Grey's Anatomy season 17 is, eventually, coming on ABC, though its official release date remains unknown as of this writing. But, while there's still uncertainty in the premiere, the writers want to feature timely and relevant stories once the series arrives.
Grey's Anatomy season 17 will deliver stories happening in the real world right now, particularly the current global health crisis. We're going to see most of Grey Sloan staff dealing with this matter, something that reflects what real doctors were currently dealing with.
In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, showrunner Krista Vernoff discussed this particular subject and explained how the situation could affect the lives of the characters. Most of them need to deal with the challenges brought by the pandemic.
Vernoff said many of these doctors aren't going home to spend time with their families. Instead, they are getting Airbnbs and living together. This is something that is happening in the real world; a lot of doctors don't see their families for weeks and months to save lives.
Their situation could also have a huge impact on their lives, given that they face more deaths as days go by. It could take a physical and mental toll to most of them. So, expect to see a lot of dramatic and emotional moments in Grey's Anatomy season 17.
During the Television Academy panel, Vernoff made sure that they will address the real-life health crisis. She revealed that they were talking to real doctors and asked about their experiences amid the pandemic to understand the situation and make the stories more authentic.
Aside from dealing with the real-life health crisis, Grey's Anatomy season 17 will also feature some of the stories that weren't filmed in the previous installment. There's a rumor that the originally planned season 16 finale includes a major death, something that wasn't filmed due to the pandemic.
Meanwhile, production for the series hasn't yet kicked off, but it could likely start in the coming months. ABC confirmed that the schedule of the upcoming installment will remain on Thursday night, teasing that the show is "coming soon."
But, due to the production delay, we could expect Grey's Anatomy season 17 arriving at a later date. Cast and crew will be able to start filming when the situation goes back to normal or at least gets a little bit better. Although the fall premiere is feasible, there's a chance it could be released in early 2021.
