Okay, We Finally Know How ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Will Handle the Coronavirus Pandemic
With practically every fall show on pause right now due to the coronavirus pandemic, Grey’s Anatomy fans have been desperate to know their favorite doctors will inevitably handle this current crisis. Thankfully, we’re starting to get some answers. Showrunner Krista Vernoff spoke about it this week. It looks like Grey Sloan will be absolutely taking on the COVID-19 pandemic.
“There’s no way to be a long-running medical show and not do the medical story of our lifetimes,” Vernoff said in a panel hosting by the Television Academy.
While it’s not safe right now to shoot the show, the showrunners are already working on storylines for this upcoming season. That includes talking to real doctors about their experiences working on the front lines right now.
“Every year, we have doctors come and tell us their stories, and usually they’re telling their funniest or craziest stories. This year, it has felt more like therapy,” Vernoff said. “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.” She added, “I feel like our show has an opportunity and a responsibility to tell some of those stories.”
And weirdly, while the fans have always seemed to hate Dr. Owen Hunt as a character, Vernoff said he’s going to be vital in whatever storylines they do come up with for this season. His experience in the Army makes him uniquely qualified here.
“That’s been one of our big conversations about Owen, is that he’s actually trained for this in a way that most of the other doctors aren’t,” Vernoff said.
Okay, so, it’s still a huge “TBD” on when Grey’s will be able to resume production and get episodes to your TV screens, but at least we know a little bit more about what it will look like once they can.
