Spoilers and Spoiler Speculation: Benchmarking

[funnygirl]

I hope it's Addison or April. No one else would really make sense at this point (and most of them are dead.  😥). It's not going to be Cristina. Who cares about Leah, Shane Ross or Stephanie. If it were Arizona or Callie, because of how they constructed Arizona's exit, one would think they'd make an appearance together which I do not foresee. And besides, there are already two ortho doctors in Link and the other guy, so Callie's not really necessary. 

Although I do think April might be a long shot because it was Krista's decision to end her story in the first place (same goes for Arizona). 

[Chas411]

I think April would only be brought back if Jackson was leaving the show. Despite Jaggie being a fail I don’t think Krista will be ready to give up on them until one of them opts to leave or the show wraps up. 

[Chas411]

When last we saw Meredith and DeLuca, the former was out of a job and the latter was in the slammer. The fallout from both of those “stressors” will have major “ramifications” for the nascent couple as Season 16 gets underway, showrunner Krista Vernoff previews. Jo, meanwhile, will emerge from her in-patient psychiatric care better equipped to “process the multiple traumas she has survived in her life,” teases Vernoff. The mystery surrounding Jackson’s disappearance will be resolved “very early in the premiere,” the EP notes, but cautions that the major fight between the MIA doc and Maggie that preceded his vanishing act will take more time to iron out. “They are in a pretty difficult place when we pick up. It’s hard to take back the things that were said in those woods,” she teases. “They will have to continue to unpack their feelings about what happened on that trip for some time to come.”

BONUS SPOILER!: TVLine can confirm that the popular Grey’s alum being eyed to return is not Katherine Heigl.

RETURN DATE: Thursday, Sept. 26 at 8/7c (ABC)

https://tvline.com/gallery/fall-tv-2019-season-premiere-spoilers/greys-anatomy-fall-preview-2019/

[Featherhat]

I can't see them bothering to tease that someone like Leah, Stephanie etc is possibly coming back. Either they are or they aren't and they'd announce it if they agreed. The whole "we're trying to get someone back" is about someone bigger they're pursuing. 

Out of those characters who aren't dead and would fit, I think Addison is a likely bet. She knows the pre S4 regulars and obviously Amelia was close to her on PP and it would be a big deal. Unless they want one of the dead characters back for a dream sequence or flashbacks but that seems unlikely and they better have learned the lesson from the DeadDenny situation. 

Edited September 5, 2019 by Featherhat

[Bort]

Also, unless they throw a huge bag of money at Sarah Drew and/or Jessica Capshaw, I doubt they'd come back. Grey's burned their bridges with them. They both pretty much said so in their exit interviews.

[Scatterbrained]

It’ll be Joe Fromm Joe’s bar and his significant other.  They will give relationship advice and double date with Nico and Glasses.

Roll eyes!  

[pally]

Maybe it will be Molly, the last Grey sister.  She appeared briefly in an early season 2 episode.  With Fletcher's death, it would be a logical time for her to be in Seattle.  And just think of all the drama she could just add with Maggie and Amelia feeling all insecure and paranoid

[Chas411]

On the Oct. 10 episode, Combs and Milano play the sisters of a patient who is brain dead after falling at a construction site. During the episode, the sisters will have to decide whether or not to keep their sister alive.

https://people.com/tv/charmed-reunion-alyssa-milano-holly-marie-combs-greys-anatomy/

[BaseOps]

Some tidbits about upcoming episodes:

- The premiere picks up immediately after the finale and then spans 4 weeks. 

- Koracick is taking on a "new role" at the hospital. 

- Owen takes a paternity leave and returns to work in episode 2. Jo is also preparing to return to work in episode 2. 

-  Gemma (Jasmine Guy), the alcoholic patient who fell off the wagon last season and had a past with Richard, is going to recur this year. 

Edited September 18, 2019 by BaseOps

[Lady Calypso]

Also, a little insight into Teddy's storyline:

Quote

♦ Grey’s Anatomy: Teddy’s maternal instincts will be slow to kick in. As Kim Raver teases (and these first look photos confirm), “Krista [Vernoff] and I talked about, ‘Wouldn’t it be great to see Teddy as this badass cardiothoracic surgeon, but she’s never really had to delve into motherhood?’ Because that is literally a totally different world for her. I thought it’d be interesting to see her not know how to manage something when she usually is on top of things. So, the comedy with that has been fantastic… I just did a scene with Greg [Germann] and Kevin [McKidd] and Caterina [Scorsone] and the babies, all together. You can only imagine! It was a quintessential Grey’s explosion of tears and laughter.”
 

