The grim reaper is heading to Seattle Grace. Series creator Shonda Rhimes told TV Guide Magazine a beloved character will die on the "Grey's Anatomy" Season 8 finale. And while she was at it, Rhimes confirmed it's a season finale, not a series finale.
"A lot of our writers were crying, which is a very rare thing," Rhimes said. "There's some really shocking, horrible moments."
Could it be Derek (Patrick Dempsey) or Meredith (Ellen Pompeo)? Contracts for both stars are up at the end of Season 8 and both Pompeo and Dempsey have dropped hints about their futures on "Grey's."
HuffPost TV was on the set of "Grey's Anatomy" in March and discussed the possibility of the show continuing to Season 10. "A lot of people say that," Pompeo said. "Personally I think that sounds a bit arrogant ... to assume that people will tune in for 10 years," Pompeo said. "[But] for as long as we have them tuning in, I'm very grateful to them for that."
In March, Rhimes said she was hopeful they'd return, but was preparing for a possible exodus. "Our goal is to have Derek and Meredith move in to the completed dream house," she told TV Guide Magazine in March. "And our residents will be interviewing for jobs all around the country." However, now she won't comment on whether or not Pompeo and/or Dempsey will return to "Grey's Anatomy," saying it won't be clear until the Season 9 premiere.
"We sort of end with our breaths held," she said. "It's a great moment. We were joking in the writers' room that if this was the series finale we'd be good to go. But we've been told very clearly it's not."
For more on the "Grey's Anatomy" season finale, click over to TV Guide Magazine.