There are long-running TV shows, and then there's Grey's Anatomy. ABC's medical drama is gearing up for its whopping 16th season on primetime, returning to Seattle and Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital's staff of surgeons. Season 15 saw some cast shakeups, including the return of Kim Raver's Teddy Altman. Teddy gave birth to a daughter during last season's finale, but it doesn't look like she's going to take to motherhood easily.
Teddy is a strong character, a veteran and resident Cardio God of the Seattle Hospital. She was involved in an interesting love triangle with Owen and Koracick, while also being pregnant with the former's baby. Actress Kim Raver recently spoke to her character's upcoming plot for Season 16. And it turns out that having an infant is going to bring its own set of challenges. As she put it:
Krista [Vernoff] and I talked about, ‘Wouldn’t it be great to see Teddy as this badass cardiothoracic surgeon, but she’s never really had to delve into motherhood?’ Because that is literally a totally different world for her. I thought it’d be interesting to see her not know how to manage something when she usually is on top of things. So, the comedy with that has been fantastic… I just did a scene with Greg [Germann] and Kevin [McKidd] and Caterina [Scorsone] and the babies, all together. You can only imagine! It was a quintessential Grey’s explosion of tears and laughter.
Well, this is sounds like a fun plot line. It seems that we'll get to see Teddy Altman fall apart a bit, abandoning her strong and brilliant exterior. Because being a new mother is going to be difficult, with the surgeon forced to feel ordinary and out of control during this lifestyle change.
Kim Raver's comments to TV Line show tease Teddy's plot line at the start of Season 16, and tease some big ensemble scenes with the character's boyfriend, baby daddy, and doctor. It also reveals the sense of collaboration Raver had with showrunner Krista Vernoff, being able to help craft her character's plot line. Vernoff is the architect behind the show's recent changes, returning to Grey's years after being involved in the early seasons.
Grey's Anatomy has always focused on the personal and professional lives of surgeons, and how those worlds collide. The doctor are typically shown as being a bit delayed socially, as their work and schooling have always come first. Teddy's upcoming struggles in motherhood harken back to that essential motif of the show, where the most brilliant minds are humanized while dealing with interpersonal struggle.
Related: Grey's Anatomy Season 16 Premiere Confirms Jackson Is Alive, But Is Jaggie Dead?
It should be interesting to see how Teddy's personal life continues to shake up, especially regarding her relationships with Owen Hunt and Thomas Koracick. The latter doctor fell in love with her as she was pregnant, and has been a support system. But Teddy and Owen have a ton of history, and now they're raising a baby together. Is anyone else dizzy?
Grey's Anatomy Season 16 will debut on September 26th. In the meantime, check out our fall premiere list to plan your next binge watch.
