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Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital’s doors will be open for the foreseeable future. ABC has renewed its long-running Grey’s Anatomy for Season 21, TVLine has confirmed.
Three weeks into its new season, Grey’s Anatomy — which is enjoying a far more robust Thursday-night lead-in from Fox transplant 9-1-1 than it did from previous timeslot holder Station 19 — is averaging 3.5 million total viewers and a 0.5 demo rating, improving on its Season 19 numbers.
TVLine readers gave last month’s season opener an average grade of “B.” (Read a full recap.)
Created by the estimable Shonda Rhimes, Grey’s Anatomy was an out-of-the-gate hit when it debuted in 2005. In the decades that have followed, it has weathered countless staff changes, both on screen and behind the scenes. Season 19 saw leading lady Ellen Pompeo (aka Meredith Grey) make her exit as a regular, leaving Chandra Wilson (Miranda Bailey) and James Pickens Jr. (Richard Webber) as the only remaining OGs. Season 19 also marked the departure of showrunner Krista Vernoff, who handed the reins to executive producer Meg Marinis for Season 20.
Grey’s is the longest-running primetime medical drama in TV history, a milestone it reached in 2019. It also is the longest running primetime series in the network’s history.
Grey’s Anatomy airs Thursdays at 9/8c.
Your thoughts on Grey’s renewal? Drop ’em in a comment.
Woohoo, this makes me happy! I do wonder if season 21 will maybe be the last one, but I think that every year. I’m proud to be a Greys fan since day 1. It’s just so entertaining.
And it’ll be on the air for twenty years next year. Please let it end then.
With a new showrunner and the relatively new interns energizing the cast, I’d be very surprised if 21 is the final season. I can easily see the show going on another five seasons, though I doubt if veteran cast members like James Pickens and Chandra Wilson will necessarily stick around that long.
So outside of Law & Order, does Grey’s also hold a record of longest primetime scripted series on any broadcast network beyond ABC? (As far as live-action goes, I should say. I’m sure The Simpsons at Fox probably would be the answer otherwise.)
For American tv, yes. Gunsmoke lasted for 20 seasons, but it produced 635 (!) episodes compared to Grey’s which will have 430 episodes at the end of the season.
NCIS has been on longer, already in its 21st season.
For ABC, then yes Grey’s is the longest running.
Yeah but NCIS is a Spin-Off, not an All-Original Show like Grey’s. Though to be honest, the real answer would be Doctor Who!
If you are only talking “All-Original” shows then you can’t count Gunsmoke either, it originally a radio show.
Grey’s Anatomy holds the record for longest running medical drama. There was a big announcement about that when Grey’s passed ER in episode count.
The show feels like it’s hitting a really nice groove with the new interns, using our established characters in the Derek and Burke and Bailey role of the OG seasons. I’m happy it’s going to continue. And I hope a longer season next year means more opportunity to keep seeing past characters come back. I can’t wait for Arizona’s return this week but we need Callie, Izzie, and Alex to do guest spots next season!!
Grey’s should have ended years ago! I was done after the demise of Jackson/April
Hopefully you stopped watching back then and aren’t still forcing yourself to watch anymore. Sheesh. Just because it’s still on the air doesn’t mean you can’t give it up. Let the rest of us who still enjoy it continue to do so.
I gave up on the show sometime during season 6 but I’m glad that it is still on the air entertaining the people that enjoy it. Never understood people who want shows to fail.
If ABC be smart I would place a new show after 9-1-1 on Thursday and let Greys take the last hour. They need to think about the future and a new show would benefit from 9-1-1 lead in.
HUH? sit down!
Wish they had renewed Station 19 as well.
ABC getting 911 might have killed Station 19’s future. 911 is very popular and very expensive and I guess when they had to choose between there 2 Firefighter shows, 911 won.
This renewal is making me wonder if it’s worth tuning back in
Haven’t really watched since Cristina left the show
There are peaks and vallys but it’s still a great show with a lot of heart and fantastic characters. Maybe not as strong as the earliest seasons, but when it’s good it is still so good. And they’ve done a really nice job the last few seasons of tying storylines to the early years with Addison returning several times, Mer working on Alzheimer’s treatments, and introducing Derek and Amelia’s nephew. Its good comfort tv.
Tbh I stopped watching after season 8 plane crash, however I went back recently and picked back up from season 9 and I’m loving it more than before. Def give it another shot.
26 seasons and a movie!
The problem with shows that go on too long like Greys is the bad starts to out way the good and your legacy ends up being tarnished.
It would have held up great if they ended it after a decade or so.
As it is, it’s a shadow of its former self and now going through the motions of a creative death of a thousand cuts.
A real shame.
This really doesn’t describe Grey’s IMO. Everyone’s entitled to their opinion, of course, but mine is that the bad has yet to outweigh the good.
I hope you’re not still watching though since you’re so down on the show.
That is great. It is one of my favorite shows.
Ugh…make it stop!!!
Are you being Clockwork-Oranged into watching the series? If not, then why the frustration?
I’m thrilled Grey’s will be back. I just hope they will do something with these current interns…the characters have no personality and poor storylines. They just aren’t interesting or, more importantly, fun, like past groups. Please replace some of them or bring in an entire new set.
Thank you! I scrolled the comments to see if anyone else shared my same sentiments.
I hadn’t watched the show in many years but just came off a major rewatch. Now all caught up and cannot stand them.
Agree.. have zero interest in any of these interns.
I feel as though the show is going to continue until Zola is going to be old enough to be an intern at Grey Sloane Memorial, and our final shot of the series will be her scrubbing in for her first day as an intern, saying “It’s a beautiful day to save lives.”
You can do that with a flashforward though. There’s no need to drag it out needlessly, and yes I have stopped watching it before people tell me to or ask if I have.
Didn’t New Amsterdam pretty much do something similar already?
Did they? I was being flippant when I made the above comment, but I only ever watched the pilot of New Amsterdam, so I don’t know how it ended.
So did ER, with Rachel Green, Mark’s daughter showing up.
Yes they did and ER did the same thing before it too. Rachel Greene started at the ER in either the final season or final episode. But we all know that both Grey’s and New Amsterdam are both copies of ER. The NA creator was even ballsy enough to admit that he was trying to recreate ER
I didn’t know that show was still on.
So glad.
Greys continuously broke up all the couples I was invested in and none of the newer cast interests me whatsoever like the season 9 interns did so I gave up on it but enjoy y’all!
Come on, April Fools was yesterday!
As long as Grey’s is around, I will be watching… and rewatching.
I’m still mad they cancelled Station 19. Thats much better than Greys
I believe it’s time has come to an end. So far off what it started. Has turned in to a romance show.
Cancel it already. The reason er is the best medical drama is they knew when to let it go. There is only so much you can watch the same storyline.
First of all, if you don’t like the show why are you taking the time to comment on this? Yay! Season 21 makes me happy!
At least discontinue the unnecessary Meredith narration! Cancelling it for Station 19 improved that show that was unbearable previously. We’re all used to Grey’s format and tone, so we don’t need to continue to get clubed over the head with a cast member who’s barely in the show anymore!
Greys is nowhere near as good anymore. Should’ve ended years ago probably about the time Derek was killed. I don’t watch anymore.