Spoilers and Spoiler Speculation: Benchmarking

[OtterMommy]

4 minutes ago, Chas411 said:

And they'll probably remake Leah a regular as well... Because she was such a hit the first time.

Ugh...just ugh.  I mean, she was annoying the first time around.  Now, she's some weird Stepford Intern....

I'd rather they get rid of Leah and Minnick and bring in an Ortho attending.

[CED9]

I have a feeling that if Sara Ramirez isn't coming back, they'll decide that Minnick being in Sports Medicine is close enough to Ortho. 

Like how they think Arizona being in Fetal = doing OBGYN things.

[funnygirl]

3 hours ago, CED9 said:

I have a feeling that if Sara Ramirez isn't coming back, they'll decide that Minnick being in Sports Medicine is close enough to Ortho. 

Like how they think Arizona being in Fetal = doing OBGYN things.

It's so annoying that they do this. 

[OtterMommy]

3 minutes ago, funnygirl said:

It's so annoying that they do this. 

Agreed....Half the time they have Jackson doing doctorly things, all I'm thinking is, "I'm pretty sure that isn't plastic surgery."

[CED9]

20 hours ago, Chas411 said:

And they'll probably remake Leah a regular as well... Because she was such a hit the first time.

My hope is that all this is just because of the maternity leave musical chairs happening like I said before, and once that settles down, they'll start focusing on the regulars again.

They might add a regular or two, but why bother? I mean, the guy who plays Ben was announced as a series regular and he shows up, what? 8-10 episodes a season if that? 

[Rose-1]

21 hours ago, Chas411 said:

And they'll probably remake Leah a regular as well... Because she was such a hit the first time.

Ew. Just eugh to that, I absolutely cannot STAND her character, there is not one positive attribute to her or any reason at all why she shouldve been brought back to the show. Honestly why was she?! It's so painful, and out of the interns in season 9, it was completely obvious she was the worst received. I would've rather yet another new introduction to this show than keep her on, and that's saying something as this cast is so bloated it's ridiculous now. And if they HAD to get a new resident, as they seem obsessed with having 4-5, why the hell is minnick necessary? And I agree, We need a new ortho head, not another guest star turned useless regular.

[OtterMommy]

1 minute ago, Rose-1 said:

Ew. Just eugh to that, I absolutely cannot STAND her character, there is not one positive attribute to her or any reason at all why she shouldve been brought back to the show. Honestly why was she?! It's so painful, and out of the interns in season 9, it was completely obvious she was the worst received. I would've rather yet another new introduction to this show than keep her on, and that's saying something as this cast is so bloated it's ridiculous now. And if they HAD to get a new resident, as they seem obsessed with having 4-5, why the hell is minnick necessary? And I agree, We need a new ortho head, not another guest star turned useless regular.

I actually preferred Leah 1.0 to Leah 2.0.  Don't get me wrong--I couldn't stand her, but at least there was something (BSC) about her.  Now she just stands around with this stoned look on her face.

As for bringing on new characters, I'm conflicted.  On one hand, this is already a HUGE cast--but most of the characters have been around long enough that it is starting to feel a little in-bread.  Plus, the setting of the hospital requires that certain "things" be there--like doctors for certain surgical specialties, new interns, etc.

However, I'm really sick of the pattern of "bring on new characters in the fall, kill off the ones that don't work in the Spring."  Shonda could have effectively used that once--but we've seen it more often than that.  I also don't want a new crop of interns to come on just to replenish the pool of sexual options of the attendings.

So, here is something I'd like to see.  I'd like one of the characters--I'm thinking of Meredith, but it could be any one of the non-attached characters, to have a love interest who is not in any way involved with the hospital.  I don't even need it to be some grand love affair--something completely casual would work for me.  I just need some acknowledgment that there is a world outside Grey Sloan.

[Scatterbrained]

1 hour ago, OtterMommy said:

So, here is something I'd like to see.  I'd like one of the characters--I'm thinking of Meredith, but it could be any one of the non-attached characters, to have a love interest who is not in any way involved with the hospital.  I don't even need it to be some grand love affair--something completely casual would work for me.  I just need some acknowledgment that there is a world outside Grey Sloan.

