ABC

"Grey's Anatomy" viewers, buckle up: you're in for screams, blood, exposed bones and a completely stressful episode if the first six minutes of Thursday's Season 8 finale are any indication of what's coming.

STORY: "Grey's Anatomy's" Shonda Rhimes on the deadly finale: "We're literally saying goodbye to people"

After a plane carrying some of Seattle Grace's best and brightest crashed into a forest, Meredith (Ellen Pompeo), Derek (Patrick Dempsey), Cristina (Sandra Oh), Lexie (Chyler Leigh), Mark (Eric Dane) and Arizona's (Jessica Capshaw) lives were left hanging in the balance.

STORY: "Grey's Anatomy": Sarah Drew on the boards, April and Jackson's steamy hook-up and the finale "event"

Showrunner Shonda Rhimes has warned that the episode, fittingly titled "Flight," will include what she calls a "pretty big death."

STORY: "Grey's Anatomy" Recap: Whose lives are hanging in the balance?

"We're not talking [about] some guest star [who] is going to come in and die kind of thing; it's a big death and it's fairly shocking," she told The Hollywood Reporter during a recent interview. "It was hard, it was hard to write, it was hard to listen to at the table read. It is a difficult thing to do and not done lightly. When one of your main characters dies, it always affects the heart and soul of the hospital."

So who will survive the first six minutes? Watch the clip to find out, but be warned: it's graphic and severely cringe-inducing.

"Grey's Anatomy's" Season 8 finale airs Thursday at 9 p.m. on ABC.

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Kepner (Sarah Drew) makes a surprising reveal to Avery (Jesse Williams) right before they take the board exams on "Grey's Anatomy."

Some of the best relationships are born out of friendships. But will the same hold true for "Grey's Anatomy's" Drs. Jackson Avery and April Kepner? After all, Kepner -- under the stress of the impending boards -- finally relinquished her virginity on the April 26 episode to Avery, her friend and fellow resident.

Jesse Williams, who plays the handsome young doctor, told us that viewers can expect to see their relationship ebb and flow as they try to figure out how to handle the situation. "It's going to have high times and low times," he said. "Do they wanna pretend this never happened and be cool and normal? ... Or do they say, 'Let's go for it,' and try to be a couple?"

Though Williams couldn't tell us which way Avery will lean, he did tease that fans will "see the best of them and why this can work, and why it can't work."

One big reason why it might not blossom into the next great romance on "Grey's"? Kepner's bomb that "Jesus hates" her now that she's no longer pure. 

"What the hell is she talking about with the Jesus thing?!" Williams told TODAY.com about Avery's reaction to Kepner's shocking statement. "She's (Avery's) best friend ... why did she keep this from (him)?"

The self-doubt it creates in Avery is quite heavy, the actor told us: "If (her religion) is so crucial to (her), how did you keep that from me? Why did you keep that from me? I thought we were best friends!"

But don't expect any resolution by the end of Thursday's episode, said Williams. Viewers will probably see the two trying to find their way throughout the rest of the season, he added.

Check out this clip of Avery during his exam:

"Grey's Anatomy" airs at 9 p.m. on Thursdays on ABC. 

Do you want Kepner and Avery to become a couple? Tell us on our Facebook page!

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ABC

Jackson, Cristina, Meredith and April all had problems during their boards on "Grey's Anatomy."

The board examinations aren't be a walk in the park for anyone on ABC's "Grey's Anatomy."

During last week's hour, Cristina (Sandra Oh) finally told Meredith (Ellen Pompeo) about Owen's (Kevin McKidd) betrayal, while on the other side of the door her best friend battled the stomach flu. Meanwhile, a stressed out April (Sarah Drew) dealt with the pressure in a new way, losing her virginity to her BFF, Jackson (Jesse Williams).

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So how did Seattle Grace's best and brightest fare on the big exam? Not very well in a clip from Thursday's episode, titled "Let the Bad Times Roll," exclusive to The Hollywood Reporter.

