Grey’s Anatomy Season 17 Will Include the Coronavirus Pandemic

Grey’s Anatomy will include the storyline of the coronavirus pandemic says showrunner Krista Vernoff.

The show is not going to shy away from the on-going pandemic. Grey’s Anatomy, TV’s longest-running medical drama will incorporate the coronavirus pandemic in its 17th season. In a new Television Academy virtual panel, per Entertainment Weekly, showrunner Krista Vernoff reveals. She said there is no way to be a long-running medical show without including the medical story of their lives.

The showrunner adds that every year they have doctors coming in and sharing their craziest experiences. This year, however, it has felt like therapy. She continued that doctors come in and tell them their first-hand experiences. They are shaking and trying not to cry while talking about it. Vernoff explains they are talking about it like it is a war they are not trained for.

She says that it is one of their shows the biggest conversations about the character, Owen. The character is actually trained for this in a way that most of the other doctors aren’t.

Vernoff adds on saying it is the show’s responsibility to portray what is happening in the world right now. “I feel like our show has an opportunity and a responsibility to tell some of those stories,” she said. The showrunner further adds that they have been brainstorming about how to keep humor and romance alive while dictating these painful stories.

The full panel, which also features Kevin McKidd, who plays Owen Hunt, and Chandra Wilson, who plays Miranda Bailey, will be available on Emmys.com or the Television Academy YouTube channel tonight at 5 p.m. PT/8 p.m. ET. 

Season 16 Will End Differently

The show could not finish season 16 due to the pandemic. Season 16 had four episodes left when production was shut down. However, the spin-off of the show, Station 19 did finish its production for season three. The shows have shared its storyline throughout these years and it was so this time also. But unfortunately, season 16 for Grey’s Anatomy could not be finished because of which they had to make a few changes.

Vernoff further said that they had to change a few dialogues and scenes because of it. Station 19 featured a hospital bombing but the bigger change is said to come for Greys.

Vernoff said that they had an ending for Grey’s but they will be changing it and only keeping a few things. She said, “We’re not going to do a bombing on Station 19‘s finale and then do it on Grey’s [next season].” The showrunner also said she is not planning to return to those planned episodes.

“We can’t just pick up with the plan that we had for the finale as the premiere. I don’t think that’s gonna work,” she said. Vernoff further added that she has some material in the can that they want to air. And she says they will take what was going to be episode 1622 and will keep some of the storylines. She says, “but we have to find a way to turn it into a premiere, and premieres and finales are different from, you know, random episodes. So we’ve got our work cut out for us.”

Grey’s Anatomy and Station 19 will return to ABC in the fall. 

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