Coronavirus: Shuttered Grey’s Anatomy to end its 16th season early over Covid-19.

by Thinus Ferreira

The current 16th season of Grey's Anatomy seen on M-Net (DStv 101) will end as a shortened season on 27 April in South Africa after the ABC network in America and the production company decided not to reopen and resume production on the current season because of the spread of the global Covid-19 novel coronavirus pandemic.

This season of Grey's Anatomy that was supposed to have 25 episodes will now end with the 21st episode on 9 April in America with the "Express from the US" title that is 4 weeks behind the United States.

ABC announced late on Friday that the Shondaland-produced series, already renewed for its 17th season, will not reopen to film and complete the last few 4 episodes.

The 9 April episode is now the "season finale" and the episode synopsis of the episode entitled "Put on a Happy Face" released by ABC reads: "Link tries to convince Amelia to take it easy during the final stage of her pregnancy. Hayes asks Meredith a surprising question, and Owen makes a shocking discovery, on the season finale of Grey's Anatomy".

In mid-March Krista Vernoff, the executive producer and showrunner shuttered the show, saying "We are going home now for at least two weeks and waiting to see how the coronavirus situation evolves".

"This decision was made to ensure the health and safety of the whole cast and crew and the safety of our loved ones outside of work."

Super-producer Shonda Rhimes dumps ABC in America and jumps to Netflix in a new 4-year deal to create shows for the international streaming service.

Super-producer and writer Shonda Rhimes - the woman behind hit shows like Grey's Anatomy, How to Get Away with Murder and countless others - has decided to drop America's ABC TV network and is moving to Netflix.

Shonda Rhimes, responsible for some of the most iconic TV characters and strong female leads on television the past decade is leaving ABC Studios and moving her Shondaland production company to Netflix under a multi-year deal where she will be producing new shows for the international online streaming service.

While upcoming seasons of current shows like Grey's Anatomy, How to Get Away with Murder and Scandal (called The Fixer in South Africa) will continue to air on ABC in America and on channels like M-Net (DStv 101), VUZU AMP (DStv 103) and e.tv. in South Africa, her newly conceived shows in her new 4-year deal will be available on Netflix only.

Two upcoming and already commissioned shows, a legal drama called For the People, and a Grey's Anatomy spin-off will also remain on ABC this these have been planned before the jump to Netflix.

In a sense Shonda Rhimes helped build and fuel the type of television now known as "binge-watching", creating serialised stories where viewers become addicted to the ongoing narrative of characters going through such dramatic events that viewers can't help but come back to see the pay-off in a next episode that quickly builds up to a new one.

Shondaland, in which Shonda Rhimes partnered with producer Betsy Beers, will serve as a division of Netflix's in-house studio. Shondaland leaves ABC although there's still a year left of the existing 4-year contract.

It brings to an end Shonda Rhimes decade-and-a-half relationship with Disney while shows like Grey's Anatomy - 13 seasons in and still not running out of steam, remains hugely popular around the world and on South African streaming services like Naspers' Showmax that carries library seasons.

"Shonda Rhimes is one of the greatest storytellers in the history of television," says Ted Sarandos, Netflix chief content officer in a statement.

"Her work is gripping, inventive, pulse-pounding, heart-stopping, taboo-breaking television at its best. I've gotten the chance to know Shonda and she's a true Netflixer at heart - she loves TV and films, she cares passionately about her work, and she delivers for her audience. We’re so excited to welcome her to Netflix."

"Shondaland’s move to Netflix is the result of a shared plan Ted and I built based on my vision for myself as a storyteller and for the evolution of my company," says Shonda Rhimes in the statement announcing her jump to Netflix.

"Ted provides a clear, fearless space for creators at Netflix."

"He understood what I was looking for - the opportunity to build a vibrant new storytelling home for writers with the unique creative freedom and instantaneous global reach provided by Netflix’s singular sense of innovation. The future of Shondaland at Netflix has limitless possibilities."