Grey’s Anatomy, Will Trent and many other ABC show sets will not return in the fall as the Writers Guild of America (WGA) and SAG-AFTRA strikes continue. ABC released its fall lineup on Thursday, confirming that viewers will see Dancing with the Stars return to Monday nights, followed by the first season of The Golden Bachelor in the 10 o’clock hour. Tuesdays will consist of Celebrity Jeopardy! and Bachelor in Paradise season 9, Wednesdays will have Judge Steve Harvey and encore presentations of Abbott Elementary, and Thursdays will see a stacked lineup of Celebrity Wheel of Fortune, Press Your Luck and The $100,000 Pyramid. Fridays will remain untouched with Shark Tank and 20/20.
News about the timing for the returns of 9-1-1, Abbott Elementary, American Idol, The Bachelor, The Conners, The Good Doctor, Grey’s Anatomy, High Potential, Not Dead Yet, The Rookie, Station 19 and Will Trent “will be announced at a later date,” ABC stated. Hollywood actors under the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA) have been on strike since July 13, joining writers in the WGA on the picket line.
Actors have been seeking better compensation and benefit plans amid the rise of streaming services and complications from the streaming model contributing to less wages and residuals. The stars were also striking for protection against the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on their work. In June, members of SAG-AFTRA wrote a letter to union leadership urging them not to settle with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) if their demands were not fully met, while also threatening to strike if an agreement on a new contract was not resolved.
SAG-AFTRA’s contract with the studios was set to expire on June 30 at 12 a.m. PT, but was extended until July 7, Deadline reported. A negotiation between the union and studios was then held on July 12 but failed to produce a new agreement, per CNN. WGA resumed negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers on Wednesday. Sources told The Los Angeles Times “the sides remain far apart on key issues.” Even before the strike, Grey’s Anatomy, had undergone major changes with lead actress Ellen Pompeo scaling back her and star Kelly McCreary, who played Maggie Pierce for nine seasons, exiting in season 19.
“It’s a whirlwind,” McCreary, 41, told PEOPLE back in April. “Honestly, the weirdest thing happens. I stand on set and I flashback to the very first time I was ever on that set and it’s a real trip. I can smell the smells and see the bright lights and I remember every detail of things I haven’t thought about in nine years.” While Grey’s had acquired many seasons in its catalog, ABC shows like Will Trent have only just started. In January, lead actor Ramón Rodríguez, 43, told PEOPLE about his new role.
“This is a crime drama that has a lot of heart and doesn’t take itself so serious,” Rodríguez said of the series, which premiered on Jan. 3. “It laughs at itself at times. I think that’s the fine line only that we’ve been able to spar. There’s some seriousness, there’s some drama, but yet we are able to thread the needle with including some humor in there and levity.”