Grey's Anatomy Season 16 Cut Short Due to Coronavirus

Grey's Anatomy fans are getting a shortened season of the hospital drama amidst the coronavirus pandemic that shut down production on the ABC series in mid-March. TV Guide has learned that Episode 21, "Put on a Happy Face," which airs Thursday, April 9, will be the last for Season 16 of Grey's, as it was the last episode that was completely filmed before the production hiatus.

The shutdown will not affect the runs of Grey's Anatomy spin-off Station 19 or the final episodes of How to Get Away with Murder, as both shows finished production before the safer at home mandates in Los Angeles were put in place.

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The silver lining for fans is that Grey's Anatomy has been renewed for the 2020-21 TV season, so there will be resolution for the lingering storylines eventually. It just remains to be seen when that resolution will come. Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said on Wednesday, March 25 that the city, which is where Grey's films, will be under "Safer at Home" orders until at least May. That could extend if the spread of the coronavirus has not stopped enough for production crews to safely return to work.

Grey's is by far not the only show affected by the pandemic. The Walking Dead was forced to postpone the Season 10 finale to later in the year, while New Amsterdam, The Resident, and FBI also had to serve abbreviated seasons to fans.

Grey's Anatomy airs Thursdays at 9/8c on ABC.