Grey’s Anatomy just keeps bringing the surprises, with yet another familiar face returning for Season 18. Greg Germann will reprise the role of Tom Koracick when the longtime ABC medical drama returns from its hiatus on November 11 for a crossover event with spinoff Station 19. While ABC has teased that not everyone will survive when disaster “changes the lives” of our Seattle heroes, it appears Meredith and Amelia will be in Minnesota during the explosions, thus avoiding another Meredith near-death experience. And that is where we’ll see Tom Koracick as well.
Tom Koracick will join Meredith and Amelia in Minnesota as they work on Dr. David Hamilton’s research into Parkinson’s, EW reported. It’s unknown if Greg Germann will appear in more episodes, or if his Season 18 stint will be contained to a single guest appearance on “Bottle Up and Explode!” But the narrative makes so much sense, we maybe should have seen this one coming.
We know Tom Koracick is a brilliant neurosurgeon, given he was introduced to Grey’s Anatomy as the man who mentored Amelia Shepherd in the field and then saved her life by removing her brain tumor. And like Meredith, Tom felt the calling to do something even more after he survived COVID, prompting him to leave Grey-Sloan Memorial Hospital and follow Jackson Avery to the Catherine Fox Foundation in Boston to try to effect change in the medical industry.
It’s a no-brainer that the Minnesota team could use Koracick's expertise and his motivation — even if his personality tends to rub people the wrong way. Honestly, I do kind of miss seeing him get under his co-workers’ skin, and returning to the show by way of Minnesota avoids any potential run-ins with the newlywed Teddy and Owen. Because we definitely don’t need more of that.
Greg Germann joined Grey’s Anatomy in Season 14 as a recurring character and was upgraded to series regular in Season 16. His exit from the medical drama was a surprise in Season 17, as it came at the end of Jesse Williams’ last episode as Jackson Avery. Grey’s Anatomy also lost Giacomo Gianniotti last season, whose Andrew DeLuca was murdered by a sex trafficker during an intense crossover with Station 19.
Including a Minnesota plot line for some of our Seattle surgeons has allowed Grey’s Anatomy to introduce a few new characters as well. Peter Gallagher joined the Season 18 cast in a recurring role as David Hamilton, the head of the Parkinson's project. The show also introduced E.R. Fightmaster as Dr. Kai Bartley in a recurring role, as she bonds with Amelia over the Parkinson’s research. Back in Seattle, Lynn Chen has joined the cast as Dr. Michelle Lin, new head of plastic surgery, replacing Jackson Avery.
Greg Germann is the fifth former cast member Grey’s Anatomy has brought back for Season 18, following the Season 17 trend of returning fan favorites visiting Meredith’s COVID beach. Kate Burton returned as Ellis Grey for the season premiere, tormenting daughter Meredith’s dreams. Abigail Spencer is back as Owen’s sister Megan. Kate Walsh is doing historic work as Addison Montgomery in her first trip back to Seattle since her ex-husband Derek Shepherd’s death. And Scott Speedman made a surprising return as Nick Marsh, a potential love interest for Meredith.
Station 19 and Grey’s Anatomy return to ABC on Thursday, November 11, with the first half of the crossover starting at 8 p.m. ET and Grey’s Anatomy following at 9 p.m. ET. Be sure to check out our 2021 TV Schedule for premiere dates through the end of this year!
