Grey’s Anatomy Season 22 Release Schedule: When Do New Episodes Come Out?

Grey’s Anatomy left a lot up in the air during its season 21 finale.

The hit ABC medical drama will return to the small screen on Oct. 9 for its 22nd season, which promises to be as dramatic as ever. The trailer for the first episode teases possible fatalities following a catastrophic explosion at Grey Sloan Memorial. In addition to the potential loss of beloved characters, season 22 will also include the series’ 450th episode.

Showrunner Meg Marinis told Shondaland that they hope to include Ellen Pompeo — who scaled back her iconic role as Dr. Meredith Grey starting in season 19 — at the beginning of the season and in that major milestone.

“Typically when we look at these milestone episodes, we think of how to celebrate and honor the legacy of the show,” she told the outlet. “The 350th was the trial for Meredith’s license. And so, that was kind of like a love letter to Meredith Grey. And in the 400th episode, she became chief of the hospital.”

Marinis added, “So, there’ll be some kind of big moment that will really honor the legacy and be nostalgic.”

So when will new episodes of Grey’s Anatomy come out? Here’s everything to know about the season 22 release schedule and where to watch the hit medical drama.

When does Grey’s Anatomy season 22 premiere? 

The 22nd season of Grey’s Anatomy will premiere on ABC on Oct. 9 and be available to stream on Hulu the following day. Episode 1 will cover the aftermath of the OR explosion, and Marinis teased in her interview with Shondaland that it’s not clear if everyone survived.

“We have to make sure that our people are okay, and if they’re injured, we have to take care of those people first,” the showrunner told the outlet. “But also, what does it mean to be a hospital with a destroyed floor? That’s going to affect how we treat patients, and being the trauma center that Grey Sloan is, are they going to be able to continue to function with this extensive damage?”

She added, “The only two people who weren’t in the hospital were Ben (Jason George) and Meredith. So, hold on to your hat.”

While the fate of most of the cast is uncertain, the season 22 trailer confirmed that Amelia Shepherd (Caterina Scorsone), Teddy Altman (Kim Raver), and Jo Wilson (Camilla Luddington) are alive and (more or less) well.

How many episodes are in season 22 of Grey’s Anatomy? 

Like the previous season, the 22nd season of Grey’s Anatomy will consist of 18 episodes. Pompeo confirmed to Variety in April 2025 that she will return for seven of those episodes and continue doing voiceovers for the upcoming season.

Episode 2 of season 22 will mark the series’ 450th episode — a milestone Alexis Floyd, who has played Dr. Simone Griffith since season 19, called “unbelievable.”

“What a privilege to be a part of again, like, a community that’s been kind of like fostering this feeling of family for going on…a second decade,” the actress told ABC7NY in July 2025, noting that she’s most proud of the show’s diversity.

“I’m just a new and very small player in, like, a huge ensemble of people who have made that possible,” Floyd said. “But that’s what feels like the gift to me is getting to come to work every day and pay homage to people who pour their lives into the betterment of other lives. I think there’s nothing really more important than that.”

What is Grey’s Anatomy’s episode release schedule?

The first episode of Grey’s Anatomy season 22 premieres on Oct. 9. The network will drop new episodes every Thursday, with a potential mid-season break for the holidays.

Last season, the medical drama took an extended hiatus following its fall finale in November 2024 and didn’t return until March 2025.

The release schedule for the first six episodes has been confirmed:

• Oct. 9: “Only the Strong Survive”
• Oct. 16: “We Built This City”
• Oct. 23: Episode 3
• Oct. 30: Episode 4
• Nov. 6: Episode 5
• Nov. 13: Episode 6

What time do new episodes of Grey’s Anatomy season 22 come out?

The first episode of Grey’s Anatomy‘s 22nd season will air at 10 p.m. ET on ABC and will be released on Hulu the following day.

New episodes will likely follow that same schedule until the finale.

Where can I watch Grey’s Anatomy?

All 21 seasons of Grey’s Anatomy are available to stream on Hulu and Netflix.