Grey’s Anatomy Season 20 release date update, characters that will and won’t return, plot and more
When will our favorite doctors at Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital return for this monumental season? Here is everything we know so far about Grey’s Anatomy Season 20.
There is no surprise that the ABC network has undergone some major changes for its 2023–24 fall broadcast schedule, just like the network’s competitors like NBC and CBS, due to the ongoing dual strikes, which include the 2023 WGA and the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strikes, that have been going on for a while and don’t seem to get resolved anytime soon as negotiations are still happening.
Begin the scenes with the recent reports confirming that negotiations between The Writers Guild and the AMPTP are still ongoing, which is quite unfortunate and seems to last for a while—maybe until October 2023 if things don’t get agreed upon as the strike has now crossed the 100-day mark!
The WGA and SAG-AFTRA also held a massive rally outside Disney Studios tomorrow morning in Burbank. Their “National Day of Solidarity” rally gets underway at 10 a.m. After the strike began back on May 2, 2023, the WGA and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers didn’t meet for over three months and didn’t resume actual bargaining until August 11, 2023, leading to 102 days into the strike.
The chief strike issues include pay raises, viewership-based streaming residuals, the “preservation of the writers’ room” through minimum staffing and guaranteed days of employment, and guardrails against the use of artificial intelligence to write scripts.
Looking at these statements, we can assure the readers that we do not believe anything has been altered in terms of a Grey’s Anatomy Season 20 official release date plan, and we do not consider it will be changed anytime soon. Due to this, the previously confirmed revised release date still stands tall as the fixed schedule.
Hence, it looks like the eagerly awaited Grey’s Anatomy Season 20, will not be available to stream anytime soon, especially not in the 2023-24 fall broadcast season because ABC has officially decided to postpone the majority of their scripted shows until next year.
The network will now include all the unscripted shows and reruns of Grey’s Anatomy for the remaining months of 2023 in order to cover up the empty slots in the fall broadcast season, and this move by the network will officially mark the end of an 18-year tradition of the beloved medical drama series that has run since its inception. At last, any hopes for the series release this year, let alone any more expectations for ABC to release new information in the coming weeks, are way too far-fetched!
The revised schedule also confirmed that the new season will make its official comeback sometime around early 2024, which will be up for the first quarter of 2024 (January to March) as the ideal time to release new episodes without any hurdles. Ofcourse! This will only happen if the production commences once the dual stikes conclude (2023 WGA along with 2023 SAG-AFTRA) ends by the end of 2023, as it is speculated to air at the same time slot every Thursday at 9:00 p.m. on ABC and later be available to stream on Hulu on a weekly basis without causing any unwanted changes in the primetime schedule.
Until then, we’ll just have to wait and see what more details will be released.
We also urge Grey’s Anatomy fans to follow the ABC network on social media to stay up-to-date with all the latest information as it will become available in the coming weeks. You should also follow the official statements issued by verified sources to be informed about the status of the dual strikes. With the rise of fake news and rumors circulating online, it’s essential to separate fact from falsehood. Additionally, stay engaged with fellow Grey’s Anatomy fandoms to know about all the theories and predictions about the show’s future as they are quick to get any news on time!
Grey’s Anatomy Season 20 Plot: What to expect from the new season?
Though it is much too early for predictions of potential plotlines, on the bright side, the new season is likely to remain true to the show’s official theme, which elaborates on the personal and professional lives of the doctors at Seattle’s Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital as a high-intensity medical drama where the team of doctors faces life-or-death decisions daily. They seek comfort from one another and, at times, more than just friendship. Moreover, the plot of Grey’s Anatomy Season 20 is also expected to pick up the plotlines and character arcs right where the 19th season left off.
As the season has not been designed as the final season of the series. The finale episode of Grey’s Anatomy Season 19, “Happily Ever After?” which was directed by Debbie Allen and written by Meg Marinis, played a crucial role in expanding the plot as it ended on a major note, where the viewers got to see Nick and Meredith open their hearts to each other. Bailey gets the recognition she deserves as Link and Jo share an affectionate moment. Later, viewers learn that Teddy’s life hangs by a thread. It is pretty evident that the next season will develop the story from this moment on.
It’s safe to say that Grey’s Anatomy will continue to captivate audiences with its signature blend of heart-wrenching drama and compelling character arcs. It will certainly try its best to push boundaries and tackle relevant issues, which has been one of the most significant aspects of the show’s remarkable ability to entertain viewers on an exhilarating rollercoaster ride! Hence, we’ll just have to be patient to see what the creators have in mind for the fans for the sole subject of the future plotlines as the season has not been designed as the final season of the series.
Until then, check out the official teaser for the final episode to learn what transpired in the episode below:
Grey’s Anatomy Season 20 Cast: Who will and will not reprise their roles in the new season?
