New insights have emerged from showrunner Meg Marinis regarding the returning character in the 21st season of Grey’s Anatomy. In August, it was announced that Kali Rocha would be reprising her role as Sydney Heron, marking her return 17 years after her last appearance on the medical drama. Rocha is set to feature in three episodes of the upcoming season, which premieres on Thursday, September 26, at 10 PM ET on ABC.
In a preview shared with Entertainment Weekly, Marinis discussed whether Heron would maintain her famously upbeat demeanor, which often irked her colleagues. She elaborated on how Rocha, also known for her portrayal of Halfrek on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, will engage with new characters, now that Sydney has advanced to the position of attending. Below is the complete quote:
“When we last saw Sydney, she was in light blue scrubs as a resident with Bailey. Now she’s an attending, but she’s still the character that I think delighted fans in those early days. You should expect some funny interactions between Sydney and some of our newer characters who’ve never met her.”
Sydney Heron’s Return Highlights a Subtle Strength of Grey’s Anatomy
The Show Has a Rich History to Revisit.
Rocha made her debut in season 2, appearing midway through as the optimistic resident Sydney Heron. She stepped in for Chandra Wilson’s Bailey, overseeing the interns while Bailey was on maternity leave. Her philosophy of healing with love wasn’t universally embraced, leading to humorous clashes with Yang (Sandra Oh). Nonetheless, she also offered support to Stevens (Katherine Heigl) as she mourned Denny’s (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) death.
While the long-running series consistently looks ahead, Grey’s Anatomy seamlessly reintroduces former doctors, integrating them back into episodes as the narrative demands.
Sydney continued to appear in seasons 3 and 4, even going on a date with Patrick Dempsey’s McDreamy. Her interactions highlight her status as a nostalgic figure from the show’s past, with her most notable moments involving the original cast of Grey’s Anatomy. This practice of recalling past characters is one of the series’ enduring strengths.
Grey's Anatomy Season 21's Shock Character Return After 17 Years Makes Me Excited For What Else May Happen
Despite its forward-looking nature, Grey’s Anatomy effortlessly reincorporates previous doctors into its storylines when necessary. This approach is one of the factors that has kept the Shonda Rhimes-created series relevant as it steps into its second decade.
Source: Entertainment Weekly
Grey's Anatomy
- Drama
- Romance
A high-intensity medical drama which follows Meredith Grey and the team of doctors at Grey Sloan Memorial, who are faced with life-or-death decisions on a daily basis. They seek comfort from one another, and, at times, more than just friendship. Together they discover that neither medicine nor relationships can be defined in black and white.