A confident Cristina finds herself being challenged by her proctor, played by "St. Elsewhere's" William Daniels, while Meredith's stomach continues to rumble -- much to her examiner's chagrin.

More from THR: Crisis for Meredeith, the doctors' future and 5 more teasers

Meanwhile, Jackson can't seem to let go of his worry about April, who has perhaps the worst -- and funniest -- experience of the foursome.

Check out the clip above and hit the comments on our Facebook page with your theories as to whom you think won't make the grade.

"Grey's Anatomy" airs Thursdays at 9 p.m. on ABC.

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Bob D'amico / ABC

Could one of these beloved characters be dying this season?

The Grim Reaper is once again visiting "Grey's Anatomy." But unlike the last time death decended among the staff of Seattle Grace, creator Shonda Rhimes told TV Guide that just one character will be meeting his or her maker during the season finale. So relax -- a little.

Sure, the body count won't be nearly as high as the tragic hospital shooting that killed off so many of the Mercy West doctors during season six. But Rhimes revealed it would be a much loved character going six feet under.

"A lot of our writers were crying," Rhimes told TV Guide. "There's some really shocking, horrible moments."

Rhimes also said that "it scares me how fans are going to react."

Oh dear.

With the original stars' contracts expiring after the current season and no word yet on renewals, it seems anyone from the cast could be walking out of Seattle Grace's doors for good. After all, with the residents -- Meredith, Cristina, Alex, Jackson and April -- all interviewing at other hospitals, there could be other ways of exiting without dying.

The season finale of "Grey's Anatomy" airs on May 17 on ABC.

Which characters would you miss the most if they left or died? Tell us on our Facebook page!

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Frederick M. Brown / Getty Images

Shonda Rhimes

There's a new McCutie in the house!

"Grey's Anatomy" creator Shonda Rhimes has adopted a baby girl, her rep confirms to E! News -- a plot twist that may be a surprise to some, but which Rhimes worked into her personal script years ago.

And what's her new daughter's name?

MORE: "Grey's Anatomy," "Private Practice" and scandal scoop straight from Shonda Rhimes!

Emerson Pearl (regal, right?!) joins older sister Harper, who Rhimes adopted in 2002.

"I've been writing adoption into story lines on my shows and only a few people close to me knew about my plans," she told Us Weekly, which first reported the news. "I think the response was 'oh my goodness' from a lot of people."

Rhimes called the serene Emerson, who's been snuggling with mom in a fit-for-a-princess nursery tricked out by Carousel Designs, a "zen baby."

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"We're just doing a lot of bonding right now," she said of the child. "This is a happy time -- I feel so lucky."

And, better yet, no Meredith-style baby-stealing occurred in the making of this family.

What do you think of Shonda Rhimes' real-life adoption tale? Tell us on our Facebook page.

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Adam Larkey / ABC

Cristina and Owen: So close, yet so far away on "Grey's Anatomy."

Are Cristina Yang and Owen Hunt the new MerDer on "Grey's Anatomy"? It sure seems like it, what with all the drama the duo has endured together. And just like it used to for the now happily married Meredith Grey and Derek Shepherd, the question of "will they or won't they break up" looms heavily over Cristina and Owen's relationship this season.

Considering the big bombshell Owen dropped at the end of the March 15th episode (he cheated on her!), all signs would seem to point to a breakup for the couple who has been through oh so much.

But fans of the pair can relax a little.

"What is coming is hard but it's beautiful and real," series creator Shonda Rhimes tweeted on Thursday night. "I have no intention of splitting them up. I really believe in them."

Whew! But it sounds like Rhimes wasn't joking when she said tough times are ahead.

When the show returns on April 5, things between the couple will hit a boiling point, according to ABC. Being Cristina's "person," Meredith will try to support her BFF, but we suspect that may not go so well. (The tough Yang hasn't exactly been the most open about her hubby problems.)