That's what I was hoping for for Arizona.  I thought her conversations about the dates she'd been on with people outside the hospital was fun.  If we could go back in time, I'd like the same thing for Callie as well, LOL.

The actress who plays Leah was part of a recent Shonda pilot called Toast that didn't get picked up.  The actress who plays Stephanie was also in that pilot.  Shondaland seems like an Old Hollywood system kind of place where a stable of actors is kept in-house and plugged into roles as they come up.  It's probably nicer, though.  Old Hollywood studios really controlled actors lives and careers.  Shondaland seems to offer employment security and a family-like working environment.

Edited February 2, 2017 by Scatterbrained

[BaseOps]

Adding new characters has 'worked' for them for so many years, and the giant cast is a big part of what makes the scheduling so ideal for all of these actors -  I can't see it changing or ever going back to a tighter cast. None of the actors are ever burned out because they don't have to be there 24x7. In the early years, you had the main five cast members (the interns) working ridiculously long hours because they were all in every episode for an equal amount of time. There were 9 regulars in season one... last year they were up to 16. That's 7 additional stars to share time, meaning the actors get to work on other projects, spend time with family, or focus on directing (I'm not sure if it's been mentioned, but Ellen Pompeo is currently prepping to direct her first episode). I really wish they'd get down to even 12 or 13 cast members again, but I don't see it happening. 

[OtterMommy]

 From @BaseOps

Quote

Quote

 

 ON 1/30/2017 AT 6:25 PM, OTTERMOMMY SAID:

What is April's new role?  Did I miss something?

 

It will come up within the next two episodes. 

 

Okay, I'm going to put this out here.  I hope April becomes the next Chief of Surgery--not because I want her to (I don't) or because I think she'll be good at it (I don't), but she really can't be any worse than Bailey.

[StaceyNotStacie]

1 hour ago, OtterMommy said:

 From @BaseOps

Okay, I'm going to put this out here.  I hope April becomes the next Chief of Surgery--not because I want her to (I don't) or because I think she'll be good at it (I don't), but she really can't be any worse than Bailey.

I like this idea. Wasn't April the Chief Resident a few years back?  The only downside is that I could see them accusing her of nepotism because of her being the mother of an Avery. 

[OtterMommy]

53 minutes ago, Stacey1014 said:

I like this idea. Wasn't April the Chief Resident a few years back?  The only downside is that I could see them accusing her of nepotism because of her being the mother of an Avery. 

Nepotism, schnepotism.  This is Seattle Grace Mercy West Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital....they deal in nepotism.  I'm trying to think who is not related/married to/sleeping with someone else...the closest I can come to Alex, who might as well be Meredith's siamese twin at this point.  Even DeLuca and Stephanie were in that boat at one time...

[Wilson]

I hope they give April Chief of Trauma. Owen has often said that the ER doesn't run well without her there, so if she runs it better than him, just give it to her. He can go chase Amelia and she can run trauma. I think she would be awesome at it.

[BaseOps]

I have a feeling they're going for an all-female department-head lineup: Chief of Surgery Miranda Bailey, Chief of General Surgery Meredith Grey, Chief of Pediatric Surgery and Fetal Surgery Arizona Robbins, Chief of Neurosurgery Amelia Shepherd, Chief of Cardiothoracic Surgery Maggie Pierce... possibly April Kepner as the new Chief of Trauma Surgery. 

[funnygirl]

But Dr. Minnick hinted in the last episode that Alex was the chief of pediatric surgery, by saying that they needed to hire another one (as if she has any authority. GTFO!). I would assume that once he is reinstated, so is his title. Or else why wouldn't Arizona have been chief of both departments this whole time? 

[OtterMommy]

3 hours ago, BaseOps said:

I have a feeling they're going for an all-female department-head lineup: Chief of Surgery Miranda Bailey, Chief of General Surgery Meredith Grey, Chief of Pediatric Surgery and Fetal Surgery Arizona Robbins, Chief of Neurosurgery Amelia Shepherd, Chief of Cardiothoracic Surgery Maggie Pierce... possibly April Kepner as the new Chief of Trauma Surgery. 

