"Grey's Anatomy" returns to ABC for its 19th season on October 6 with a season premiere titled "Everything Has Changed."

 After a long six months Grey Sloan Memorial has reinstated its residency program. A group of talented and striving young interns has been recruited as the attending surgeons work to rebuild the program to its former glory. Meredith still functioning as the interim chief, sees Nick for the first time since she rejected his offer to move to Minnesota. Meanwhile Bailey tells Richard she is not ready to return to work; Levi works up the courage to break disappointing news to Jo and things turn awkward when Link realizes he has met one of the interns already. With Amelia and Maggies help the new doctors are thrown into their first day on the job dealing with injuries from a recent tornado

The season premiere was written by showrunner Krista Vernoff and directed by Debbie Allen who plays Catherine Fox on the show.In August Deadline reported that Ellen Pompep who plays the titular character Dr. Meredith Grey on Greys Anatomy will only appear on eight episodes of the show on season 19 The scale-back comes because Pompeo will star in and executive produce an upcoming untitled Hulu limited series inspired by a true story of parents who adopt a Ukrainian child and later discover she's living a lie. 

Deadline reported that Pompeo will still executive produce Grey's and will narrate episodes as Meredith throughout the season, even when she's not seen on screeLike Pompep Scott Speedmans role as Merediths current love interest Dr. Nick Marsh, has also been reduced. TV Line reported in August that Speedman was bumped from series regular to a recurring role.TV mLine also confirmed what actors would have series regular status alongside Pompeo (even with her reduced role) in August. 

Chandra Wilson will return as Dr. Miranda Bailey Other returning cast members include Jim Pikens Jr. Dr. Richard Webber  Kevin McKidd Dr. Owen Hunt, Kim Raver Dr. Teddy Altman, Kelly McCreary Dr. Maggie Pierce , Anthony Hill Dr. Winston Ndugu, Caterina Scorsone Dr. Amelia Shepherd  Camilla Luddington Dr. Jo Wilson, Chris Carmack Dr. Atticus Lincoln, and Jake Borelli  Dr. Levi Schmitt