[Chas411]

I’d love to see Koracik as chief.

Also once Meredith and Deloser break up I wouldn’t object to seeing him leave.

[BaseOps]

Krista is now referring to this as 'the season of consequences', saying a lot of the themes for the first half of the season come from the idea of 'what happens after a rom-com ends?' It's also been announced that Debra Jo Rupp ("That 70's Show") will have a guest arc in the first half of the season. 

16x01 - "Nothing Left to Cling To" - Meredith, Richard and Alex must deal with the consequences after Bailey fires them from Grey Sloan for insurance fraud. After disappearing in the fog, Jackson helps a man in a dangerous situation, as his relationship with Maggie comes to a new crossroad. Meanwhile, Tom gets new responsibilities at the hospital that throw the doctors for a loop. 

Guest starring: Debbie Allen as Catherine Fox, Alex Landi as Nico Kim, Sophia Ali as Dahlia Qadri and Stefania Spampinato as Carina DeLuca.

16x02 - "Back in The Saddle" - The Grey Sloan doctors operate on a man who crashed into Maggie’s car. Owen, back from paternity leave, struggles with Tom’s new position. Outside the hospital, Meredith’s recent firing doesn’t stop her from diagnosing those around her. Plus, Richard and Alex start anew and it’s not easy. All the while, Jo readies herself to return to work, and Amelia has a new revelation in her relationship with Link. 

Guest starring: Jason George as Ben Warren, Sophia Ali as Dahlia Qadri, Jaicy Elliot as Taryn Helm and Cleo King as Robin.

16x03 - "Reunited" - A patient at the hospital is brain dead after falling into a construction site, and her two sisters (Alyssa Milano and Holly Marie Combs) must decide whether or not to keep her alive.

Edited September 21, 2019 by BaseOps

[Chas411]

4 hours ago, BaseOps said:

Owen, back from paternity leave, struggles with Tom’s new position.

Already not looking forward to this...

[statsgirl]

On 9/21/2019 at 12:03 PM, BaseOps said:

Amelia has a new revelation in her relationship with Link. 

Something good, I hope. The shippable couples on this show are sadly too rare.

[BaseOps]

dddd it's funny how at odds the promo department is with those doing the press releases. While the press release for 16x01 wastes no time revealing that Jackson is fine (which was obvious given that Jesse Williams signed a 2-year deal over the summer), the new extended promo still tries to convince audiences that he may be dead/in peril. 

[BaseOps]

Per TVLine, the major return didn't work out. "A deal couldn't be reached." Guess we'll never know who it was gonna be.

[GSMHvisitor]

5 minutes ago, BaseOps said:

Per TVLine, the major return didn't work out. "A deal couldn't be reached." Guess we'll never know who it was gonna be.

I wish they would just tell us, though. They made such a huge deal out of it.

[anna0852]

I'm guessing it was either Sandra Oh or Sara R. Those are the only two I'd consider 'major' and really require dealing that could fall through (and who's characters aren't dead). *Maybe* Kate Walsh as well.

[Chas411]

That’s ..... so embarrassing. Like at least wait until it’s locked down before you start advertising it. Now they just look like idiots.

[BaseOps]

They hardly made a big deal of it, Krista literally mentioned that it was a possiblity to one outlet and didn't name the actor specifically because she said there was a chance it wouldn't happen ("it's a real maybe.") This is pretty common in the TV world. See: The Good Fight trying but failing to book Julianna Margulies. Krista was even honest about trying to book Sara for the season 14 finale but it not working out. It happens all the time. Not sure how it makes anyone look like an idiot. 

[seasonedscribe]

3 hours ago, anna0852 said:

I'm guessing it was either Sandra Oh or Sara R. Those are the only two I'd consider 'major' and really require dealing that could fall through (and who's characters aren't dead). *Maybe* Kate Walsh as well.

I’d go with your “maybe”. 

[BaseOps]

Looks like Bustle published a piece a bit early after viewing the premiere screener: they seem to confirm that Jackson and Maggie break up in 16x01 AND that Jackson has sex with Vic from Station 19.

