He’s Back? Grey’s Anatomy Season 17 Update

This week’s premiere of season 17 of Grey’s Anatomy leaves fans stunned. (Disclaimer: the following story discussed the plot and spoilers of season 17 episode 1 and 2) Back in March, the cast members of Grey’s Anatomy were abruptly forced to stop filming their 16th season due to COVID-19. And to say that left fans with a cliffhanger would be an understatement. On June 23rd, show creator Shonda Rymes announced the cast would resume filming and would be releasing season 17 “soon.” For the past 142 days (to be exact) die-hard Grey’s fans have been blowing up Instagram, Twitter, and Snapchat wondering what to expect, not to mention bingeing the first 16 seasons on Netflix.

 If for some reason you missed the groundbreaking season finale of season 16, here are five things you should know before diving into season 17: 

1. Dr. Andrew Deluca was showing symptoms of bipolar disorder (similarly to his father) and was forced to take time off work.
2. Dr. Amelia Shepherd and Dr. Atticus Lincoln (Link) just had a baby whom they have not yet named.
3. Dr. Richard Webber was hospitalized with a medical mystery, which ended up being cobalt poisoning, Dr. Webber and his wife, Dr. Catherine Fox, are split up.
4. Dr. Alex Kerev left the show–and his wife, Dr. Jo Willson Kerev–for his ex-wife, Dr. Izzy Stephens.
5. Dr. Owen Hunt found out that his fiance, Dr. Teddy Altman, cheated on him with Dr. Tom Koracick.

The first surprise of the new season, which aired Thursday, November 12, 2020, was the overwhelming state that Grey-Sloan Memorial was in. The show is now completely about COVID-19 and the challenges of being a doctor during this time. All of the doctors are seen in full PPE (personal protective equipment) throughout the episode when working in the hospital with COVID-19 patients. In the first five minutes of the episode, it is clear that the doctors are being overworked and really struggling each day. This was a very important theme because it shows fans a new perspective on COVID-19 and what it is truly like to be working in a hospital right now. 

Some other aspects of the doctors’ lives that have changed during this time are their hours, access to protective wear, hospital rules and regulations, and living situations. Similar to doctors in real life, the doctors in the show are working more hours than before in order to help as many people as possible. In order to keep themselves safe, the doctors wear N-95 masks, face shields, and gloves, which are all on backorder and are very hard for the hospital staff to get a hold of. Furthermore, there are new rules about visitors and non-COVID patients. Finally, doctors are not able to live at home with their families. Many of the doctors have kids who are staying with family members for the time being while the doctors are living in a hotel in hopes of keeping their family members healthy. 

Despite the COVID-19 related challenges, fans were given answers to many of the cliffhangers from season 16. Dr. Deluca is back at work and is now an attending surgeon at Grey-Sloan Memorial Hospital. Amelia and Link are now at home with their baby. They are also taking care of Dr. Meredith Grey’s kids, Zola, Bailey, and Ellis, while Meredith is working. They decided to name their baby Scout (to honor To Kill a Mockingbird and his father Atticus) Derek (after Amelia’s brother, Dr. Derek Shepherd, who passed away) Shepard Lincoln. Despite being at high risk for COVID-19 due to his age, Dr. Richard Webber is also back at work after hip replacement physical therapy. 

However, the biggest shock of the episode was the jaw-dropping guest appearance. Everyone’s favorite Grey’s Anatomy couple is without a doubt “MerDer,” Dr. Meredith Grey and Dr. Derek Shepherd (McDreamy), as “they were the great love story,” according to Dr. Arizona Robbins. Tragically, in season 11 Derek died, leaving both Meredith and all Grey’s fans crushed. In the last minute of season 17, episode 2, Meredith collapsed on the ground, and as people surrounded her trying to figure out what was wrong, the clip transitioned from the parking lot to a beach scene with Meredith looking out at the ocean. Meredith turns her head to see Derek standing down at the end of the beach calling her name, and then the episode ends. This left fans with so many questions. Is Meredith dead? Was she dreaming? What is wrong with her? 

To find out, watch Grey’s Anatomy, which airs on Thursdays on ABC!