Grey's Anatomy is the defining medical drama of the 21st century. It has endured multiple decades, and mastered the art of the cliffhanger ending. There have been some wild events that have taken place at the tail end of Grey's Anatomy seasons, and season 21 was no exception. You may wonder how the writers plan to pick up the story in season 22, and it turns out they are wondering the very same thing.
Grey's Anatomy showrunner Meg Marinis spoke to the Hollywood Reporter about the season 21 cliffhanger, which saw a building explosion go off while the majority of the Grey's cast was inside. Marinis revealed two crucial pieces of information about the cliffhanger, one obvious and the other somewhat surprising.
Grey's put several characters in jeopardy
She confirmed Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo) and Ben Warren (Jason George) were safe from the explosion, which makes sense given they were outside of the building. She then revealed that the Grey's writing team has yet to determine what the fates of those in the building will be. In short, the lives of some of your favorite characters currently hang in the balance.
Marinis admitted that keeping fans stressed is one of the most fun elements of being a showrunner. "It’s not as satisfying a story if people aren’t upset when someone leaves," she noted. "It’s supposed to make people upset and sad, so I’m sure there’ll be some arguments." The same goes for those on the writing team, actually.
"Everybody has very passionate feelings about their favorite characters," she added. "But if we can get the writers upset then we know we’re doing it right." Marinis did admit that she already has some ideas brewing with regards to who survived the blast. "I definitely have thoughts," she said. "Whether or not those thoughts change, that can always happen. I haven’t put pen to paper yet, but it’ll be very soon that I do."
Grey's writing team will convene on May 22
Stressed? Don't worry, because the Grey's Anatomy writing team will be convening over the summer to determine the direction of the show's next season. Marinis told the Hollywood Reporter that they will be getting together on May 22 to piece the next season together. The showrunner also said that regardless of who lives and who dies in the season premiere, she plans to keep the show going for as long as possible.
Fortunately for her, ABC is in the same boat. The network recently renewed Grey's Anatomy for another season, and singled it out during its Upfront presentation. Craig Erwich, the President of Disney Television Group, commended Grey's for staying "fresh" and constantly recruiting new and younger viewers. "They continue to deliver performance and a lot of joy and entertainment to those viewers," he explained.
Ratings dwindled for Grey's in season 21, but both the showrunner and the network appear to be undeterred. The show is forging ahead. Hopefully, with most of its medical staff intact.