What To Remember About ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Before Season 20

ABC’s hit medical drama, Grey’s Anatomy, is returning for its groundbreaking 20th season on March 14. In its lengthy run, the series has somehow never lacked twists and surprises since its 2005 premiere. The Ellen Pompeo-led show has faced tough times when quality has been uneven, but ever since Season 14 when showrunner, Krista Vernoff, rejoined the crew, Grey’s Anatomy has been experiencing a creative renaissance. Before the start of Season 20, this is everything to remember from Season 19, which includes one of the most important cast changes, a new batch of solid introductions, and never-ending drama events, as well as it being Vernoff’s departure as showrunner.

Grey’s Anatomy

A drama centered on the personal and professional lives of five surgical interns and their supervisors.

Meredith and Maggie Leave ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ in Season 19

Ever since Preston Burke (Isaiah Washington), George O’Malley (T.R. Knight), and Izzie Stevens (Katherine Heigl) joined the crew, Grey’s Anatomy’s cast shake-ups have become one of the show’s defining traits. Season 19 finds Grey Sloan Memorial experiencing its most meaningful departure yet: Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo). With the discovery that her eldest daughter, Zola (Aniela Gumbs), is a gifted student, she decides to uproot her entire life and move to Boston to pursue a fitting education. In turn, though, this damages Meredith’s newfound healthy relationship with Nick (Scott Speedman), who had just moved to Seattle from Minnesota to be with her. The season finale finds them reuniting for the Catherine Fox Awards, where Meredith explains her breakthrough discovery with Alzheimer’s. Although the cost of revealing her findings would be her reputation and access to funding, Nick reassures her that she’s neither a fearful nor a rule-following woman.

The sister trio formed by Meredith, Amelia (Caterina Scorsone), and Maggie (Kelly McCreary) is completely shattered when the latter reveals that she’s also leaving Seattle. Following an extended rough patch with Winston (Anthony Hill), she decides to take a job opportunity in Chicago. Meeting with him again at the Catherine Fox Awards, they rekindle their relationship without defining their status, agreeing that they’ll figure everything out eventually. Amelia, conversely, is forced to end her relationship with Kai (E.R. Fightmaster) when they are offered a job in London. Even while feeling left behind, she doesn’t resort to her old ways and instead seeks Alcoholic Anonymous meetings for help. The sisters, though separated, show how far they’ve come and how they can still be there for each other despite the distance.

Grey Sloan Memorial’s Staff Is Never Drama-Free

Whereas the Season 18 finale saw Teddy (Kim Raver) and Owen (Kevin McKidd) fleeing Seattle after Owen was charged for providing drugs to veterans as a way of assisting them in suicide, Season 19 brings both of them back. The good news is that Owen’s charges have been dropped, but despite that, most of the couple’s savings went towards lawyers. Thus, bitterness engulfs them, but Bailey (Chandra Wilson) makes them come to their senses and bounce back. Link (Chris Carmack) and Jo (Camila Luddington)—the most unofficial couple ever—navigate their life as parents and roommates. Following Link’s jealousy over Jo bonding with trauma patient, Sam (Samuel Page), they finally admit to having feelings for each other.

Leaving the romantic drama aside, the season also focuses on an essential health issue: the overturning of Roe v. Wade. Fan-favorite, Addison (Kate Walsh) returns for an arc revolving around her fight to provide reproductive care which also softens the loss of Meredith as a regular character. Bailey joins her on the crusade and converts the Denny Duquette Memorial Clinic into the Elena Bailey Memorial Clinic for Reproductive Health. Unfortunately, this comes with a price, as both become targets of bigoted detractors. This involves them being doxxed and even an attempt against their lives just outside the hospital; this is perhaps one of the rawest depictions of fighting the good fight, and one that only Private Practice had mastered before.

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Jessica Capshaw and Alex Landi Return for ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Season 20

Natalie Morales and Freddy Miyares will also guest star.

A New Batch of Likable Interns Floods ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ in Season 19

A bold choice is made in Season 19 for Grey’s Anatomy to have a fresh blood transfusion, focusing heavily on the new batch of interns. Following the debacle in Season 18 which saw the program shutting down, Meredith revives it, enlisting doctors who are in need of a second chance. The cast additions include Shadowhunters’ Harry Shum Jr. and Reign’s Adelaide Kane as Benson Kwan and Jules Millin, respectively, competitive forces who journey into becoming human while finding each other, as well. Semi-newcomers, Niko Terho and Alexis Floyd, join the ensemble as Lucas Adams and Simone Griffith. Lucas happens to be one of Derek and Amelia’s nephews, the black sheep of the new generation of Shepherds. Both him and Simone struggle with their relationship, provoking the canceling of her wedding after acknowledging their feelings for each other.

Rounding up the lot, Dash & Lily’s Midori Francis stars as Mika Yasuda, a talented intern who is buried by debt and can barely make a living by working at the hospital. This makes her cross ways with former resident, Taryn Helm (Jaicy Elliot), who now bartends following the shut-down of the residency program just as she also takes a part-time job at the bar to make ends meet. Helm, in turn, takes a stand with Teddy on the matter of compensation in the program, bringing a grant for Yasuda, plus Helm being offered her job back. Season 20 will see Helm reuniting with Levi (Jake Borelli) as co-chief of the residency.

Arizona and Nico Are Returning for Season 20 of ‘Grey’s Anatomy’

Season 20 marks another record for Grey’s Anatomy, and it’s set to bring out some massive surprises, among them being the returns of Arizona (Jessica Capshaw) and Nico (Alex Landi). The last time we saw Arizona was at the end of Season 14 when she leaves for New York following an off-screen reconciliation with Callie (Sara Ramirez). Nico, following his rupture with Levi, took a job as team doctor for the Seattle Mariners, and although no details are known as to how or why they’re back at Grey Sloan Memorial, they will surely make an impact.

Even while remaining only as a recurring guest star, Season 20 will deal with the fallout of Meredith’s actions. In addition, one of the largest cliffhangers from Season 19 will be addressed: Teddy’s overlooking of her own symptoms from a toothache, leading to her collapsing in the OR. With the addition of Meg Marinis as the new showrunner, Grey’s Anatomy’s milestone season will be an event to look out for. Only 10 episodes long—the shortest season since the first one—it’s almost guaranteed that Season 20 of Grey’s Anatomy will pack some emotional punches.

Grey’s Anatomy is available to stream on Netflix in the U.S.

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