‘Grey’s‘ creator mum

Tight-lipped coaches for the Pittsburgh Steelers and Seattle Seahawks would never, in their right minds, consider revealing key pieces of their Super Bowl game plans.

So why should “Grey’s Anatomy” executive producer Shonda Rhimes?

When a reporter asked her to divulge “just a general description” of tonight’s big post-Super Bowl episode, the woman who created one of television’s most lusciously entertaining dramas doesn’t exactly bubble over with details.

“Something happens and bad things follow,” she teased, refusing to budge any further.

This kind of deft sidestepping is typical for Rhimes, who operates under a shroud of anti-spoilers secrecy and has been known to pass out memos to her cast and crew warning them to clam up – or else.

So if you’re looking for revelatory insights into the love triangle involving Meredith (Ellen Pompeo), Derek (Patrick Dempsey) and Addison (Kate Walsh), or if you’re wondering what the future holds for the oversexed surgical interns of Seattle Grace Hospital, you’ve come to the wrong place.

“I grew up watching a lot of television, and one of the things I feel strongly about is not knowing what’s going to happen on an episode before you see it,” Rhimes said.

“It’s crazy. Why tell people what’s going to happen rather than getting them to watch it and see for themselves? To me, the show is more interesting because no one knows what’s going to happen next.”

So far, the strategy is working. When “Grey’s Anatomy” debuted last March, it was intended only to be a temporary place-holder for “Boston Legal” on Sunday nights. But taking advantage of the hefty lead-in audience of “Desperate Housewives,” it attracted 16 million viewers to its premiere.

That sent “Legal” trudging off to another time slot, and ever since, the “Grey’s” fan base has been swelling. It ranks No. 9 in total viewers, and ABC hopes that number will climb even higher after millions of postgame fans sample its addictive blend of comedy, drama and soap.

“We feel like it’s going to be a huge part of our future, so we wanted to give it every boost we could,” said ABC entertainment chief Steve McPherson.

Tonight’s episode comes with a sensationalistic title – “It’s the End of the World” – and a promotional ad spot that looks more like an amped-up “ER” disaster plot than a typical “Grey’s Anatomy.” It centers around a “code black,” hospital-speak for a bomb threat.

Although “Grey’s Anatomy” is labeled a medical drama, it in no way can be confused in style and tone with an “ER” or a “House.” It hinges mainly on five first-year surgical residences – three of whom are strong and distinctive women – and floats along at its own breezy pace.

Another vital cog: It’s a show in which ever-changing relationships take precedence over brain surgery.

“I can feel it when there’s too much medical and not enough personal (in the scripts), and that’s the most important balance to keep,” Rhimes insisted. “When the medical overtakes the personal, we’re going down the wrong path.”

And then there’s the diversity factor. Unlike so many of prime time’s white-washed shows, “Grey’s Anatomy” features African American and Asian doctors, and a Latina character will arrive soon.

Rhimes, the lone African American woman running a broadcast network drama series, said she and her collaborators made a choice from the start to bring in “all kinds” of actors during the casting process and not worry about skin color.

“Casting is really important to the show’s success, not just because they’re phenomenal actors and bring so much to the roles,” she said, “but also just because someone can look at the show and think, ‘OK, there’s no longer anything unusual about having half your cast be people of color.’ “