Is Meredith the Chief of General, though?  I thought it was Bailey and then I don't know what happened to it when she became Chief of Surgery.  I vaguely remember when Maggie came on, but I can't remember if it was as the Chief of Cardio (I thought there was someone else in that position--a man we've seen maybe twice and referred to once or twice since)?  

To be honest, though, this show is really careless with details like this, so who knows.  No one, other than Bailey, acts especially "chief-like" and they only seem to pull these titles out when they need them and then forget that they ever existed the rest of the time.

[Greysaddict]

2 hours ago, OtterMommy said:

Is Meredith the Chief of General, though?  I thought it was Bailey and then I don't know what happened to it when she became Chief of Surgery.  I vaguely remember when Maggie came on, but I can't remember if it was as the Chief of Cardio (I thought there was someone else in that position--a man we've seen maybe twice and referred to once or twice since)?  

To be honest, though, this show is really careless with details like this, so who knows.  No one, other than Bailey, acts especially "chief-like" and they only seem to pull these titles out when they need them and then forget that they ever existed the rest of the time.

Bailey gave Meredith Chief of General last season.  There was a whole (stupid) storyline of Bailey low-balling her new salary and her "standing up" to her and asking for more money.  Maggie was definitely hired as Chief of Cardio, it was mentioned at the end of S10 when she was first hired and they've mentioned a few time that she is Riggs' boss.  

But, like you said, it's not like it matters since it is only brought up if it fits the storyline, otherwise it's completely ignored.

Edited February 5, 2017 by Greysaddict

[Joana]

Especially since the departments they're running seem to consist of one person, respectively. 

[OtterMommy]

5 hours ago, Greysaddict said:

Bailey gave Meredith Chief of General last season.  There was a whole (stupid) storyline of Bailey low-balling her new salary and her "standing up" to her and asking for more money.  Maggie was definitely hired as Chief of Cardio, it was mentioned at the end of S10 when she was first hired and they've mentioned a few time that she is Riggs' boss.  

But, like you said, it's not like it matters since it is only brought up if it fits the storyline, otherwise it's completely ignored.

Thanks for the clarification--I'm starting to remember now (vaguely).  I think part of the reason that the "chief" title is so pointless is that it *seems* like there aren't really any departments to be chief of.  I can see it now between Maggie and Riggs, but Meredith has never acted like anyone's boss, and there only seems to be one other General Surgery surgeon (Webber...although Bailey is as well).  There only seems to be one neurosurgeon and one plastic surgeon and two cardio surgeons (and no ortho surgeons)...on and whatever Arizona is.

The cast is already huge so I wouldn't want a bunch of new characters, but a reference that there are other doctors in the hospital now and then would be nice.

[BaseOps]

When Derek was in neuro they often referenced the 'other' neuro guy... didn't they call him Shadow Shepherd? I think we've seen another pediatric doctor, too, though I can't recall the exact instance. But the cast is already so massive, I just sort of ignore the fact that our surgeons are treated as if they're the only competent ones in the hospital / city / country. 

[Court]

Stephanie did make a comment about another neuro guy this ep. She told Owen if he was looking for her, she'd be on the third floor getting a consult. 

She instead went to her apartment to ask Amelia about th scans. When she got back,Stephanie said she said they were clear. Owen corrected her saying he, because he's a man.

[CED9]

We pretty much know this, but spoiler for whatever episode they're filming right now: https://www.instagram.com/p/BQJZ2kMADBF/

[BaseOps]

From TVLine:

The show is admitting the rarest breed of Grey’s Anatomy character this spring: an honest-to-goodness Big Bad. According to sources, Shonda Rhimes & Co. are looking for a Caucasian actor in his mid 40s to play a new doctor who is “appealing, charismatic and charming” — in other words, a total freakin’ catch. The twist? He’s has a “manipulative, scary dark side.” The MD (which in this case stands for maniacal demon) will appear in this season’s final four episodes and could return in Season 14. Now, I’ll just say what everyone is thinking: Could this be Jo’s husband?!

[Chas411]

I seriously seriously hope so. While Jo isn't everyone's favourite character this storyline is beyond overdue. I'm not sure how they're covering Camillas maternity but I could see Jo leaving for a few episodes only to come back in the finale and realise Everyone has bonded with her ex.

