'Grey's Anatomy' Star Jake Broelli Says Everything Is "Turned On Its Head" In Season 16

From Good Housekeeping

Grey’s Anatomy is coming back not just once ... but twice!

Thanks to the show's dedicated fans, ABC announced in May that Shonda Rhimes’s epic medical drama is returning for two more seasons , making it the longest-running primetime medical drama in TV history. Best of all: The wild (and wonderful) world of Grey Sloan resumes with season 16 on Thursday, September 26.

Season 16, which kicks off on Thursday, September 26 at 8 p.m. on ABC, is already shaping up to be one of the show's best yet. Even Jake Broelli, who plays Levi Schitt, told ET that the new season promises to be "scary and exciting at the same time." Because of the way season 15 ended (more on that later), the hospital has "completely turned on its head," making it a "different landscape than we've been used to."

Watch the season 16 promo to see what he's talking about

In a brand-new trailer for the season 16's first episode titled "Nothing Left to Cling to," we see Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo) picking up trash for community service. As you know, Meredith, Richard (James Pickens Jr.), and Alex (Justin Chambers) were all fired on the basis of insurance fraud at the end of last season.

From the looks of the promo, season 16 begins with the search for Jackson (Jesse Williams) after he disappeared into the fog at the end of season 15. We also see a pregnant Teddy (Kim Raver) in the hospital with Owen (Kevin McKidd) by her side, and they're shocked to hear about the firings.

So with that, here's everything else we know about Grey's Anatomy season 16.

When is Grey’s Anatomy coming back for season 16?

Fans will return to Grey Sloan on Thursday, September 26 at 8 p.m. on ABC. So, you know what that means: Shondaland's #TGIT is here to stay (FYI: How to Get Away with Murder, Rhimes' other hit show, follows Grey's and Station 19 at 10 p.m. for its final season.)

Will Ellen Pompeo still be on the show?

ABC has made it clear that Grey Sloan doesn't exist without Meredith Grey. So much so, that their entertainment chief Kerry Burke recently told the Television Critics Association that "it will be up to them (Pompeo and Rhimes) whether or not they want to continue the show." For the next two seasons, it's a yes from both parties, which means that Pompeo will return to portray the lead character. Last year, the actress signed a contract for seasons 15 and 16, which made her TV’s highest-paid leading woman on a primetime drama series. But according to The Hollywood Reporter, her new deal tacks on one more season.

This may come as a surprise to fans because Pompeo recently told Entertainment Weekly that she was “definitely looking for a change.”

“I’m feeling like we’re coming to the end of the stories that we’ve told and that we can tell,” she said in September 2018. “I’m really excited to do some new things, it’s about time that I mix it up and I’m really excited about my producing career ... My children are getting older so I want to be more available to them now.”

Showrunner Krista Vernoff recently told TVLine about the big plans for Meredith's character arc, highlighting her relationship with Andrew DeLuca (Giacomo Gianniotti).

“They’ve got to navigate the complexities of a new relationship in the wake of Meredith having been fired and having broken the law,” said Vernoff. "There are stressors on their very new relationship coming from the ramifications of those decisions last season.”

Any chance that Patrick Dempsey or Sandra Oh will return in season 16?

Get this: In an interview with TV Line, Vernoff teased fans that one of their favorite characters will make a comeback in season 16 ... but she didn't confirm the actor. "I'm trying to get someone back," she said. "There's someone I'm hoping will make an appearance this year, [but] it's a real maybe. I'm trying."

While fans were hopeful that Patrick Dempsey's iconic character Derek "McDreamy" Shepherd would come back, they weren't so sure how the show would bring him back from the dead ... again. Last season, he played McDreamy's ghost in season 15's "Day of the Dead" episode.

Other fans on Twitter guessed that Callie Torres (Sara Ramirez), Cristina Yang (Sandra Oh), or Addison Montgomery (Kate Walsh) would return to Grey Sloan.

