Grey's Anatomy

We’re loving every detail about Grey’s Anatomy’s upcoming alternate-reality episode — and now show creator Shonda Rhimes has given us even more in a new interview with TV Line.

Shonda says the basic premise revolves around Meredith (Ellen Pompeo) and what would have happened to her, and everyone in her life, if her mother Ellis Grey had never gotten Alzheimer’s. We’re going to see Meredith as “a bright shiny girl.” Shonda elaborates:

“I said the only way it could work is if Meredith’s mother never had Alzheimer’s and Richard [James Pickens, Jr.] had picked Ellis to stay with versus staying with Adele. To me, the most interesting way of viewing an alternate universe is, ‘What if Meredith had never been dark and twisty?’”

As difficult as that basic concept is to imagine, the idea that Meredith might never have fallen in love with Derek (Patrick Dempsey), instantly gotten along with Cristina (Sandra Oh), or had a promiscuous phase of her life really does blow minds, right?

As Shonda explains, “Well, for starters, [Meredith] never would’ve been in a bar to meet Derek. And from that, the entire world changes. Would Meredith and Cristina have ever been friends if Meredith was a bright and shiny person?”

Shonda also had plenty to say about last night’s Season 8, Episode 10: “Suddenly.” Regarding the screaming match between Cristina and Owen (Kevin McKidd), it sounds like it’s just the first of many. “[Henry's death] is a catalyst for Cristina and Owen to [face] what is the real problem in their relationship, which is Cristina had this abortion that Owen’s not comfortable with. The unresolved tension about the abortion really explodes in these upcoming episodes. Everything just blows up to holy hell.”

Whoa! Well, what else can we really expect from Grey’s at this point other than major explosions, both the natural disaster-sort and the emotional ones, too?

Catch Grey’s Anatomy Season 8, Episode 11: “This Magic Moment” on Thursday, January 12 at 9pm ET/PT on ABC.

Source: TV Line

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