When Grey’s Anatomy premiered its 21st season on the 2024 TV schedule, we jumped right back into Catherine Fox in her villain era. Debbie Allen’s character has never been afraid to show people who’s boss, but her ego-driven firing spree that ended Season 20 had people believing she fully deserved that slap delivered by Miranda Bailey in the recent season premiere. Allen is certainly good at playing the heel, but despite the frustrations her character may inspire, I am loving Catherine's arc so far this season for one big reason — she’s gotten the OG band back together.
Chandra Wilson and James Pickens Jr. are the only two cast members to have remained series regulars for all 21 seasons since Grey’s Anatomy’s premiere in 2005. Ellen Pompeo took a step back in Season 19; however, she’s continued to appear in multiple episodes the past two seasons. Catherine’s cancer storyline has put these three in the all-too-rare position to share the screen again.
As senior members of the hospital, Richard Webber and Miranda Bailey are most often in scenes where they’re teaching or assisting the younger surgeons. Meredith has often been absent from Seattle altogether, working on her Alzheimer’s research. But then Meredith unwittingly learned of the tumors on Catherine’s kidney and enlisted Miranda’s help in convincing her to get a biopsy.
It all came to a head in the most recent episode, “I Can See Clearly Now,” when complications during the biopsy made it necessary for Richard to be brought in on what was happening with his wife, despite Catherine’s strict orders not to do so. And just like that, we had Meredith, Miranda and Richard all standing over an operating table, and I got a rush of nostalgia for this trio who’s been there for all of Grey’s Anatomy’s best episodes and who have become a part of my Thursday nights for well over a decade now.
What makes this storyline even more juicy is that while our three OGs are going to continue to have to work together on Catherine’s case, Richard is furious with Meredith that she kept this secret from him. The relationship between Richard and Meredith has always been a fascinating one, given his long-ago love affair with her mother. He’s half-mentor, half-father figure, and it’s times like this — where the lines are blurred between her personal obligations to him and her professional obligations to his wife — when the actors are at their strongest.
While Catherine’s physical health has humbled her slightly in the early stages of Season 21, I don’t think her villainous ways are behind her. For anyone who loves to hate Debbie Allen’s character (or is just flat-out over her), I’m willing to bet there’s more of her arrogance to come. But if it means that we’ll continue to see Meredith, Richard and Miranda — who Catherine rehired after firing her in the Season 20 finale — working together in whatever capacity, sign me up.
New episodes of Grey’s Anatomy are airing in a later timeslot this season, so catch them at 10 p.m. ET Thursdays on ABC or streaming the next day with a Hulu subscription.
