BOB D'AMICO / ABCUpdate, 11:14 a.m.: A bit more on Heigl-gate for you guys: Eric "McSteamy" Dane just talked to E! News and said that the whole Emmy scandal "took on a life of its own in the outside, but didn't really exist within the show." According to Dane, Katie is "a great girl, professional, she likes her job and I don't think Shonda has any intentions of killing her off." So there you go.
Just wrapped the exec session here at TCA with ABC boss Steve McPherson, and he shared a little news about that Shonda-verse we all love so much:
Izzie Lives! For Now! According to McPherson, Katherine Heigl is still very much in the mix over at Grey's Anatomy, and Izzie won't be offed anytime soon. In fact, he promised, "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." OK, I don't know about you, but I really want said storyline to involve the daughter Izzie gave up for adoption. And Alex.
Controversy, Schmontroversy: McPherson tried to brush the recent Heiglian kerfuffles under the carpet, and said, "She is a fantastically talented actress. I think it’s unfortunate when there’s any kind of turmoil on the show. There are so many people who work so unbelievably hard to make that show; we have the No. 1 show in the country. I think it’s a beautifully written, beautifully acted, beautifully produced...Everyone from the grips to the writers to the E.P.s, I think deserves an enormous amount of credit." And that, right there, is why they pay him the big bucks...
Private Practice Gets Back to Work: Down in L.A., Kate Walsh and company are getting a reset of sorts on Private Practice. According to McPherson, "In the best episodes of [Private Practice], there was still unbelievable medical drama juxtaposing against the personal drama." He promised more interaction with the hospital, less angst in the coffee room and Addy back in the surgical theater for more of the aforementioned doctor drama.
Sounds like they've found the cure for what ails Practice, and darned if I'm not thrilled with that Izzie news. I loves me some Izzie Stevens.
What say you? Yay or nay on more Heigl? I think the show wouldn't be half as much fun without her, but I know some of you have strong feelings. Care to share in the comments?
—Additional reporting by Jennifer Godwin and Natalie Abrams