Thus far, Season 19 of Grey's Anatomy has acted as sort of a stress test for its fans, who have seen Meredith's house go up in flames, Link become the most hated man in Seattle, Maggie and Winston's marriage begin to resemble War of the Roses, anti-abortion protesters put Addison in the ER and Catherine confess to Richard that her cancer is once again progressing. And don't even get us started on Simone's boneheaded decision to hit the brakes mid-hookup with Lucas to reunite with her jerky former (and now-current) fiancé.
But our upset is music to the ears of outgoing showrunner Krista Vernoff (who'll be succeeded by EP Meg Marinis next season). "I love putting a viewer through a good wringer," the Grey's Anatomy vet told TVLine at the show's recent PaleyFest Q&A. "I think the tone has really been a return to form, where there's high drama, there's high emotion, and there's also a lot of funny, a lot of humor, a lot of heart.
"It's a magical combination that is a joy to write," she added, "and a joy, I see, for these actors to play. I'm glad the fans are going on the ride."
That, we are. And as we approach the two-hour Season 19 finale (airing on Thursday, May 18, at 9/8c), we've gleaned a whole lotta intel about what to expect in the episodes to come from the series' regulars — in addition to this week's Inside Line update on Lucas and Simone. Care to consult the chart? Keep reading. (With reporting by Scott Huver)
