“Grey’s Anatomy” Is Getting Real.
Television’s longest-running primetime medical drama is dedicating its 17th season to frontline workers battling the coronavirus pandemic. You would be right to assume this is a season that is practically writing itself, but the show’s writers have still been scrambling to keep the scripts caught up with the drama that is unfolding in real time.
The ABC show is also not shying away from accurately depicting every facet of how COVID-19 is impacting medical professionals, patients and their families. In fact, no series star is too big to be taken down by the virus. Dr. Meredith Grey has spent much of this season lying down on the job in a hospital bed while fighting for her life. (Although this did give writers the opportunity to get creative by bringing back Patrick Dempsey – a.k.a. Dr. McDreamy – for vivid dream scenes).
Producers were definitely concerned about COVID-19 fatigue from the audience, who is living with COVID news day-to-day and then tuning in at night to watch it on a fictional show. According to Dr. Zoanne Clack, an emergency medicine physician and a writer and executive producer who has been with the medical drama since its start, “Historically, people will be able to watch this season of ‘Grey’s’ and see the medical story of our lifetime unfold.”
Despite storylines of loneliness, fear and misery, the creative forces in Shondaland weave in romance, bravery and bravado into each hour-long episode. Writers reassure that it’s not all COVID, all the time, but COVID is always in the background.
People on Twitter are saying that “Grey’s” is just the prescription they needed to save 2020 for them. One of the show’s writers even said the goal this season was to make America “Grey’s” again.
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