The Grey's Anatomy Season 18 Premiere Promo Promises A Shocking Return

After much speculation over whether Grey’s Anatomy Season 17 would be the series’ last, ABC revealed the show is coming back for at least one more round. The network’s hints about Season 18 so far hint it will be a nostalgic return-fest, just like Season 17, with promises of Meredith’s mom and Dr. Addison Montgomery coming back. Even better, the Grey’s Anatomy Season 18 premiere promo makes it clear the cameos will begin immediately.

Grey’s Anatomy is not the only series that will return on the final Thursday of September. The last few years have seen Station 19, the Grey’s Anatomy firefighting spinoff, arrive the week before its parent show, giving Grey’s the room to do a two-hour debut. But since the two shows swapped time slots, with Station 19 now debuting at 8 p.m. ET and Grey’s at 9 p.m., the two have debuted together, forming an extra-long joint premiere event.

That will continue this season, with ABC promising a significant crossover event to kick off both shows’ new seasons. The Station 19 premiere will see the firefighting team struggle to get a patient to Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital in the first hour. But who that patient is might be the real drama, as the new Grey’s clip hints.

Check out the promo for both series’ returns:

This teaser answers one of the series’ big questions, which is about the promised return of Ellis Grey, Meredith’s mom. Actor Kate Burton has been confirmed to return in the role this season after she was conspicuously absent from Meredith’s memories in Season 17. Fans have wondered whether her return will be in flashbacks or memories, but the teaser suggests the answer is neither. Instead, it seems Meredith will find herself talking to her mother’s spirit in her head as she struggles with her return to work.

Speaking of which, the other big story this season is that Meredith Grey is finally back in the operating theater where she belongs. It’s good to see her back in action after her long period of inactivity last season due to her COVID diagnosis.

As for who the big surprise return is this episode, some fans assume this is the long-awaited return of Dr. Montgomery after actor Kate Walsh announced she’d be back this season. But there’s another possibility as well: Dr. Megan Hunt. TVLine recently announced actor Abigail Spencer would return as Owen’s sister this season, and the promo shot of Teddy and Owen looking shocked hints this could be her big moment.

Station 19 Season 5 and Grey’s Anatomy Season 18 will premiere in a pair of crossover episodes on Thursday, Sept 30, 2021, at 8 p.m. ET and 9 p.m. ET, respectively.