‘Grey’s Anatomy’: Meredith’s World Unravels and April is ‘Frantic’ (Video)

When Grey’s Anatomy returns for its eighth season next month, Seattle Grace will be a very different hospital as Meredith (Ellen Pomepo) faces the fallout from tampering with Derek (Patrick Dempsey’s) Alzheimer’s clinical trial.

In the first Season 8 clip, titled “No Turning Back,” Chief Weber (James Pickens Jr.) lays down the law with Meredith, while Alex (Justin Chambers) must contend with angry colleagues upset that he ratted out a friend.

Meanwhile, Cristina (Sandra Oh) and Owen’s (Kevin McKidd) marriage is tested as the couple has very different opinions about her pregnancy.

Amid all the personal conflict, Sarah Drew’s April is tasked with having to navigate the minefields as Seattle Grace’s new chief resident.

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“She’s definitely having a hard time wrangling her residents,” Drew told The Hollywood Reporter this month at the Television Critics Association’s summer press tour in Beverly Hills. “[April] works really hard and is incredibly organized and is doing absolutely everything that a stellar chief resident should do — except getting anybody to do anything they’re supposed to do.”

“The first several episodes, she’s going out of her mind and is pretty frantic trying to get people to pay attention and listen to her and do what she says,” Drew said.

Ultimately, it sounds like there’s only so much April can take before she loses control.

“[April] had a couple little snappy moments in the first two episodes but then she screws up royally and she can’t snap at anyone after that,” Drew teased.

While Drew said Grey’s would not incorporate her pregnancy into the story line, love is ultimately in the cards for April this season.

“Yes, there is a love interest for April but it won’t happen for a while into the season,” said Drew, who is due in January. “I don’t know who it is. Could be a new person, could be a character we’ve seen before, I don’t know.”

Grey’s Anatomy returns with a two-hour premiere, titled “Free Falling,” on Thursday, Sept. 22.

Email: Lesley.Goldberg@thr.com; Twitter: @Snoodit

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