Grey's Anatomy's episode airing tonight, March 19, is heavily focusing on Dr. Maggie Pierce (Kelly McCreary) and Dr. Richard Webber (James Pickens Jr.) and their connection to Alzheimer's disease.

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McCreary dished to Entertainment Weekly all about Don't Dream It's Over.

On Wednesday, the entertainment site revealed that Maggie is going to get her first taste of danger at Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital since she'll get sucker punched by a patient.

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"The best part, for me, was that the patient who punches Maggie is the dad from The Wonder Years, Dan Lauria," McCreary said.

"I had my first total fan girl, geek-out moment while we were shooting because I loved that show as a kid. I was like, 'As long as it's Dan Lauria, sure. Go right ahead, punch me in the face,'" she revealed.

Maggie getting punched is a pivotal point in the episode.

"It turns out to be this really -- for lack of a better word -- striking moment in the episode where you figure out what the problem with this patient is," McCreary stated, adding, "I'm working on a case with Ben [Jason George] and Richard involving a patient who exhibits signs of Alzheimer's and Maggie winds up having an epic foot in her mouth moment where she gets on the family's case for not keeping the patient out of danger. This, of course, sparks the conversation between Richard and Maggie about his experiences with Alzheimer's."

Maggie and Richard really get to bond.

"We get to see Richard's very protective papa bear come out when Maggie gets punched," she said, adding, "There's just a connection that's gradually been forming on a professional level over this time."

Grey's Anatomy airs on Thursday nights at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.

Tags: greys anatomy ABC television Kelly McCreary