Will Grey’s Anatomy Return for S19? Renewal Currently in Discussion

It’s renewal season for Grey’s Anatomy, which is rallying for Season 19. Current discussions point to the show returning.

For ABC, this is their usual schedule to have talks with ABC Signature and Shondaland about renewing long-running shows. It is assumed that ABC won’t cancel Grey’s Anatomy until it gives the show a proper send-off.

ABC (and parent company Disney) would love to keep the show going as it has much to gain. After all, Grey’s does have the network’s highest scripted ratings and stands as a pillar to its spin-off Station 19.

In the words of Craig Erwich, President, ABC Entertainment and Hulu Originals:

We’re thrilled to have it on the lineup. It’s a gift […] As long as all of the producers and Ellen [Pompeo] feel like there are meaningful stories to tell, we’re going to continue to do the show.

Craig Erwich

Besides this, Chandra Wilson and James Pickens Jr., who are at the forefront of the supporting cast, have multi-year contracts which ensure their involvement in future Grey’s seasons.

Of course, there is one chink in the armor—Ellen Pompeo. In the last few years, Pompeo has repeatedly made it known (and that too, bluntly) that she would like to step down from the show.

However, being the show’s leading face as well as an executive producer had swayed her into signing a single-season contract for Season 18.

The audience seems to agree with Pompeo’s stance—Grey’s has always roped in fans for its meaningful, intense stories, and Season 17 fared well as it aptly depicted how Covid-19 had affected the show’s characters. But in contrast, the latest Season 18 suffered in viewership ratings.

It is possible that the audience has moved on to Shonda Rhimes’ other productions like Bridgerton.

Whether it is the loyal fanbase, pressure from the studios, the big cheque, or simply the promise of finally ending Grey’s Anatomy with Season 19, Pompeo may be cajoled into signing on for one more season. Watch this space.

About Grey’s Anatomy

Grey’s Anatomy is an American medical drama TV series created by Shonda Rhimes for ABC Studios. One of the longest running primetime television series, the title is an allusion to the human anatomy textbook Gray’s Anatomy.

The ensemble cast includes Ellen Pompeo in the leading role along with Patrick Dempsey, Sandra Oh, Katherine Heigl, Justin Chambers and many others.

It follows the lives of surgical interns, residents and attendings and their progression into becoming professional doctors while juggling their interpersonal relationships.

Source: Deadline