As Grey’s Anatomy gears up for its highly anticipated 20th season, fans are buzzing with excitement and anticipation to know more about the cast members because we are certain that these main and recurring cast members are still subject to change, and we speculate that the following cast members will return as series regulars for the landmark 20th season of Grey’s Anatomy, as there are a few familiar faces that we simply cannot imagine the show without:
Chandra Wilson as Miranda Bailey, James Pickens Jr. as Richard Weber, Kevin McKidd as Owen Hunt, Kim Raver as Teddy Altman, Caterina Scorsone as Amelia Shepherd, Camilla Luddington as Jo Wilson, Chris Carmack as Atticus ‘Link’ Lincoln, Anthony Hill as Winston Ndugu, and Jake Borelli as Levi Schmitt. Others who are expected to return to expand their arcs are as follows: Harry Shum Jr., Adelaide Kane, Alexis Floyd, Niko Terho, and Midori Francis.
There can be some prominent recurring cast returning for the new season, including Kate Walsh as Dr. Addison Montgomery, Debbie Allen as Dr. Catherine Fox, Aniela Gumbs as Zola Grey Shepherd, Jaicy Elliot as Dr. Taryn Helm, Jason George as Dr. Ben Warren, William Martinez as Trey Delgado, Calvin Seabrooks as Carlos Garcia, Stefania Spampinato as Dr. Carina DeLuca, E.R. Fightmaster as Dr. Kai Bartley, Samuel Page as Sam Sutton, and Juliet Mills as Maxine Anderson.
Additionally, Ellen Pompeo will be leaving the show for the next season, but she will continue to serve as an executive producer and contribute the voiceover at the beginning and end of every show, which is some great news for the fandom, despite the fact that she was one of the most beloved and known characters on the show. This will also be the first season since season 11 not to feature Kelly McCreary as Maggie Pierce after her departure during the previous season.
On the other hand, there can be some other removals from the show, which, if they ever happen, will be confirmed later. For the crew members of the show, Meg Marinis will serve as the showrunner, taking over from Krista Vernoff, who left the show at the end of the nineteenth season. The show was created and executive produced by Shonda Rhimes. Betsy Beers, Mark Gordon, Krista Vernoff, Debbie Allen, Zoanne Clack, and Meg Marinis are executive producers.
Last but not least, the show’s creator Shonda Rhimes also told E! News back in May 2023 that she doesn’t want it to end anytime soon, quote, “I might be a very old lady by the time we reach its last season because it doesn’t seem to be stopping,” she said in the interview, “which is wonderful and I feel the world really belongs to the fans and the fans have been really clear about what they want.” Grey’s Anatomy is produced by ABC Signature, which is a part of Disney Television Studios.
Grey’s Anatomy Season 20 Episodes: How many will be there, and where to stream?
When renewed, the next season was expected to have at least 20 episodes with an average runtime of 43–53 minutes, which were expected to air on a weekly basis. Sadly it looks like the official episode count for the new season is also subject to change due to the ongoing writer’s strike and the actor’s strike, as it is speculated to be reduced to 15 to 18 episodes due to cost-cutting, which will be a result of the strikes and will help to maintain the story’s flow without leaving out major scenarios crucial to the story.
We’d also like to point out that the titles and synopsis have not been released. These details will be revealed once the release date draws closer to avoid any early spoilers of the 20th season’s plotlines.
When released, you can watch Grey’s Anatomy Season 20 on ABC, and it will thereafter be streamed on ABC’s website and app once the episode airs on the broadcast. The episodes are also available to watch on demand and on Hulu the day after they air. All previous seasons are currently available on FuboTV and Netflix. The series is also available for rent or purchase, depending on the viewer’s respective regions, on Amazon Prime Video, iTunes, Google Play, and Vudu, with a variety of membership plans.
Grey’s Anatomy Season 20 Official Trailer: Has it been released?
As stated above, the new episodes have not yet been filmed due to the ongoing 2023 WGA strike along with the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike, which has put Hollywood on a halt for the first time in 63 years, we assume that the filming might take a while to resume the completion of scripts and filming of the episodes, just like many other original ABC series, which have also stopped their work due to a lack of writers and actors, leading to a major delay in the official production, which is speculated to commence later this year as the negotiations are still bound to happen in the coming weeks!
However, speaking on a webinar alongside Equity boss Paul Fleming and broadcasting union Bectu chiefs, Crabtree-Ireland said he recognizes that AMPTP members are “global businesses that have global presences around the world,” and that “members are hurting” outside the U.S. “The only reason these strikes are happening is these companies refuse to make fair and respectful deals with our members,” he declared. “There was no need for a strike, and I have been told that by members of the public when they see what our proposals are and really understand what we are fighting for.”
Due to this, there is absolutely no doubt left, and we are certain that the new season production and potential release date will be delayed further. As a result, no official teaser or trailer for the upcoming season has been published, and it won’t be released anytime soon until the strikes reach an agreement. Moreover, it takes a lot of time for such promotional stuff to be released, which usually begins a month or two before the premiere of the new episodes. In the meantime, check out this official trailer of the show’s 19th season, which showcased:
“The doctors of Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital deal with life-or-death consequences on a daily basis in one another that they find comfort, friendship, and, at times, more than friendship. Together they’re discovering that neither medicine nor relationships can be defined in black and white. Real life only comes in shades of grey.”
While you wait for more Grey’s Anatomy Season 20 updates on Web News Observer, catch up on the previous seasons on ABC.
