Grey's Anatomy: Everything You Need to Know About Season 12

As Grey's Anatomykicks off its 12th (!) season, it's hard to imagine a world in which Shonda Rhimes wasn't a household name, but that was in fact the case when Grey's Anatomy premiered way back in 2005. Yes, Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo) and the rest of the doctors at Grey-Sloan Memorial have been saving lives and swapping romantic partners for a decade now, and have definitely lived through a few lifetimes' worth of tears and heartache along the way (as have viewers).

Grey's reached a turning point at the end of Season 11 by killing off original cast member and fan favorite Derek Shepherd (Patrick Dempsey), leaving Meredith a widow. But the show is rebooting itself in a sense this season, in an attempt to give Meredith a new start and revert back to the original lightness and charm that made it one of the longest-running medical dramas ever. Whether you're a newcomer to the ABC drama or a longtime fan, here's everything you need to know about Grey's Anatomy Season 12:

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Ellen Pompeo speaks out about Derek's death on Grey's

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