'Grey's Anatomy' Return Delayed — Here Is the Reason & Date for Future Episodes

The return of season 17 of “Grey’s Anatomy” has been delayed months-long winter hiatus since the last episode aired. A new date has, however, been announced for its release.

Amid an almost 3-month wait, fans of “Grey’s Anatomy” would have to hold on a little bit longer to know the fate of the beloved Meredith Grey. A recent press release by ABC revealed that new episodes of its 17th season would be delayed.

Season 17, which was initially set to make a comeback on March 4, has been postponed by a week and would resume on March 11 at 8 p.m. ET/PT. The same fate follows its spin-off, “Station 19.”

The firefighter series will continue airing episodes of season 4 on the same day. The family drama series, “A Million Little Things,” is set to return on that day with new episodes. However, starting from April 7, it will begin airing on Wednesdays.

The detailed press release, which also announced spring premiere dates for other ABC series, didn’t give an exact reason for the delay. Fans may recall that after waiting for about six months, season 17 of “Grey’s Anatomy” premiered on November 12.

However, after airing six episodes, the medical series went on months-long winter hiatus, with episode six leaving viewers with a cliffhanger ending that saw Meredith Grey’s life hang in the balance.

Co-producers Andy Rease and Meg Marinis explained their decision to show Grey battling COVID-19.

According to reports, the show is no stranger to taking mid-season breaks. Given that season 17 is only airing 16 episodes — the shortest ever — it came as no surprise that the hiatus came during the holidays.

The fall finale saw Grey’s health take a turn for the worse following her battle with COVID-19. Although her health seemed to be getting better, fans were shocked when episode six showed Grey (Ellen Pompeo) put on a ventilator.

It happened that she had been falling in and out of consciousness, fighting the virus. However, after seeing a COVID patient coding across the hallway, Grey returned to her usual self to revive the patient.

Unfortunately, the successful attempt was only a result of a COVID high as she slumped shortly afterward. Her medical proxy Richard Webber (James Pickesn Jr.), had to place her on a ventilator against her wish.

During an interview, co-producers Andy Rease and Meg Marinis explained their decision to show Grey battling COVID-19, saying it helps people relate to the woes the frontline workers face with the virus.

As for Grey’s fate and if she will survive, Rease and Marinis revealed that her mortality is unpredictable, just like in the actual cases seen with COVID-19 patients. Their hope, however, is to be realistic with the conditions of the virus.