If you’ve been staring at your TV on Thursday nights wondering why Grey Sloan Memorial is still dark, you’re definitely not alone. The winter hiatus is basically a tradition at this point, but that doesn't make the wait for Meredith and the gang any less painful. Honestly, the cliffhangers they left us with in late 2025 were some of the most stressful in years.
Good news: the wait is officially over.
Grey's Anatomy came back on Thursday, January 8, 2026, at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT on ABC.
If you missed the live broadcast, don’t panic. You can find the midseason premiere, titled "Skyfall," streaming on Hulu right now. It’s an intense hour that deals with the immediate aftermath of Jo Wilson's emergency C-section, and yeah, it’s a total tear-jerker.
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The 2026 Schedule: When to Set Your DVR
ABC is notorious for shifting things around, but for the start of 2026, they’re sticking to a pretty consistent Thursday night block. The show is currently leading the 10 p.m. slot, following 9-1-1 and its new spinoff 9-1-1: Nashville.
Here is how the next few weeks look:
- January 15, 2026: Episode 8, "Heavy on Me"
- January 22, 2026: Episode 9, "Fortunate Son"
- January 29, 2026: Episode 10, "Strip That Down"
That last one on January 29 is the big one everyone is talking about because Kate Walsh is returning as Addison Montgomery. It seems like she’s showing up to help Richard with some staff decisions, or maybe just to remind everyone why she’s the best neonatal surgeon in the building.
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Why the Schedule Feels Different This Year
Season 22 is only 18 episodes long. That’s why the breaks feel a bit weird. Showrunner Meg Marinis has been vocal about keeping the pace high, and with fewer episodes to play with, they can’t afford much filler.
We saw a massive explosion at the end of the previous season that literally tore the hospital apart. While most of the "will they live" questions were answered in the fall, the 2026 episodes are more about the "rebuilding" phase—both the physical hospital and the relationships.
What most people get wrong about Ellen Pompeo's return
There was a rumor flying around TikTok that Meredith Grey was gone for good. Incorrect.
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Ellen Pompeo is actually appearing in more episodes this season than she did in the previous two. While she isn't in every single scene, her Alzheimer's research storyline is basically the backbone of the current arc. You’ll see her frequently as she navigates the fallout with Catherine Fox.
New Faces at Grey Sloan
Keep an eye out for Jamie-Lynn Sigler. She joined the cast as Dr. Laura Kaplan, a urologist. Her character is reportedly going to be a major part of Richard Webber's storyline as he continues to doubt his own surgical future.
Also, Trevor Jackson (who you might know from Grown-ish) has been promoted to a series regular. His character, Dr. Wes Bryant, is shaking up the intern dynamic in a way that feels very "old school Grey's."
How to watch if you don't have cable
- Hulu: Episodes drop at 3:00 a.m. ET the morning after they air on ABC.
- YouTube TV / FuboTV: These carry ABC live in most markets.
- Disney+: Depending on your bundle, you might see the episodes integrated there as well.
Actionable Steps for Fans
If you're trying to stay ahead of the spoilers, the best thing to do is set up a Google Alert for "Grey's Anatomy Season 22 schedule." Since there are only 11 episodes left in the season as of January, every Thursday is going to be pivotal.
- Catch up on "Skyfall" immediately if you haven't seen it, as the January 15 episode "Heavy on Me" picks up literally seconds later.
- Clear your calendar for January 29 for the Addison Montgomery return; these "legacy" episodes usually feature major plot twists that affect the rest of the season.
- Check your local listings if you are on the West Coast, as sports preemptions have been known to bump the 10 p.m. slot to later in the night.
The drama isn't slowing down, and with rumors that Season 22 might be the beginning of the end for the series, you won't want to miss a single shift.