Grey's Anatomy S16 |OT| Longest-Running Primetime Medical Drama (RIP ER)

Soda · Sep 26, 2019

Seriously, look at that tagline! Even the creators are like "OK... where do we go from here!?"

Welcome to the official thread of Grey's Anatomy, Season 16!

Season 16 premieres on ABC on September 26th, 2019. In terms of viewers, season 15 had the lowest premiere of any Grey's season (6.81 million) and the lowest finale of any Grey's season (5.99 million). For reference, Grey's had a premiere of 25.41 million viewers and a finale of 22.57 millions viewers during season 3. However, season 15 had an overall rank of #27, which was better than seasons 7, 8, and 11. Also, the important 18-49 demographic had Grey's season 15 at #8... which is probably the key for keeping Grey's going into future seasons.

Only four major characters are still with the show from the original season:
Dr. Miranda Bailey
Dr. Meredith Grey
Dr. Alex Karev
Dr. Richard Weber

If you haven't tuned in for a few seasons, well, it's gonna look a little different. Oh, and a bunch of the characters that aren't here anymore are gone because they died... so they can't come back at all. Grey's Anatomy has been killing fools since before Game of Thrones made it cool... but the good news is, some old characters that have left the show have returned in the last few seasons, so you may see some familiar faces once more.

Feel free to join the weekly discussion (new episodes Thursday nights at 7 PM US Eastern) here, or chime in if you're catching up on old episodes!

Joni · Sep 26, 2019

Looking forward to that tight Station 19 connection.

gimmmick · Sep 26, 2019

The season finale last season didn't even feel like the season was over.

Tfritz · Sep 26, 2019

i had a joke i wanted to make like a week ago but i forgot, i think it was making fun of d*r*k sh*ph*rd

STech · Sep 26, 2019

Can't wait for the catastrophe of the penultimate chapter of the season.

Soda · Sep 26, 2019

Aaaand it's on!

TheMilkman · Sep 26, 2019

Just started up the premiere. I forgot Bailey fired all these motherfuckers. In fact I might need to watch the last season again before next week, I forgot a lot damn

TheMilkman · Sep 26, 2019

Mere picking up trash made me laugh harder than it should have

TheMilkman · Sep 26, 2019

They better not take Mere's license. Mags on that bullshit once again. And Amy's pregnant. Imma have to sleep on this shit

henhowc · Sep 26, 2019

whoa the wooden asian dude didnt get canned

Soda · Sep 27, 2019

Maggie and Jackson being done would be more than fine with me.

Tfritz · Sep 27, 2019

big shoutout to meredith for blessing that classroom mom out

henhowc said:
whoa the wooden asian dude didnt get canned

the end of last season seemed like they were setting up for giving him an actual personality this season, but we'll see how it goes

Tfritz · Sep 27, 2019

imagine going through the trouble of hiring kitty forman herself, only for her to only be on screen in one shot and having all her dialogue ADR'd

Joni · Sep 28, 2019

Bit of a slow start.

Casker · Sep 28, 2019

I think I'm finally reaching levels of "ehh this is kinda boring".

pokeystaples · Sep 28, 2019

Jackson moving on fast as hell or was there a time skip?

GNOSIS · Sep 28, 2019

The first episode isn't so exciting....

Fridaynightcatlady · Sep 28, 2019

I feel like GA was never really worth watching after both Christina and Lexie's departure. Also, Shonda needs to chill for a bit and let her characters enjoy like for a bit. Like, what was even the point of splitting up Callie and Arizona? They were probably my fav couple (also, I never really checked but they got back together???).

Also, I read there's a rumor

Izzie

might come back for some episodes.That'd be pretty interesting.

Tfritz · Sep 28, 2019

pokeystaples said:
Jackson moving on fast as hell or was there a time skip?

the episode skipped through like a full month in weekly increments

Joni · Sep 28, 2019

Fridaynightcatlady said:
I feel like GA was never really worth watching after both Christina and Lexie's departure. Also, Shonda needs to chill for a bit and let her characters enjoy like for a bit. Like, what was even the point of splitting up Callie and Arizona? They were probably my fav couple (also, I never really checked but they got back together???).

Because Ramirez was going to leave.

Soda · Oct 3, 2019

Enjoyed S16E2 a lot. Way more than the premiere. I'm genuinely interested in seeing how Karev and Weber handle this other hospital. I also see the wheels turning for Meredith to lose her license, but end up starting some sort of low-income clinic or insurance company and serving in an administrative role. Or, not lose her license, but do the above anyway.

Casker · Oct 4, 2019

Soda said:
Enjoyed S16E2 a lot. Way more than the premiere. I'm genuinely interested in seeing how Karev and Weber handle this other hospital. I also see the wheels turning for Meredith to lose her license, but end up starting some sort of low-income clinic or insurance company and serving in an administrative role. Or, not lose her license, but do the above anyway.

