ABC’s Grey’s Anatomy has kept our attention for 19 (almost 20) seasons, drawing us in with every ill-fated heartbreak and surprise twist. But now that Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo) is departing the show as a series regular, we can’t help but wonder what’s next for the medical drama. For example, when does Grey’s Anatomy return for season 20? And what happened in the season 19 finale?
From the cast to the potential premiere date, keep scrolling for details.
1. When Does Grey’s Anatomy Return?
Unfortunately, Grey’s Anatomy season 20 isn’t expected to return until 2024. This may confuse some viewers because the show typically premieres in September. However, ABC pushed several premiere dates because of the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes. While the Writer’s Guild Association has reached a deal, the actor’s union is still negotiating.
Creator Shonda Rhimes discussed the show’s future in an interview with E! News and confirmed that it’s here to stay. “It’s such an amazing show and it’s doing so well as it’s moving forward,” she said. “I’m going to leave it alone and see where it goes, and we’re going to stay a show as long as everybody wants to be there and as long as the fans want to be there.”
2. What Happened in the Season 19 Finale?
The finale was split into two parts—one installment (titled “Wedding Bell Blues”) focused on the new interns, and the other (titled “Happily Ever After”) followed the attendings at the Catherine Fox Awards. There was a lot of progression for romances, including Jo Wilson (Camilla Luddington) and Atticus “Link” Lincoln (Chris Carmack). But the most notable twist was the departure of Meredith Grey (Pompeo) and Maggie Pierce (Kelly McCreary), who are both pursuing opportunities outside of Grey-Sloan Memorial Hospital.
But wait, there’s more. The finale ended on a major cliffhanger involving Teddy Altman (Kim Raver), whose fate is up in the air. After complaining about a toothache, she passed out in the OR. The episode concluded with her husband, Owen Hunt (Kevin McKidd), performing CPR on her.
3. What Will Happen in Season 20?
Well, it will likely explore the aftermath of Teddy’s fainting spell, which hopefully isn’t as serious as it appeared. (It wouldn’t be the first time Grey’s Anatomy implied that someone has died only to bring them back, so don’t count her out.) It will also highlight more of the interns, who will become the focus now that Meredith is no longer a series regular.
In an interview with Pride magazine, Jake Borrelli teased what’s to come for his character, Levi Schmitt. “By the end of season 19, I feel like we’re starting to get a grip on [Dr. Schmitt’s] own teaching technique,” he said. “I’m hoping that we get to see him thrive a little bit more in that space. I keep going back to the blood donation storyline, for queer men specifically, because we talked about it quite a bit at the end of last season. I would love to revisit that and educate people more on that.”
4. Will Meredith Return for Season 20?
It hasn’t been confirmed, but there’s a chance that Pompeo will reprise her role of Meredith Grey. In an interview with Variety’s Actors on Actors, the 53-year-old actress teased the possibility of returning for season 20. “I will be making some appearances hopefully next year, if I can find some time,” she said. “It’s not a complete goodbye. And I think we’ve got an interesting story to tell.” *Crosses fingers*
