While the official arrival of Grey's Anatomy season 17 remains uncertain at the moment, a lot of stories are coming once the series premieres. One of the most interesting storylines here is James Pickens Jr.'s Richard Webber, especially when considering how his story wrapped up in the previous installment.
Richard was in a perilous situation in most episodes of season 16. He's been battling an unknown diagnosis, something that caused him to lose grasp on reality. And while he is better now, some parts of his life are still messy and need to be addressed in Grey's Anatomy season 17.
For instance, what's going on between Richard and Catherine should be explored. It remains to be seen whether their situation is something that could be healed. Catherine bought up Pac-North as and revenge and took away the hospital from Richard.
This is something that's not easy to recover from. The only reason why things have been a little bit better between them was because of Richard's condition. The upcoming installment may further explore what's next for these two, as the story hasn't actually had any closure.
Grey's Anatomy season 17 could also see an improvement with Maggie. There has been a lot of family tension, so it would be nice to see Richard and Maggie spending more time together. It's exciting to see how they find a way to team up more medically and form a more substantial bond.
Richard's role at the hospital was another storyline worth-exploring in the new season. Generally, it seems like his role often changes. It would be nice to see him doing what he does best, wherein he could further showcase more of his medical skills.
Lastly, Grey's Anatomy season 17 could bring a huge story for Richard, as well as Meredith and Bailey. After all, they are the only three original cast members left in the series. A significant story might be waiting for them, given that they've been in the show since the beginning.
Meanwhile, ABC hasn't yet released its fall schedule, so the official release date of the upcoming installment remains unknown as of this writing. Because of the current health crisis, there are a lot of uncertainties. Filming may not start immediately because of the coronavirus outbreak.
But as per CarterMatt, Grey's Anatomy season 17 might air in either September or October. Yet, everything still depends on the situation. Cast and crew could start filming once everything goes back to normal. For now, the top priority is the health and safety of everyone.
