Grey's Anatomy season 20

Grey's Anatomy
Season 20
Promotional poster for the twentieth season of Grey's Anatomy
ShowrunnerMeg Marinis
Starring
No. of episodes10
Release
Original networkABC
Original releaseMarch 14 (2024-03-14) –
May 30, 2024 (2024-05-30)
Season chronology
← Previous
Season 19
Next →
Season 21
List of episodes

The twentieth season of the American medical drama television series Grey's Anatomy was announced on March 24, 2023,[1] and premiered in the United States on the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) on March 14, 2024.[2] Meg Marinis took over as showrunner after Krista Vernoff, who departed from the series after the previous season.[3]

This is the first season not to feature Jesse Williams since the sixth season and the first season not to feature Kelly McCreary and Scott Speedman as series regulars since the eleventh and eighteenth seasons, respectively.[4] Ellen Pompeo retains her series regular status, as well as continuing to provide voiceover for every episode and appearing in five episodes of the season.[5] On April 2, 2024, ABC renewed the series for a twenty-first season.[6]

Cast and characters

See also: List of Grey's Anatomy cast members and List of Grey's Anatomy characters

Main

Recurring

Notable guests

Episodes

See also: List of Grey's Anatomy episodes
No.
overall		No. in
season		TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air dateU.S. viewers
(millions)
4211"We've Only Just Begun"Kevin McKiddMeg MarinisMarch 14, 2024 (2024-03-14)3.62[10]
Chaos is rampant as the aftermath of the previous season's dramatic events unfolds. Nick reprimands the interns for their actions. Amidst all this, Meredith and Bailey team up to guide the interns through a life-or-death situation involving a self-driving car and a crashed ambulance, while Lucas and Simone work on a patient. Meredith is caught in the middle of hospital politics and faces backlash for her Alzheimer's theories. Catherine threatens to fire her if Meredith does not retract her claims. However, Meredith secretly instructs Amelia to continue her research, after which Nick and Meredith depart for Boston. Ultimately, Bailey takes on a new role as the chief of the Residency Program to whip the interns into shape. Additionally, Teddy's life is saved by Ndugu in the OR, and Link and Jo face guilt after Sam died last season.
4222"Keep the Family Close"Allison Liddi-BrownBriana Belser & Jess RighthandMarch 21, 2024 (2024-03-21)3.50[11]
Dr. Bailey takes control of the interns and emphasizes the importance of discipline and professionalism. This causes a conflict with Dr. Ndugu regarding surgical protocols, leading to tensions in the operating room. Meanwhile, Teddy struggles with guilt and recovery after using Yasuda to check on her patients, which raises concerns from her husband, Owen. During a family softball game, a medical crisis occurs, and Amelia identifies a spinal injury in a pregnant patient. The doctors perform a complex surgery to save both the mother and baby, and they are ultimately successful. Amelia confesses to Ndugu that she feels lonely and invites him to dinner. Simone faces difficulties with a patient's diagnosis, causing her to reflect on her choices and career priorities. Her relationship with Lucas takes a turn as they confront difficult truths, and both Simone and Lucas pull away from each other. Link and Jo reminisce about their long history, and Amelia reveals to Jo that she has figured out that the two of them are dating.
4233"Walk on the Ocean"Debbie AllenMark Driscoll & Beto SkubsMarch 28, 2024 (2024-03-28)3.26[12]
Meredith and Amelia are struggling to secure funding for their research due to their connection with the Fox Foundation. During physical therapy, Meredith discloses the funding challenge to Teddy. Teddy offers to fund their research confidentially to prevent the Fox Foundation from finding out. Personal issues between the staff spill over into the professional setting: Lucas is upset about his recent breakup; Amelia and new surgeon Dr. Monica Beltran disagree on a treatment plan; and Levi runs into his ex, Nico, who is planning to have a child with his current partner. Amelia and Monica disagree on the treatment of a patient until Amelia finds a safer approach, which earns her praise from Monica. Lucas's unprofessional behavior causes friction, leading Mika to end their friendship. Levi's encounter with Nico prompts him to apply for a pediatrics fellowship. Winston faces relationship doubts after Maggie cancels plans for him to visit Chicago multiple times, prompting him to remove his wedding band.
4244"Baby Can I Hold You"Morenike Joela EvansJase Miles-PerezApril 4, 2024 (2024-04-04)3.23[13]
Arizona Robbins returns to Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital to work with Miranda Bailey and Jo Wilson. Their focus is on a pregnant patient, Vida, whose unborn baby has a brain abnormality. The team plans a groundbreaking surgery before delivery to fix this issue. However, things get complicated when Vida hesitates, fearing for her baby's safety. Bailey is unaware of the experimental nature of the surgery and dismisses Robbins. Robbins persists after the baby's father pleads for help. Eventually, Robbins involves Vida in the decision-making process, and she consents to the surgery. Jules Millin, whose wellness influencer brother is mistaken for a doctor, tackles a medical challenge with Owen's help. Teddy Altman faces hurdles as she strives to return to surgery. She proves her skills in a rigorous evaluation under Webber and ultimately gets cleared to return to work. The interns learn valuable lessons about accountability and collaboration under Bailey's guidance and interrogation from lawyers. Bailey confronts the interns about their past mistakes to instill new rules for teamwork and accountability, stating that no intern will join a surgery until they all prove themselves collectively to her. Simone tells the lawyers that she would not have cut without Lucas there, alienating him.
4255"Never Felt So Alone"Debbie AllenTameson Duffy & Kingsley UmeApril 11, 2024 (2024-04-11)3.25[14]
At a White Coat party, a deck collapse causes injuries to several medical students. Bailey takes charge of the hospital's response while interns rush to provide assistance. Meanwhile, Simone and Blue search for a missing student, Eddie, and find him on a rooftop ledge contemplating suicide. They both manage to connect with him and convince him to step back from the edge. After that stressful patient experience, Simone invites Lucas to lay beside her in the on-call room to relieve some tension. Meredith faces a family emergency when her son, Bailey, is hospitalized in Boston without her consent. She initially coldly dismisses Nick, but later explains that she is the only one the kids have since Derek died. Nick reminds her that he is there for her and that she has a whole support system. Jo experiences a pregnancy scare with her boyfriend Link, prompting them to reflect on their future and blended family dynamics. Despite initial tension, they reaffirm their commitment to each other. Yasuda questions Helm's commitment to her as a dating partner after she blocks Yasuda from joining a surgery.
4266"The Marathon Continues"Amyn KaderaliSandra HamadaMay 2, 2024 (2024-05-02)2.92[15]
4277"She Used to Be Mine"Debbie AllenScott D. Brown & Jamie DenboMay 9, 2024 (2024-05-09)3.07[16]
4288"Blood, Sweat and Tears"Chandra WilsonMegan Chan MeineroMay 16, 2024 (2024-05-16)2.75[17]
4299"I Carry Your Heart"Kevin McKiddMichelle LirtzmanMay 23, 2024 (2024-05-23)3.02[18]
43010"Burn It Down"Debbie AllenJulie WongMay 30, 2024 (2024-05-30)3.48[20]
Meredith is hopeful that the findings from the Alzheimer research project can be leveraged to persuade Catherine into letting them continue, but Catherine issues an ultimatum instead: Meredith and Amelia will hand over all their work to Tom Koracic and cease their involvement, and Meredith, Amelia, and Teddy can keep their jobs. Despite being fired, Teddy returns to Grey Sloan to assist with the surgery of Station 19 firefighter Theo Ruiz, with Owen supporting her to defy Catherine's authority. Bailey worries about her firefighter husband Ben Warren. Jo discovers that she is pregnant, complicating her relationship with Link. Kwan is shaken by an asthma patient who has memory loss after an old car accident; he reluctantly reveals to Lucas the woman is his ex-fiancee. Richard leads Yasuda and Millin during a surgical procedure, but fails to notice an issue that results in complications that cause the patient's death, forcing him to accept it may be time for him to finally retire from surgery. In response to Catherine's ultimatum, Meredith resigns from the Fox Foundation and instead publishes the research publicly, valuing its potential to save lives over hospital politics, and departs Grey Sloan while discussing a future together with Nick. In retaliation, Catherine fires Amelia, Teddy, and Owen. Simone worries that Lucas will accept Maggie Pierce's offer for a second year residency in Chicago, and rallies the first year residents together to support Lucas as Catherine decides on whether he will be forced to repeat his intern year for his role in Sam Sutton's death. When Catherine threatens to replace them all, Bailey appears, challenging Catherine to replace her as well.
This episode continues a crossover event that begins on Station 19 season 7 episode 9 and concludes on Station 19 season 7 episode 10.[19]

