Grey’s Anatomy spoilers for Season 18 reveal that a character from the past is returning to the show. This seems like a chapter right out of the playbook for Season 17 of the show, where Meredith Grey kept seeing characters from her past while she struggled to stay alive.
The Grey’s Anatomy cast will see the return of Dr. Ellis Grey for Season 18, and it isn’t going to be just for a single episode. She is back as a recurring character and slated to appear in multiple episodes. That will include the Grey’s Anatomy season premiere.
It was a bit shocking that we didn’t see Meredith’s mother appear during Season 17, especially with all of the other characters who showed up on Meredith’s beach. That even included Chyler Leigh coming back to give Lexie Grey some closure on the show.
Even though it was delayed, at least we are finally going to see the return of Kate Burton as Dr. Ellis Grey, as there are obviously still a lot of stories to tell about that character. The only problem is that the character already died.
Grey’s Anatomy spoilers about Meredith’s mother returning
Ellis Grey was suffering from Alzheimer’s and she died in Grey’s Anatomy Season 3. Since then, she has shown up in flashback scenes from stuff that had previously happened in the hospital, as well as in the dreams of Meredith Grey.
The last time we saw Burton playing the elder Grey was back in a 2019 episode called Blood and Water. That served as Season 15, Episode 16 of the show and it included Meredith seeing Ellis in her dreams.
Outside of her time on Grey’s Anatomy, Buron was also seen on Scandal as Sally Langston and on The Practice as A.D.A. Susan Alexander. Burton has also appeared in multiple episodes of Rescue Me, Law & Order, The Good Wife, Veep, Madam Secretary, and This Is Us.
A look ahead at Grey’s Anatomy Season 18
ABC revealed that the next season premiere of Grey’s Anatomy will air on Thursday, September 30. It will be very interesting to see the new direction of the show, as most of last season focused on Meredith being sick and the hospital trying to deal with a pandemic.
Some changes to the Grey’s Anatomy cast could be coming after the way last season progressed. First of all, Grey’s Anatomy killed off DeLuca in Season 17, tearing the hearts out of many fans who had loved the character over the years.
Then, viewers were shocked even more when the news came out that Jesse Williams was leaving Grey’s Anatomy. The absense of Dr. Jackson Avery will be felt in a big way during Season 18.
As a reminder, Avery and April Kepner didn’t leave the show by themselves. Jackson took another doctor with them to Boston. That will likely be addressed again in the first few episodes of the new season.
And when it comes to the return of Dr. Ellis Grey, it has not been revealed how she will appear on the show. She could be part of dream sequences or we could see her at work in the past again. Answers should arrive as early as Season 18, Episode 1.
Grey’s Anatomy airs Thursdays at 9/8c on ABC.