[BaseOps]

13.14 - “Back Where You Belong” – Alex returns to the hospital and discovers a lot has changed since he left. Meanwhile, Jo has to make a difficult decision on a case, and Arizona tries to distance herself from Eliza.

Also, Grey's Anatomy was officially picked up for season 14 today. 

[Starscream]

11 hours ago, Chas411 said:

I seriously seriously hope so. While Jo isn't everyone's favourite character this storyline is beyond overdue. I'm not sure how they're covering Camillas maternity but I could see Jo leaving for a few episodes only to come back in the finale and realise Everyone has bonded with her ex.

I love that.  If Alex liked him I'd know something's up, because Alex never gets along with guys at first.

[CED9]

On 2/1/2017 at 6:27 PM, funnygirl said:

It's so annoying that they do this. 

This is an old post, but it was pointed out to me by a friend that in order to specialize in Sports Medicine like Eliza does, you first need to hold a medical license in Ortho. 

So, there's that.

[funnygirl]

1 hour ago, CED9 said:

This is an old post, but it was pointed out to me by a friend that in order to specialize in Sports Medicine like Eliza does, you first need to hold a medical license in Ortho. 

So, there's that.

And that confirms for me that they could not be more obvious in literally replacing Callie Torres if they tried. The only missing factor is that they didn't cast a Latina actress and make Dr. Minnick Latina.  

Edited February 12, 2017 by funnygirl

[Deanie87]

On 2/10/2017 at 2:49 PM, Chas411 said:

I seriously seriously hope so. While Jo isn't everyone's favourite character this storyline is beyond overdue. I'm not sure how they're covering Camillas maternity but I could see Jo leaving for a few episodes only to come back in the finale and realise Everyone has bonded with her ex.

I think that would be the best way to go, even though I am not really a fan of them dragging all of this out until next season.  Of course, I'm sure that if it is her husband, whatever brings him to the hospital will be completely contrived, considering she never testified, but I'm okay with that because Jo really needs a storyline that SHOWS her past and her experience, rather than he just monologuing about it.  And there needs to be a reason that she doesn't identify him to everyone right away, so her leaving will be one of the only times a maternity leave makes perfect sense with the storyline.  And its not even like she has to be offscreen, the residents can go take their boards in another city.

I am trying not to get my hopes up that this is her husband though.  I guess it can't really be Jackson's father if the guy is in his 40s right?

[Joana]

Maybe they can also have Jo's husband be Derek's long lost brother who once had an affair with Arizona's mother and is responsible for the disappearance of Owen's sister, if they want to go all Mexican telenovela on us. 

[OtterMommy]

@Sarnia wrote in the 12.13 thread:

Quote

The only one who still seems sane is De Luca. So he's probably going to be killed before the end of the season (this is not a spoiler, but I don't see how a decent no-nonsense guy can appeal to the writers of this show).

I'm thinking the same thing.  However, I don't think it is (entirely) because he seems to be sane and mature, which is glaringly discordant in this show.  Giacomo Gianniati is a strong, young actor and it seems to me that Shonda Rhimes like to siphon her strong, young actors off her existing shows and try to build new shows around them.  Weren't both the actresses who play Stephanie and Leah supposed to be in a pilot that wasn't picked up?  Didn't the actor who plays Ben appear in another short-lived SR series?  If this is her "thing" to do (and I'm not begrudging her for it--it is actually pretty smart), GG is a prime candidate for it.  He's young, he's very attractive, he seems to be growing a following, and he's got acting chops.

The other thing is...DeLuca has been a character on this show for how long?  I think he showed up sometime in season 10, right?  In all that time, he has 1) slept with Maggie and 2) been beaten to a pulp by Alex.  No matter how great an actor GG is, they can't seem to find a good story line for him--or even a good niche in the cast.  I suppose they could just....keep trying.  Or they might just think they would be better off putting him in another vehicle.

[Court]

Isn't Deluca the one who showed up pretending to be a Dr when he was an intern? He had helped an accident victim and rode in the ambulance with them? Someone help me here.

[OtterMommy]

4 minutes ago, Court said:

Isn't Deluca the one who showed up pretending to be a Dr when he was an intern? He had helped an accident victim and rode in the ambulance with them? Someone help me here.

Yes, that was DeLuca.  He also seems to be the only actual resident in the hospital now that they got rid of that blond kid....