Production

Development

On March 24, 2023, ABC renewed the show for a milestone twentieth season to premiere during the 2023-24 television season.[2]

On January 25, 2023, ahead of the official Season 20 renewal, Krista Vernoff announced her departure as showrunner from Grey's and its spin-off series Station 19, however, she will still be attached to the show as an executive producer and through her company Trip the Light Productions.[21] Two months later, on the day the series was renewed, Meg Marinis was announced to take the role as showrunner after Vernoff's departure. Marinis has been working on the show since the third season as a writer's production assistant, and was promoted to executive producer on the fifteenth season; she has written more than 25 episodes of the series to date.[3]

The production of the season was delayed due to the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes in the United States.[22] Due to this, the season had a short run of 10 episodes, the shortest since the first season, which ran for 9 episodes.[23]

On November 15, 2023, the first table read for the season premiere took place, as shared by actors Camilla Luddington, Midori Francis, Adelaide Kane, Anthony Hill and James Pickens, Jr. through Instagram stories.[7] Filming for the season began a couple of days later.

Casting

On May 18, 2023, hours before the premiere of the previous season finale, it was announced the return of the two remaining original castmates Chandra Wilson and James Pickens, Jr. portraying their characters Dr. Miranda Bailey and Dr. Richard Webber, respectively; as well as the return of long-time cast members Kevin McKidd, Kim Raver, Camilla Luddington and Caterina Scorsone to portray Dr. Owen Hunt, Dr. Teddy Altman, Dr. Jo Wilson and Dr. Amelia Shepherd, respectively.[5] Wilson and Pickens, Jr. had been on the series since its inception, while McKidd, Luddington, Scorsone, and Raver had been starring on the series since the fifth, tenth, eleventh and fifteenth seasons, respectively, additionally, Scorsone first portrayed her character on the Grey's spin-off series Private Practice from 2010 to 2013 and Raver was also a main cast member during Grey's' early years, from 2010 to 2012, before re-joining the cast on 2018.

This was the first season not to feature Kelly McCreary as a series regular since the eleventh season; she played Dr. Maggie Piercewho first appeared on the series at the final episodes of the tenth season and started starring mid-way through the eleventh season.[4] She however, makes an appearance during the ninth episode of the season.

Additionally, series star Ellen Pompeo, who portrays the series' protagonist, Dr. Meredith Grey, did not return as a series regular. However, she appeared in 5 of the 10 episodes of the season and will continue to narrate the episodes and serve as one of the executive producers of the show.[5][24] Pompeo retained her series regular status throughout the season.

