Could Grey’s Anatomy be about to pull the rug from under fans around the world?
Well, it wouldn’t be the first time.
ABC has dropped the first official teaser for Grey’s Anatomy Season 18, seemingly setting the stage for another big comeback.
“Brace yourself for one helluva return,” the voiceover warns viewers over footage of someone making their way to the hospital in a stretcher.
Teddy drops an “Oh my God” reaction, while Owen has a shocked look on his face, but could this lead to an unannounced comeback?
The trailer also features Abigail Spencer’s Megan Hunt, who skipped town with Martin Henderson’s Nathan Riggs to raise their adopted son.
Spencer’s return was already confirmed this week, but there has been no word on Nathan, leading many to speculate what brings the character back in a recurring capacity.
Henderson is busy with Virgin River Season 4, but it’s possible Riggs could be the person in the trailer that elicits the strong reaction from the characters who worked with him.
While the series has been vocal about bringing characters back this season, producers will likely be saving some surprises for the actual premiere, airing September 30 at 9/8c.
The just-released trailer also shows the return of Kate Burton as Meredith’s late mother Ellis, but it doesn’t shed light on how she returns.
There’s a good chance Meredith is having visions of dead people after her trip to the beach on Grey’s Anatomy Season 17, which brought back Patrick Dempsey, Chyler Leigh, among other beloved characters.
It was also recently revealed that Kate Walsh would be stepping back into the role of Addison Montgomery for multiple episodes.
Details surrounding how she returns is being kept under wraps, but we’ll surely find out soon enough.
Grey’s Anatomy is entering its 18th season with *gasp* another crossover with Station 19.
The issue with these crossovers is that there is rarely any connective tissue between the episodes, making them feel like publicity stunts to get fans of both shows watching.
The shows would be wise to tell their own tales and stay well away from one another, aside from characters popping up on each show here and there.
Alas, have a look at the full promo below and hit the comments with your thoughts on it.
Paul Dailly is the Associate Editor for TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter.