Stalwart medical drama Grey's Anatomy has become a fixture on the small screen across its two-decade run on the air thus far, and that run continues into season 22 as well. Created by TV maven Shonda Rhimes, the long-running series follows the doctors and staff of the fictional Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital in Seattle, Washington. Tasked with tackling an increasingly bombastic series of medical emergencies, the team at Grey Sloan must also balance their personal lives with their hectic work schedule. Though medical dramas are nothing new, Grey's Anatomy broke the mold and continues to do so 20 years later.

As the series dives further into its second decade on the small screen, Grey's Anatomy sees cast changes on a seemingly yearly basis, and is in a nearly constant state of flux. Though recent seasons have begun to lean heavily on surprise returns of legacy characters, Grey's has never failed to deliver the fun medical action that kept viewers tuning in throughout the years. While it seems as if Shonda Rhimes' smash-hit is finally winding down, ABC has opted to renew the series for season 22.

Grey's Anatomy Season 22 Latest News

ABC Renews Grey's Anatomy Season 22

Though the update comes as little surprise, the latest news confirms that ABC has renewed Grey's Anatomy for season 22 and that the new season will be part of ABC's fall 2025 schedule. The renewal came alongside the pickup of four other ABC shows (9-1-1, The Rookie, Will Trent, and Shifting Gears), and speaks to the strong impact that the medical drama still has on the network.

Grey's Anatomy season 22 will retain its Thursday night spot on ABC's fall 2025 schedule. The series has done well for the network on Thursdays and is usually one of the highest-rated shows on that night, so it makes sense that ABC would not want to have the audience looking for the series on another night.

Grey's Anatomy Season 22 Is Confirmed

The Medical Drama Is Coming Back For Season 22

The season will consist of 18 total episodes, which is the same number as season 21

With the status of many popular network TV shows still in limbo, the fate of Grey's Anatomy season 22 was never really in doubt. As such, ABC renewed the medical drama in April 2025, more than a month before the season 21 finale aired. The season will consist of 18 total episodes, which is the same number as season 21, though it is a few less than season 19. Season 20 was impacted by the Hollywood strikes of 2023, and was the shortest season since the very first back in 2005.

Production details for Grey's Anatomy season 22 haven't been announced yet, but it will have a fall 2025 release. Except for seasons 1 and 20, every season of Grey's has arrived between September and November. It will likely remain a crown jewel in ABC's fall slate for as long as it stays on the air.

Grey's Anatomy Season 22 Cast Details

Who Returns To Grey Sloan?

The cast of Grey's Anatomy season 22 is difficult to predict, and though there is a roster of familiar faces that will likely return, other returns are less certain. The events of season 21 will inform what happens in season 22, and that goes for the cast as well. Long-time stars like Ellen Pompeo as Dr. Grey have taken a step back, and even surprise returns are much more temporary. However, Pompeo is confirmed to return in season 22.

An update confirms that Pompeo's Dr. Grey will appear in seven episodes during season 22 (via ScreenRant).

A cliffhanger at the end of season 21 left most of the potential main characters of Grey's Anatomy season 22 in peril. Though the main cast all have contracts that extend into season 22, the only confirmed characters to be "safe" from that peril are Meredith Grey and Ben Warren (Jason George).

Despite all that, regulars like Chandra Wilson as Miranda Bailey and James Pickins Jr. as Richard Webber should be expected back, though the latter might finally retire after all. Mika Yasuda (Midori Francis) and Levi Schmitt (Jake Borelli) were written out of the series during season 21, meaning the roster of young doctors will be even smaller in season 22. This means more new faces will likely be added between seasons, though nothing is confirmed yet.

The presumptive cast of Grey's Anatomy season 22 includes:

One ing cast member who is confirmed to return in season 22 is Trevor Jackson. He made his debut in season 21 as a man Simone hooked up with, only to discover that he was actually one of the hospital's new interns. Showrunner Meg Marinis confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter that audiences would see him again in the new season.

Grey's Anatomy Season 22 Story Details

More Medical Emergencies Are Expected

When Grey's Anatomy season 22 premieres, it will have to address what happened at the end of season 21. An explosion rocked the hospital during the season finale. The only characters confirmed by Showrunner Meg Marinis to be safe in her Hollywood Reporter interview are Meredith and Ben. While that does not necessarily mean Marinis is set to kill off a lot of the main characters, it likely means there will be a lot of trauma and injuries for the main cast to deal with in the early storylines of the season.

Dr. Grey's rebellious decision to release the Alzheimer's research caused a ripple effect going into season 21, but that storyline will even continue into season 22 as well during Pompeo's handful of appearances for the season.

Though the overarching storyline is unpredictable, it's to be expected that the next seasons of Grey's Anatomy will see the staff take on new emergencies and deal with the trials and tribulations of hospital work alongside the complications of their personal lives.