Viewers have been scrubbing in to watch Grey’s Anatomy for 20 seasons now, since the show first premiered back in March 2005. That’s almost two decades of surgeries, on-call room hookups, and McMemories—for better and for worse. And now the beloved medical drama is once again gearing up for a brand-new season that will introduce some new cast members into the fold as well as welcome back several very familiar faces, which OG fans going to be thrilled about. This includes the show’s namesake, Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo), Jackson Avery (Jesse Williams), and Sydney Heron (Kali Rocha), an unforgettably eccentric former resident of Seattle Grace (back when the hospital was still called that) who hasn’t made an appearance since season 4. Now that’s what I call a legit throwback.
As per the trailer, season 21 will immediately dive headfirst back into all the drama surrounding Meredith’s departure and a seriously ticked off Catherine Fox (Debbie Allen), who gets slapped with a real wake-up call—literally. It’s chaotic. It’s messy. It’s what makes Grey’s so great. It’s also why you aren’t going to want to miss a moment of the action. So to help guarantee that won’t happen, here’s a look at everything you need to know about Grey’s Anatomy season 21’s episode schedule. It’s a beautiful day to get organized. (Still too soon?)
When does Grey’s Anatomy season 21 premiere?
The first episode of the new season kicks off on Thursday, September 26 at 10 p.m. ET on ABC. However, if that’s a little later than you’d like to stay up, you can also stream the episode on Hulu the following day and watch it at whatever time is most convenient.
When does the next episode of Grey’s Anatomy drop?
There’s a lot that has changed about Grey’s Anatomy over the years, but its release schedule has stayed pretty much the same. One new episode of content will air each week on Thursday nights, meaning fans will be able to tune in for episode 2 the following Thursday on October 3.
How many episodes will be in Grey’s Anatomy season 21?
Unlike season 20, which was shortened to a mere 10 episodes due to the writers’ and actors’ strikes, season 21 is getting bumped up to 18 episodes total. Sure, it’s not as high as the 24- or 25-episode seasons we used to get (or season 2’s record high of 27 episodes!), but it’s still a vast improvement from last season, so we’ll take what we can get.
How can I watch previous seasons?
Waiting week after week for a new episode can be hard. So if you find your patience is running thin, you can always journey back to the beginning and rewatch the entire saga in all its medical and emotional glory. The entire series—all 20 seasons of it—is available to stream on both Netflix and Hulu. Just, you know, maybe stock up on some tissues. You’re gonna need them.
Here’s the full episode release schedule for Grey’s Anatomy season 21:
- Episode 1: “If Walls Could Talk” – Airs September 26, 2024
- Episode 2: “Take Me to Church” – Airs October 3, 2024
- Episode 3: “I Can See Clearly Now” – Airs October 10, 2024
- Episode 4: TBA
- Episode 5: TBA
- Episode 6: TBA
- Episode 7: TBA
- Episode 8: TBA
- Episode 9: TBA
- Episode 10: TBA
- Episode 11: TBA
- Episode 12: TBA
- Episode 13: TBA
- Episode 14: TBA
- Episode 15: TBA
- Episode 16: TBA
- Episode 17: TBA
- Episode 18: TBA
