‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Is Frustrating Fans With Its Season 17 Dialogue
Medical dramas have been popular on TV for decades, but Grey’s Anatomy always stays at the top.
The series wasn’t the first to visit hospital grounds for the popular format but has cemented its place in television history after 17 seasons and three spinoffs. Like the long-running pioneer of the genre, ER, Grey’s Anatomy has spent almost two decades consistently dominating its slot in primetime, despite shifts in cast and crew over the years. Still, some fans are beginning to worry the show’s magic is wearing off in its 17th season.
With some cracks starting to appear in the show’s dialogue, some fans are even asking if the iconic series has the steam left for a season 18.
Show, don’t tell
Season 17 of Grey’s Anatomy aired two months later than it normally would’ve due to delays from Covid-19, but fans were thrilled when the season hit the airwaves in November 2020. With many people still isolating themselves at home during the pandemic, viewers were excited to have a new season of the show to enjoy.
As season 17 has progressed, however, some fans have found that the show involves a little more description and exposition than it used to. Fans have been taking to social media to share that they feel something is missing in the show.
One Reddit user described the way the season’s action has been progressing as, “Way too much is presented through dialogue. There’s nothing important going on visually. I could legit just look at something on my phone while listening to the audio of the episode as it plays on my laptop and not miss anything of importance.”
One commenter was even less kind, saying “They’ve skipped the whole “script writing” part and just handed the actors their storyboard note cards”
Rough production, rough season
Filming and production of season 17 of Grey’s Anatomy was drastically affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. Some fans have been hoping that the problems with the show are due to the harried production cycle, rather than omens of the end of an empire.
With no Season 18 yet slated for filming, fans are hoping that the show could turn back around after restrictions behind the scenes have lifted. “It’s been an issue for a while now,” one Reddit commenter mentions, “Them not really going in and building to stuff, showing us all of it, but I do wonder if it’s worse this season because of Covid.”
While fans may hope for better in a future season, with no confirmation from ABC yet, other fans have been wondering if there will be another season at all.
The future for ‘Grey’s Anatomy’
With negotiations still ongoing for season 18 of the iconic show, fans may be looking at the end of an era. After 16 years, the end of the show would be a major milestone in television history. Some fans haven’t given up hope yet that ABC may strike a deal with the cast and crew for another season yet.
Though during its 16-year run, Grey’s Anatomy has changed around cast members a lot over the years. Even with only three original cast members remaining, the show is largely driven by its large, ensemble cast. Talks with ABC have been underway for months to renew for the 18th season, but negotiations have hit a snag with the leading actress, Ellen Pompeo.
Pompeo made $20m per season in 2018 according to The Wrap, but knowing that her role is essential to the extremely successful series, she seems to be making a case for even more money. This led showrunner Krista Vernoff to make a contingency plan for season 17. “I’m planning a season and a finale that could function as either a season finale or a series finale. I’m planning for both contingencies, and it’s hard, and it’s not ideal.” Vernoff said, according to Cinema Blend.
While it’s good that Vernoff had the prescience to wrap up plot lines in a nice bow for next week’s season finale, many fans are wanting an agreement with ABC soon. The show hasn’t been officially canceled yet, and it’s not too late for fans to hope that they’ll get new Grey’s Anatomy for years to come.
