ABC has renewed ‘Grey’s Anatomy‘ for Season 23, keeping the long-running medical drama going into the 2026-2027 US season and extending its record as the longest-running primetime medical drama on television.
The renewal is not a huge surprise, but it does come alongside a significant cast change for the series. Spoiler warning: two longtime cast members, Kevin McKidd (Rome, Journeyman) and Kim Raver (24, Third Watch), will be departing as series regulars at the end of Season 22. McKidd has played Owen Hunt since 2008, while Raver’s Teddy Altman has been part of the show’s world on and off since 2009, so their exits mark another major shift for a series which has already reinvented itself multiple times over the years.
Even so, ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ remains a remarkably durable beast. It may not be the broadcast ratings monster it once was, but it still pulls in a huge streaming audience, which is a big reason ABC and Disney keep sending everyone back to Grey Sloan for more medical chaos, emotional breakdowns, and suspiciously attractive surgeons making terrible personal decisions.
There are still plenty of familiar faces expected to remain in the mix, including Chandra Wilson (Station 19), James Pickens Jr. (The Conners), Camilla Luddington (True Blood), Caterina Scorsone (Private Practice), and Chris Carmack (The O.C.), whilst Ellen Pompeo (Good American Family) continues as the show’s narrator and recurring Meredith Grey. Behind the scenes, the series also keeps its core creative links intact, with creator Shonda Rhimes, Betsy Beers, showrunner Meg Marinis, Debbie Allen and Pompeo all staying on as executive producers.
There may be some belt-tightening ahead, however. US reports suggest Season 23 could come with a slightly reduced episode count, following budget pressure on veteran broadcast dramas. That is increasingly common for shows at this stage of their run, especially ones with large ensemble casts and a lot of history behind them.
‘Grey’s Anatomy‘ Season 22 is currently airing on Disney+ in the UK and on ABC in the USA.
Login to Geektown