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Friday, November 13, 2026Nov 13

Shonda Rhimes lays claim to Thursday nights on ABC

FILE - In this July 15, 2014 photo, showrunner Shonda Rhimes speaks during the "How to Get Away with Murder" panel at the Disney/ABC Television Group 2014 Summer TCA at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif. ABC's entire Thursday prime-time schedule is composed of shows run by Rhimes. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP, File)
FILE - In this July 15, 2014 photo, showrunner Shonda Rhimes speaks during the "How to Get Away with Murder" panel at the Disney/ABC Television Group 2014 Summer TCA at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif. ABC's entire Thursday prime-time schedule is composed of shows run by Rhimes. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP, File) FILE - In this July 15, 2014 photo, showrunner Shonda Rhimes speaks during the "How to Get Away with Murder" panel at the Disney/ABC Television Group 2014 Summer TCA at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif. ABC's entire Thursday prime-time schedule is composed of shows run by Rhimes. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP, File)

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (AP) – Let’s just go ahead and make it official. “Thursday” should be renamed “Shonday.”

At least it should on ABC, which has handed its entire Thursday prime-time schedule to drama doyenne Shonda Rhimes.

Starting this week at 8 p.m. EDT, it’s “Grey’s Anatomy,” with Rhimes the showrunner for this medical melodrama’s 11th season. At 9 p.m., “Scandal” begins its fourth year with Rhimes also serving as showrunner.

Then, closing out Shonday at 10 p.m., “How To Get Away With Murder” premieres with Viola Davis as a rife-with-mystery criminal lawyer who apparently will do anything to spring her clients and who, as a law professor, trains her students to do the same.

Unlike the other two series, created by Rhimes, “Murder” was masterminded by Pete Nowalk, whose producing credits include “Grey’s” and “Scandal.” On this wicked new addition to the ShondaLand portfolio, Rhimes will serve “only” as executive producer: “I’m like the grandmother,” she joked. “I hold the baby, then I give it back.”