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On "Grey's Anatomy," Jackson Avery (Jesse Williams) is boss.
The plastic surgeon is now on the board at Seattle Grace, after his mom Catherine Avery (Debbie Allen) bought him a hospital -- and there is going to be a lot of adjusting around the hospital.
Jesse Williams, who has been on "Grey's Anatomy" for four seasons now, chatted with The Huffington Post about who's butting heads with Avery, "psychologically getting beaten up," whether or not there's hope for him and April (Sarah Drew) and much more below.
Avery looked truly stunned when he found out his mom helped buy the hospital and put him on the board. Is it safe to assume he's not too happy with her?
Yeah, I think it's safe to say that he's pretty pissed. It's also one of those things that's scary news, but it's also good news. It's also a vote of confidence. It's also an inspired decision. It's not somebody saying, "I don't have faith in you." It's [somebody] saying they have more faith in you than you can even ever really have in yourself. And it's also from your mom. It's not from your enemy. It's not from someone you don't know ... It really is a complicated scenario.
It is terrifying, but it's also exciting. "Shit. I'm gonna be boss. That's cool, but there's no way I can do this. I'm definitely gonna melt down and my insecurities are gonna take over and I don't know how how I'm gonna do this. I don't know how to do this. I didn't study for this. I studied to cut people open and save lives and improve lives, not to read protocols and handle legal issues [and] hire and fire people." It's a different skill set. It's a different part of your brain and I think that's intimidating. Plus, he's not doing it in a vacuum; he's doing it with other, very strong personalities. You think Yang's [Sandra Oh] gonna roll over? You think she's not gonna speak up? You think Hunt's [Kevin McKidd] not gonna tell you how he feels? Or Derek Sherperd [Patrick Dempsey], etc.? These people are fierce that we work with and are half of them waiting for me to fail? Are half of them kissing up to me because they want their projects funded?
My mom also handed me a job, which is exactly what I always said I did not want all the way from back when Jackson had that conversation with Lexie [Chyler Leigh] about his legacy, about not wanting to parade around about being an Avery, not wanting to be in the shadow of his grandfather's name, but wanting to carve out his own future. This offering is kind of a combination of the two -- it allows him to carve out his own future, but it was handed to him because of his past.
I imagine some of the other doctors won't take too kindly to Jackson's new position. It's an awkward dynamic when someone who's your peer becomes your superior.
Yes.
And on top of that, they probably view this promotion as nepotism. Is there anyone in particular who gives Jackson a hard time?
Yeah. There's some tension between Jackson and Callie [Sara Ramirez] early on and then, what I find really interesting is Jackson and Owen. They've had an interesting teacher-student relationship, like in the trauma episode. And a couple other times where Jackson kind of wasn't living up to his potential, Owen pulled him aside and gave him a stern talking to and was that leader to him -- a harsh leader, but a leader. And now, Jackson holds the reigns to his future. Jackson can fire Chief Hunt if he wants to. I think that Hunt, who's been cut out of this entire process -- he's been cut out of the guys in the plane crash deciding whether they wanted to buy the place or not -- he's not a part of them. He's their peer in every other part of the show, but not on this issue. So he's kind of been left out in the rain and it all hits him like an ambush. Also, he wasn't in that room when we got the news so me and him are gonna have some words and it's gonna be tense. I can tell you it's not gonna go well between Jackson and Owen early on. The first relationship casualty for Jackson is that Owen is no friend of his.
Is there anyone who will be an ally for Avery?
Not really. Well, his mom, certainly. Also, Jackson is not somebody like April who's gonna come find you to sit there and talk to about something. Jackson is kind of a lone wolf character -- he deals with his stuff by himself. He bottles it up, keeps it to himself, and you only know anything about him because his mom blurts it out. He's not a big sharer so when you're in a vulnerable position you're not any more inclined to share.
You are going to see him deal directly with Dr. Webber [James Pickens, Jr.] and his mom more because they were the arbiters of this, they brought this onto him. And Webber can't help but impart some wisdom because he does want a healthy relationship with Catherine's son with the intent to stay around. He's trying to put his best foot forward and offer some guidance, but that doesn't mean that Jackson's going to accept it or isn't going to look at with suspicion.
