Grey’s Anatomy Season 21’s Timeslot Change May Hint At Its Nearing End

Grey’s Anatomy losing its historical ABC timeslot hints that the medical drama might be getting closer to its end. Grey’s Anatomy has already gone through major changes, including Ellen Pompeo stepping back as series regular in season 19, effectively reducing the appearances of the show’s titular character, Meredith Grey. However, Grey’s Anatomy season 21’s changes don’t stop there, with the medical drama losing Jake Borelli’s Levi Schmitt and Midori Francis’ Mika Yasuda. Due to network-wide budget cuts, other stars might also see the number of their appearances reduced, pointing to Grey’s Anatomy season 21 looking very different from previous seasons.

Grey’s Anatomy season 20’s mass firings guarantee that whatever welcomes back viewers in season 21 will present a transformed Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital, which could fare well for Grey’s Anatomy’s future but also be a big gamble. With Grey’s Anatomy season 21 also having a shorter run compared to seasons 18 and 19 (but longer than season 20’s, given the impact of 2023’s double strikes) its timeslot move from 9 pm to 10 pm could be a key clue of Grey’s Anatomy’s nearing end. Indeed, it might prove ABC’s preparation for that eventuality through its choice to showcase potential substitutes.

Dr. Odyssey Taking Over Grey's Anatomy's Prime Timeslot Hints At Ellen Pompeo Show's Nearing End

Grey’s Anatomy Losing Its Timeslot Hints At ABC Focusing On Other TV Shows

Mika Yasuda and Jules Millin look upset while mourning a patient in the Grey's Anatomy season 20 finale

Levi Schmitt (Jake Borelli) embarrasses himself in front of Monica Beltran (Natalie Morales) in the Grey's Anatomy season 20 finale

Richard Webber (James Pickens Jr) makes a mistake during surgery while teaching Jules Mullin (Adelaide Kane) and Mika Yasuda (Midori Frances) in the Grey's Anatomy season 20 finale

Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo) stands in the OR gallery looking thoughtful in the Grey's Anatomy season 20 finale

Amelia Shepherd (Caterina Scorsone) looks shocked while speaking with Catherine and Meredith in the Grey's Anatomy season 20 finale

Mika Yasuda and Jules Millin look upset while mourning a patient in the Grey's Anatomy season 20 finale

Levi Schmitt (Jake Borelli) embarrasses himself in front of Monica Beltran (Natalie Morales) in the Grey's Anatomy season 20 finale

Richard Webber (James Pickens Jr) makes a mistake during surgery while teaching Jules Mullin (Adelaide Kane) and Mika Yasuda (Midori Frances) in the Grey's Anatomy season 20 finale

Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo) stands in the OR gallery looking thoughtful in the Grey's Anatomy season 20 finale

Amelia Shepherd (Caterina Scorsone) looks shocked while speaking with Catherine and Meredith in the Grey's Anatomy season 20 finale

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Mika Yasuda and Jules Millin look upset while mourning a patient in the Grey's Anatomy season 20 finale

Levi Schmitt (Jake Borelli) embarrasses himself in front of Monica Beltran (Natalie Morales) in the Grey's Anatomy season 20 finale

Richard Webber (James Pickens Jr) makes a mistake during surgery while teaching Jules Mullin (Adelaide Kane) and Mika Yasuda (Midori Frances) in the Grey's Anatomy season 20 finale

Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo) stands in the OR gallery looking thoughtful in the Grey's Anatomy season 20 finale

Amelia Shepherd (Caterina Scorsone) looks shocked while speaking with Catherine and Meredith in the Grey's Anatomy season 20 finale

Mika Yasuda and Jules Millin look upset while mourning a patient in the Grey's Anatomy season 20 finale

Levi Schmitt (Jake Borelli) embarrasses himself in front of Monica Beltran (Natalie Morales) in the Grey's Anatomy season 20 finale

Richard Webber (James Pickens Jr) makes a mistake during surgery while teaching Jules Mullin (Adelaide Kane) and Mika Yasuda (Midori Frances) in the Grey's Anatomy season 20 finale

Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo) stands in the OR gallery looking thoughtful in the Grey's Anatomy season 20 finale

Amelia Shepherd (Caterina Scorsone) looks shocked while speaking with Catherine and Meredith in the Grey's Anatomy season 20 finale

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Mika Yasuda and Jules Millin look upset while mourning a patient in the Grey's Anatomy season 20 finale

Levi Schmitt (Jake Borelli) embarrasses himself in front of Monica Beltran (Natalie Morales) in the Grey's Anatomy season 20 finale

Richard Webber (James Pickens Jr) makes a mistake during surgery while teaching Jules Mullin (Adelaide Kane) and Mika Yasuda (Midori Frances) in the Grey's Anatomy season 20 finale

Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo) stands in the OR gallery looking thoughtful in the Grey's Anatomy season 20 finale

Amelia Shepherd (Caterina Scorsone) looks shocked while speaking with Catherine and Meredith in the Grey's Anatomy season 20 finale

Mika Yasuda and Jules Millin look upset while mourning a patient in the Grey's Anatomy season 20 finale

Levi Schmitt (Jake Borelli) embarrasses himself in front of Monica Beltran (Natalie Morales) in the Grey's Anatomy season 20 finale

Richard Webber (James Pickens Jr) makes a mistake during surgery while teaching Jules Mullin (Adelaide Kane) and Mika Yasuda (Midori Frances) in the Grey's Anatomy season 20 finale

Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo) stands in the OR gallery looking thoughtful in the Grey's Anatomy season 20 finale

Amelia Shepherd (Caterina Scorsone) looks shocked while speaking with Catherine and Meredith in the Grey's Anatomy season 20 finale

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While Grey’s Anatomy didn’t always occupy Thursday’s 9 pm timeslot on ABC, starting out on Sundays after Desperate Housewives for seasons 1 and 2, it did from season 3 onward, keeping the coveted timeslot for 17 more seasons. The reasons Disney TV Group President Craig Erwich offered for Grey’s Anatomy season 21 losing the timeslot sound reasonable, especially considering how the medical drama’s loyal fanbase will likely turn in every Thursday despite the change. However, it cannot be denied that the move strongly hints at ABC moving the focus away from Grey’s Anatomy to other dramas, including newcomer Doctor Odyssey.

