ABC has announced the new fall premiere dates for three of its popular dramas. Along with the long-running medical dramaGrey’s Anatomy, the flagship9-1-1and its latest spinoff,9-1-1: Nashville,have moved ahead on the fall schedule. The three ABC dramashave been bumped up by about a week, which is earlier than initially scheduled.
According to the press release from the network, the new season premieres have marked their new spots on the calendar and will now take place onThursday, October 9. At first, the three shows were scheduled to premiere onThursday, October 16. The ABC sitcoms,Shifting GearsandAbbott Elementary, have been unaffected by the changes and will hold onto their premieres at the beginning of October.
The principal series,9-1-1, returns for its ninth season and will kick off Thursday nights at 8pm, followed by its newest iteration,9-1-1: Nashville, at 9pm.Grey’s Anatomyreturns for Season 22 and closes out the night at 10pm.9-1-1: Nashvillewill have 10 episodes for its debut season, while the others are expected to air 18 episodes.
9-1-1 Continues To Be ABC’s Powerhouse
Custom image by Milica Djordjevic
In October,9-1-1will be heading into its third season on ABC and its ninth season overall. The series previously aired on Fox for about six seasons before jumping networks, but since then, ABC has proven its decision to pick up Fox’s castoff a smart one, as it’s been a juggernaut for the network and the move up shows just how much confidence it has in the show.
Meanwhile, the move also shows how much faith ABC is putting into the new Nashville-based9-1-1spinoff. Led by veterans like Chris O’Donnell, LeAnn Rimes, Jessica Capshaw, and Kimberly Williams-Paisley,9-1-1: Nashvilleis expected to focus as much on the music scene as the first responders, making it an exciting standout in the9-1-1franchise.
Grey’s Anatomycontinues to hold onto its viewership, despite losing Ellen Pompeo (Good American Family) as a series regular. In a guest star capacity,Pompeo reprised her role as Meredith Greyfor seven episodes in season 21. She is expected to appear in the same number of installments in the new season.
Our Take On ABC’s New Fall Lineup Schedule
With its new fall lineup, ABC hopes that its three-hour block of must-see TV will keep audiences glued to its channel during primetime hours on Tuesdays. WhileGrey’s Anatomyseems to be the odd show out of the Tuesday night lineup, the focus on the medical drama and first responder drama genres will be a thematic throughline of the night for the upcoming season.
The network also clearly hopes the popularity ofGrey’s Anatomyand9-1-1will boost viewership for the new Chris O’Donnell-led9-1-1:Nashvilleas it retains fans of the other two established shows. The last time O’Donnell was on TV and spearheaded a franchise, his military procedural,NCIS: Los Angeles,lasted 14 seasons.
9-1-1
Cast
9-1-1 is a television series that explores the intense experiences of police officers, paramedics, and firefighters. Premiered in 2018, it follows these emergency responders as they navigate high-pressure situations and attempt to balance their demanding work with personal challenges in their own lives.
9-1-1: Nashville
9-1-1: Nashville follows the lives of first responders in Nashville, Tennessee. The series explores the challenges faced by police officers, firefighters, and paramedics as they navigate the complexities of their personal and professional lives while serving their community in times of crisis.
Grey’s Anatomy
Grey’s Anatomy is a medical drama series revolving around surgical interns, residents, and attendings at the fictional Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital. The show features the professional and personal lives of these medical professionals, led initially by Dr. Meredith Grey, played by Ellen Pompeo. Created by Shonda Rhimes, the series highlights the complexities of medical cases while delving into the interpersonal relationships among the hospital staff.
