‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Cast Member Behind Camera For Season 14, Shonda Rhimes Bringing Levity Back
There are some changes coming this season as a Grey’s Anatomy cast member is stepping behind the camera to help bring the hit show back to its roots. No, that doesn’t mean that Dr. Cristina Yang will be making her return, but it does mean that Shonda Rhimes is trying to strike a better balance between levity and drama. And Kevin McKidd (Owen) will once again find himself in front of and behind the camera directing at least one episode of Grey’s Anatomy Season 14.
The Grey’s Anatomy cast dealt with a lot of heavy subject matter last year with little humor, so getting back to a place where there is a better balance is key, and so Shonda Rhimes is shaking up the production staff and bringing back a writer and producer from the early years. Grey’s Anatomy Season 13 was choppy, with a big hiatus and a later start, and so Rhimes felt that Grey’s Anatomy Season 14 needed to get back to basics.
But Season 14 will bring a change to the Grey’s Anatomy cast that will finally answer some big questions of what really went on between Owen and Nathan Riggs, and what the future holds for Riggs, Meredith Grey, and Owen’s sister.
At the end of last month, the Grey’s Anatomy cast announced that they were officially back to work as they went as a group to a Seattle Mariners game where Kevin McKidd (Owen) threw out the first pitch. But the next hint that McKidd would be doing double duty on Grey’s Anatomy Season 14 was an Instagram post where McKidd shared a selfie with a big cup of coffee.
“Back at it @greysabc #directorprep.”
McKidd has previously directed 16 episodes of Grey’s Anatomy and is making it 17 this season while still playing the role of Owen Hunt. According to the Grey’s Anatomy cast, the season premiere will be September 28, but that won’t be McKidd’s season directorial debut.
According to Shonda Rhimes, the big change for this season of Grey’s Anatomy can be filed under “what’s old is new again.” Krista Vernoff, who wrote and exec-produced the series for its first eight seasons, has rejoined Grey’s to help Rhimes find the balance of drama and levity that set Grey’s Anatomy apart from other medical series early on.
And the Grey’s Anatomy cast couldn’t be happier to have Vernoff back in the house. Kelly McCreary (Maggie) and Giacomo Gianniotti (Andrew DeLuca) are confident that Vernoff will lighten the overall vibe so that Grey’s fans aren’t always waiting for the other shoe to drop each week.
Gianniotti explained that Vernoff had long talks with members of the Grey’s Anatomy cast to find out what they were thinking about their individual characters.
“Krista coming back is exciting. From the moment she stepped on set, she approached us all individually and talked with us and asked us all our deepest desires and dreams and about our personal life and has made a real effort to infuse that to Grey’s Anatomy. We have some new writers and fresh voices that are going to give this season an amazing new vibe and energy. It’s going to be lighter and funnier. Krista wants comedy and wants people to laugh. That’s the way she started it and she wants to continue that.”
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The Grey’s Anatomy cast believes Vernoff, who had been working on the Showtime show Shameless, will help strike the balance that has made Grey’s an obsession with so many fans. Kelly McCreary thinks that fans of Grey’s Anatomy deserve to take a deep breath and laugh a little.
“We’re touching base in a meaningful way with where we left off with all the characters from last season and to contain that much story in two hours, you have to keep it light, bouncy and fun — and Krista Vernoff brings that shift to the show.”
Will you tune in to check out Grey’s Anatomy Season 14 next month? Do you think Grey’s will be better with a few more laughs?
[Featured Image by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images]