Other cast members who reecured throughout the season include Debbie Allen, Jaicy Elliot, and Scott Speedman as Drs. Catherine Fox, Taryn Helm & Nick Marsh, respectively. Speedman joined the main cast in season 18 and remained credited as "starring" through most of season 19. However, he was demoted to recurring status.[citation needed]

On February 10, 2024, it was announced the return of Jessica Capshaw and Alex Landi to portray their characters Dr. Arizona Robbins and Dr. Nico Kim, respectively as guest stars. Capshaw starred on the show from 2009 to 2018 and was last seen on the fourteenth's season finale "All of Me", while Landi made recurring appearances on the show from 2018 to 2022.[25] The character of Arizona returned in the fourth episode of the season to premiere on April 4, 2024.[26] Natalie Morales and Freddy Miyares were cast as guest stars, Morales played pediatric surgeon Monica Beltran, while Miyares played Dorian, a patient who was involved in a serious accident.[9]

Reception

Ratings

Viewership and ratings per episode of Grey's Anatomy season 20
No. Title Air date Timeslot (ET) Rating/share
(18–49)		 Viewers
(millions)		 DVR
(18–49)		 DVR viewers
(millions)		 Total
(18–49)		 Total viewers
(millions)
1 "We've Only Just Begun" March 14, 2024 Thursday
9:00 p.m.		 0.6/6 3.62[10] 0.3 1.87 0.9 5.49[27]
2 "Keep the Family Close" March 21, 2024 0.5/5 3.50[11] 0.3 1.72 0.8 5.26[11]
3 "Walk on the Ocean" March 28, 2024 0.4/4 3.26[12] — — — —
4 "Baby Can I Hold You" April 4, 2024 0.5/5 3.23[13] — — — —
5 "Never Felt So Alone" April 11, 2024 0.5/6 3.25[14] — — — —
6 "The Marathon Continues" May 2, 2024 0.4/4 2.92[15] — — — —
7 "She Used to Be Mine" May 9, 2024 0.4/4 3.07[16] — — — —
8 "Blood, Sweat and Tears" May 16, 2024 0.4/4 2.75[17] — — — —
9 "I Carry Your Heart" May 23, 2024 0.4/4 3.02[18] — — — —
10 "Burn It Down" May 30, 2024 0.4/5 3.48[20] — — — —

