Grey's Anatomy's Kim Raver Teases Teddy's 'Rock Bottom' Episode and Her Path to Redemption

Something is definitely up with Teddy Altman (Kim Raver) on Grey's Anatomy. The heart surgeon went into a catatonic-like state at DeLuca's (Giacomo Gianniotti) memorial service in last Thursday's episode, and this week Grey's will be taking a deep-dive into Altman's PTSD as Owen (Kevin McKidd) and others try to save her. 

Teddy has been dealing with a lot over the course of Grey's Anatomy current season. Owen confronted her about her affair with Tom (Greg Germann) and definitively ended their relationship outside of co-parenting their children, she's been on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic and is the lead doctor on Meredith's (Ellen Pompeo) case, and she was operating with Owen on DeLuca when DeLuca died on the table. Even though the autopsy revealed there was nothing Teddy or Owen could have done to save their resident, the loss hit Teddy so hard she started having visions of DeLuca on the COVID floor before she shut down at the memorial service. 

Ahead of what is sure to be an emotional episode for Teddy (which was directed by McKidd), TV Guide talked to Kim Raver via email about what to expect about the big episode and why this might change the minds of fans who have turned their back on the heart surgeon.

What can you say about how this episode is going to illuminate what Teddy's been going through over the past several months?  
Kim Raver: This episode showcases the trauma Teddy has experienced in her life. I think she has severe PTSD and never faced it. It's not to say this episode is an excuse, but an explanation for her awful behavior. I'm as angry as fans are when it comes to the choices she has made, but the episode does a beautiful job of explaining the loss she's gone through. Fans have been asking for the 'redemption episode' for Teddy and I think this episode is Teddy's rock bottom. She is showing us that we are human, we all make mistakes, but in quintessential Shondaland and Krista [Vernoff, showrunner] fashion they show these characters sometimes at their worst and sometimes at their best and it's relatable because at the core -- we all have those two sides of us.

Teddy has had to deal with the pressures of the pandemic as a heart surgeon on top of the fact that everyone in the hospital has iced her out. How much does that play into how she's ended up in the state that she's in?               
Raver: I think it plays into it greatly. Teddy has this underlying disease of grief and through her grief, she is illuminating what our real healthcare workers are facing on the frontlines. It has been a grueling endless stream of difficult work for the past year that we don't see in the hospital. Teddy has not only been in her normal role as a cardiologist but has also been running the COVID ward and in charge of Meredith. She has been working across the clock non-stop and all of that has sent her over the edge.

Teddy has obviously hit a breaking point, was it losing DeLuca or Bailey thinking it was potentially Teddy and Owen's fault that pushed her to that limit?  
Raver: Losing DeLuca -- her and DeLuca have worked a lot together side-by-side on the COVID floor to try to get Meredith healthy, while also working frontlines. She knows deep down [what] she did right which makes the feeling of not knowing what she could've done (re: DeLuca) even harder.  

Owen is at least trying to help Teddy in the promos. Is it safe to assume he's not as done with Teddy as he'd like everyone to believe? 
Raver: I think what's so beautiful is in the episode Amelia illuminates a lot of things for Owen. Both Teddy and Owen have PTSD, though it looks different. This might open up the door for more of Teddy and Owen, not sure what door that might be exactly, but we all grieve in different ways and those are really important scenes between Amelia and Owen, and I think those scenes are portrayed beautifully.  

What was it like to have Kevin McKidd direct what looks like to be a very intense episode for you? 
Raver: I was so lucky to have Kevin direct such an emotionally intense episode for Teddy because he knows the characters so well. While it is extremely demanding to be both acting and directing, he was immensely present in both roles and we work so well together. In the dinner scene, we are facing one another and we really got into the depths of the characters, which was an amazing scene to film. We have been working together for so long, it was an incredible addition and experience to have him direct this episode. 

Are you hoping that this episode will help earn Teddy some empathy after fans have turned on her after last season? How do you hope they feel about her after they've seen the episode?
Raver: I love Teddy and I empathize with the fans being upset and I get she messed up, but I hope our fans go on a journey of forgiveness with her because through her flaws, she takes ownership of her behavior and I think more than anything she wants to use this time to move forward and heal as a person. 

Grey's Anatomy airs Thursdays at 9/8c on ABC.