On May 30, 2024, Grey’s Anatomy ended the tenth episode of its twentieth season with a cliffhanger. Since television’s longest-running primetime medical drama usually boasts between 17 and 27 episodes per season, fans are still looking to tune in each week to see what’s next.
Sorry to burst your bubbles, everyone, but season ten is officially done—there will be no season 20, episode 11. We’ll have to wait a while before we find out what happened after that disastrous wildfire. So when, exactly, can we expect more Grey’s action? Here’s everything we know so far!
Why was season 20 so short?
Like so much of our favorite entertainment content, season 20 of Grey’s Anatomy was heavily affected by the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes in 2023. Production was delayed, so showrunners could only make ten episodes instead of the usual number, which is typically double that amount. This was the shortest season since the very first season back in 2005, which only had 9 episodes.
Season 20 premiered on March 14, 2024. This date itself is a departure from the norm, as the series premiere is typically broadcast in September. Episode 10, “Burn It Down,” aired just a few short months later, on May 30, 2024.
What do we know about season 21?
In April 2024, Grey’s Anatomy was renewed for season 21. This will be the second season run by the new executive producer and head writer Meg Marinis, who took over from Krista Vernoff at the end of season 19.
Sadly, there’s still no word about how many episodes the next season will offer, but since the strikes have been resolved, we’re optimistic for a return to form. ABC has already confirmed that Grey’s Anatomy is expected to grace their primetime lineup this fall. That would mean a September premiere date followed by at least 20 episodes. Fingers crossed!
Which cast members will return?
Ellen Pompeo, who portrays protagonist Meredith Grey, has played a smaller role in recent seasons so that she can work on other projects. Deadline reported that Pompeo starred in just eight of season 19’s twenty episodes. She was only in four episodes in season 20, but the plotline of Meredith getting back together with Nick Marsh (Scott Speedman) has fans hoping to see more of her in season 21.
Regardless of how often she appears onscreen, Pompeo will continue to lend her voice to each episode as the series narrator, and she remains an executive producer for the show.
Other cast members who are expected to reprise their roles next season include long-termers James Pickens Jr. as Richard Webber and Chandra Wilson as Miranda Bailey. Kevin McKidd will likely return as Owen Hunt, Kim Raver as Teddy Altman, Camilla Luddington as Jo Wilson, Chris Carmack as Atticus “Link” Lincoln, and Caterina Scorsone as Amelia Shepherd.
When and where can we watch season 21?
While there is no release date for the upcoming season of Grey’s Anatomy, we hope to see a full season premiere on ABC in September. New episodes air on Thursdays at 10PM ET, and you can catch a rerun the next day on Hulu. If you need to catch up, all episodes from seasons 1 through 19 are currently streaming on Netflix.
Published: Jul 10, 2024 12:30 pm