Will ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ End With Season 18? Ellen Pompeo’s Comments Suggest It Could

Meredith Jacobs December 21, 2021, 11:30 am

Ellen Pompeo as Meredith in Grey's Anatomy — ABC/Raymond Liu

When a show hits double digits — and especially starts nearing the 20th season — inevitably talk starts turning to when it will end. Such has been the case with Grey’s Anatomy for a few years now, though it has been said the plan is to continue the show as long as Ellen Pompeo, who plays Dr. Meredith Grey, is part of it.

But do the star’s recent comments suggest that we could be nearing or even in the final season? “I’ve been trying to focus on convincing everybody that it should end,” Pompeo said to Insider. “I feel like I’m the super naive one who keeps saying, ‘But what’s the story going to be, what story are we going to tell?’ And everyone’s like, ‘Who cares, Ellen? It makes a gazillion dollars.'”

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When the ABC medical drama was renewed for its 18th season, that happened after Pompeo signed on for another year. So will she sign on for a 19th season — for example, Camilla Luddington, Kim Raver, and Kevin McKidd have contracts through then — and therefore the show will keep going? That has yet to be seen, and it’s likely too early to know; the renewal for the 2021-2022 season came in May.

Even if Grey’s ends soon — it’s close to the series finale than premiere, we at least know that — it is already the longest-running primetime medical drama, passing ER to claim that title on February 28, 2019, and chances are that record won’t be broken for quite a while. And it does remain a hit for ABC, with its firefighter spinoff, Station 19, joining it on Thursday nights. In fact, when both return in February from their winter hiatuses, they’ll be once again teaming up for a crossover, one that will see the firefighters trying to save one of the doctor’s lives.

Grey’s Anatomy, Returns, Thursday, February 24, 9/8c, ABC