Agreed this episode was much much better. Actually curious about the storylines now. Really wonder where they're going with the other hospital plotline too. Another eventual merger?

Only thing that's bad is the Jackson and Maggie side.

Soda · Oct 4, 2019

Casker said:
Agreed this episode was much much better. Actually curious about the storylines now. Really wonder where they're going with the other hospital plotline too. Another eventual merger?

Only thing that's bad is the Jackson and Maggie side.

The Jackson/Maggie thing has been bad almost the entire time. I'm hoping it's winding down now and we can move to more interesting stories.

I don't see a merger for the hospitals. I see, if anything, something bizarre happening, like Grey-Sloan pushing out more employees until the majority are at Karev's hospital. I can easily see Karev/Weber staying there, then Meredith moving there to open some sort of low-cost clinic, then her bringing a few interns with her, then Jo moving there to be with Alex.

I don't know, just a thought. But, it makes me wonder if moving the entire show to the new hospital couldn't be a way to spark up new story lines in a new environment, and serve as a means by which some retiring actors/characters can be moved out easily (just leave them at Grey-Sloan).

Seems like a long-shot, but who knows. It'd be a huge changing point for the show and is probably too risky for them to go forward with it.

TheMilkman · Oct 4, 2019

Someone said it earlier, but Mer is the most privileged woman in the world. It's actually pretty entertaining to watch.

Soda said:
The Jackson/Maggie thing has been bad almost the entire time. I'm hoping it's winding down now and we can move to more interesting stories.

I don't see a merger for the hospitals. I see, if anything, something bizarre happening, like Grey-Sloan pushing out more employees until the majority are at Karev's hospital. I can easily see Karev/Weber staying there, then Meredith moving there to open some sort of low-cost clinic, then her bringing a few interns with her, then Jo moving there to be with Alex.

I don't know, just a thought. But, it makes me wonder if moving the entire show to the new hospital couldn't be a way to spark up new story lines in a new environment, and serve as a means by which some retiring actors/characters can be moved out easily (just leave them at Grey-Sloan).

Seems like a long-shot, but who knows. It'd be a huge changing point for the show and is probably too risky for them to go forward with it.

Agreed on all counts, especially the last bit about the new hospital. Even though we've been at Seattle Grace -Mercy West-Grey-Sloan since day one, this show aint about the hospital, it's the doctors. Honestly it's such a simple change to shake things up, I'm shocked I'd never even considered it before this season.

Tfritz · Oct 4, 2019

isn't pac north or whatever the other hospital is just the cure institute from scream queens

edit: ah the tried and true "literally every hospital that isn't grey-sloane is an absolute shithole" well. there's something darkly funny about how how pac north's er being slam full of patients, meanwhile the grey-sloane er team is working on... a dude who ran his scooter into a parked car.

Br3wnor · Oct 4, 2019

Much happier with the beginning of this season compared to last. Splitting them up between 2 hospitals is a great idea, as is them having to work in a shitty hospital, gives them time to turn it around. The Meredith Deluca thing isn't ending any time soon it seems but whatever, as long as she doesn't end up with him in the end I won't care. No more Maggie and Jackson is great, they're better characters doing their own thing. Interested to see where the new big time resident's story goes, good to have some competition thrown in there.

Last season was pretty terrible outside of a few standout episodes so hopefully we geta better overall season this time around. I wonder if this show can hit 20 seasons lol, there's no real point in wrapping it up anytime soon.

Tfritz · Oct 4, 2019

TheMilkman said:
Someone said it earlier, but Mer is the most privileged woman in the world. It's actually pretty entertaining to watch.

there's a very fun and sexy dynamic where we have Meredith being all "the system is broken, people keep falling through the cracks" while every other non-Grey-Sloane hospital or health services center is portrayed as an incompetent hellhole. From Pacific Northwest, to Jackson's offhand remark about the County Health Clinic, to Jo saying that she wants to work at Grey-Sloane because of "Higher Profile Patients" ...

TheMilkman · Oct 11, 2019

Is Bailey on a power trip? Was that a legit reason to fire ol' girl at the end, her admiration of Mer, or did I miss something she did? Cause that was a little fucked up

Also, in general, this was a decent episode I guess.

Joni · Oct 12, 2019

TheMilkman said:
Is Bailey on a power trip? Was that a legit reason to fire ol' girl at the end, her admiration of Mer, or did I miss something she did? Cause that was a little fucked up

Also, in general, this was a decent episode I guess.

She is on a power trip because Koracick. Really curious to see how the story will evolve.

TheMilkman · Oct 12, 2019

Joni said:
She is on a power trip because Koracick. Really curious to see how the story will evolve.

