Grey’s Anatomy star Katherine Heigl is taking a five episode break from the show.

Heigl needs the time off to allow her to film Greg Berlanti’s new rom-com ‘Life as We Know It’ and Grey’s bosses have told EW.com that her time off the screen will be explained on the show.

This season is going to be a weird one. George is dead, Elllen Pompeo (Meredith Grey) is reducing her hours due to her pregnancy and now Izzie will be absent for almost a quarter of the series. I know the producers have invested more time in Kristina and Owen and also Callie and Arizona will become a full on couple, but can th show survive with so many major characters out of the picture.

Creator Shonda Rhimes certainly thinks it can.