Whereas different 11-year-olds within the ’90s could have been preoccupied with cruising the mall or enjoying video video games after wrapping up homework, precocious Meg Marinis was typically hovering over the household’s clunky digital phrase processor, punching out “ER” scripts like an impressed TV author on deadline.
“Scripts” could also be an overstatement, the present showrunner of “Grey’s Anatomy” clarifies. “It might better be called fan fiction,” she says inside her workplace on the Prospect Studios lot in Los Feliz. With two older sisters, Marinis typically watched TV reveals that had been barely inappropriate for her age — like “Friends,” “Beverly Hills, 90210,” “The X-Files.” However she actually liked the office drama and the medical side of “ER,” typically crafting her personal flashback-heavy episodes and exploring the angsty romance potential between characters like Mark Greene (Anthony Edwards) and Susan Lewis (Sherry Stringfield) or Carol Hathaway (Julianna Margulies) and Doug Ross (George Clooney).
“I got so into the [medical] terminology. I thought it was so cool, I don’t know why,” she says. “And the way that everything was on the move and quick and alarms would be blaring. It was so exciting and, in the middle of it, there were love stories. It wasn’t just one thing.”
Perhaps manifestation was at work. As of late, she’s busy helming the present medical drama stalwart over on ABC. “Grey’s Anatomy” returned Thursday for the second half of its twenty first season in dramatic fashion — an armed theft at a comfort retailer threatened Jo’s (Camilla Luddington) being pregnant, whereas Teddy (Kim Raver) and Owen’s (Kevin McKidd) marriage is going through challenges. This week, Marinis has been placing the ending touches on the season finale, which is able to start taking pictures later this month.
Retaining the tales flowing on TV’s longest-running medical drama could be an intricate problem, not in contrast to the procedures that happen at Gray Sloan Memorial Hospital, the present’s setting. The collection additionally boasts a big ensemble solid, and the presence of its namesake character, performed by Ellen Pompeo, was scaled again. However Marinis has educated for it. She’s been with the present practically so long as the remaining authentic solid members. She was employed proper out of faculty as a writers’ manufacturing assistant because the drama was heading into its third season. She labored her means up, turning into a author’s assistant and medical researcher earlier than being promoted to employees author. She was tapped to supervise the present forward of its twentieth season, which launched in 2024.
At her workplace (and in a separate video name), Marinis spoke about Pompeo’s future with the present, the chatter surrounding new medical drama “The Pitt” and which “Grey’s” character will do one thing they’ve by no means executed earlier than. This interview has been edited for readability and size.
Ellen Pompeo as Meredith Gray in “Grey’s Anatomy.”
(Anne Marie Fox / Disney)
Beginning with Season 19, Ellen Pompeo’s display time was scaled again as she pursued different tasks, primarily Hulu’s upcoming “Good American Family.” It was introduced she’d seem in a minimum of seven episodes this season. Is that also the case and can we see extra of her?
We’ve aired three along with her, so that you a minimum of have 4 extra and I’m simply gonna let y’all proceed to look at to see what else you get. With Ellen, we at all times need her to be right here as a lot as she she will and he or she needs. That’s an open dialog transferring ahead. After this season, we have now but to have these conversations as a result of her present is about to premiere. However we would like her right here as a lot as attainable as a result of she is the essence of the present; her voiceover, it’s nonetheless in each episode. What we did this final season, we tried to take a look at her episodes as teams of episodes as a result of it’s extra enjoyable to inform an arc with Meredith, reasonably than a bunch of various one-offs. Meredith’s relationship with Nick [Scott Speedman] is actually essential to me. I really like her having the ability to discover love after Derek [Patrick Dempsey]. Scott Speedman is superb. He’s so sport to return right here and play with us at any time when he’s in a position to. It’s simply staying true to her character as she’s advanced over over 20 years and the way she interacts with the brand new characters that we’ve introduced, is actually fascinating to me.
However discussions haven’t began but about how a lot she’d seem for a attainable Season 22?
These conversations haven’t fairly began but. I imagine that there’s one thing in place [from her previous deal] for her already, however I’m not fully conscious of it. My feeling is that it will in all probability be across the similar quantity as this season, and it additionally simply will depend on her schedule.
