Grey’s Anatomy 's Season 21 Trailer Proves 2 Characters Will Return
Originally appeared on E! Online
Grey’s Anatomy’s newest season may prove that Meredith is not the sun after all.
Based on E! News’ exclusive trailer for the upcoming season, which premieres on ABC Sept. 26, fans will be happy to learn that Ellen Pompeo will make lots of appearances as Meredith, but her character’s shady handling of her Alzheimer's research may finally catch up to her.
In the trailer, Meredith is unsurprisingly at odds with Catherine Fox (Debbie Allen), given the fact that season 20 saw her going very controversially against the grain when it came to her research on the degenerative disease (As in, publishing her findings without approval from Catherine).
And while Meredith’s storyline appears to get pretty intense—the end of the trailer even reveals she is being sued by the Fox Foundation—she is not the only character going through it in the upcoming season.
Jo (Camilla Luddington) will continue to grapple with her pregnancy, as another clip from the teaser proves she has still not informed Link (Chris Carmack). She does, however, tell Levi Schmitt (Jake Borelli).
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Meanwhile, newly promoted interns Mika (Midori Francis) and Jules (Adelaide Kane) appear to continue their newfound romance (It’s worth noting that Borelli and Francis will be departing the show as series regulars after this season, per Deadline).
And despite Meredith being in hot water with Catherine, the trailer also sees her pressuring Grey Sloan’s owner to give Amelia (Caterina Scorsone), Owen (Kevin McKidd) and Teddy (Kim Raver) back their jobs after helping her with the Alzheimer’s research.
Most excitingly, season 21’s trailer proves that two characters will be coming back to Grey’s Anatomy. Jackson Avery (Jesse Williams) will make his return to the series after departing during Season 17. While Jackson has been busy living his happily ever after with April (Sarah Drew) and their daughter in Boston, he comes back to defend his mother’s honor, as he is seen in one clip telling Meredith to apologize to her.
Another character return that fans may be less thrilled about is Dr. Sydney Heron (Kali Rocha). For a refresh, Sydney is a very controversial player for two of the most beloved characters in the series, Meredith and Dr. Miranda Bailey (Chandra Wilson). Previously, her character acted as a replacement for Bailey while she was on maternity leave in season 2, and also went on a date with the love of Meredith’s life Derek Shepherd (Patrick Dempsey).
The trailer proves that both Miranda and Meredith are still begrudging colleagues to the character.
As Meredith asks Miranda, “Sydney Heron is back?”
To which Miranda responds, “In all her perky, passive aggressive glory.”
All in all, the trailer indicates the upcoming season of Grey’s Anatomy just might return the series to its soapy dramatic glory of the aughts.
Sadly, not every doctor can return. Keep reading to catch up on all of the surgeons of Grey Sloan’s past.
Isaiah Washington as Preston Burke
In season three, Burke abandoned Cristina at the altar and then just took off, eventually winning a Harper Avery award elsewhere and then at some point, moving to Zurich, Switzerland to open his own hi-tech hospital. He got married, started a family, and then in season 10, he invited Cristina to his hospital to take it over for him as he retired.
Isaiah Washington left the series after it was reported that he called costar T.R. Knight a gay slur during an argument on set, and all his defenses just kept making it worse before he finally was let go from the series. Apparently he and ABC made up, because they let him return for a second in 2014. His most significant role since was Thelonious Jaha on The CW's The 100, until his character died in season five, followed by Starz' critically acclaimed P-Valley.
Edward Herrmann as Intern Norman
Intern Norman arrived in season four and had to fend off assumptions that he was an attendant, rather than an intern, due to his age. He messed up and told the wrong patient she was dying, and later he collapsed and had a stroke. He had surgery to remove the blood clot, and decided after his surgery that he was going to transfer to psych.
Edward Herrmann, a fairly legendary actor, is mostly widely known as Richard Gilmore on Gilmore Girls. He also appeared in several episodes of The Good Wife, Harry's Law, and even American Dad before his death in 2014.
Kali Rocha as Sydney Heron
Sydney was the perky resident who took over for Bailey during her maternity leave and drove everyone crazy with her perkiness. She even went on a date with Derek at one point, but sort of disappeared in early season four after that date.
Kali Rocha most recently starred on Liv and Maddie and Man with a Plan plus a 2024 episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm.
T.R. Knight as George O'Malley
One of the biggest tearjerkers on this list, at the end of season five, George had just decided to enlist as a trauma surgeon in the army and was on his way to do so when he saved a woman from getting hit by a bus, only to be hit himself. He was in such bad shape when he got to the hospital that no one recognized him until he used his finger to write his nickname, 007, in Meredith's hand. They were unable to save him, and he tragically died.
After several tumultuous seasons behind the scenes (including Isaiah Washington using the f-word while allegedly referring to him), Knight struggled with some of George's storylines and the fact that George barely appeared in the beginning of season five, and asked to be released from his contract.
Knight returned to Shondaland in 2017 for an arc on The Catch, and has also appeared on The Good Wife, 11.22.63, and Genius, among other series. In 2019, he appeared on The Bravest Knight and in 2020, he appeared in HBO Max series The Flight Attendant with Kaley Cuoco. He also returned to Grey's for one episode to meet Meredith during her COVID-19 coma.