Edited September 26, 2019 by BaseOps

[Chas411]

That doesn’t bother me. I like Vic.

i just hope they didn’t break them up though just to have them angsting over each other for the rest of the season. It was bad enough watching them pine and make googly eyes and big speeches the first time.

[anna0852]

I'm assuming that Grey's and 19 are on some sort of different timelines 

Cause Vic *just* lost someone she loved and jumping into bed with Jackson seems wildly out of character. 

[transitfan]

Unless I missed a scene, I didn't see where Jackson and Vic hooked up.  Jackson ever said that it was probably not a good time to start something, as he had just broken up and Vic's SO had died (wonder if Jackson knew it was Ripley).  Then at the end, Maggie is leaving the hopsital and sees Jackson talking to Vic at the Aid Car, which then departs.  IIRC, Jackson said that he and Vic were not yet "together" but were friends, and Maggie was skeptical.

[Chas411]

I can only hope they make this Jaggie break up last as I’ve found Jackson insufferable since it started. Maggie is always the worst as far as I’m concerned so no change there. 

[Ohwell]

8 hours ago, transitfan said:

Unless I missed a scene, I didn't see where Jackson and Vic hooked up.  Jackson ever said that it was probably not a good time to start something, as he had just broken up and Vic's SO had died (wonder if Jackson knew it was Ripley).  Then at the end, Maggie is leaving the hopsital and sees Jackson talking to Vic at the Aid Car, which then departs.  IIRC, Jackson said that he and Vic were not yet "together" but were friends, and Maggie was skeptical.

Yeah, I got the impression that Jackson and Vic were friends, they like each other, but they're going to take things slowly.  However, he did seem to want to make it clear to Maggie that his relationship with her was over.  I hope it's true because I'd like to seem him and Vic in a relationship sometime in the future when they're both ready. 

[Chas411]

Since seeing the episode I think they’re trying to hard with the “we now hate each other” angle. You know the love/hate kind of thing. If it was over it’d be over and they’d be civil like Owen/Amelia. The last scene where Maggie says they don’t like each other I could really feel the actors attempting to generate chemistry with the looks only they couldn’t because it’s Jaggie and they suck. 

[BaseOps]

An upcoming episode will feature flashbacks to Jo's treatment. From TV Guide:

"We had her in inpatient treatment for 30 days in the premiere; we didn't spend a ton of time there. So, we do have an episode coming up in the first quarter of the season where we flash back and tell a little bit more of the story of her time there which I think will be really cool and interesting for the fans to see," showrunner Krista Vernoff told TV Guide. "I think it's really significant and important right now, in the world, to talk about mental health and the different ways that we can treat it, treat a health crisis, a mental health crisis."

Also, I think it's safe to assume that the former star they were trying to court was Kate Walsh for Amelia's pregnancy storyline. 

[Bort]

39 minutes ago, BaseOps said:

I think it's safe to assume that the former star they were trying to court was Kate Walsh for Amelia's pregnancy storyline. 

Too bad, I'd have rather had Addison on to be Amelia's OBGYN. Instead we get Carina. Joy.

[statsgirl]

1 hour ago, BaseOps said:

So, we do have an episode coming up in the first quarter of the season where we flash back and tell a little bit more of the story of her time there which I think will be really cool and interesting for the fans to see,"

Never once has Grey's had a competent therapist treat one of its doctors. (The one treating Owen last season was horrible.) I'd really rather Krista skipped this "really cool and interesting" explanation.

[Bort]

7 minutes ago, statsgirl said:

Never once has Grey's had a competent therapist treat one of its doctors. (The one treating Owen last season was horrible.) I'd really rather Krista skipped this "really cool and interesting" explanation.

Not to mention that I'm really not interested in the minutiae of Jo's therapy.

[BaseOps]

I thought the scene with Alex and Jo telling each other their fears in the premiere was great, so if it's more stuff like that then I'd be happy to see it. I do think too many shows approach depression as something that can be cured with a magic wand, so I'm interested in them trying to shed a bit more light on the treatment if it's done well. Also, Krista mentioned earlier this summer that they'd be approaching their 'bottle' episodes more like "One Day Like This" which featured 3 storylines (Meredith/April/Owen & Teddy) rather than ones we saw last season (the Amelia/Link episode), so I'd bet the Jo flashbacks won't take up an entire episode. 

[chitowngirl]

22 hours ago, statsgirl said:

Never once has Grey's had a competent therapist treat one of its doctors. (The one treating Owen last season was horrible.) I'd really rather Krista skipped this "really cool and interesting" explanation.

