ABC’s long-running medical drama ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ returns for its 23rd season on Thursday, Oct. 15

NEED TO KNOW

• Season 23 premieres Oct. 15 with a major airport collision sending critically injured patients to Grey Sloan Memorial
• Ellen Pompeo will appear in the premiere
• New episodes air Thursdays at 10 p.m. ET on ABC and stream the next day on Hulu

Grey’s Anatomy Thursdays are back!

The beloved medical drama returns to ABC for its 23rd season on Thursday, Oct. 15. Though it will include some drastic changes — most notably the departure of longtime cast members Kevin McKidd and Kim Raver — those changes are, in many ways, part of the show’s success.

“Shonda Rhimes is a genius and the structure of the show is bulletproof,” Caterina Scorsone, who plays Dr. Amelia Shepherd, told Entertainment Weekly in September 2026 of the series’ creator. “There’s this confidence that the show and the hospital continues, and the hospital becomes the main character of the show, really.”

Here’s everything to know about the Grey’s Anatomy season 23 release schedule.

When does Grey’s Anatomy season 23 premiere?

The 23rd season of Grey’s Anatomy kicks off on Thursday, Oct. 15, with another major disaster at Grey Sloan Memorial.

Aptly titled “Collide,” the premiere episode follows a collision at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport that sends a wave of critically injured patients to the hospital, disrupting the unveiling of a controversial new VIP floor.

Showrunner Meg Marinis told TV Insider in September 2026 that the floor’s head, Dr. Seth Norton (James Wolk), “may or may not come in hot (literally and figuratively) and ruffle some feathers.”

Ellen Pompeo, who scaled back her starring role as Dr. Meredith Grey in 2022, is also set to appear in the episode.

How many episodes are in Grey’s Anatomy season 23?

ABC has not yet confirmed how many episodes Grey’s Anatomy season 23 will have.

Over the past two seasons, the longtime series has featured 18 episodes.

In a September 2024 interview with Shondaland, Marinis explained how longer seasons give the writers more room to develop the show’s many characters and storylines.

“Now that we have 18 episodes, we’re allowed to have multiple story arcs happening at once, and it’s not so time compressed,” she said.

What is the release schedule for Grey’s Anatomy season 23?

Season 23 of Grey’s Anatomy will begin airing with its first episode on Thursday, Oct. 15.

After that, new episodes will drop weekly on Thursdays until the season finale, unless the show breaks for the holidays.

Here is the release schedule for Grey’s Anatomy season 23, so far, according to ABC:

• Oct. 15: “Collide”
• Oct. 22: “Slippin’ and Slidin’”
• Oct. 29: “It’s All Wrong, but It’s All Right”

What time do new episodes of Grey’s Anatomy season 23 air?

New episodes of the 23rd season of Grey’s Anatomy will air at 10 p.m. ET.

Where can I watch Grey’s Anatomy?

New episodes of Grey’s Anatomy will air on ABC and be available to stream the next day on Hulu, which is also where fans can catch up on the show’s past 22 seasons.

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