Season 17 of 'Grey's Anatomy' will address coronavirus pandemic

Grey’s Anatomy has spent 16 seasons exploring highly dramatic and nuanced interpersonal relationships while also showcasing the difficulties of working in the medical field. Now, the long-running series is set to take on another real-world issue by exploring the ongoing COVID-19 global pandemic in its upcoming seventeenth season. Exactly when audiences will get to see this new season, however, remains TBD.In a preview for a special virtual discussion on Emmys.com, Grey’s Anatomy and Station 19 showrunner Krista Vernoff gave a little preview of what's to come when Grey's Anatomy returns.“We’re going to address this pandemic for sure," said Vernoff, according to EW. "There’s no way to be a long-running medical show and not do the medical story of our lifetimes."The executive producer said it’s commonplace for the Grey’s writing team to consult with doctors about their experiences in order to draw on real world examples of working in hospitals, but this year has been considerably different. “This year, it has felt more like therapy," said Vernoff. "The doctors come in and we’re the first people they’re talking to about these types of experiences they’re having. They are literally shaking and trying not to cry, they’re pale, and they’re talking about it as war — a war that they were not trained for. I feel like our show has an opportunity and a responsibility to tell some of those stories," she said.The full discussion is part of the Quaranstreaming: Comfort TV That Keeps Us Going special airing July 21 and will also feature Grey’s Anatomy stars Chandra Wilson (Miranda Bailey) and Kevin McKidd (Owen Hunt) along with producers and actors from The West Wing and The Sopranos.[video_embed id='1949761']RELATED: Station 19's Jason George reveals how COVID-19 is impacting production [/video_embed]Grey’s Anatomy has a long and impressive history of bringing current topics and social justice issues to the small screen, including racism in medicine, dire injustices in the U.S. prison system, the fight for DACA Dreamers' legal status, the opioid epidemic, sexual assault and lack of medical care for undocumented Americans. Covering COVID-19 seems only natural for the series, but it certainly presents a unique challenge for writers as they attempt to address a real-world event that has fundamentally altered how society operates.Although Vernoff didn't have any details as to when filming will begin on Season 17, she did reveal that the writers have already begun discussing storylines, including how to balance the ongoing pandemic with the show’s more lighthearted moments. “Our conversations have been constantly about how do we keep alive humor and romance while we tell these really painful stories," said Vernoff.In March, like all TV productions, Grey’s Anatomy was forced to shut down production due to the rapid spread of COVID-19. The show’s 16^th season was cut short by four episodes and aired its finale on April 16. Not only did Grey’s Anatomy writers have to scramble to create a "satisfying finale" for fans in Season 16 (catch up here), they also had to work in the abrupt departure of original cast member Justin Chambers, who announced his exit in January.

To be clear: there are still two Season 16 episodes left to air!!! And we will resume our storytelling in Season 17! ? https://t.co/VplTNYhOhp

— Krista Vernoff (@KristaVernoff) March 28, 2020

At the end of March, the cast of Grey’s Anatomy appeared in an emotional video for National Doctor’s Day and thanked doctors and medical workers for their continued efforts to help those affected by COVID-19. Actors James Pickens Jr., Chandra Wilson, Debbie Allen, Kim Raver, Giacomo Gianniotti, Jake Borelli and Alex Blue Davis all filmed their videos in isolation and urged people to stay home.[video_embed id='1998873']BEFORE YOU GO: Alex Trebek announces memoir and provides fans a health update [/video_embed]