Does Jackson's new position create tension for Jackson and Stephanie [Jerrika Hinton]?
I think so and I don't think it's a direct result of "I've got this new job and position. We now have more tension." I think it's wear and tear. You know, if you're an athlete and you're getting pounded on the field, you're gonna be worn down. I think Jackson is just psychologically getting beaten up. He's never not working. He's always got a million things to do, none of which are what he came here to do, which is to be a surgeon.
So when you're exhausted, when you're tired, when you only can rely on your most trusted people and those you've known for the longest time, some new intern who you're sleeping with on the side is not exactly your go-to person. And that's to no fault of hers because she's terrific and has always been sweet and helpful to him and fun. I think that it's one of those things where it's on the fence -- it could be threatened and become the thing that kind of gets knocked off the table or it could be an opportunity for Jackson to pull her close and give her some real responsibility in his life. I think that's a decision that he has yet to make.
And then, there's April. Jackson's been concerned about her and her relationship, but does that change with his new responsibility? Is there any hope for them getting together?
Everybody wants Japril.
Are you surprised by that?
I am surprised by that because I think that nobody liked her at first. Nobody like me at first!
Well, you know ... You were the new kids.
Yeah, new kids are hard to accept and she kind of came in with a lot of energy. But now people have seen how terrific she is. [Sarah Drew] is a wonderful actress, really great to work with. You know, I get it because we do have chemistry. We do have terrific scenes. The writers do a really great job for us in creating that love and lust and distance and detachment. They're very different people with very different backgrounds but for some reason, that yin and yang seems to work and it's kind of magnetic.
But April is trying -- I would even say desperately -- to move on, to feel heard, to feel listened to, to feel cared for, to not feel judged. So she's going to keep going until she finds that partner and I think Jackson is just simply not driven romantically in that way. If he feels like he has a connection with you, he goes for it, even though it's not a smart idea. He had no business pursuing a relationship with Lexie. She was clearly on the heels of a very long, serious relationship with Mark [Eric Dane], but he couldn't help it. He was friends with her, he really liked her, he trusted her, he was attracted to her and he went for it and he got hurt as a result.
And he didn't initiate the relationship with Kepner. Kepner pushed it, pushed it, pushed it for them to sleep together and then immediately, he was sucked into this vortex of drama and feelings. Because they had so much trust for each other, they already, unbeknownst to them, had the foundation of a real relationship already built. It's a slippery slope and if you slip and fall, the momentum kind of takes care of the rest. I think he's got to, at some point, learn some self-preservation and I think that this might be an opportunity for Jackson to not get burned anymore and to realize, "Let her go off and do her thing. That's a whole different speed than you're ready to do and right now, by the way, you just had your workload quadrupled. So why don't you focus on not ruining the whole hospital and let her go be happy with some guy who seems perfectly nice?"
Find out what happens next on "Grey's Anatomy" by tuning in Thursdays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.
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"Body of Proof," ABC Status: On the bubble Why: ABC is keen on this Dana Delany drama, but the ratings for this upcoming third season will be the true test.
"Castle," ABC Status: Likely to be renewed. Why: Strong ratings and a dedicated viewership will keep "Castle" on the schedule.
"Dancing With the Stars," ABC Status: Likely to be renewed Why: The series is hurting in the ratings ... by "DWTS" standards. It's still a strong player for ABC, but the new season hasn't premiered yet.
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"Family Tools," ABC Status: Too soon to tell Why: This ABC comedy has yet to debut, but a May 1 premiere date doesn't look great.
"Grey's Anatomy," ABC Status: Likely to be renewed Why: America still loves McDreamy and the goings on at Seattle Grace. Expect "Grey's" to return.
"Happy Endings," ABC Status: On the bubble Why: Always the bubble show, never the surefire renewal hit. "Happy Endings" has suffered from many ratings ailments, including bad scheduling (it's moving to Friday night) and lack of promo. But this ahmahzing show has some serious fans that could keep it afloat for another season ... maybe on another network (a la "Cougar Town.")
