‘Grey’s Anatomy’: Everything You Need To Know Before the Season 21 Premiere
The hit medical drama returns with Season 21 on Thursday, Sept. 26.
It’s time to scrub back in at Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital as Grey’s Anatomy returns for its 21st season on Thursday, Sept. 26 at 10 p.m. ET on ABC – with each episode available the next day on Hulu. While Ellen Pompeo’s Meredith Grey resigned at the end of Season 20, she will appear in at least seven episodes this coming season. With plenty of professional and personal turmoil in the works, Season 21 promises to bring more emotional roller coaster moments that have made the medical drama a hit for almost 20 years. But first, let’s get you caught up with all the key details from last season.
Everything You Need to Know About ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Season 21:
What Happened at the End of ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Season 20?
Season 20 of Grey’s Anatomy ended with an ultimatum. Meredith and Amelia Shepherd’s secret Alzheimer’s research, funded without proper approval through the Fox Foundation, finished in a final clash with Catherine Fox. Catherine gave Meredith a clear choice: either hand over the research or lose their jobs. Meredith, always bold, chose to resign from the Fox Foundation and publish the findings herself, a move that echoed through Grey Sloan Memorial.
Elsewhere in the hospital, it was chaos. The ER was flooded with patients as Seattle battled a massive wildfire. Teddy Altman, who had been fired after helping her husband, Owen Hunt, in a life-saving surgery, stepped in to help despite no longer working there – Catherine be damned.
Dr. Richard Webber had his own personal crisis to deal with – the realities of getting older. After a botched surgery earlier in the season, Webber realizes that he’s not as sharp as he used to be, and seriously considers retiring. He’s done this before, but it’s possible he will make it official in Season 21.
The finale also revealed Jo Wilson’s surprise pregnancy, along with her inability to tell the father, Atticus “Link” Lincoln. While her job is safe, she has no idea how Link is going to react when they already have two children in the house and now a third baby on the way.
When it comes to the interns, they all passed their exams, though Lucas Adams was offered a job in Chicago with Maggie saving him a spot at her hospital. Will he take it? Or will he have to start from scratch and repeat his intern year at Grey Sloan on the orders of Catherine – even when his classmates make a dramatic stand in his defense? We’ll have to wait to find out.
If a short synopsis isn’t enough to get you ready for Season 21, you can stream any season of “Grey’s Anatomy” on Hulu now.
Grey’s Anatomy
Follows the personal and professional lives of a group of doctors at Seattle’s Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital.
What Is Season 21 of ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ About?
After job losses and firings galore, plenty of questions need answers in Season 21. First, with Catherine Fox’s vengeful decision to fire pretty much everyone, how will the hospital move forward? And what kind of revenge will she try and extract on Meredith and Amelia and their research?
In Season 21, we’ll likely watch Richard Webber cope with whether to retire after his surgical mistake, while Jo Wilson has to find a way to tell Link she’s pregnant. Meredith, though no longer a full-time cast member, will continue to develop her relationship with Nick Marsh as they settle down in Boston. Also, new and familiar faces, including surgeon-turned-firefighter Ben Warren, will also return, while some characters like Levi Schmitt and Mika Yasuda are set to leave.
Who’s Who on ‘Grey’s Anatomy’?
Main Characters
-
Meredith Grey: Played by Ellen Pompeo. Meredith will appear in at least seven episodes as she deals with the fallout from her Alzheimer’s research.
-
Miranda Bailey: Played by Chandra Wilson. Bailey is a key figure at Grey Sloan, juggling her leadership role with plenty of personal conflicts, particularly as Ben Warren returns full-time to the hospital.
-
Richard Webber: Played by James Pickens Jr. Richard grapples with potential retirement after a major surgical mistake in Season 20.
-
Jo Wilson: Played by Camilla Luddington. Jo is dealing with an unexpected pregnancy as she tries to find a way to tell Link they’re expecting.
-
Owen Hunt: Played by Kevin McKidd.
Reoccuring Characters
-
Dr. Monica Beltran: Played by Natalie Morales. After her introduction in Season 20 as a pediatric surgeon, Dr. Beltran is set to return for at least six episodes in Season 21.
-
Sydney Heron: Played by Kali Rocha. Sydney returns to Grey’s Anatomy after a 17-year absence. She last appeared as a fourth-year resident in Seasons 2-4.
-
Ben Warren: Played by Jason George. Ben returns to Grey Sloan after the end of Station 19. He is expected to take up a larger role in Season 21, especially with his wife Miranda Bailey, as he kickstarts his surgical duties.
New Characters
-
Nora: Played by Floriana Lima, Nora is a childhood friend of Owen and Megan Hunt. She arrives at Grey Sloan following a routine procedure at another hospital that leads to dangerous complications.
-
James: Played by Michael Thomas Grant, James is an openly gay Episcopal chaplain who will likely give spiritual guidance at the hospital to patients and staff alike.
When Will ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Season 21 Episodes Be Released?
The Season 21 premiere for “Grey’s Anatomy” is set for Thursday, Sept. 26 at 10 p.m. ET on ABC with the episode available to stream on Hulu the next day. There are expected to be 18 episodes in Season 21, but only three have confirmed titles thus far.
| Episode # | Air Date | Episode Title |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sept. 26, 2024 | “If Walls Could Talk” |
| 2 | Oct. 3, 2024 | “Take Me to Church” |
| 3 | Oct. 10, 2024 | “I Can See Clearly Now” |
How to Catch Up on ‘Grey’s Anatomy’
If you’re looking to catch up on Grey’s Anatomy before Season 21, Hulu has you covered. Every episode from all 20 previous seasons is available to stream on-demand. Hulu also offers the latest episodes from Season 21 the day after they air on ABC, making it the perfect option for binge-watching and staying up-to-date.
A subscription to Hulu comes with a 30-day free trial, so not only will you have time to catch up on Seasons 1 through 20, but you will also be able to watch the first third of the new season before you have to pay a single penny. Hulu offers two subscription plans: First, the ad-supported option will cost you just $7.99 per month, and the ad-free option will be $17.99.
However, nearly every Disney-owned streaming product will see a price hike in October. So, the ad-supported Hulu plan will jump to $9.99 on Thursday, Oct. 17 while the ad-free option will increase to $18.99.
Hulu
Hulu is a video streaming service that gives access to thousands of full seasons of exclusive series, hit movies, kids shows, and Hulu Originals like “Only Murders in the Building,” and “The Handmaid’s Tale.”