Grey's Anatomy Season 19's 'Training Day' Episode Was Intended To Be Shocking
"Grey's Anatomy" has practically made a game of inserting its beloved protagonists into life-or-death situations. It's essentially a joke among fans at this point, especially with regard to the number of times that Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo) herself has cheated death. However, it's still a major shock when Addison Montgomery (Kate Walsh) falls unconscious after being hit by a car at the end of the March 23 episode "Training Day." It comes out of nowhere and leaves viewers stunned. And according to "Grey's" star Kim Raver, who directed the moment, it's designed to be that way.
"We've had so much happen in this episode that I really wanted that moment where everyone is kind of taking a deep breath like, the calm after the storm, and then this big thing happens," Raver told The Wrap. "Someone said that they watched [the scene] and they kind of like, screamed out loud and then burst into tears because it was so shocking, which I love. That was sort of my intention."
Though this was Raver's first time directing anything for the show, she certainly left fans gasping thanks to her final product. However, she also acted in the episode, which provided her with even more creative stimulation.
Raver loved the multitasking of it all
Kim Raver may have loved the reactions she got from the episode's cliffhanger, but she especially loved the chance to be involved with "Grey's Anatomy" in a new way. "To also be able to be acting in ["Training Day"], it worked so well in my brain. I love the whole multitasking of it," she told The Wrap. "As an actor, you come in with a creative idea for your character. But as a director, you're seeing the whole big picture and the vision, and bringing everyone together for that one vision."
Though Raver did not direct the series' subsequent episode, "Pick Yourself Up" (the job was given to her co-star Kevin McKidd instead), she was no doubt pleased by the episode's events. In "Pick Yourself Up," Addison not only survived but managed to save Tia (Jess Gabor), who was struck by the same car as Addison. That meant that both Tia and her baby got to live to see another day — a rare happy ending for "Grey's."