Ryan Murphy’s brand-new medical drama Doctor Odyssey could have taken over 9-1-1’s 8 pm timeslot instead of Grey’s Anatomy’s. Nonetheless, ABC chose instead to give the latest timeslot to its longest-running scripted TV show, essentially favoring the more popular 9-1-1 and the new Doctor Odyssey, while giving Grey’s Anatomy the timeslot Station 19 had in its final season. This would still keep ABC’s focus on first-responder dramas on Thursdays, but it could also make Doctor Odyssey the shoo-in medical drama to take Grey’s Anatomy’s place whenever it ends, especially if its first season was to be successful.

Why Dr. Odyssey Is The Perfect Replacement For Grey's Anatomy

Doctor Odyssey’s Themes Easily Mirror Grey’s Anatomy’s

Joshua Jackson is a cruise doctor smiling in Doctor Odyssey

Doctor Odyssey poster with a cruise ship sailing on clear waters

Ellen Pompeo as Meredith Grey in Grey's Anatomy season 20

Ellen Pompeo as Meredith Grey next to Debbie Allen as Catherine Fox in Grey's Anatomy season 20

Chandra Wilson as Miranda Bailey, Ellen Pompeo as Meredith Grey and James Pickens Jr. as Richard Webber in Grey's Anatomy season 20 episode 10-1

Joshua Jackson is a cruise doctor smiling in Doctor Odyssey

Doctor Odyssey poster with a cruise ship sailing on clear waters

Ellen Pompeo as Meredith Grey in Grey's Anatomy season 20

Ellen Pompeo as Meredith Grey next to Debbie Allen as Catherine Fox in Grey's Anatomy season 20

Chandra Wilson as Miranda Bailey, Ellen Pompeo as Meredith Grey and James Pickens Jr. as Richard Webber in Grey's Anatomy season 20 episode 10-1

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Joshua Jackson is a cruise doctor smiling in Doctor Odyssey

Doctor Odyssey poster with a cruise ship sailing on clear waters

Ellen Pompeo as Meredith Grey in Grey's Anatomy season 20

Ellen Pompeo as Meredith Grey next to Debbie Allen as Catherine Fox in Grey's Anatomy season 20

Chandra Wilson as Miranda Bailey, Ellen Pompeo as Meredith Grey and James Pickens Jr. as Richard Webber in Grey's Anatomy season 20 episode 10-1

Joshua Jackson is a cruise doctor smiling in Doctor Odyssey

Doctor Odyssey poster with a cruise ship sailing on clear waters

Ellen Pompeo as Meredith Grey in Grey's Anatomy season 20

Ellen Pompeo as Meredith Grey next to Debbie Allen as Catherine Fox in Grey's Anatomy season 20

Chandra Wilson as Miranda Bailey, Ellen Pompeo as Meredith Grey and James Pickens Jr. as Richard Webber in Grey's Anatomy season 20 episode 10-1

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Joshua Jackson is a cruise doctor smiling in Doctor Odyssey

Doctor Odyssey poster with a cruise ship sailing on clear waters

Ellen Pompeo as Meredith Grey in Grey's Anatomy season 20

Custom Image by Debanjana Chowdhury.

Ellen Pompeo as Meredith Grey next to Debbie Allen as Catherine Fox in Grey's Anatomy season 20

Custom image by Nick Bythrow

Chandra Wilson as Miranda Bailey, Ellen Pompeo as Meredith Grey and James Pickens Jr. as Richard Webber in Grey's Anatomy season 20 episode 10-1

Custom Image by Antonella Gugliersi.

Joshua Jackson is a cruise doctor smiling in Doctor Odyssey

Doctor Odyssey poster with a cruise ship sailing on clear waters

Ellen Pompeo as Meredith Grey in Grey's Anatomy season 20

Ellen Pompeo as Meredith Grey next to Debbie Allen as Catherine Fox in Grey's Anatomy season 20

Chandra Wilson as Miranda Bailey, Ellen Pompeo as Meredith Grey and James Pickens Jr. as Richard Webber in Grey's Anatomy season 20 episode 10-1

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While starting with a more established cast, Doctor Odyssey could be the perfect replacement for Grey’s Anatomy. The high-stakes setting of luxury cruises making the healthcare professionals onboard have to rely only on a small team recalls Grey’s Anatomy’s risky cases and impossible scenarios. This could make Grey’s Anatomy’s fans very interested in Doctor Odyssey, as the new TV show could differ greatly given the unlikely setting, but also mirror Grey’s Anatomy’s key characteristics of ticking-time medical cases and workplace romances.

ABC’s behind-the-scenes look at Doctor Odyssey already hints at a romantic connection between Joshua Jackson’s Max Bankman and Phillipa Soo’s Avery Morgan, along with potential tensions with Don Johnson’s Captain Robert Massey and Sean Teale’s Tristan Silva. Such interactions can easily make Doctor Odyssey enticing to Grey’s Anatomy's fans, even more so if it were to become more of an ensemble show with time, potentially establishing it as a worthy replacement for whenever the time for Grey’s Anatomy’s end inevitably comes.

Grey’s Anatomy returns to ABC on Thursday, September 26 at 10 pm.

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