Looks Like Fans of ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Will Have to Be Patient With Season 21

One of the longest–running dramas currently on TV, few shows can boast of a fanbase as devoted as Grey’s Anatomy. The show concluded its 20th season on May 30 after already being renewed for a 21st season on April 2.

Fans scouring the internet to look for a potential release date for season 21 will be disappointed to know that a concrete date hasn’t been announced as of yet. This is completely normal, though, as season 20 just ended, and it would be difficult for the studio to come up with a release date for the next season already. In terms of an estimated release window, Grey’s Anatomy is a part of ABC’s 2024/25 schedule, and interested viewers will likely get to lay their eyes on the new season in fall 2025.

There have been some noteworthy changes to the 21st season: The budget has been decreased, the show will air on Thursdays at 10 p.m. instead of 9 p.m., and most importantly, it will have the regular number of episodes (an exact number hasn’t been specified yet). The 20th season only had 10 episodes because of the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Since season 2, the show has had at least 17 episodes in every season.

There will be some decision-making involved from the creators with regard to the cast of Grey’s Anatomy season 21, since multiple actors are on expiring contracts: Chandra Wilson, James Pickens Jr., Camilla Luddington, Caterina Scorsone, Kim Raver, and Kevin McKidd. The show’s heartbeat, Ellen Pompeo, hasn’t confirmed a return to the show since exiting in season 19. At this stage, it looks like she will only be involved in the capacity of providing episode voiceovers.

Grey’s Anatomy season 21 will be available live on TV on ABC once the season premieres. In case fans miss the live telecast, they can catch the episode the next day on the ABC app or ABC.com. Past seasons of the show are available on Hulu and Netflix, and the former also provides the option of watching a fresh episode the day after its debut.

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Evan Tiwari

Evan is a staff writer at The Mary Sue, contributing to multiple sections, including but not limited to movies, TV shows, gaming, and music. He brings in more than five years of experience in the content and media industry, both as a manager and a writer. Outside his working hours, you can either catch him at a soccer game or dish out hot takes on his Twitter account.