If you’re as big of a Grey’s Anatomy fan as I am, then you’ve likely been waiting with baited breath for news about Season 17 since Season 16 wrapped up production a few episodes early back in April. While the set grew quiet, medical supplies used in the series were quickly donated to the front lines of the Coronavirus outbreak. Meanwhile, many of us sat at home asking ourselves, “What would Meredith Grey do to stop this pandemic?”
Well, according to the latest interviews with Grey’s stars, we will get to see exactly how our favorite hot doctors will respond to COVID-19.
During a recent panel on Quaranstreaming: Comfort TV That Keeps Us Going, Grey’s executive producer Krista Vernoff spilled the beans on Season 17. “We’re going to address this pandemic for sure. There’s no way to be a long-running medical show and not do the medical story of our lifetimes.”
So far, all of the show’s leading characters will return — but Vernoff hinted that the heartbroken Owen Hunt may see a lot of screen time in the coming season. “He’s actually trained for this in a way that most of the other doctors aren’t,” Vernoff shared in the interview.
While the show always entertains ideas for plot lines that they receive from real doctors, Season 17’s coverage of COVID-19 may look a little different. Doctors have shared horror stories with the writers as they hold back tears and vulnerably share just how unprepared they felt going into this pandemic. In response, Vernoff shared, “I feel like our show has an opportunity and a responsibility to tell some of those stories.”
But when will we get to see Grey Sloan’s rendition of the pandemic?
Well, that’s the question on everyone’s mind. Season premiers of Grey’s Anatomy usually air in the United States in late September every year. However, the COVID-19 outbreak has put an unknown hold on production, which means that a premier might not be ready to air by September.
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Vernoff said this: “Let me tell you, it was already a giant puzzle, and now it’s just like… this is what I’m saying. My answer to every question is, I don’t know. We’re gonna figure it out. We’re gonna fasten our seat belts and eat our nutritious breakfast. Figure it out somehow. But it’s not an easy starting point.”
Although the pandemic will definitely be a focal point, Vernoff stresses that this isn’t going to be all that Season 17 entails.
“Our conversations have been constantly about how do we keep alive humor and romance while we tell these really painful stories,” she said in an interview. This will leave us all questioning what other answers we will get in Season 17. Will Teddy run off with Tom? What will happen with the boy that Dr. Bailey took in? Who is Meredith going to end up with? Seriously, there’s so much left out in the open!
However, if we believe everything we’ve heard for a while now, Season 17 could be Grey’s last run on ABC.
What a way to go out, right? A global pandemic!
No trailers are ready yet since the cast hasn’t even started shooting Season 17, but you better believe I’ll be waiting for any hint of what’s to come for Grey’s Anatomy, as I’m sure you will, too!
Feature Image via Grey’s Anatomy on ABC
