Grey's Anatomy and Station 19 are finally back after a hiatus due to the COVID-19 outbreak. In the season 16 finale of Grey's Anatomy, it was revealed that Richard Webber had cobalt poisoning instead of Alzheimer's. He recovered from surgery and remembered his wife Catherine Avery firing him and buying Pac North hospital to humiliate him.

Teddy and Owen's wedding was disrupted when Owen overheard Teddy with her former flame Tom. Andrew DeLuca had a meltdown after diagnosing Richard and showed signs of bipolar disorder. Carina revealed that their father has bipolar disorder, which DeLuca may have inherited.

In the Station 19 finale, Andy discovered that her supposedly deceased mother is actually alive. Alongside this revelation, her husband Robert Sullivan struggled with addiction and surgery recovery.

Production of Grey's Anatomy was postponed due to caution amid the pandemic, resulting in an early season finale. The intertwining storylines between the two shows required adjustments.

The crossover premiere trailer features Andy Herrera and Meredith Grey narrating the challenges they face on the front line. They won't stop fighting and feeling because sometimes everyone needs saving.

Initially, showrunner Krista Vernoff didn't want to incorporate COVID-19 into the storyline due to people's fatigue, but others argued it was a significant medical story. The season 17 premiere will be set weeks into the pandemic and include flashbacks from the unfinished episode filmed before the hiatus. To reflect reality, crowded emergency and operating rooms will be avoided, and different camera lenses will create the illusion of actors standing closer together.

The shooting pace has also changed, resulting in fewer scenes per script.

Overall, the new season aims to address the pandemic while providing relief and maintaining the quality of storytelling.