They should keep bringing back Amy Madigan-she was the best therapist.

[MarylandGirl]

On 9/27/2019 at 8:53 PM, statsgirl said:

Never once has Grey's had a competent therapist treat one of its doctors. (The one treating Owen last season was horrible.) I'd really rather Krista skipped this "really cool and interesting" explanation.

The one who worked with Callie and Arizona seemed especially bad (I say this as someone who has been in both individual therapy and marriage counseling). Therapy rarely seems to be portrayed accurately in TV/movies. If they could make it a bit more realistic with Jo, it could be interesting. Maybe...

[BaseOps]

As of episode 4, Meredith still isn't working at the hospital/is doing community service, and Alex and Richard are still working at Pac-Gen North. I'm guessing Meredith's 'trial' over her medical license will come to a head around episode 8 (the mid-season finale) and the Alex/Richard story will last at-least as long. I'm actually excited about Richard and Alex sharing a bunch of scenes over the first half of the season. 

[CrazyInAlabama]

Someone please tell me that Meredith isn't going to find a lot of undiagnosed illnesses with her fellow community service people, and supervisors?   Followed by her dramatic redemption arc when a bus load of sick orphans crash in a bus right in front of her, and she saves them all.   

[taanja]

On 10/1/2019 at 12:08 PM, CrazyInAlabama said:

Someone please tell me that Meredith isn't going to find a lot of undiagnosed illnesses with her fellow community service people, and supervisors?   Followed by her dramatic redemption arc when a bus load of sick orphans crash in a bus right in front of her, and she saves them all.   

Probably -- but she's my darling so I'm good with with that scenario!

[CheetaraThunder]

Reading up that Owen will be emotionally involved in the Amelia/alien, baby storyline makes me want to gauge my eyes out and scream into the distance. Just Kill Owen off, stop thrusting him into the drama and on my screen. And just let Amelia/link, especial.y Amelia be Owen free forever

[BaseOps]

Jo's flashbacks will be trigged by a patient coming into GSM who she spent time with in treatment. In that same episode, Meredith is in trouble for missing some of her community service hours. It sounds like 16x05 will be a 'bubble' of sorts featuring stories for Jo/Bailey, Meredith, and Richard/Gemma only. 

Edited October 9, 2019 by BaseOps

[GSMHvisitor]

Meanwhile Alex still has never been part of a single centric episode...

[taanja]

37 minutes ago, GSMHvisitor said:

Meanwhile Alex still has never been part of a single centric episode...

...And he probably never will. 16 years in I think that boat has sailed. 

[Ohwell]

I'm sick of Jo and her issues and I'm not looking forward to her flashbacks. 

[chitowngirl]

I get that Meredith was fired from her doctor job 🙄, but Is she fired from her position on the Board? Can she be?

[Katsullivan]

19 hours ago, chitowngirl said:

I get that Meredith was fired from her doctor job 🙄, but Is she fired from her position on the Board? Can she be?

It's Hollywood Business. Just roll with it. 

[askasza]

30 minutes ago, Katsullivan said:

It's Hollywood Business. Just roll with it. 

She can be. But thats not bailey place to fire her from board. Only board can do this. 

[BaseOps]

16x06 is a Halloween episode (and airs on Halloween). Looks like a mostly 'fun' episode - Alex finds bones buried on the grounds of Pac-Gen during some construction, even as he tries to court investors; Teddy scrambles to make costumes for Leo and Allison, Meredith worries she won't be home in time for trick-or-treating, etc. 

I hear they're going for some big cliffhangers with 16x08, the mid-season finale. 

Edited October 11, 2019 by BaseOps

[statsgirl]

1 hour ago, BaseOps said:

Teddy scrambles to make costumes for Leo and Allison,

Neither of whom is old enough to know what Hallowe'en is or be aware that it's happening. If Owen wants the kids in costume, let him make them.

This "Teddy tries frantically to be a perfect mother" storyline is turning me off.

[Ohwell]

32 minutes ago, statsgirl said:

This "Teddy tries frantically to be a perfect mother" storyline is turning me off.

Me too.  

[BaseOps]

From the looks of his Instagram (as well as Jake Borelli's, etc.) it seems that the doctor they introduced very briefly two weeks ago as Koracick's protege will start appearing a lot more. He's played by Devin Way.