<Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> ← Previous Season 7 Next → Season 9 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> List of Grey's Anatomy episodes </Td> </Tr> <P> The eighth season of the American television medical drama Grey's Anatomy, commenced airing on the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) on September 22, 2011, with a special two - hour episode and ended on May 17, 2012 with the eighth season having a total of 24 episodes . The season was produced by ABC Studios, in association with Shondaland Production Company and The Mark Gordon Company, and overseen by showrunner Shonda Rhimes . </P> <P> This season follows the story - line of Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo) and Derek Shepherd (Patrick Dempsey) as they try to save their marriage and adopt Zola after Meredith tampered with the Alzheimer's trial in the previous season . Miranda Bailey (Chandra Wilson) also struggles to forgive Meredith because Richard Webber (James Pickens, Jr .) takes the blame for Meredith and stepping down, and Owen Hunt (Kevin McKidd) takes his place as Chief of Surgery . Cristina Yang (Sandra Oh) decides to have an abortion, putting her relationship with Hunt at odds . Callie Torres (Sara Ramirez) and Arizona Robbins (Jessica Capshaw) co-parent their baby with Mark Sloan (Eric Dane) who continues to have an on / off relationship with Lexie Grey (Chyler Leigh). Alex Karev (Justin Chambers) deals with the fallout of his decision to tell Owen about Meredith altering the Alzheimer's trial, and becomes an outcast by the other residents . Teddy Altman (Kim Raver) marries Henry Burton (Scott Foley), who later dies of a heart condition, leaving her devastated . </P>

What season of greys anatomy was in 2011