Since 2005, the doctors of Grey’s Anatomy have saved the lives of countless patients over 20 seasons — with more to come.
The current crop of interns at Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital have been itching to get back into the OR, but after resuming her role as head of the intern program, Miranda Bailey (Chandra Wilson) has been keeping them busy with procedure logs and other activities. That said, they’ve still made plenty of time for their own drama, from family issues to romance.
Apart from the new team members, things have also been heating up between Jo (Camilla Luddington) and Link (Chris Carmack), who finally took their relationship to the next level. As viewers know, the couple already have their hands full between work, Jo’s daughter Luna and Link’s son Scout, but only time will tell what their future holds.
As for Teddy Altman (Kim Raver), she was disgruntled with a slow recovery after her scary collapse, only to get settled back into life as the chief of surgery but face feeling stuck in her marriage to Owen Hunt (Kevin McKidd).
From renewal news to a release date and who’s leaving the cast, here’s everything to know about Grey’s Anatomy season 21.
Will there be Grey’s Anatomy season 21?
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Grey’s Anatomy is returning with season 21.
The longest-running primetime medical drama in television history was renewed for a 21st season in April 2024. The upcoming installment will be the second one under showrunner Meg Marinis, who took the reins from Krista Vernoff when season 19 concluded.
“The loyalty and love of Grey’s Anatomy fans has propelled us into a historic 21st season, and I could not be more grateful,” series creator Shonda Rhimes said in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter following the renewal announcement.
She added, “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.”
When is Grey’s Anatomy season 21 release date?
Currently, Grey’s Anatomy season 21 has no release date.
However, ABC announced new episodes of Grey’s Anatomy will premiere as part of the fall 2024-2025 lineup, though an exact day or time isn't known yet.
Historically, the medical drama has returned to the small screen in September with only a few seasons deviating from the usual schedule. With the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes done, though, Grey's Anatomy may once again fall within its regular slot.
How many episodes will Grey’s Anatomy season 21 have?
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It has not been confirmed how many episodes season 21 of Grey’s Anatomy will be.
Previous seasons have ranged between 17 and 27 episodes in length, with the exception of season 1, which had nine episodes. Season 20 also had a shorter run with only 10 episodes due to the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes.
Who is in the cast of Grey’s Anatomy season 21?
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While cast news for Grey's Anatomy season 21 continues to trickle in, there's a high chance longtime characters will return to the series, including James Pickens Jr. as Richard Webber and Chandra Wilson as Miranda Bailey.
In the same vein, fans may also see Kevin McKidd as Owen Hunt, Kim Raver as Teddy Altman, Caterina Scorsone as Amelia Shepherd, Camilla Luddington as Jo Wilson and Chris Carmack as Atticus “Link” Lincoln.
'Grey's Anatomy' Cast: Where Are They Now?
Who is leaving the cast of Grey’s Anatomy in season 21?
Jake Borelli (Levi Schmitt) and Midori Francis (Mika Yasuda) will both be exiting Grey’s Anatomy in season 21, Deadline exclusively reported. Leading up to their goodbyes, Borelli and Francis are expected to return for an unknown number of episodes in the upcoming season to finalize their storylines.
Levi Schmitt joined the cast in season 14 as a medical student doing a rotation as a sub-intern at Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital and worked his way to co-chief resident with friend and roommate Taryn Helm, portrayed by Jaicy Elliot. He was the show’s first gay male series regular and the second Jewish main character.
A new class of five interns, including Mika Yasuda, who joined the cast in season 19. She lives in Meredith Grey’s former home with Benson “Blue” Kwan and Simone Griffith and began dating Taryn Helm at the start of season 20.
The latest installment was the first not to feature Meredith Grey, portrayed by Ellen Pompeo, as a series regular, coming after her already scaled-back role in season 19. Pompeo has remained on as an executive producer, and has provided the opening and closing voiceovers for episodes.
Where can I watch Grey’s Anatomy?
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When Grey's Anatomy season 21 premieres in fall 2024, it will air on Thursdays at 10 p.m. ET on ABC.
There are several ways to watch the medical drama, including streaming the show on the ABC website, which you'll need a cable provider login to access.
Alternatively, you can tune into Grey's Anatomy in real time on the ABC channel if you have a live-streaming service — like YouTube TV, fuboTV, Sling TV or Hulu + Live TV.
In the case that you want to watch the next day, episodes are available on Hulu. Seasons 1 through 19 are also ready to stream on Netflix.
