Development ''Grey's Anatomy
was renewed for a 13th season by ABC on March 3, 2016. Production began on May 25, 2016, when Rhimes announced on Twitter that the writers were in full swing mapping the 13th season. Production began on July 21, 2016, with prepping for the season officially starting on July 28, 2016. The table read for the premiere was on July 22, 2016. Filming for the season began on August 1, 2016, with Shonda Rhimes tweeting that the crew were filming the 270th episode of the series, the season premiere. A promotional poster for the season was released on August 2, 2016, portraying Dr. Meredith Grey in Seattle, for which the series is located. The poster started speculation of its meaning towards the storyline for the 13th season. However Rhimes denied the speculation about the poster on Twitter as she said "For anyone trying to interpret the "meaning" of the new Grey's Anatomy'' poster design: it means ABC designs really cool posters." The remaining fall schedule for ABC was announced on October 22, 2016, where it was announced that ''Grey's Anatomy'' would air nine episodes in the fall, rather than eight episode the previous two seasons has done, with the fall finale to air on November 17, 2016, just like the rest of ABC's primetime thursday-lineup
Notorious and
How to Get Away with Murder, which was the same last year. The remaining 15 episodes will air after the winter break beginning airing on January 26, 2017.
Writing In an interview with
TV Guide,
Kelly McCreary said that the 13th season would be focusing heavily on the characters that have been on the show since the
first season; Dr.
Meredith Grey, Dr.
Alex Karev, Dr.
Miranda Bailey and Dr.
Richard Webber. McCreary went more into the storyline as she commented that "After such a long period of time and so many new people coming in and out, they remain the foundational characters of the show. We're gonna be spending some more time with them to check in with where they are." In another interview, McCreary talked about the love-triangle drama that will unfold between Meredith, Nathan and Maggie, to which she commented on how "Maggie's ego will probably be wounded."
Caterina Scorsone said that Amelia would be "the middle-person between her sisters should the Nathan-news come out." She confirmed that the season premiere will pick up right after where the finale ended and that
Justin Chambers' character Alex and his storyline with girlfriend Jo would play a bigger part of the premiere, in addition that Amelia and
Kevin McKidd's character Owen would not be much in the premiere.
Jessica Capshaw will not be in the first 2 episodes, confirmed by Rhimes, because of wanting to be a little more with her kids. Rhimes reported that Capshaw's character Dr. Arizona Robbins will have a new love-interest.
Casting At the end of the twelfth season, the cast's contracts had expired after previously renewing them at the end of the tenth season of ''Grey's Anatomy''.
Ellen Pompeo and
Patrick Dempsey renewed their contracts for another 2 seasons (seasons 11 and 12) on January 23, 2014, but Dempsey later left the series at the end of the eleventh season. The rest of the 6 original cast mates,
Justin Chambers,
Chandra Wilson and
James Pickens Jr., excluding Sandra Oh, renewed their contracts on May 26, 2014, as Drs.
Alex Karev,
Miranda Bailey, and
Richard Webber, respectively, for the eleventh and twelfth season.
Sara Ramirez also renewed her contract for another 2 seasons as Dr.
Callie Torres. On June 28, 2015, before the twelfth season had begun airing, it was announced that
Jessica Capshaw, whose contract expired after season 11, had renewed her contract for another 3 seasons as Dr.
Arizona Robbins. That meant that her character would be staying on the show through seasons 13 and 14.
Kevin McKidd had previously said that he was in negotiations to renew his contract after the twelfth season on January 9, 2016. After the season finale, McKidd confirmed that he would be back for the 13th season.
Justin Chambers announced on March 11, 2016, that he had renewed his contract and will be playing Dr. Alex Karev in the 13th season.
The Hollywood Reporter reported on May 4, 2016, that the original cast were all negotiating new contracts. After the finale, Pompeo said that she would be returning in the next season, which was officially confirmed by
Deadline on June 1, 2016. Series-veteran
Sara Ramirez announced after the finale that they would not be returning for season 13 as Dr. Callie Torres, after the character left for New York to be with her girlfriend Dr. Penny Blake. On September 28, 2016, it was announced that the
Days of Our Lives alum
Jen Lilley would appear in the third episode, playing Kara.
Bridget Regan announced on her
Instagram account that she would be appearing in the eighth episode "The Room Where It Happens". On October 17, 2016, ABC confirmed that
Marika Dominczyk had been cast in a guest stint as Eliza Minnick. == Ratings ==