The production of Grey’s anatomy the next chapter has not started yet, but already we’re getting a look at what the minds behind the magic are planning for season 17. To the surprise of absolutely no one, ABC’s medical drama is going to have to face in the real life problems of the current pandemic. That’s right, the show of the next season will be a ray of light on COVID-19.
Tuesday, July 21, Entertainment Weekly reported that the Grey’s executive producer Krista Vernoff revealed the plan to tackle the pandemic during the Academy of Television of the “Quaranstreaming: the Comfort of the TV That Keeps Us in the” virtual panel. “There is No way to be long-lasting medical show and not do the medical history of our lives,” Vernoff said.
The executive producer participated in the panel along with Grey stars Chandra Wilson (Dr. Miranda Bailey) and Kevin McKidd (Dr. Owen Hunt). He explained that the writers meet real-life doctors to listen to their stories every year, but this time, the conversations have been different because the health workers are dealing with COVID-19.
“This year, it has felt more like therapy,” she said. “The doctors come in and we are the first people are talking about these types of experiences that we are having. Are literally shaking and trying not to cry, they are of a pale colour, and of which we are speaking is like war — a war that they were not trained for. And that has been one of our great conversations about Owen, is that it is really trained to do this in a way that most of the doctors are not.”
Vernoff added that she feels like Grey “you have an opportunity and the responsibility to tell some of those stories,” and despite the emotional charge of the stories is bound to be heavy, she said “our conversations have constantly been about how do we keep alive the romance and humor, while we say these really painful stories.”
Grey the production was abruptly shut down in March because of the pandemic, which led to the season 16 finish with the first four episodes. The season ended with the departure of Justin Chambers, and a cacophony of open-ended situations. As the planning continues for next season, here is the hope of the hanging of the frames of the last season — as Teddy cheating on Owen with Koracick and the story about the human trafficking victim DeLuca tried to save the will to get a closure!