I must've been watching with headphones in cause I forgot about the Koracick thing. OK now it makes sense

Casker · Oct 13, 2019

TheMilkman said:
Is Bailey on a power trip? Was that a legit reason to fire ol' girl at the end, her admiration of Mer, or did I miss something she did? Cause that was a little fucked up

Also, in general, this was a decent episode I guess.

Would actually be a legit reason to sue the hospital this time. What happened to that other dude that did sue?

Glad they got a good reason for Link to stick around. He's been a good addition to the cast. Meredith and Deluca is still really weird IMO. They need to include his sister more though she's really hot. Guess that threesome never happened for her either lmao.

Tfritz · Oct 13, 2019

Casker said:
Would actually be a legit reason to sue the hospital this time. What happened to that other dude that did sue?

he got rehired, but then at the beginning of last season he got fired by alex because a patient died when he assumed their bloody nose was because of cocaine usage instead of actually examining them.

TheMilkman · Oct 17, 2019

Just started the latest episode. The Mer-Luca relationship is still weird as fuck to me. Not because I'm against Mer being with a younger man; it's mostly cause I still don't fuck with Luca

TheMilkman · Oct 17, 2019

Just finished the episode. Hopefully that last scene is a sign that MerLuce might actually crumble lol

henhowc · Oct 17, 2019

Hehe the Cristina cameo

Casker · Oct 18, 2019

henhowc said:
Hehe the Cristina cameo

You can just read it in her voice laughing! Episode was rather enjoyable. They're doing Koracick so dirty still. Glad Pac-West is probably getting more air time.

Was Dr. Kang someone we've seen before?

Tfritz · Oct 18, 2019

Meredith accidentally creates a viral listicle.

I'm surprised they really shipped Qadre off, after they said she got a new job I expected it to cut to the Other Hospital and show her working there.

I'm pretty numb to surgery scenes on this show, but man the detail on Jackson's surgery in this episode really started to squick me out. I think it was just seeing the skin flopped over.

Casker said:
Was Dr. Kang someone we've seen before?

i don't think so

TheMilkman · Oct 18, 2019

Tfritz said:
I'm surprised they really shipped Qadre off, after they said she got a new job I expected it to cut to the Other Hospital and show her working there.

That's where I'm at. Bailey's on the war path, not helped by events in this episode it seems, and there must've been something behind the scenes too i'm betting (even though I actively avoid any BTS where Greys is concerned, so I don't know, it just feels sudden)

Joni · Oct 19, 2019

Pierce's last sentence was perfection. Girl is tired of secret pregnancies.

Tfritz said:
I'm surprised they really shipped Qadre off, after they said she got a new job I expected it to cut to the Other Hospital and show her working there.i don't think so

TheMilkman said:
That's where I'm at. Bailey's on the war path, not helped by events in this episode it seems, and there must've been something behind the scenes too i'm betting (even though I actively avoid any BTS where Greys is concerned, so I don't know, it just feels sudden)

Intern disappears without much send-off isn't exactly new, as we have only half of the 'B-Team' left. But Sophia Taylor Ali is moving to New Zealand for a new project.

TheMilkman · Oct 19, 2019

Joni said:
Pierce's last sentence was perfection. Girl is tired of secret pregnancies.

Intern disappears without much send-off isn't exactly new, as we have only half of the 'B-Team' left. But Sophia Taylor Ali is moving to New Zealand for a new project.

Aaaah I see. And I suppose you're right about interns as well. Just seemed extra sudden in this instance

henhowc · Oct 19, 2019

at least they didnt kill her

Soda · Oct 19, 2019

I assumed Qadre would go to Karev's hospital given the unceremonious send-off, but it seems the actor has a new show. Kinda lame for the character, but good for the actor!

After the first episode, I've genuinely enjoyed the season. I'd like to see even more focus on PAC North. Seeing the doctors surrounded by incompetent staff and low-funding is interesting, IMO.

Razgriz-Specter · Oct 19, 2019

Can't believe I was free of this show for years, I watch the episode with the Charmed cast now im back in.
Alex and Jo are the characters I really care about though.

PhotonicBrain · Oct 24, 2019

Looking forward to Grey is the New Black.

Joni · Oct 25, 2019

Was fun to get some backstory on Jo's hospital stay.

TheMilkman · Oct 26, 2019

PhotonicBrain said:
Looking forward to Grey is the New Black.

lol yes

Joni · Nov 1, 2019

Fun episode, even if the bail thing was a bit predictable.

Tfritz · Nov 1, 2019

literally every episode of this season is meredith complaining about the possibility of losing her license and then one off characters being like "anyway, i have like, actual problems"

TheMilkman · Nov 1, 2019

Kinda disappointed we didn't get a "Mer in the pokey" multi-episode arc cause honestly she needs a firm kick in the ass. But I'm liking this season so far, especially the Pac North story.

Joni · Nov 8, 2019

Well, some fun casting by having Kelly's actual sister play her secret niece.