Grey’s Anatomy just entered its second decade on television, showing no signs of flatlining.
It’s only fitting that the twentieth season of the long-running medical series culminated in a massive wildfire break. By the end of the final episode titled “Burn It Down,” many doctors were at odds with their futures at Grey Sloan Memorial.
Much hangs in the balance, with heads turning toward what’s next. So, here’s what we know about the future of Grey’s Anatomy, including whether there will be a season 21.
Is there going to be a season 21 of Grey’s Anatomy?
The doctors of Grey Sloan just got paged back. On April 2, ABC broke the news on Instagram that the long-running medical drama was officially renewed for season 21. “Push (twenty) one of epi! 😉 #GreysAnatomy will be coming back for another season on ABC! Stream on Hulu,” read its caption.
It edges the series another step further in its record-breaking run as the longest-running primetime medical drama. Series creator and executive producer Shonda Rhimes told The Hollywood Reporter: “The loyalty and love of Grey’s Anatomy fans has propelled us into a historic 21st season, and I could not be more grateful.”
She added: “[Showrunner] Meg Marinis‘ storytelling is a gift that continues to keep the show vibrant, compelling and alive, and I can’t wait to see what she has in store for next season.”
Do we know if this is Grey’s Anatomy‘s last season?
That’s still unclear. However, Meg said in an interview tied to the season 20 premiere that they still have stories to tell. She told Deadline: “I’ve not been informed that this is the last season so I’m going to keep going and telling stories as long as they let me.”
Meg added: “We receive a tremendous amount of support from the studio and the network and from Shondaland. So I’m going to keep going until they tell me to put that pen down.”
What is the Grey’s Anatomy season 21 release date?
Season 21 officially returns September 26 on ABC. It falls on the heels of the series earning an early renewal for the 2024-25 broadcast season, per The Hollywood Reporter.
How many episodes are in Grey’s Anatomy season 21?
Nearly double the action lies ahead for Grey Sloan. Next season has an order of 18 episodes (compared to season 20’s 10 episodes), per Deadline‘s reporting.
Who is in the cast of Grey’s Anatomy season 21?
A mix of old and new key players will be scrubbing in.
Jake Borelli and Midori Francis are departing their roles as Levi Schmitt and Mika Yasuda, respectively. The two will tie up their characters’ arcs in the first few episodes of season 21. Meanwhile, Jason George will be rejoining Grey’s Anatomy as a series regular.
TVLine reports that the upcoming season is adding a new recurring chaplain, generally someone trained to provide spiritual and emotional support to patients, families and staff. The character is openly gay and described as a “superhero fanboy.”
‘Grey’s Anatomy’
Meanwhile, original cast members Chandra Wilson and James Pickens Jr., plus Kevin McKidd, Kim Raver, Camilla Luddington and Caterina Scorsone will all return as series regulars — but not for all episodes due to budget reductions, says Deadline.
The show’s namesake, Meredith’s Ellen Pompeo, bowed out as a series regular at the end of season 19. But good news for Meredith fans: The actress is slated to star in at least seven new episodes.
How can I watch and stream Grey’s Anatomy season 21?
When Grey’s Anatomy premieres on ABC, folks can watch new season 21 episodes in real-time on TV. Alternatively, viewers can catch up on the ABC app or ABC.com the next day.
All past seasons of Grey’s are now available on Hulu, with new episodes dropping on the streamer the day after their linear debut on ABC. Past seasons also remain available to stream on Netflix as well as Philo and fuboTV,
Or, purchase individual episodes of Grey’s Anatomy on AppleTV, Amazon Prime Video, Google Play and YouTube.