References

  1. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (March 24, 2023). "'Grey's Anatomy' Renewed For Season 20 – Will Ellen Pompeo Return?". Deadline Hollywood.
  2. ^ a b Highfill, Samantha (November 16, 2023). "Grey's Anatomy season 20 gets March premiere date". Entertainment Weekly.
  3. ^ a b Otterson, Joe (March 24, 2023). "'Grey's Anatomy' Renewed for Season 20 at ABC, Meg Marinis Takes Over as Showrunner". Variety.
  4. ^ a b Andreeva, Nellie (2023-03-17). "Kelly McCreary Leaving 'Grey's Anatomy' After 9 Seasons As Maggie Pierce". Deadline. Retrieved 2023-03-17.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Andreeva, Nellie (May 19, 2023). "'Grey's Anatomy's Longtime Cast Members Set To Return For Season 20 Of ABC Medical Drama". Deadline Hollywood.
  6. ^ Otterson, Joe (2023-04-02). "'Grey's Anatomy' Renewed for Season 21 at ABC". Variety. Retrieved 2023-04-12.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h Jones, Alexis (November 16, 2023). "Grey's Anatomy Cast Heads Back to Work! Stars Return to Studio for Table Read of Season 20 Premiere". People.
  8. ^ Goldberg, Lesley (10 February 2024). "'Grey's Anatomy' Surprise: Jessica Capshaw Returning in Season 20". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 10 February 2024.
  9. ^ a b Campione, Katie (10 February 2024). "'Grey's Anatomy': Jessica Capshaw & Alex Landi Return As Guest Stars; Natalie Morales & Freddy Miyares Also Join Season 20". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 10 February 2024.
  10. ^ a b Pucci, Douglas (March 15, 2024). "Thursday Ratings: 9-1-1 Network Debut and Season Premieres of Grey's Anatomy and Station 19 Lift ABC to Key Demo Victory". Programming Insider. Retrieved March 15, 2024.
  11. ^ a b c Pucci, Douglas (March 22, 2024). "Thursday Ratings: CBS Wins March Madness First Round, 9-1-1 on ABC Grows in Total Viewers in Week Two". Programming Insider. Retrieved March 22, 2024.
  12. ^ a b Pucci, Douglas (March 29, 2024). "Thursday Ratings: CBS Dominates with NCAA March Madness, 9-1-1 Grows Yet Again in Total Viewers for ABC". Programming Insider. Retrieved March 29, 2024.
  13. ^ a b Pucci, Douglas (April 5, 2024). "Thursday Ratings: Elsbeth Return to CBS After 5-Week Absence Improves Upon its Series Premiere Performance in Total Viewers". Programming Insider. Retrieved April 5, 2024.
  14. ^ a b Pucci, Douglas (April 12, 2024). "Thursday Ratings: Elsbeth on CBS Once Again Builds Out of So Help Me Todd Lead-In Among Total Viewers". Programming Insider. Retrieved April 12, 2024.
  15. ^ a b Pucci, Douglas (May 3, 2024). "Thursday Ratings: 'Ghosts' Third Season Finale on CBS Leads Broadcast in its Slot Among Viewers, 18-49 and 25-54". Programming Insider. Retrieved May 3, 2024.
  16. ^ a b Pucci, Douglas (May 10, 2024). "Thursday Ratings: '9-1-1' on ABC Tops Penultimate 'Young Sheldon' CBS Episodes Among Adults 18-49 Within the Hour". Programming Insider. Retrieved May 10, 2024.
  17. ^ a b Pucci, Douglas (May 17, 2024). "Thursday Ratings: 'Young Sheldon' on CBS Reaches Four-Year High with Series Finale". Programming Insider. Retrieved May 17, 2024.
  18. ^ a b Pucci, Douglas (May 24, 2024). "Thursday Ratings: 'Elsbeth' Inaugural Season Finale Helps CBS to 13th Consecutive Thursday Broadcast Victory in Total Viewers". Programming Insider. Retrieved May 24, 2024.
  19. ^ Alexander, Bryan (May 30, 2024). "'Station 19' series finale recap: Watch Vic Hughes' firehouse farewell with 'real tears'". USA Today. Retrieved June 1, 2024.
  20. ^ a b Pucci, Douglas (June 3, 2024). "Thursday Ratings: 'Station 19' Series Finale on ABC Hits Season-High in Total Viewers". Programming Insider. Retrieved June 3, 2024.
  21. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (25 January 2023). "Krista Vernoff Departing As 'Grey's Anatomy & 'Station 19' Showrunner". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
  22. ^ Warner, Sam (23 August 2023). "Grey's Anatomy season 20 delayed indefinitely". Digital Spy. Retrieved 12 September 2023.
  23. ^ Goldberg, Lesley (February 10, 2024). "Grey's Anatomy: Ellen Pompeo Will Be in At Least Four Episodes of Season 20 (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter.
  24. ^ Al-Ghamdi, Abdulla (11 February 2024). "Ellen Pompeo's Grey's Anatomy Season 20 Episode Count Revealed". Screen Rant. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
  25. ^ Campione, Katie (10 February 2024). "'Grey's Anatomy': Jessica Capshaw & Alex Landi Return As Guest Stars; Natalie Morales & Freddy Miyares Also Join Season 20". Screen Rant. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
  26. ^ Wenger, Stephanie. "Jessica Capshaw Is Officially Back at Grey's Anatomy — See Her First Set Pic and Find Out Her Return Date". People Magazine. Retrieved 14 February 2024.
  27. ^ Lewis, Errol (March 26, 2024). "Live+7 Primetime Broadcast Ratings for Thursday, March 14, 2024". Soap Opera Network. Retrieved March 27, 2024.