Grey’s Anatomy season 17 expected to premiere this fall

Grey’s Anatomy season 17 scheduled to premiere in fall 2020 on ABC

If all goes according to plan, Grey’s Anatomy season 17 will premiere this fall on ABC rather than being delayed until 2021.

ABC recently announced its fall programming schedule, and Grey’s Anatomy will air in its normal timeslot, Thursdays at 9 p.m. helping to anchor the network’s Thursday night line-up. The move will allow Grey’s Anatomy season 17 to once again air alongside its sister series Station 19, which secured a spot among ABC’s fall schedule rather than being held for midseason, while also serving as a solid lead-in for A Million Little Things. 

Unlike FOX and The CW, who have both been more hesitant in planning for the 2020-21 season, ABC joined the likes of CBS and NBC in taking a more optimistic approach with its schedule. While it’s uncertain when production on Grey’s Anatomy season 17 will begin, ABC seems confident enough that production will be able to begin in time for the show to premiere this fall rather than being delayed until 2021.

Due to the abrupt way in which Grey’s Anatomy season 16 came to an end due to production shutdowns, season 17 will have a lot to unpack and explore. When production halted, Grey’s still had four episodes to shoot including its planned season finale which resulted in many storylines left unfinished.

Among the planned storylines left on the cutting room was the original season 16 finale, a finale that would have featured a cataclysmic event that would have likely claimed the life of a major character. At this time, it’s uncertain whether the Grey’s writing team will follow through with exploring the storyline in a future episode; however, it seems safe to assume at least one character is living on borrowed time.

When will Grey’s Anatomy season 17 premiere on Netflix?

If ABC is able to begin production on Grey’s Anatomy season 17 in time for the season to begin this fall via the usual format, it seems safe to assume the season would then run through May 2021 as is standard for a scripted drama which seasons typically consist of 22 or more episodes.

In the past, the most recent seasons of Grey’s Anatomy have arrived on Netflix 30 days after its finale has aired typically leading to a June release for new seasons. Should the upcoming season air without interruption and conclude in May 2021, it seems safe to assume season 17 will begin streaming on Netflix sometime in June 2021.

The good news is that all sixteen seasons of Grey’s Anatomy are streaming on Netflix now, giving fans the chance to binge-watch their favorite episodes as we wait for the season 17 premiere this fall.