Denzel Washington to Direct ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Episode, For … Reasons?

Grey’s Anatomy notably lost a huge presence among its leading men last year, but King Kong ain’t got … well, much on the size of its next star attraction. Denzel Washington will bafflingly join the current season of Grey’s Anatomy, albeit behind the camera for an episode.

According to TVLine, the two-time Oscar winner will direct the ninth outing of Grey’s Anatomy’s twelfth season, as written by Stacy McKee for a November premiere. Presumably influencing the unexpected credit, Washington is noted as a longtime friend of Grey’s Anatomy executive producer and director Debbie Allen.

Washington himself is no stranger to directing, having helmed both Antwone Fisher in 2002 and The Great Debaters in 2007, though Grey’s Anatomy will mark the Training Day and Malcolm X star’s first time directing for TV. For the moment at least, Denzel is expected to remain behind the camera, rather than put in any sort of cameo appearance.

No doubt we’ve seen Grey’s Anatomy pulling some big swings in its twilight years, but does the addition of Denzel Washington renew any acclaim? What can we expect from the mega-star’s TV directing debut?