[Pinecone]

Why would Jo's ex be a doctor, much less a surgeon? Wouldn't you do anything else to never possibly run into him again? 

Actually, if anyone else has been following the "Robert Evans" murder case out of Manchester, NH, that was the sort of background I wanted for Jo--she'd investigate her past and try to trace her origins, and wind up with a bombshell discovery. This case involves a woman who was abandoned at age 5, and now discovering she's the missing baby of a woman who disappeared in '83 with her boyfriend, who is linked to four bodies found in the woods in NH and died in prison after murdering another woman. This woman "Lisa" is a nice, stable woman with three kids of her own who was reunited with her mom's family through one of those test your DNA services, and now investigators are piecing things together. 

[funnygirl]

6 hours ago, OtterMommy said:

The other thing is...DeLuca has been a character on this show for how long?  I think he showed up sometime in season 10, right?  

He showed up the second to last episode of season 11. 

Edited February 13, 2017 by funnygirl

[funnygirl]

2 hours ago, Pinecone said:

Why would Jo's ex be a doctor, much less a surgeon? Wouldn't you do anything else to never possibly run into him again? 

I was thinking about this, too.  And I do think that the charismatic male doctor coming on at the end of the season will, in fact, be Jo's husband. Which makes the whole plot even more ridiculous, in my opinion, because suppose Jo was in medical school when they were together, or even if she wasn't, being in the same profession seems like it would make it even easier for him to find her if he really wanted to. 

Should this be the case, the writers really aren't trying anymore when it comes to storylines. 

[flickers]

But which doctor(s) will he date or sleep with before his true identity is revealed?

[Chas411]

My money is on April for some reason.

[Deanie87]

6 hours ago, funnygirl said:

I was thinking about this, too.  And I do think that the charismatic male doctor coming on at the end of the season will, in fact, be Jo's husband. Which makes the whole plot even more ridiculous, in my opinion, because suppose Jo was in medical school when they were together, or even if she wasn't, being in the same profession seems like it would make it even easier for him to find her if he really wanted to. 

Should this be the case, the writers really aren't trying anymore when it comes to storylines. 

If they bring in Jo's husband (and after all this, watch it be someone related to Minnick or Leah), I always thought that he would be a lawyer, a politician or law enforcement because Jo sort of described him as untouchable (my word, but that was the impression I got.)  So while I am surprised that he would be a doctor, it does explain why Jo was SO freaked out and went to such extremes to keep her secret, including not even telling Alex.  Even if he doesn't travel in the same circles as the gang at SGH,  they are in the same orbit, which would be much more dangerous than if he were just some rich businessman with no influence or connection to the medical world.  I'm wondering where his power comes from, if he is a very influential, highly respected doctor and that's what gives him power, or if it is just his charm and charisma.  I really hope that they work out a timeline on this but they probably won't.  I want to know how old she was when she married him and when she left.  The other reason that his being a doctor makes sense is because he will be there for longer than one episode.  If he were in some other field, I"m not sure what would bring him to the hospital and especially for so long of a time.  It will be completely contrived, of course, but maybe not AS contrived.

Whatever happens, I am looking forward to this and I hope it really is Jo's husband.  Having someone else come in to validate her story and to give it context is much, much better than her constantly listing the litany of things that have befallen her.

[Pinecone]

See, I think it would only make sense if Jo were much younger when she married him, like say, 17 or 18 to the Big Bad Ex being in his late 29s or 30s. ( I read a lot of r/relationships, and there's a lot of stories of young women with abusive boyfriends 10 years or so older.) That way, once she fled she wouldn't have too much of a gap in her "plucky foster child goes to Princeton" narrative. And then he would stay a huge important, evil, monster in her mind while maybe everyone else would peg him as a creep. 

[Nobodysfan]

http://calzona-ga.tumblr.com/tagged/Promotional Photos

Interesting promo photos for 13x14. I find the patient with Nathan, Maggie, Deluca quite intrigiung, it seems she is a homeless. 

[St. Claire]

On 2/13/2017 at 9:32 AM, Deanie87 said:

If they bring in Jo's husband (and after all this, watch it be someone related to Minnick or Leah), I always thought that he would be a lawyer, a politician or law enforcement because Jo sort of described him as untouchable (my word, but that was the impression I got.)  

