So...who really knows what to believe anymore. Honestly, we're probably just going to have to wait for some official word out of ABC, but so far, the rumors are spreading that the return date for Grey's is somewhere between the middle of April, to the last Thursday in April (the 24th), to as late as May 1st. Here's the lowdown:

• People are thinking the middle of April could be the return date because CSI: is supposed to return as early as the first or second week of April, and it's hard to believe that ABC will give CBS "freebie Thursdays" until May.
• In Shonda's new Grey Matter post today, she states that because of the incredibly long process it takes to put episodes together, the return date will be the end of April (the 24th).
• And then May 1st could also be the return date, as Kristin at E! Online appears to have a rough schedule for Thursday nights.

But people seem to be freaking out because they seem to think that if Grey's returns as late as May 1st, we won't get "six to seven new episodes." It's as if they think the TV season cannot run into June. It is possible. And due to the three months off, it's also likely. So, even if Grey's does return as late as May 1st, we will still get "six to seven new episodes." They'll just run into June, and why does that matter? It's less time we have to wait between the end of season four and the beginning of season five.