The executive producer said the show's writers are meeting with real-life doctors, who have shared their stories about dealing with the pandemic.
"Grey's Anatomy" Krista Vernoff says the ABC series will tackle the coronavirus pandemic in its 17th season. The chapter 16 of the long-running medical drama was cut short due to the pandemic and wrapped up with its episode 21, which aired on April 9. Vernoff said it's a no-brainer that the next season will explore the ongoing health crisis.
"We're going to address this pandemic for sure. There's no way to be a long-running medical show and not do the medical story of our lifetimes," she said. According to Entertainment Weekly, Vernoff was speaking at the "Quaranstreaming: Comfort TV That Keeps Us Going" online panel, hosted by the Television Academy, on Tuesday. The executive producer said the show's writers are meeting with real-life doctors, who have shared their stories about dealing with the pandemic.
"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. "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 said. Vernoff added it's been "painful" to hear about the suffering that patients and healthcare workers are going through during the pandemic.
"I feel like our show has an opportunity and a responsibility to tell some of those stories," she added. The shooting on the new season has not begun, but Vernoff said the writers have begun penning stories. Also part of the panel were "Grey's Anatomy" stars Chandra Wilson and Kevin McKidd, "The Sopranos" creator David Chase and stars Steven Van Zandt and Steve Buscemi, and "The West Wing" executive producer Thomas Schlamme and stars Dule Hill and Richard Schiff.
