ABC is reshuffling its Thursday lineup in January. After five-and-a-half seasons airing at 8 PM, Grey’s Anatomy is returning to the 9 PM berth it had occupied for eight seasons before being assigned the 8 PM anchor position in fall 2014.
Grey’s Anatomy spinoff Station 19, which had aired behind Grey’s Anatomy in its first two seasons, will now lead into Grey’s at 8 PM. The firefighter drama and the medical juggernaut will christen their new slots on Jan. 23 with what ABC describes as “a powerful two-hour crossover event.”
In an interview with Deadline, Krista Vernoff, executive producer/showrunner of both Grey’s Anatomy and Station 19, explains the storytelling reasons behind the shows’ time slot swap (“There are very organic opportunities for Grey’s Anatomy to, for example, inherit patients we see rescued on Station 19), teases an event in tonight’s Grey’s Season 16 fall finale that will link to the Station 19 Season 3 premiere and discusses future crossover plans.
With Station 19 back, sophomore drama A Million Little Things will shift from 9 PM to 10 PM while keeping its Grey’s lead-in. After the ensemble drama wraps its second season, How To Get Away With Murder will return April 2 for its final episodes and one last edition of Shondaland Thursday on ABC.
ABC has slotted one winter new series premiere. Legal drama For Life, executive produced by 50 Cent, will debut Feb. 11 in the Tuesday 10 PM slot following the conclusion of Emergence‘s 13-episode freshman run. (you can watch a preview below) The network is yet to schedule new romantic dramedy Baker and the Beauty and comedy United We Fall.
Also on ABC’s winter premiere dates list — American Idol’s new season will kick off Sunday, Feb. 16, a couple of weeks earlier than last season, while The Rookie will be back from hiatus on Feb. 23, The Good Doctor on Jan. 13.
Below are premiere dates for new and returning shows (all times listed are ET), which include previously announced info on a primetime Jeopardy! special and The Bachelor’s return:
SUNDAY, JAN. 5
7-8 PM — America’s Funniest Home Videos
MONDAY, JAN. 6
8-11 PM — The Bachelor (SEASON PREMIERE)
TUESDAY, JAN. 7
8-9 PM — JEOPARDY! The Greatest of All Time
9-9:30 PM — mixed-ish
9:30-10 PM — black-ish
10-11 PM — Emergence
WEDNESDAY, JAN. 8
9-9:31 PM — Modern Family
9:31-10 PM — Single Parents
10-11 PM — Stumptown
MONDAY, JAN. 13
10-11 PM The Good Doctor
WEDNESDAY, JAN. 15
8-8:30 PM — The Goldbergs
8:30-9 PM — Schooled
FRIDAY, JAN. 17
8-8:30 PM — American Housewife
8:30-9 PM — Fresh Off the Boat
TUESDAY, JAN. 21
8-8:30 PM — The Conners
8:30-9 PM — Bless this Mess
THURSDAY, JAN. 23
STATION 19 AND GREY’S ANATOMY TWO-HOUR CROSSOVER EVENT
8-9 PM Station 19 (NEW TIME)
9-10:01 PM — Grey’s Anatomy (NEW TIME)
10:01-11 PM — A Million Little Things (NEW TIME)
SUNDAY, FEB. 9
8-11 PM — The Oscars
TUESDAY, FEB. 11
10-11 PM — For Life (SERIES PREMIERE)
SUNDAY, FEB. 16
8-10 PM — American Idol (SEASON PREMIERE)
SUNDAY, FEB. 23
10-11 PM — The Rookie
THURSDAY, APRIL 2
10-11 PM — How to Get Away with Murder
ABOUT FOR LIFE
For Life — Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson executive produces this fictional serialized legal and family drama. “For Life,” inspired by the life of Isaac Wright Jr., is about prisoner Aaron Wallace (Nicholas Pinnock), who becomes a lawyer, litigating cases for other inmates while fighting to overturn his own life sentence for a crime he didn’t commit. His quest for freedom is driven by his desperate desire to get back to the family he loves—his estranged wife (Joy Bryant) and daughter (Tyla Harris)—and reclaim the life that was stolen from him. “For Life” will also, through the window of his ferocious struggle and his complicated relationship with a progressive female prison warden (Indira Varma), examine the flaws and challenges in our penal and legal systems.
The series is from Hank Steinberg, Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson via G-Unit Film & Television, Doug Robinson and Alison Greenspan of Doug Robinson Productions and Isaac Wright Jr. The pilot is directed and executive produced by George Tillman Jr. (“The Hate U Give”). “For Life” is a co-production of Sony Pictures Television Inc. and ABC Studios. ABC Studios is a part of Disney Television Studios, a collection of studios comprised of 20th Century Fox Television, ABC Studios and Fox 21 Television Studios.
Must Read Stories
Subscribe to Deadline Breaking News Alerts and keep your inbox happy.