#Another Original Cast Member Returns to ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ & He’s Pretty Psyched About It

As Dr. Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo) continues to battle COVID in the December 3 episode of Grey’s Anatomy, she reunites with another familiar (dead) face: T.R. Knight’s George O’Malley.

And in an interesting narrative conceit, some of the living — those sitting with Meredith in her hospital room — also appear with her on the beach. This is how we get the amazing image of Mer and George with Drs. Richard Webber (James Pickens Jr.) and Miranda Bailey (Chandra Wilson).

Knight, in real life, seems pretty happy about the reunion, posting a photo on Instagram of the four actors. “George O’Malley will always claim my heart,” he wrote. “Thank you to Ellen, Chandra, Jim, Krista, and all the familiar faces for once again sharing your beautiful light.”

Knight’s character was killed off when George was hit by a bus at the end of Season 5 and was all but unrecognizable (he wrote “007,” his nickname, on Meredith’s hand, which is how they discovered who the victim was).

Will he back again? Who knows how long Mer will be that beach, so maybe?

“I thought this was a beautiful bow, and never say never,” showrunner Krista Vernoff told Deadline. She didn’t close the door on another guest spot for Knight, though, saying, “I mean, who knows. Now there’s magic possible.”

Knight is open to returning. In the same article, he noted that “in Krista’s hands I feel safe, I feel energized.”

This was the second such sandy reunion for Meredith in Season 17; she first saw her late husband, Derek Shepherd (Patrick Dempsey), coming toward her in the sunlight. He’s set to come back. And just like Meredith and George sat and talked, eventually, Vernoff previewed, she and Derek will “get to have deeper, richer conversations.”

Grey’s Anatomy, Thursdays, 9/8c, ABC