‘Grey’s Anatomy’ season 12, episode 9: Ellen Pompeo on Denzel Washington directing

While there is once again no new episode of “Grey’s Anatomy” on ABC tonight (and there will not be until February 11), that isn’t stopping us from getting at least a little bit of information about what is coming up, and reasons to be excited.

Content-wise, there may not be much known about the first episode back entitled “Things We Lost in the Fire,” but there is something very important to know in terms of directors: Denzel Washington is going to be at the helm of the hour. The famed actor / director / producer is going to be working to make this episode the best it can be, and clearly Ellen Pompeo is excited about it. After all, she had the following message to pass along in an Entertainment Weekly interview:

“I’m super excited for the fans to see [episode 1209, directed by Denzel Washington]. It’s for sure the [best] thing I’ve ever done on the show. We’ve never had anybody of his caliber come and direct our show ever. His charisma, he changes the energy in the room completely. Everybody is just at the top of their game.”

So what made him want to do this gig now? It’s unclear, but he has been friends for a longtime with show director and recently-minted executive producer Debbie Allen. Her influence, provided that he was already interested in the first place, may have helped to seal the deal to a certain extent.

Regardless of who is directing the show’s return, there are so many different stories to pay off at the moment. Not only is there all the stuff with Riggs and Owen, but we’ve got to figure out if Jo accepted Alex’s proposal and whether or not Amelia can bounce back after giving in to her alcohol addiction after a nuclear fight with Meredith.

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