Brooke Smith as Erica Hahn
Erica Hahn and Callie Torres started a relationship that really may have gone somewhere, until Erica learned about the time Izzie Stevens cut Denny Duquette's LVAD wire in attempts to save his life. The heart that then went to Denny was taken from one of Erica's patients. When Callie refused to report the situation, Erica up and left the relationship and her job in early season five.
Brooke Smith went on to appear in Bosch, Bates Motel, Supergirl, The Good Doctor, Chicago Med, and The Good Fight, and the 2019 film Bombshell.
Brandon Scott as Intern Ryan
Intern Ryan disappeared in early season six and Brandon Scott most recently starred on Netflix's Dead To Me, 13 Reasons Why and This Is Us.
Katherine Heigl as Izzie Stevens
Izzie Stevens got cancer, married Alex Karev, survived the cancer, and then sorta just disappeared in season six. She eventually returned for a second and admitted she didn't feel like Seattle was her home anymore. Later, Alex got sent divorce papers, and now we know Izzie secretly had Alex's twins, lives on a ranch in Kansas, and became a surgical oncologist.
Katherine Heigl's exit basically began in 2008 when she withdrew her name from Emmy consideration because she didn't feel like the material deserved it. In 2010, the character disappeared completely. She said in the years since that she would like to return to the character, but creator Shonda Rhimes did not. "I'm done with that story," she told TVLine in 2015.
Heigl, then a burgeoning romcom star, went on to star in a few more romcoms before returning to TV with State of Affairs, then Doubt, and more recently, she joined Suits and the 2020 series Firefly Lane.
Molly Kidder as Intern Megan
For all the drama that most Grey's interns tend to cause, Megan just may take the scalpel. She got into a love triangle with Steve and Pierce, as she was dating Pierce, but slept with Steve, and then Pierce wanted to kill Steve, and Megan got pregnant by Steve, and then she later married Steve, and she hasn't been seen since season six after Derek Shepherd rehired her.
Molly Kidder has done a few acting gigs since Grey's, including a guest spot on Outsourced in 2010 and some independent films.
Joseph Williamson as Intern Pierce
Pierce, one corner of the Megan/Pierce/Steve love triangle, was eventually fired in a round of layoffs and left in season six. Josephn Williamson has since appeared on shows like Here and Now and the 2019 film Ford v Ferrari with Christian Bale and Matt Damon.
Mark Saul as Intern Steve
Steve was the other corner of the intern love triangle, eventually marrying Megan and fathering her child. Steve survived the layoffs and made it all the way to season eight, only to never be seen again.
Mark Saul has appeared on other TV shows since his mysterious disappearance from Grey's, like Franklin & Bash, Mom, The Great Indoors, Grace & Frankie, and Modern Family.
Sarah Utterback as Nurse Olivia
Nurse Olivia was laid off during the merger with Mercy West in season six, but returned for a moment in season 14 when her son swallowed a toy while she was visiting her parents in Seattle. Of course, her son was treated by Alex, the guy who once gave her syphilis, and she had a lot of time to talk to Jo, his then-fiancée.
Sarah Utterback has made a few TV appearances in the years since leaving Grey's in 2009, including on the shows Reception and Mysteries of Laura.
Gloria Garayua as Intern Graciella
Intern Graciella was last seen during the hospital shooting at the end of season six, but Gloria Garayua has been working basically nonstop, including a recent arc on How to Get Away with Murder and appearances on S.W.A.T., The Good Doctor, American Housewife, Animal Kingdom, Snowfall, Criminal Minds, NCIS: LA, Anger Management, Bones, and the 2019 miniseries Reckoning.
Nora Zehetner as Reed Adamson
Nora was the first casualty of Gary Clark, who brought a gun to the hospital intending to kill Derek. She died immediately after being shot in the head in season six.
Nora Zehetner appeared in a couple episodes of Mad Men after her Grey's demise, and recently starred on Designated Survivor and the 2019 series The Right Stuff.
Robert Baker as Charles Percy
Percy also died during the season six shooting, though his death was much more drawn out as he was trapped in a room with a patient (Mandy Moore!) and Bailey, and shot at real close range. Bailey did her best to save Percy, but when the elevators were disabled in the evacuation, he was doomed.
Robert Baker has done just fine ever since, appearing on Riverdale, Modern Family, The Originals, and most recently as Otis Graves on Supergirl.
Rachael Taylor as Lucy Fields
OBGYN Lucy kinda sorta stole an awesome job in Africa right out from under Alex's nose, partly because Alex hadn't even talked to her about the fact that he might move to Africa. So she moved to Africa instead and was never heard from again after season seven.
Rachael Taylor is now best known as Jessica Jones' pal Trish on Netflix's Jessica Jones, as well as The Defenders.