Even worse, ABC revealed that on the April 12 episode, "a devastated Cristina" is going to bug Owen to tell her the "intimate details of his affair." That can't be good for anyone's emotional well-being! Best of luck to their couples' counselor with that one.

Do you think Cristina and Owen should break up? Why or why not? Share your thoughts on our Facebook page.

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Owen (Kevin McKidd) and Cristina (Sandra Oh) tied the knot during season seven of "Grey's Anatomy," but is it time to split them up?

Owen Hunt and Cristina Yang have been a staple couple of “Grey’s Anatomy” since the fifth season, but they’ve had one of the most tumultuous relationships to date. That’s saying a lot, especially considering the other couples have had to deal with cancer, a near-death drowning experience and unexpected children popping up ... twice.

But now, it seems that the damage is irreparable between the two surgeons. After the explosive ending of the Jan. 19 episode, “Hope for the Hopeless," viewers learned that Owen still hasn’t forgiven Cristina for getting an abortion – despite the fact that he supportively held her hand through the experience.

If the previews for tonight’s episode are any indication, then Owen and Christina haven’t forgiven each other since the big blowup. The trauma surgeon appears to have completely given up on his wife, preferring utterances in short, jilted sentences to communicate his dismay. They’re forced to interact only when a car comes hurtling toward them – a wreck that is an all-too-obvious metaphor for their relationship. But subtlety was never “Grey’s” strong suit.

Fans will get more resolution to the couple’s woes on the Feb. 16 episode. Actress Sandra Oh, who plays the hard-headed Yang, told TV Guide that Owen and Christina will spend some much needed time on the therapist’s couch going through couple’s counseling. "Every marriage has to go to a brink," she said. "Both of them are deeply hurt for their various reasons." 

While the Owen-Cristina combo is a fan favorite, the relationship seemed like it was doomed by setbacks from the beginning. First, Owen had post-war PTSD, then Cristina suffered from post-shooter PTSD. In between all the madness, they decided to get married after an awkward, impulsive proposal that leaves Cristina saying a relieved “thank you” instead of a blissful “yes.”

Cristina being forced to operate on her Teddy's husband, Henry, without knowing who her patient was seemed harsh – and unrealistic and unethical. But that’s not as bad as Owen making her keep the secret of Henry's death from Teddy for hours while the two women operated together. Still, Henry’s demise would have just been a normal bump in the road for any other “Grey’s Anatomy” couple, but the trauma between Cristina and Owen was already so severe they seem unlikely to repair the problem.

Seeing that the original residents are all up for contract renewals this year, the Cristina–Owen meltdown might make for a prime opportunity to say goodbye to Yang in case Oh decides to leave “Grey’s”. But it’s not the characters we want to say goodbye to: It’s the couple that needs to go their separate ways. It’s time for Cristina and Owen to find a new person to share that on-call room with.

Which couple(s) would you like to see go their separate ways on "Grey's"? Tell us on our Facebook page? 

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Katherine Heigl and husband Josh Kelley, with daughter Naleigh, who is now 3.

Sure, some of the mothers may be courageous enough to cross head instructor Abby Lee Miller from time to time on Lifetime's "Dance Moms," but now, Abby's questionable teaching methods and performance ideas have ticked off one of Hollywood's leading ladies.

Does Heigl make a good point? Tell us what you think on our Facebook page!

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Izzie sure had a rough time of it on "Grey's Anatomy" -- particularly in the episodes leading up to the exit of Katherine Heigl, who played her on the series for nearly five years and who last appeared on the show in Jan. 2010.

But along the way, much has changed for Heigl, and lately she's wanted to give ol' Izzy a new start.

"I keep coming up with stories for (Izzie)," Heigl told TODAY's Hoda Kotb and Kathie Lee Gifford on Tuesday. "I want her to get back with Alex, because I do not like watching him with other actresses on the show. It really upsets me, makes me jealous. She should come back and claim her man and claim her career and rise again, like a phoenix."

