Sheryl Lee Ralph Imagines ‘Abbott Elementary’ Running As Long As ‘Grey’s Anatomy’: “I Want To Take This Journey”

Nobody knows where they might end up, but Sheryl Lee Ralph has some ambitious ideas about Abbott Elementary‘s run.

As the ABC workplace sitcom enters its sixth season, premiering Wednesday, Oct. 7 at 8:30/7:30c, the Golden Globe nominee imagines it catching up to Grey’s Anatomy’s 23-season run.

“I look at it like this: If Grey’s Anatomy could be on for 20 years, why can’t we?” said Ralph to People.

After premiering back in 2005, Grey’s Anatomy returns to ABC with Season 23 on Oct. 15 at 10/9c, maintaining its position as the network’s longest-running scripted primetime show.

With five seasons under her belt as the no-nonsense elementary teacher Mrs. Howard in Quinta Brunson’s sitcom, Ralph said, “I love Barbara Howard so much. I’m not going to tell you I’m tired of her because I’m not tired of her. I want to take this journey with her.”

“If this show lasts for five more seasons — that would be 11 seasons now — I would love to still be with her, and just as I continue to grow, I really hope Barbara Howard continues to grow, but it’s all in the hands of Quinta Brunson in the writers’ room,” she added.

Before Abbott Elementary received a Season 6 renewal in March, Brunson noted that she’s “looking forward to moving away” to other projects beyond the sitcom.

“We are so fortunate and blessed to be on a network TV show for five seasons, and for people to still be fans,” Brunson told Bustle last year. “That being said, I have cast members who would love to pursue other projects, and our show is very time-consuming. We shoot about seven months out of the year. That can stop people from being able to do a lot of other things.”