Playing Doctor Again

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Grey's Anatomy

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Heigl is definitely still at work, so Izzie must remain connected to Seattle Grace in some capacity — even though she quit the surgical residency program at the end of last season. ''I'm not sure how they plan to proceed, but I would say that this is not her vocation,'' Heigl speculates. ''She's so emotionally connected to patients, I can see her doing a Doctors Without Borders kind of thing, or a free clinic.''

Although the finer points of what to expect this season remain a mystery, we know that in addition to O'Donnell, we'll see guest-star stints from Dynasty diva Diahann Carroll, Little Miss Sunshine moppet Abigail Breslin, and character actor Fred Ward (Sweet Home Alabama) in the first five episodes. The biggest Grey's cliff-hanger of all, however, will be resolved in the weekly ratings. How will the show fare against CBS' heaviest hitter, CSI? ABC has faith in Grey's fever-pitch momentum. ''As people get more and more engaged in these characters, shows tend to build,'' McPherson says. ''It reached a whole new level [last season]. We wanted to build it even more.'' And Rhimes is up to the challenge, though she's still floored by her little doctor drama's success. ''When people say it's the big show, it still feels impossible,'' she says. ''It's sort of like being the kid in the back of the room who eats their own hair — when you look at the popular kids, you never think you could be one of them.''

We're guessing that if any of these folks feel the urge to eat their own hair, it's only because it looks so damn delicious. The Seattle Grace staff may just be able to vanquish those formidable forensic scientists with their collective McDreaminess — and their steamy sex scenes. Right, Ellen? ''It's awkward with Patrick because he's like my brother,'' Pompeo says. ''As soon as the camera is off, I'm like, 'Is your hand on my butt?' But there are millions of girls who have been waiting for this, so I feel an obligation to the fans.'' Oh, the sacrifices.