As for Heigl, her life now, as wife to singer Josh Kelly and mother to daughter Naleigh, is very different than it was in her "Grey's" days.

"I can't even remember before kids," Heigl said. "It's only two and a half years since I became a mother, but I can't remember what I was before her in a way. ... There's a re-focus that feels really good."

The arrival of Naleigh also has changed her career perspective, which might have something to do with her renewed interest in the series.

"My career was everything," she said. "It was such a relief in a way to have broadened the perspective. It put it in its place. It can't be the most important thing in my life any more."

That said, Heigl isn't done with movies. She stars in "One for the Money," an adaptation of the first book in a Janet Evanovich mystery series, where she plays a woman who becomes a bounty hunter.

"One for the Money" opens Jan. 27.

Should Heigl return to "Grey's Anatomy"? Tell us what you think on our Facebook page!

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Scott Garfield / ABC

Paging Dr. Izzie Stevens to Seattle Grace!

While promoting her new movie, "One for the Money," Katherine Heigl discussed whether she'd ever be open to returning to "Grey's Anatomy," and the answer may surprise you fans...

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According to Heigl, she has already asked to come back on the show.

"I've told them I want to," Katherine tells us. "I don't know... Being a showrunner and being a writer of a TV series like that is so
complicated that I mean she's got how many characters are there now? There's a lot and so she's balancing about 40 different storylines, so I don't know if it fits in to their sort of vision for this season or next or however many seasons it goes."

Katherine last appeared on "Grey's" in January 2010, when she left the series to raise her adopted daughter, Naleigh. And she tells us that if ABC or the "Grey's" producers were to call up and ask for her to return, she'd do it.

"Yeah totally. I really, really, really want to see where [Izzie] is. I just want to know what happened to her and where she went and what she's doing now. My idea is that she actually like figures it out, and finds some success and does really well in a different hospital. She was always floundering you know, and so she was always one step behind the eight ball and I want to see that girl take some power back."

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--Reporting by Farrell Roth

Would you like to see Katherine on "Grey's" again? Could poor Alex Karev's heart take it? Tell us what you think on our Facebook page!

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Valerie Macon / AFP - Getty Images

Don't give up hope yet for more of McDreamy in future seasons of "Grey's Anatomy"!

Sure, star Patrick Dempsey may have told Italian Vanity Fair last year that this current season would be his final one on the hit ABC drama. (His rep later clarified that the actor was referring to the final year of his contract, not his time on the show.) But the actor who plays superstar neurosurgeon Derek Shepherd is now saying that he could be back ... if he gets his way on something that means a lot to him.

"The biggest point for me in negotiations is getting time off to race, so if I don't miss races, I'll probably stay on 'Grey's Anatomy,' " People magazine quotes himas telling reporters Sunday at the Daytona International Speedway.

The actor, who has been racing cars professionally for a number of years, also owns and races for Dempsey Racing. And he's pretty good at it too. Just last year, he and his team came in third at the Rolex 24 at Daytona. After that fine finish, the actor said in a news conference, "I'll be racing full-time from here on in. There's a headline for you."

So no surprise that this past weekend, Dempsey pointed out that racing is his "real passion." But still, the actor admitted that he likes working on "Grey's." 

"Hopefully, we can work out a deal," he said. 

Fingers crossed!

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Remember when "Grey's Anatomy" creator Shonda Rhimes said in May that the upcoming season "might be the final season for the (original cast members)"?

The new trailer for the show appears to be setting up at least one exit. Warning: If you don't want any spoilers, don't watch the clip!

Then again, another cast member has survived this particular type of exit before, only to return and flourish.

"Grey's Anatomy" returns with a two-hour episode on Sept. 22 at 9 p.m. on ABC.

Who -- if anyone -- from the original cast would you like to see leave the show this season? Tell us on our Facebook page.

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