Grey’s Anatomy season 22 might have only just returned to ABC’s lineup, but the long-running medical drama is heading into yet another break. And this one is going to be another long one.
ABC has confirmed Grey’s Anatomy is heading into reruns for the next several weeks. That’s right, there will be no new episodes of Grey’s Anatomy coming our way for the next several weeks, with the next new episode of season 22 not slated to air until Thursday, February 26.
So what gives? Well, ABC might be the broadcast home to the Winter Olympics, but the network apparently does not want to compete with NBC’s 2026 Olympics coverage in primetime. Rather than airing new episodes of its original series, ABC is putting its hit series into reruns for the majority of February.
It’s an unfortunate decision for fans of hits like Grey’s Anatomy, but it’s sadly far from surprising. For some reason, networks hate the idea of airing new episodes of their biggest shows opposite the Olympics. Every four years when the Winter Olympics roll around, we see ABC, CBS, and Fox put their shows on breaks to avoid airing new episodes opposite NBC’s primetime coverage of the Olympic Games.
While it’s understandable that the other networks don’t want to put their shows against NBC’s Olympics coverage, it’s a strategy that doesn’t fully make sense these days. Yeah, it’s fun to watch the Olympics, but not everyone wants to settle in and end their day watching three hours of Olympics coverage.
Instead of giving viewers alternative options in the form of new episodes of their favorite shows, ABC, CBS, and Fox simply bring fans encore episodes instead. This is great, but I’d much rather enjoy a new episode than a rerun. Sadly, there won’t be new episodes to enjoy of Grey’s Anatomy or our other favorite primetime series in the weeks ahead.
The good news is that when Grey’s Anatomy does return at the end of February, there should be fewer breaks ahead in the season. Yes, we’ll likely have a few reruns in the mix should ABC look to keep the season going through May. However, we shouldn’t be looking at any more large breaks that will keep the show off air for multiple weeks.
Until new episodes resume at the end of February, fans can always revisit past seasons or even re-watch the current season. Disney+ is home to every past season of the show and all episodes of the current season, while Netflix fans can enjoy every epsode up through season 21.