‘Grey’s Anatomy’ just released a dramatic mid-season promo and I need these 2 characters not to die, please

Grey’s Anatomy demands a lot of its fans. Enjoying the Shonda Rhimes-created ABC drama means suffering through rough breakups, kind-hearted characters moving away, and always wondering if another favorite is going to die. Now that the promo for season 21, episode 9, “Hit The Floor,” has been released, I’m not doing well at all.

As the promo shows, Jo Wilson (Camilla Luddington) and Lucas Adams (Niko Terho) are trying to escape an armed robber at a gas station, and oh yeah, Jo is pregnant. After she begins bleeding, Lucas tries to get the gun from the criminal, and then viewers hear a gunshot. Jo and another character are then rushed to the hospital and their lives appear to be at stake. It’s unclear who has been shot, but one of the doctors says, “He’s about to code.” As Entertainment Weekly pointed out, this suggests either Lucas or the gunman is lying on an O.R. table.

Look, I’ve been a patient Grey’s Anatomy fan. I sat back and thought about other things (like the stressful state of the world and why it’s so hard not to crave junk food all the time) while trying to guess why Miranda Bailey (Chandra Wilson) slapped Catherine Avery (Debbie Allen). I grieved along with other viewers when it seemed like Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo) was leaving the show, or at least would only appear occasionally. Now I’m just asking for one thing (okay, two things): to let Jo and Lucas live.

I totally get that writers on procedurals like Grey’s Anatomy have a tough choice to make: constantly tease big character deaths (which could and does frustrate viewers) or risk some lackluster episodes. There’s no good answer here, because if you never let characters flirt with danger, it’s going to be hard to keep people coming back. Grey’s Anatomy has perfected the art of the cliffhanger, which is impressive. And as much as I never want any of these clever doctors and interns to be in hot water, that wouldn’t be realistic. So, for the sake of good storytelling, I’ll accept the constant suggestions that beloved characters might not be long for this world.

I just have to get this off my chest, though: it’s only the second month of 2025 and there’s a lot to worry about. Do I really need to be concerned that Lucas and Jo are going to die? Lucas is so sweet! Jo is having a baby! This just can’t happen. It’s terrifying seeing these characters end up in a gas station with a man with a gun, and fans already had to watch that truly frightening episode involving a hospital shooting. Grey’s Anatomy season 21 has absolutely proven that this show isn’t running out of steam, from the recent heat wave to Mika Yasuda’s (Midori Francis) crisis. I’m just going to tell myself that Lucas and Jo are both going to make it. As Luddington told Variety about her character’s pregnancy, “I’ve always wanted Jo to have a big family, because I think that’s something that she wants too.”

Everyone needs to be okay when Grey’s Anatomy season 21 comes back on Mar. 6, 2025. Otherwise, I might need to start watching a warm, cozy, and heartwarming show that doesn’t get my blood pressure up. Wait, who am I kidding? I can never quit you, Grey’s Anatomy!