Grey's Anatomy season 17 finally kicked off production after a long hiatus due to the current global health crisis. The series has been in pre-production for weeks now and everyone is being careful in order to ensure a safe environment while working on the set.
A lot of health guidelines and protocols must be followed to avoid further setbacks along the way. But despite certain restrictions, most of the cast and crew are delighted to be back on set of Grey's Anatomy season 17. In fact, lead star Ellen Pompeo (Meredith Grey) has something to say about it.
In one of her recent Instagram posts, Pompeo shared her thoughts and feelings now that they resumed working. The actress thanked all the frontliners who have risked their lives amid the pandemic. She added 7,000 healthcare workers lost their lives from COVID-19.
Pompeo noted that she dedicates Grey's Anatomy season 17 to all of the frontliners. This is the best way for the series to honor these people, who aren't afraid to risk their lives to save others. Once the upcoming installment premiere, we could see stories all about the current global health crisis.
The series will be delivering pandemic-related stories. We're going to see a lot of Grey Sloan staff dealing with something similar to what's happening in the world right now. The real-life health crisis will be explored, and it will be shown in the show's point of view.
Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, showrunner Krista Vernoff confirmed they're going to take on the pandemic. She said that the situation could impact the lives of the characters in a huge way. They'll be facing more deaths each day and it could take a physical and mental toll to most of them.
Also, Vernoff revealed during the Television Academy panel that they're talking to real doctors. They've been asking about their experiences while working amid the pandemic. The showrunner said that they wanted to understand the situation and make the stories more authentic in Grey's Anatomy season 17.
But, aside from the pandemic-related stories, the new season will feature the remaining episodes in the previous installment, as well. There's a rumor that the original season 16 finale will have a major death, but that wasn't filmed due to the production shutdown.
As for the official release date of Grey's Anatomy season 17, nothing is confirmed at the moment. The series has just started filming recently, so the release date remains uncertain for now. But then, some speculated the series will return in November.
