‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Renewed for 15th Season

In a completely unsurprising move, ABC has renewed Grey’s Anatomy for a 15th season.

The move will make it the longest-running primetime show in ABC’s history and has anchored ABC’s Thursday lineup for over a decade.

“Grey’s Anatomy has a special place in my heart, and millions of viewers feel the same way,” ABC entertainment president Channing Dungey said in a statement, reports TVLine. “Thanks to fiercely loyal fans who have been on this journey since the beginning, and new generations of viewers who continue to discover the joy and drama of Gray Sloan Memorial, the show is as strong as ever.”

Despite the show’s frequent cast turnover, fans have never left it behind. The show is averaging a strong 2.0 18-49 rating and 7.7 million viewers, both numbers slightly down the season 13. The only ABC show with a better audience is the freshman hit medical drama The Good Doctor.

The show was likely going to get renewed regardless of the ratings, after-star Ellen Pompeo earned a Salary Increase and Producing credit for future seasons. In January, she signed a deal for $20 million a season.

Fans thought the salary increase was why fan-favorite characters Dr. Arizona Robbins (Jessica Capshaw) and Dr. April Kepner (Sarah Drew) were leaving after season 14. However, Pompeo and the show’s producers insisted it was purely a creative decision.

“The only thing as constant on Grey’s Anatomy as Ellen Pompeo is our penchant for reinvention. It is a part of our success and what keeps the show alive.We love these actresses and we love these characters and it felt true and right creatively to wrap up their stories, and that is the whole story,” showrunner Krista Vernoff tweeted.

“It’s always hard for me to say goodbye to any of my characters,” Grey’s Anatomy Creator and Executive Producer Shonda Rhimes added in her own statement. “Both Arizona Robbins and April Kepner are not only beloved but iconic – both the LBGTQ and the devout Christian communities are underrepresented on TV. I will be forever grateful to both Jessica and Sarah for bringing these characters to life with such vibrant performance and inspiring women around the globe. They will always be part of our Shondaland family.”

Gray’s Anatomy won the Best TV Series Golden Globe Drama in 2007 and former star Sandra Oh won the Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress in 2006. The show earned Emmy nominations and won the Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Drama Ensemble in 2007.

The season 14 finale of Gray’s Anatomy will be air on Thursday, May 17 .