Are you able to think about ”Gray’s” with out Meredith? Her title is within the title, her story set this world in movement.
I hope that we don’t ever should see a “Grey’s” with out Meredith from time to time. We have now an incredible solid alongside Ellen Pompeo. I feel our episodes with out her are are simply as robust, nevertheless it’s simply so good to listen to her voice with the voiceovers. However I additionally really feel that even when she’s not within the episodes, it looks like she could be there. We continuously reference her. She’s clearly come out as a world-class surgeon out of this hospital. Bailey [Chandra Wilson] and Richard [James Pickens Jr.], after they’re coping with a brand new class of interns, they invoke that spirit of Meredith that anytime they assume that they’ve bought a tough intern, they bear in mind who they introduced up and what she grew to become. We nonetheless have [Derek’s family] Amelia Shepherd [Caterina Scorsone] and Lucas Adams [Niko Terho]. The essence of Meredith by no means disappears.
What are you able to tease about Meredith’s Alzheimer’s analysis? It’s unclear how she’ll be concerned after upsetting Catherine Fox (Debbie Allen) along with her shift in focus.
We’re positively going to select that again up once more in one of many first few episodes after we return. I feel persons are gonna be very glad to see the place it goes. We wrote this some time in the past, however we go into a few of the points that researchers are going through proper now, with securing funding and what you select to middle your analysis on actually has an impact on whether or not you get cash or not. We’re going to see Meredith wrestle with these challenges.
What about her private life? Protected to imagine that Nick is the one?
Nicely, he’s the one after Derek. A variety of dialogue occurs as a result of everyone is at all times asking, “Will she get married again? Will she do this again?” And I don’t assume it’s a lot about marriage, however the truth that the 2 of them have now merged their lives collectively on the finish of final season. I feel that’s an indication for followers to assume that he’s the one. He is also any individual who respects the life that she had earlier than him and he’s by no means going to attempt to change that. He may wish to get married, however he is aware of who Meredith is and he’s by no means going to push that on her. I additionally like how he challenges her in ways in which individuals since Derek haven’t, which additionally makes me assume that he’s her equal. He’s going to push again when he looks like he’s being pushed away.
Niko Terho and Camilla Luddington in a scene from the mid-season premiere of “Grey’s Anatomy.”
(Tina Thorpe / Disney)
The present has tackled well timed subjects earlier than, whether or not it’s immigration, abortion, COVID. Once you see a few of the healthcare-related headlines below this present administration, significantly Medicaid, are you fascinated by whether or not these points are value exploring subsequent season?
We at all times have a look at it from the physician’s standpoint. Our followers have all types of various views and opinions and affiliations. We at all times take the stance of “what are doctors going through these days?” After we did the COVID season, we instructed that story fully from a health care provider’s standpoint. We didn’t discuss politics, we didn’t discuss who was proper, who wasn’t proper. We simply confirmed the impact that the pandemic had on our docs and the isolation and loneliness that they needed to undergo. We’ll do the identical factor if we see headlines we wish to discover.
Heading into this mid-season premiere, I used to be fearful the place this being pregnant scare was going to go as a result of Jo has endured lots. Her infants are wonderful. However was there a model the place she misplaced one or each infants?
It was positively pitched and I stated, “No, she’s not losing those babies.” I’m interested by enjoying the fact of how tough multiples are and in order that’s why we did that story the way in which we did as a result of that could be a frequent process that many ladies undergo. I wish to additionally respect the fact. I don’t assume it’s going to be a full-term being pregnant with these infants. Is she out of the woods? I wouldn’t say sure, as a result of she’s a lady pregnant with twins.
What’s occurring with Teddy, Owen and Cass Beckman (Sophia Bush)? Would you name it a love triangle?
I’m very excited for the followers to see the again half of the season as a result of we comply with that story extra intently. I’m somebody who likes to create the largest mess attainable within the tales after which I feel the writers are like, “Oh great, she’s tangled us in some knot again that we can’t figure it out.” Nevertheless it’s a 21-season present. We have now to make mess to be able to to maintain it fascinating and completely different. That is one thing we actually haven’t executed earlier than on our present with a wedding, a minimum of. I additionally assume that the scenes that Kim and Kevin are performing are so actual and weak and uncooked, they usually haven’t any time of their lives to prioritize themselves and their relationship as a result of they’ve children and their jobs. We’re seeing form of the results of that.
Your first season as showrunner was delayed and truncated because of the twin Hollywood strikes. In your second season on the helm, the current wildfires in Los Angeles shut down manufacturing. How was it to steer a present in a time like that?
We rapidly contacted everybody and stopped and we heard that different reveals had executed the identical factor. There was this immense stress of “am I all of a sudden blowing thousands and thousands of dollars by us not working?” However I can’t ask my crew to depart their houses and their households. Then we began getting stories that a few of our crew members had misplaced their houses, which was terrible. That Sunday, they stated that folks can return to work on Monday and I requested us to attend yet another day as a result of I simply assume we would have liked to mobilize and determine how we might assist our crew members who misplaced houses. Fortunately, we had been [in a position where] it wasn’t about making air dates for us. We known as the crew again the Tuesday [after the start of the fires]. We had a straightforward day. Debbie Allen and I spoke to the crew initially of the day. We employed a therapist to return to set so that folks might communicate to her. I feel it actually helped calm everyone simply to have normalcy.
Manufacturing on “Grey’s” was halted through the wildfires. “We hired a therapist to come to set so that people could speak to her. I think it really helped calm everybody just to have normalcy,” Meg Marinis stated.
(Marcus Ubungen / Los Angeles Occasions)
What’s the problem of taking on a present that’s been on for 20 years?
I really feel higher about it this yr now that I’ve executed one season. The stress is immense. You’re taking Shonda Rhimes’ child and caring for it for her when she’s constructed it to be an trade icon. And in addition simply the immense stress from the followers — making the tales really feel recent and thrilling after 20 years; not repeating your self. And simply the stress of being the chief of the present as a result of there’s probably not a day the place you possibly can conceal in your workplace and be unhappy in regards to the fires. It’s important to construct up all of your energy since you actually set the tone and in case you appear in management, your crew’s going to really feel secure.
Due to price range trims, you had been tasked with having to slim the solid down and cut back display time for some veteran solid members. How did you strategy that?
It was a number of conversations with Shonda. She got here right here and spoke to the solid with me and helped clarify what was occurring. They fully understood that when she and I spoke to them collectively, they knew it wasn’t one thing that we wished to do, that it was simply the state of the trade. It was one of many worst moments of of my job, understanding the local weather of what’s taking place, and I really like each single character right here and no person needs to make that telephone name.
“Grey’s” has endured as others within the style have come and gone. Once you see one thing like “The Pitt” turn out to be this drama that has individuals speaking, what do you are taking from that at this stage in “Grey’s” run?
There’s a few issues — you possibly can’t assist however assume, “Oh, what kind of stories are they telling? Are they telling cooler stories than we are?” I actually wish to watch “The Pitt,” I’m ready till hiatus as a result of I do love medical reveals, however I strive to not watch them once I’m writing simply to remain fully targeted on “Grey’s.” I don’t wish to compete or evaluate. They’re all completely different. The curiosity implies that individuals nonetheless like medical reveals. They’re nonetheless related.
The life “Grey’s” has on TikTok is fairly superb. I’ll by no means not cease to look at a video of somebody filming their good friend or important different reaching the George O’Malley episode for the primary time.
I feel it’s a testomony to Shonda Rhimes and what she created with these authentic characters — watching them develop via their profession. Everyone can determine with beginning your first job and never understanding what you’re doing and never making some huge cash and never having time for relationships and your finest good friend is your co-worker. It’s so enjoyable to have the ability to see individuals relive these moments or reside these moments for the primary time. I feel that there’s one thing comforting in a present that’s been on for therefore lengthy, that you may at all times flip to “Grey’s Anatomy.” There’s a author’s thread the place they textual content issues [like the TikToks]. There was a meme that was like “we’re gonna see the end of democracy before the end of ‘Grey’s Anatomy.’”
You’re presently placing the ending touches on the season finale. Is there one thing you possibly can tease now that can make sense as soon as we watch it?
Teddy will do one thing she’s by no means executed earlier than.