Having him be a lawyer makes good narrative sense (not that I expect any plot in Grey's to actual *make sense*), esp if he's from a rich/prominent family. A guy like that could perfectly game the system, cast doubt on any accuser, and take advantage of every loophole. A friend of mine from HS left an emotionally abusive ex-husband, and his background as a lawyer allowed him to gum up the divorce process and continue to semi-stalk her for a loooong time. 

[Crazy Bird Lady]

Lawyers make the worst exes. They can talk circles around women and confuse them so much they think they're in love -and then when they dump them, they confuse them again and make them think everything that went wrong is their own fault. 

Let's hope Mr. Big Bad isn't Jo's ex.

[BaseOps]

Episode 13.15 - Civil War: Richard, Jackson, April and Catherine tackle a tough trauma case intensified by hospital politics; Amelia finally faces her feelings about Owen; Meredith gets caught between Nathan and Alex over a patient.

Looks like they're going to be dragging out this Richard / Minnick storyline forever. 

Edited February 17, 2017 by BaseOps

[Deanie87]

22 minutes ago, BaseOps said:

Episode 13.15 - Civil War: Richard, Jackson, April and Catherine tackle a tough trauma case intensified by hospital politics; Amelia finally faces her feelings about Owen; Meredith gets caught between Nathan and Alex over a patient.

Looks like they're going to be dragging out this Richard / Minnick storyline forever. 

Not to mention the Amelia/Owen crap.  Good god. I have to admit that I am slightly intrigued by the Richard/Catherine and April/Jackson foursome, talk about conflicts of interests and the personal is political!

[BaseOps]

5 minutes ago, Deanie87 said:

Not to mention the Amelia/Owen crap.  Good god. I have to admit that I am slightly intrigued by the Richard/Catherine and April/Jackson foursome, talk about conflicts of interests and the personal is political!

The whole storyline is just boring me to tears. It was definitely crafted to work around the absence of Meredith / Amelia to accommodate their maternity leaves, which is great, but I wish I was more interested. The Owen / Amelia storyline is also a total mess because of it, and whatever they had going with Meredith / Riggs was just abandoned. I feel like they could have devised a better work-around, but I guess mid-season always tends to drag on this show. 

[CED9]

1 hour ago, BaseOps said:

The whole storyline is just boring me to tears. It was definitely crafted to work around the absence of Meredith / Amelia to accommodate their maternity leaves, which is great, but I wish I was more interested. The Owen / Amelia storyline is also a total mess because of it, and whatever they had going with Meredith / Riggs was just abandoned. I feel like they could have devised a better work-around, but I guess mid-season always tends to drag on this show. 

The price they pay for being one of the few shows left that still has a 24 episode season.

[Nobodysfan]

Just out of curiousity when will they make Hunt a dad?

3 or 4 years in Greys time have passed since Cristina left and he is still childless. Actually 4 I guess, because there was this one year skip after Derek´s death.

Any predictions?

Edited February 22, 2017 by Nobodysfan

[Crazy Bird Lady]

They will not make Hunt a dad until, and unless, he has 'rebound' or 'revenge' drunk

sex with someone he doesn't care about.

[OtterMommy]

11 hours ago, Nobodysfan said:

Just out of curiousity when will they make Hunt a dad?

3 or 4 years in Greys time have passed since Cristina left and he is still childless. Actually 4 I guess, because there was this one year skip after Derek´s death.

Any predictions?

I think we can say 3 years...there was the year apres-Derek, but then they went back and "erased" that year in a way.  Still, I'm torn on the Hunt as dad thing.  I don't think this show really needs any more babies right now.  It has gotten pretty ridiculous that we never actually see any of these kids except when April and Jackson want to have a fight in the day care while passing Harriet back and forth between each other.  On the other hand, Owen has been banging the dad drum for-freaking-ever and they either have to a) make him a dad or b) somehow get him to a point where he accepts that he won't be a dad.  Since Owen is not one for acceptance, I can't see b happening.

Honestly, I'd be okay with a kid being the device that leads to his exit from the show.  Let McKidd stay on as a director, but I can't really see them doing much new with his character.