Grey Sloan Memorial is closing its doors ahead of schedule. The Season 16 finale of Grey’s Anatomy will now air on Thursday, April 9 (ABC, 9/8c), TVLine has learned.
The major scheduling change comes as a result of ABC deciding not to resume production on Season 16, which shut down earlier this month in response to the coronavirus crisis. Twenty-one of 25 episodes were completed when production was halted; the status of the remaining four Season 16 episodes is TBD.
That means Grey’s only has two new episodes left to air this season: April 2’s “Sing It Again,” in which Owen and Link treat an older woman who wakes up from surgery and can’t stop singing, and April 9’s “Put on a Happy Face,” which will now serve as the season ender.
Here’s what fans can expect from the new finale, according to ABC’s official synopsis: “Link tries to convince Amelia to take it easy during the final stage of her pregnancy; Hayes asks Meredith a surprising question; Owen makes a shocking discovery.”
“Out of an abundance of caution, production is postponed on Grey’s Anatomy effective immediately,” showrunner/EP Krista Vernoff, director/EP Debbie Allen and line producer James Williams said in a letter to the ABC drama’s cast and crew on March 12. “We are going home now for at least two weeks and waiting to see how the coronavirus situation evolves. This decision was made to ensure the health and safety of the whole cast and crew and the safety of our loved ones outside of work, and it was made in accordance with Mayor Garcetti’s suggestion that we not gather in groups of more than 50.
“Stay safe, stay healthy, stay hydrated, stay home as much as possible, and wash your hands frequently,” the trio added. “Please take care of yourselves and each other. As updates come in, we will keep you informed. Thank you for all that you do!”
