by Thinus Ferreira
M-Net has lost another iconic American series from its channel line-up with the Shonda Rhimes-produced Grey's Anatomy switching to Disney+ where the 19th season will debut in South Africa three weeks after the United States on 26 October.
The evergreen Grey's Anatomy is the latest American series M-Net lost in Hollywood's Streaming Wars, following shows like This Is Us and a swathe of others.
As American studios close down their international distribution pipelines to keep their content back for their own streaming services, traditional linear pay-TV channels like M-Net and pay-TV operators like MultiChoice are throttled with less access to premium American television content.
While South African viewers will now have to switch from M-Net (DStv 101) to Disney+ to continue watching the long-running American drama series, DStv subscribers and M-Net viewers elsewhere in sub-Saharan Africa have no alternative since Disney+ has not yet launched outside of South Africa.
The new 19th season of Grey's Anatomy started this week in America, with new episodes which will be released weekly on Disney+ SA from 26 October. Besides season 19, Disney+ carries all the previous 18 seasons of Grey's Anatomy in its library carousel.
Season 19 of Grey's Anatomy in which Ellen Pompeo is scaling back her participation and will only appear during 8 episodes this season as she works on another new TV series, the story continues six months after the season 18 finale.
Five new interns are joining the Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital staff, with Harry Shum Jr., Adelaide Kane,
Alexis Floyd, Niko Terho, and Midori Francis joining the cast.
