‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Fall Finale Soars in Multi-Platform Viewing

The final Grey’s Anatomy episode of 2022 began the setup for Ellen Pompeo’s forthcoming break from the show — and drew the biggest audience for the long-running series since its season 19 premiere.

After seven days of viewing across all platforms, the Nov. 10 episode, “Thunderstruck,” gathered 8.7 million viewers, according to Nielsen and internal ABC figures. That’s the best showing for the drama since its Oct. 6 season debut. That’s more than double the 3.72 million people who tuned in for the initial airing.

The episode also tied its season high among adults 18-49 in Nielsen’s seven-day ratings with a 1.0 rating, then grew to a 2.51 with viewing on Hulu and other digital platforms factored in.

“Thunderstruck” had the Grey Sloan staff dealing with the effects of a severe thunderstorm and — in a teaser for the show’s return in Feburary — showed Meredith (Pompeo) receiving a farewell toast as she prepares to move her family to Boston. Pompeo, who is starring in and executive producing a Hulu miniseries, is scheduled appear in two more episodes of Grey’s this season. She’ll also continue her voiceover narration and remains an exec producer of the series and its Station 19 spinoff.

For the fall, Grey’s Anatomy is averaging 8.5 million viewers and a 2.54 rating among adults 18-49 (equivalent to about 3.31 million people in that demographic) after a week of cross-platform viewing. Both figures rank first among ABC shows.

About 41 percent of the multi-platform total viewer tally (3.5 million) comes via same-day viewing. Nielsen-measured delayed viewing, primarily via DVR use, accounts for just under 2 million viewers, or 23.5 percent of the total. The remaining 3 million or so viewers — a little over 35 percent — come via streaming.

The show’s streaming audience also skews younger than those who watch on air or via DVR: Streaming accounts for 63 percent of the show’s all-platform rating among adults 18-49, or 1.61 ratings points. Same-day viewing (0.49) and DVR catchup (0.44) lag well behind.