"How To Live With Your Parents (For The Rest Of Your Life)," ABC Status: Too soon to tell Why: The ABC comedy starring Sarah Chalke has yet to debut, but its late season bow doesn't exactly bode well for its future.
"Last Man Standing," ABC Status: Likely to be renewed Why: Viewers still love Tim Allen! Paired with "Malibu Country," "Last Man Standing" has been performing well on Friday nights and will soon see Allen's "Home Improvement" co-star Jonathan Tyler Thomas.
"Last Resort," ABC Status: Canceled Why: ABC killed the Shawn Ryan drama in late 2012.
"Malibu Country," ABC Status: Likely to be renewed Why: "Malibu Country" has been performing well on Friday nights. Lesson: Never underestimate the star power of Reba.
"The Middle," ABC Status: Likely to be renewed Why: Now in its fourth season, "The Middle" is still pulling in more than 8 million viewers an episode as the anchor of ABC's Wednesday comedies.
"Mistresses," ABC Status: Too soon to tell Why: The drama, which is based on the UK series of the same name, just got a Monday, May 27 premiere date. Though the scheduling struggle doesn't bode well, the ABC drama does have Alyssa Milano and "Lost" alum Yunjin Kim leading the foursome.
"Modern Family," ABC Status: Likely to be renewed Why: A fan favorite and Emmy darling, "Modern Family" will be back and will make ABC lots of money in syndication.
"Nashville," ABC Status: On the bubble Why: Critical acclaim doesn't always equate to rating success. The show has stabilized in Nielsen ratings, but its future really depends on the strength of ABC's drama pilots.
"The Neighbors," ABC Status: Likely to be renewed Why: One of the few "hits" of the season, "The Neighbors" has found an audience and kept it pretty steadily week after week (much to our dismay).
"Once Upon a Time," ABC Status: Likely to be renewed Why: A ratings hit in its second season, "Once Upon a Time" is almost sure to be back for a third season full of fairytale adventures.
"Private Practice," ABC Status: Ended Why: The "Grey's Anatomy" spinoff said goodbye in January 2013.
"Red Widow," ABC Status: Too soon to tell Why: The show has a late February debut on ABC.
"Revenge," ABC Status: On the bubble Why: "Revenge" has fallen out of critical favor and seen lower ratings in its new Sunday night home. But none of ABC's freshman dramas are doing well, so that works in the show's favor.
"Rookie Blue," ABC Status: Renewed Why: The Canadian co-production will return for a fourth season on ABC during the summer of 2013.
"Scandal," ABC Status: Likely to be renewed Why: Shonda Rhimes has another hit on her hands. Now in its second season, "Scandal" has benefited from word-of-mouth and has been rising in the ratings (even recently beating out its lead in "Grey's Anatomy"). A likable star -- Kerry Washington -- and continued buzz will keep "Scandal" on the schedule.
"Suburgatory," ABC Status: On the bubble Why: The series started Season 2 off strong in the ratings, but its audience has slowly eroded. Its not the worst-performing ABC sitcom, but its buzziness has died down as well.
"Zero Hour," ABC Status: Canceled Why: The Anthony Edwards vehicle debuted to 6.3 million viewers with a 1.3 rating in the key 18-49 demographic, making it the least-watched premiere for a scripted series in ABC's history. Things only got worse from there.
"2 Broke Girls," CBS Status: Likely to be renewed Why: It's not doing "The Big Bang Theory" numbers, but "2 Broke Girls" has maintained a viewership over its two seasons.
"The Amazing Race," CBS Status: Likely to be renewed Why: As an Emmy and fan favorite, "The Amazing Race" has been a strong player for CBS.
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"Blue Bloods," CBS Status: Likely to be renewed Why: The Tom Selleck-fronted police drama is a strong ratings performer for CBS on Fridays. It will likely be back to help launch new Friday shows and produce enough episodes to enter syndication.
