'Grey's Anatomy' Cast Give Us a Peek at Season 11

By
ETONLINE

Grey's Anatomy kicks off season 11 (crazy!) tonight and even after all these years the beloved ABC drama was still a top 25 show last season. So how will the show stay fresh and maintain that McDreamy magic? ET is behind the scenes with the cast before tonight's premiere.

This season picks up right where the last one left off and there are many open ended questions. Does Meredith have a secret sister? Are she and Derek (aka McDreamy) splitting up or will they make long distance work?

"I think the question for them is will they stay together or not and how they stay together, how they work on their marriage being on two different coasts," Patrick Dempsey says. "Those are the challenges they're facing."

VIDEO- Watch the 'Grey's' Stars Try (and Fail!) to Explain Medical Terms

Among the changes to expect this season are some new faces at Seattle Grace. Fans are still reeling over Sandra Oh's departure from the show and they're not alone. Oh's long time on-screen love Kevin McKidd admits she is sorely missed.

"I keep feeling like she's going to come around the corner in a minute and say, 'Oh' and we're going to go do a scene so it hasn't quite sunk in for me yet, I miss her terribly," he says.

Grey's is at a major turning point as it enters its second decade. One way show creator Shonda Rhimes is hoping to get fans to fall in love with the show all over again is with big stars. Geena Davis steps in as a new pediatric surgeon.

VIDEO- Katherine Heigl's TV Comeback Has an Ironic Twist

"She seemed a little bit nervous as I was as everyone was when you first come here," McKidd told us. "She settled in within ten minutes of being here. She was like part of the cast."

The biggest change this season is the new earlier 8pm time slot. The medical drama leads a “Shonday” primetime block of shows created by Rhimes including Scandal and How To Get Away With Murder. Does that mean less sex on the show?

"I'm pretty sure you'll see the same amount of bare male chest but maybe just a hint of a shirt," Chandra Wilson jokes.

Season 11 of Grey's Anatomy premieres tonight at 8pm on ABC.

Follow Denny on Twitter @DDirecto.