Kate Walsh as Addison Montgomery
Addison, the woman who began as Derek's bitter estranged wife and eventually became a fan fave with her own spinoff, was last seen as a regular on Grey's Anatomy in that somewhat controversial musical episode in season seven, when she helped save Callie after her car accident. She also appeared in the 2012 episode where Meredith imagined that her mother was still alive and happily married to Richard, while Derek and Addison were still unhappily married and returned again for an arc in 2023.
She ended Private Practice married to Jake (Benjamin Bratt) with a son, Henry.
She went on to appear in Fargo, have her own short-lived show Bad Judge, star as a grieving mother in 13 Reasons Why, and help bring about the end of the world in The Umbrella Academy. She also stars on the 2020 show Emily in Paris.
Chyler Leigh as Lexie Grey
The death of Lexie, Meredith's perky half-sister, was another major tearjerker, as she perished in one of the most devastating storylines the show has ever had: the plane crash. She never even made it back to the hospital (then called Seattle Grace) alive after being crushed by part of the plane while the love of her life, Mark Sloan, cried over her. She and Mark returned to reunite with Meredith during her COVID-19 coma and hinted that the couple found each other again in the afterlife.
Chyler Leigh starred in the hilariously named series Taxi Brooklyn before taking on the role of the badass Alex Danvers on Supergirl.
Eric Dane as Mark Sloan
Mark, a.k.a. McSteamy, also died in the plane crash of season eight, but not immediately. He made it back to the hospital and lived for a few days, but his injuries were too severe. The hospital is now named in his and Lexie's honor after the rest of the plane crash survivors bought it with the money they won from their lawsuit. Mark returned with Lexie to visit Meredith in her coma, hinting that the couple reunited after death.
Eric Dane left the show to star in TNT's The Last Ship, which ended after five seasons in November 2018. He currently stars on the HBO series Euphoria with Zendaya and Storm Reid.
Charles Michael Davis as Jason Myers
Remember that OGYN resident who Jo dated back in season nine? They got into a fight after he found out about all the things she hadn't told him, and the fight turned physical, landing Jason in the hospital after he fell and hit his head. Alex convinced him not to press charges against Jo, and then he was never seen again.
Charles Michael Davis went on to star in The Originals on The CW, then Younger on TV Land, then For the People on ABC, and Chicago P.D. on NBC. So he's doing fine.
Tina Majorino as Heather Brooks
Quirky intern Heather died in season 10 during the huge storm, after she was electrocuted while trying to help Richard Webber.
Tina Majorino most recently appeared on CBS' Scorpion and an episode of The Good Doctor.
Geena Davis as Nicole Herman
Dr. Herman became Arizona's unreasonably demanding mentor in fetal surgery, though she seemed a lot more reasonable when Arizona learned about Nicole's massive terminal brain tumor. Amelia fixed the tumor, but Herman lost her eyesight and ended up leaving in season 11. However, she returned to help Arizona leave the show at the end of season 14 by offering her grant money to open a center for women's health in New York.
Geena Davis starred in the Fox series The Exorcist in 2016, before her final return to Grey's. In recent years, she has had recurring roles on Netflix's GLOW and the animated She-Ra reboot series.
Sandra Oh as Cristina Yang
Cristina Yang went through a seriously tough time after the plane crash, and it took a long time for her to fully recover. Then she lost the Harper Avery award, discovered that while working at that hospital she could never win the award and began to realize she might need to move on. Her long ago love Preston Burke then invited her to Zurich to run the cutting edge hospital he had opened, so he could retire with his family. She left, after one last dance party with Meredith, in season 10.
Sandra Oh is currently one of the biggest TV stars, starring as Eve in the critically acclaimed BBC America series Killing Eve, for which she has won a Golden Globe. Like Geena Davis, she too also has a recurring role on Netflix's She-Ra and the Princesses of Power. She also also lends her voice to a character on Robert Kirkman's animated series Invincible.
Gaius Charles as Shane Ross
Shane was the cocky intern turned resident who nearly killed himself working too much, but he got close to Cristina and asked if he could follow her to Zurich, which he then did.
Gaius Charles, also known as Friday Night Lights' beloved Smash Williams, starred in the shows Aquarius and Taken, and most recently appeared on CBS' God Friended Me.
Patrick Dempsey as Derek Shepherd
Derek Shepherd had a rough couple of seasons as he got a job working for then-President Barack Obama in Washington, D.C. and tried to make Meredith and the family come with him. She refused and they lived apart for a while, until he decided to make things right and move home to do the job more remotely.
Just as he and Mer were happy again in season 11, he was on his way back to tie up some loose ends and happened upon a massive car accident. He spent hours taking care of the victims, only to then be hit by a truck as soon as he got back into his own car. The doctors at the hospital where the ambulance took him were unprepared for trauma and failed to get a head CT, leading to his death.
Patrick Dempsey said that he left the show because "it was hard to keep the storylines intriguing" and he wanted to have more time to spend with his family, and he asked to be let out of his contract early. Since the end of his time on Grey's, he starred in Bridget Jones' Baby, a miniseries called The Truth About the Harry Quebert Affair, the show Devils, and commercials where he reminds us he was once a TV doctor. He will also star in a rumored sequel to Enchanted.
He shockingly returned to Grey's for a series of dream sequences in season 17.
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