‘Grey’s Anatomy’ going back to beginning

By Ron Wynn

NASHVILLE, TN — It was 20 years ago when ABC began airing “Grey’s Anatomy.” It became an immediate hit and helped jump start Shonda Rhimes’ career. Now ABC has begun airing new episodes each Thursday (locally WRKN-2). But the 20th season will be a special one in several ways. According to showrunner Meg Marinis, the 20th season will be of joy and exuberance. “I’m a huge fan of the show, as well as working on it — and I have been since it came on in the very beginning,” Marinis told Yahoo Entertainment. “No one gets 20 seasons and I thought we needed to honor the show that’s gotten us here.”

When the show began, its cast included Ellen Pompeo, Sandra Oh, Patrick Dempsey, Katherine Heigl, Justin Chambers, T.R. Knight, Chandra Wilson and James Pickens Jr. Season 20 is a callback to the classic Grey’s days, Marinis says, a recognition of the iconic characters that have passed through the hospital halls, unusual patients and two decades of history. Parallels to early seasons and key characters who have long been gone are sprinkled throughout in the nostalgic premiere episode, which marks the franchise’s 421st hour. (The medical emergency at the heart of the Season 20 opener, for instance, involves an AI-powered self-driving vehicle.)