#Grey’s Anatomy Star Reveals Season 18 Renewal Came Down to the Wire

Grey’s Anatomy’s future is no longer uncertain.

After months of speculation that the veteran ABC show was ending, it landed an official pickup for Season 18 last month.

Kelly McCreary, who plays Maggie Pierce, is now shedding light on what it was like to work on the show when the future was not so certain.

“I mean, we didn’t know. Nobody knew what would happen,” the actress explained of the situation to Entertainment Tonight. 

“And there was just like, speaking of wild speculation, we were all wondering, ‘Does it mean something that all of these characters from the past are coming back?’”

“You know, what do they have planned for closing out this show, which has such a long and storied legacy. On the one hand, it seems like a really great way to close it out.”

Indeed, Grey’s Anatomy Season 17 brought back many beloved stars, including Patrick Dempsey, T.R. Knight, and Chyler Leigh, further fueling the speculation.

“There is still a lot of story to tell and wrap up and finish. I was just excited that we’ll have a chance to do that, or even to continue the story even further or spin-off some stories,” McCreary added. 

“It’s nice to know that, like, we didn’t, it didn’t, come to an abrupt end. It would have felt very abrupt to me, to be honest. I’m glad we can sort of tease things out a little longer.”

The series has been the crown jewel of ABC’s schedule for almost two decades, so there would have been many irate fans had a deal not been reached to keep the show around.

Uncertainty about the future of such a long-running show is nothing new, but there were several hurdles for the show.

One of which was contract negotiations. Any aging show encounters contract negotiations, but thankfully, the cast is all locked in for the next season.

While a third spinoff has not been officially ordered, there are rumblings that the next iteration of the iconic franchise could be coming soon.

The series was filled with darkness throughout Grey’s Anatomy Season 17, with the Grey Sloan doctors fighting on the frontline against COVID-19.

It’s unclear whether Grey’s Anatomy Season 18 will pivot to a post-COVID world.

What are your thoughts on the way the renewal came out? Do you think the recent finale would have served as a satisfying series-ender?

Hit the comments.

Remember, you can watch Grey’s Anatomy online right here via TV Fanatic.

Paul Dailly is the Associate Editor for TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter.