on ABC this Thursday. If the pilot doesn't wow you, we promise you'll be sucked in by episode two or three. So much chemistry on this new series and tonight really just drove that point home!
The full webcast for tonight's Shondaland panel will be available Thursday, April 5 at www.emmys.tv. Warning: Ellen and KayDee's fan-encounter stories are sure to make you hiccup-cry!
PHOTOS: Fashion Spotlight: Grey's Gals