‘Grey’s Anatomy’: How Many Episodes Will Ellen Pompeo Appear in Next Season?

Meredith Jacobs July 9, 2024, 2:14 pm

Ellen Pompeo in the 'Grey's Anatomy' Season 20 finale — Disney / Anne Marie Fox

It sounds like fans should expect to see more of Meredith Grey in Grey’s Anatomy Season 21.

Ellen Pompeo will appear in at least seven episodes, according to Deadline. The outlet also reports that she could appear in up to 14 episodes—and that’s near the number of other series regulars, given the budget cuts for Season 21. (Cast members won’t be appearing in every episode.) The season is expected to be 18 episodes in total.

It was in Season 19 that Pompeo began appearing in fewer episodes, which continued the following year. She has, however, continued to narrate the series and is still an executive producer on the show. As Pompeo’s presence has been reduced on Grey’s, she has worked on other shows, including Natalia, a new Hulu limited series inspired by the true story of Natalia Grace and the Midwestern couple who adopted her believing she was a little girl with dwarfism. They gradually started to believe she may not be who she said she was. Production on that is finishing up while filming for Grey’s Season 21 has yet to begin.

And considering where the finale left Meredith, there is plenty to explore with her. Meredith was faced with a decision regarding her Alzheimer’s research, from Catherine (Debbie Allen): hand it over to the Fox Foundation, or Teddy (Kim Raver) remains fired—and Meredith and Amelia’s (Caterina Scorsone) careers were on the line as well. Meredith resigned and published her work, leaving her future up in the air. But her personal life was in a much better place: She and Nick (Scott Speedman) got past a rough spot, and she revealed her plans to move in with him in Boston.