"Criminal Minds," CBS Status: Likely to be renewed Why: As one of CBS's strong procedural players, the series has been steady in the ratings and will likely be renewed to help anchor a night and launch a new drama.
"CSI," CBS Status: Likely to be renewed Why: Of the two "CSI" shows on the air, "CSI" is the stronger player in the TV landscape. The show is nowhere near its earlier ratings, but after such a successful run, CBS would be smart to bring the show -- and some old faces back -- for an abbreviated farewell season.
"CSI: NY," CBS Status: On the bubble Why: The spinoff series will be entering Season 10 in the 2013-2014 season. The ratings have faded over the years, but they're still pretty stable, especially for Fridays. It's a toss up, depending on how well CBS's development slate goes.
"Elementary," CBS Status: Likely to be renewed Why: One of the very few freshman series hits during the 2012-2013 TV season, CBS is very keen on this modern-day take on Sherlock Holmes. The audience has been steady and the network even gave it the post-Super Bowl timeslot.
"Golden Boy," CBS Status: Too soon to tell Why: CBS certainly has a handsome star at the front of this cop drama, but its late season entry and Friday timeslot could be a hint toward CBS's confidence in the show.
"The Good Wife," CBS Status: On the bubble Why: A former ratings champ, "The Good Wife" has slipped to series low ratings on Sunday nights. Blame football overrun, fan-detested storylines or too many guest stars, but "The Good Wife" is certainly in the danger zone. What it has going for it: star power and critical praise, plus its nearing a good syndication sweet spot.
"Hawaii Five-0," CBSStatus: On the bubble Why: Its ratings -- bouncing around 8-10 million viewers an episode, are great ... if you're a show on NBC. By CBS standards, they're kind of meh, but this show has stars with very active fan followings. CBS could axe the drama to make room for new procedurals, or stick with it to get the show close to syndication gold.
"How I Met Your Mother," CBS Status: Renewed Why: CBS handed out a ninth and final season to this comedy with the entire cast returning. Expect to meet the mother, finally.
"Made In Jersey," CBS Status: Canceled Why: CBS pulled the plug on this legal drama very early on in the season because of low ratings.
"The Mentalist," CBS Status: On the bubble Why: "The Mentalist" has fallen to mediocre ratings -- by CBS standards -- and could be axed in favor of making room for a new drama.
"Mike & Molly," CBS Status: Likely to be renewed Why: The ratings are down a little bit from last year, but Melissa McCarthy's star continues to rise. CBS will likely bring the show back for another season.
"NCIS," CBS Status: Renewed Why: CBS reached a deal with series star Mark Harmon in early 2013, keeping the No. 1 show in America around for a Season 11.
"NCIS: LA," CBS Status: Likely to be renewed Why: Viewers love their "NCIS," in any form. The ratings have been strong and the network is producing a backdoor spinoff pilot for this spinoff show. A full night of "NCIS" could be in CBS's future.
"Partners," CBS Status: Canceled Why: Low ratings and unfavorable reviews led to the early demise of this CBS comedy.
"Person of Interest," CBS Status: Likely to be renewed Why: The series has developed a nice-sized audience, bigger than its first season.
"Rules of Engagement," CBS Status: Honestly, who knows Why: This comedy has been on the bubble since it premiered ... yet is now in its seventh season. It's too soon to look at the numbers for this season, but the show has been a midseason success for CBS in the past. However, series co-star Patrick Warburton is attached to star in a new pilot ... for CBS.
"Survivor," CBS Status: Likely to be renewed Why: A strong player for the last 13 years, "Survivor" will likely be back. But due to its most recent premiere ratings, we might not see it during the fall season, though a midseason or summer return -- with some new gimmick -- is definitely in the cards for the reality series.
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"Unforgettable," CBS Status: Uncanceled Why: CBS canceled the Poppy Montgomery drama last season ... and then revived it! Season 2 premieres Sunday, July 28.
"Vegas," CBS Status: On the bubble Why: Despite star power, the series hasn't been a breakout hit in the ratings. CBS previously canceled "Unforgettable" (then uncanceled it) last season when it was doing about the same as "Vegas."
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