Meg Marinis began her journey with Grey’s Anatomy right out of college. At the time, the medical drama, centered around Ellen Pompeo’s portrayal of a surgical intern at Seattle Grace Hospital, was already in its second season and riding the wave of the Denny Duquette storyline—a now-iconic arc involving Katherine Heigl and Jeffrey Dean Morgan.
Marinis, a fan of the show, interviewed for the position of second assistant to Shonda Rhimes, the show’s creator, but didn’t land that role. Instead, she was offered a newly created position as a writer’s production assistant.
Reflecting on this, Marinis shares, “I freaked out because I really liked the show, but I didn’t have any idea what it would become… A decade ago, I didn’t think I would still be here!”
Not only has Marinis remained with Grey’s Anatomy, but she now leads the show, which remains primetime TV’s longest-running medical drama, returning for its 21st season.
After taking the reins from Krista Vernoff for season 20, Marinis faced significant challenges, as the season was delayed and shortened to just 10 episodes due to the 2023 Hollywood strikes. “We had fewer episodes than series regulars,” Marinis notes, alluding to the show’s vast ensemble cast.
She expresses some regret about the constraints, feeling she couldn’t give everyone enough room to shine: “I felt like I didn’t champion everyone that worked here as much as I could and couldn’t give them the full real estate for them to do their best work.”
With season 21, however, Marinis is back with an 18-episode run and a more prominent role for Pompeo, who will appear on-screen more than she did in season 19, where her role had been scaled back.
Pompeo has continued as the voiceover narrator for each episode, and Marinis shares, “We’re an open-door policy with her… It is nice to have her for more than we had her for last season.”
Marinis offers an inside look at her plans for the season, which includes key character returns, including Jesse Williams and Jason George, and bids farewell to others like Midori Francis and Jake Borelli. She is also excited about the future arcs: “I’ll push whatever boundaries they’ll let me.”
Reflecting on her first season as showrunner, Marinis acknowledges the unique challenges brought by the 2023 strikes, which limited season 20 to just 10 episodes.
“There were a lot of stories that were pitched last year in the writers’ room that we didn’t get to use,” Marinis explains. Season 21 presents a new opportunity for the creative team.
“We felt like we had a full canvas now to tell the stories that we wanted to,” she says, sharing that having only 10 episodes in the previous season meant not all cast members could have their moments.
“I felt like I did a disservice to the cast,” she admits. But with 18 episodes this season, she’s determined to ensure everyone has their shot at a rich, full story arc.
Marinis also empathizes with the cast and crew, many of whom she has known for years. The truncated season after the strike left many without as much work as they deserved.
“I grew up with this crew,” she says, adding that she was committed to coming back early to stay on track with the rest of the Thursday night lineup. Her goal for this season? A return to “normalcy.”
Season 21 sees Grey’s Anatomy airing later in the evening, at 10 p.m., opening up potential for more daring storylines.
When asked if this change will lead to more risqué content, Marinis responds with enthusiasm, “I’ll push whatever boundaries they’ll let me push.”
However, she remains firm that Grey’s will stay true to its identity: “If we can get a few more risqué subject matters or steamy scenes, we’ll do it. But I won’t do it just for the sake of a time slot.”
The season premiere picks up where season 20 left off, with many characters facing the consequences of Catherine Fox’s decision to fire top doctors over groundbreaking Alzheimer’s research.
Marinis shares that the first half of season 21 will focus on the fallout from those decisions. “A lot of people’s jobs are on the line. How do we get those jobs back? Can we get them back?”
The dynamic between Catherine and Meredith, as well as Catherine and Bailey, will be pivotal. “Catherine has become this villain that we’ve learned to love,” says Marinis, teasing that viewers will see a more vulnerable side to her this season.
One of the premiere’s most talked-about moments is a tense slap between Chandra Wilson’s Bailey and Debbie Allen’s Catherine.
According to Marinis, Allen was all-in on the moment, even telling Wilson to “slap me” for real. The scene, softened with movie magic, has already become iconic.
Pompeo, who reduced her on-screen role in season 19, will play a significant part in season 21, though her exact number of episodes is still undecided.
Marinis describes an open-door policy with Pompeo, explaining that they are always eager to have her on set when possible.
“Her story does continue at the beginning of this season,” she reveals, adding that Pompeo’s character, Meredith, will remain central to many key storylines.
One of the key relationships for Meredith is with Catherine Fox, and their scenes are especially intense. Marinis draws a parallel between Meredith’s complex relationship with her late mother, Ellis Grey, and her interactions with Catherine.
“When you have that tumultuous relationship with your mother, you bring that into every other relationship you have with another older female,” she explains.
Season 19 introduced a fresh group of interns, who are now a key focus of season 21. Marinis views these interns as carrying a bit of Meredith Grey’s spirit: “They are a little bit like Meredith, where they often break the rules and are often unapologetic about it.”
The interns have now become essential to the show’s narrative, with their relationships evolving with attending doctors and other staff. Marinis particularly enjoys writing for these characters, who surprise her with each performance.
However, one of these interns, Midori Francis (Mika Yasuda), will be leaving this season. Though Marinis remains tight-lipped about the details of her exit, she promises fans will be satisfied with Mika’s storyline, which will honor how far she’s come.
This season also sees the return of fan-favorite characters like Jesse Williams’ Jackson Avery and Jason George’s Ben Warren.
Marinis reveals that Jackson’s return was due to a lucky break in scheduling and promises his storyline will go into both professional and personal conflicts, particularly regarding his feelings of betrayal by Meredith.
As for Ben, Marinis is excited to have George back, noting that his character’s return to Grey Sloan will stir things up.
Grey’s Anatomy has never shied away from addressing real-world issues, and season 21 will continue that tradition, with climate change being a key topic.
Marinis explains that hospitals, particularly surgical floors, are significant contributors to carbon emissions, and the writers wanted to look through how the medical field is grappling with this issue.
“The topics that we tackle are relevant to the medical field,” she says, emphasizing the show’s commitment to portraying healthcare professionals’ experiences accurately.
As Grey’s Anatomy continues its historic run, Marinis remains passionate about the show’s future. When asked how long she sees the show going, she responds enthusiastically, “I will go until they tell me to put my pencil down.”