Not too long after Vernoff's initial tease, TV Line shut down the rumors, confirming that they weren't able to secure the mysterious alum. When a fan asked for details in TV Line's Ask Ausiello, they answered: "Major update: It’s (sadly) not happening. Ultimately, a deal just didn’t come together." There's still hope for season 17, though!

Will there be new characters in Grey's season 16?

Alyssa Milano and Holly Marie Combs are confirmed to play sisters of a hospital patient who’s brain dead after falling into a construction site, according to Entertainment Weekly. We know them as witches in Charmed, a show that was produced by — you guessed it — Vernoff.

We’re not quite sure if any new doctors are entering the scene, but we can confirm that three characters have been promoted to series regulars: Chris Carmack, Jake Borelli, and Greg Germann, will all play key roles in the upcoming season, according to Deadline.

“Chris, Jake, and Greg have been recurring for us as guest stars and have popped as fan favorites,” said Vernoff. “We are excited to continue revealing their characters and we are beyond thrilled to welcome them to the Grey’s Anatomy family.”

Chris and Jake celebrated the news on social media:

“Great news from Hollywoodland! Honored to be joining this esteemed crew!!!” wrote Chris Carmack, who started as guest star Link in season 15.

"Dreams do come true,” shared Jake Borelli, who has played Dr. Levi “Glasses” Schmitt for the past two seasons. “#GreysAnatomy has been my home for the past two years, and saying that I’m over the moon excited about this doesn’t scratch the surface.”

And while she isn't exactly new, Jasmine Guy is set to reprise her role as Gemma in the new season, according to Deadline. ICYMI: In season 15, Gemma showed up at Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital with a stiletto lodged in her chest after a night of drinking. She eventually crossed paths with fellow Alcohol Anonymous group member Dr. Richard Webber, played by actor James Pickens Jr., and things got complicated.

Let's get to the plot: Are Teddy and Owen together?

They've had a pretty tumultuous relationship since their early days as army surgeons, but it looks like they're in a good place at the start of season 16. At the end of last season, Teddy gave birth to Owen's baby, and Owen declared his love for Teddy. In a recent interview with People, actress Kim Raver said she feels good about their relationship — so, promising?

"I think Owen has done a lot of work on himself," she said. "I think they're in a really great place for this to be an amazing, amazing relationship. Of course, they did have poor Tom there doing the baby crib and eating a sandwich. I was like, 'Really?'"

As you'll remember, Tom is the third part of this relationship triangle, as he dated Teddy during her pregnancy and helped her prep for the arrival. So we'll have to see how he reacts to the intimate moment shared between Teddy and Owen in the delivery room. Cue the drama.

What's going to happen to Jo and Alex?

At the end of season 15, Jo checked herself into Grey Sloan in an effort to get treatment for her depression. Vernoff told TVLine in June that even though the season 16 plot lines were still in the works, she was optimistic about the couple's future.

“I hope therapy brings her back to herself and Alex,” Krista explains, while continuing to say she wants Alex's luck to turn. “He gets to heal that wound that keeps repeating, where he chooses women who go into mental-health crises. I’d like to see that story complete for him, with Jo returning to him in a way that’s beautiful."Sounds good to us!

Can we expect more Station 19 crossovers this season?

In short, yes! Since Vernoff is the showrunner for Grey's and Station 19, it only makes sense that the shows will intertwine. During the Television Critics Association panel, Burke mentioned that the shows, which air back-to-back at 8 and 9 p.m. on ABC, "will continue to be building blocks of that night."Although there won't be weekly crossovers, she noted that there are relationships blossoming between characters, and there will be more of that in the seasons ahead.

When is Grey's Anatomy ending?

TBD. As of right now, the show has been picked up for season 16 and 17, which means we have at least two more years left with our favorite TV doctors. Beyond that, it's up for debate. Keep checking back here for more updates!

You Might Also Like

• 40+ Gorgeous Kitchen Design Ideas You'll Want to Steal

• 7 Genius Ways to Kill Fruit Flies

• 37 Genius Double-Duty Organizing Ideas