Kevin McKidd Says Grey's Anatomy Is 'Going Back to the Beginning' with New Characters

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Kevin McKidd is excited for Grey's Anatomy to return to its roots.

The Scottish actor, 49, told PEOPLE that the ABC medical drama's upcoming 19th season will serve as a "sort of reignition of the show" as he walked the red carpet Saturday at the 2nd Hollywood Critics Association TV Awards in Beverly Hills.

"We have this amazing group of new interns, brilliant, young, vibrant actors who are really passionate," he raves. "So it's making room for that. It's almost like we're going back to the beginning, if that makes sense.

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"We're not really rebooting, but it's definitely that pilot episode when Sandra Oh and T.R. Knight first kind of walked into the hospital. We're kind of doing that again. And it's very exciting to feel that we're all part of that," McKidd adds.

The show has recently added newcomers Niko Terho, Adelaide Kane, Midori Francis, Harry Shum Jr. and Alexis Floyd to the cast after show lead Ellen Pompeo previously announced she's taking a step back from the show for the first time since it premiered in 2005.

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McKidd notes, "Definitely her character is such a dominant, iconic character on the show. It's definitely going to make some room for different stories to be told. So I think everyone is excited about that."

His character Dr. Owen Hunt's fate is also up in the air after he went on the run in the season 18 finale, following his confession that he administered medication to a patient to help him die by euthanasia.

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"I think he still has quite a bit of fallout to deal with. He did a noble thing last year, but he bent the rules too much and he has to pay the price," he explains. "He's already paid a significant price, but it's going to be interesting to see how that plays out because he isn't out of hot water yet. He has to dig himself out."

"My character is always in trouble," McKidd concludes.

Season 19 of Grey's Anatomy will premiere Oct. 6 at 9 p.m. ET on ABC.