By Ruth Kramer ’18, Co-Editor-In-Chief

She is back. And better than ever. Shonda Rhimes has returned to television with her smash hits Grey’s Anatomy and How to Get Away With Murder. Shonda Rhimes’ other show, Scandal, is currently postponed until March due to Kerry Washington’s (who portrays political genius and D.C. “fixer” Olivia Pope) pregnancy with son Caleb, who was born October 5th. However, with two of the strongest shows on television returning to ABC, it’s hard to complain. September 22nd was the first of many #TGITs (Thank God It’s Thursday) with Grey’s Anatomy beginning at 8 pm and How to Get Away With Murder following at 10 pm, with the new show Notorious (which is unaffiliated with the Shonda Rhimes production company Shondaland) currently settling into Scandal’s usual 9pm slot. The return was awaited by millions of Shonda fans all over the country and so far, fierce females Ellen Pompeo and Viola Davis have not disappointed.

Unfortunately for many (including myself), this is Grey’s Anatomy’s 13th and final season, so many are anxious to see how this surgical drama will come to an end. Will Meredith Grey, portrayed by Ellen Pompeo, get over her late husband Derek Shepard and start dating again? And if she does, who will it be? Newcomer Riggs, or best friend Alex? Speaking of whom, what’s going to happen to Alex? Is he to be stuck in the clinic forever, sent to jail for felony assault, or will he be set free to return to pediatric surgery? There are so many questions surrounding the smash hit that is Grey’s Anatomy and hopefully they will all be answered this final season. Because this is the last time we will ever see Meredith ask for a scalpel or Bailey take charge of a whole room, many Grey’s fans are reminiscing about the moments that have captivated them since 2005. There were the beautiful moments, such as when Christina became Meredith’s, now trademarked, “person”, or when Derek and Meredith fully committed themselves to each other by writing their vows on a post-it note; there were also moments of unbearable pain and fear such as when George died on his way to joining the army, or when a shooter terrorized the entire hospital. There are so many more moments to name, but in Seattle hospital’s best moments and in its worst, we were there to experience it all.

But, fortunately, we still have Professor Annalise Keating, Bonnie, Frank, and the Keating Five in How to Get Away with Murder. Viola Davis, who plays Keating, strongly leads the show as an unapologetic lawyer who gets not only herself, but also her students a little too involved in various murder cases. The show is dominated with suspense and excitement and each cliffhanger leaves the viewer wondering “What are you going to do now, Annalise?”. This season started out just like any other; an intense crime scene is presented and the gaps of this mystery crime are filled in with flashbacks which eventually lead up to the eve of, what is always, a murder. This season, Annalise’s house is consumed in flames, someone is dead under a white sheet, and a familiar face, who is surprisingly pregnant, is burning inside the house. Annalise is instantly arrested for this confusing crime and, as of now, she is the only one who knows who is #underthesheet. With only a few weeks remaining until the rest of us find out who is dead, viewers are guessing who the father of this mystery baby is, as well as the person who was killed. While Grey’s Anatomy is an intense medical drama, How to Get Away With Murder is a chilling murder mystery combined with just enough courtroom and college humor.

While it won’t be here for a while, Scandal is another show to keep on your radar. Kerry Washington delivers an amazing performance as Olivia Pope and she is supported by other great actors including: Tony Goldwyn (President Fitzgerald Grant), Guillermo Diaz (computer expert and ex-spy killer Huck), and Bellamy Young (President Grant’s ex-wife Mellie). Scandal is a political drama with many quick lines and witty comebacks that always leave viewers in a trance. There isn’t anything Olivia Pope can’t do, except maybe turn down a glass of wine, and with her trusty team, D.C.’s biggest scandals and problems are solved and buried in a matter of days. With last season ending on the upcoming presidential election, this year’s problems are sure to be juicier and harder to “handle” (as Olivia Pope would say) than ever. Until March, however, we will be wondering who will win the election, how it’s going to be done, and if it will even be legal.

And so another great year of dramatic television begins. I would encourage all that have never seen a “Shonda Show” to watch an episode or two this year, as the killer combinations are guaranteed to blow viewers away. Join the millions of others who flip to ABC network for a solid 3 hours every week and sit on the edge of their seats in anticipation every Thursday. There’s nothing quite like breaking a case with Annalise Keating, or saving a life with Meredith Grey, or handling problems with Olivia Pope. So stay turned America, as we gossip about Meredith’s last chance at love and worry about which of our favorite How to Get Away With Murder men are #underthesheet. Good luck to all Shonda Show viewers and I hope you all join me when I say, Thank God It’s Thursday.