7 Incomplete Storylines Heading Into ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Season 17
Despite shutting down production on Season 16 four episodes earlier than expected, Grey’s Anatomy left fans with several finale-esque endings for its characters heading into the hiatus.
The ABC medical drama is returning for a 17th season, and there’s quite a bit up in the air, even after the spinoff, Station 19, addressed at least one dangling thread. (Its third season had finished filming, which meant some of its final two episodes were reworked to remove some Grey’s-related material, but not everything.)
Could there be two love triangles in Season 17, with Meredith (Ellen Pompeo) and Teddy (Kim Raver) at the center of each one? How worried should we be about DeLuca (Giacomo Gianniotti)?
Scroll down to see the storylines that were left hanging at the end of Season 16.
Grey’s Anatomy, Season 17, Fall 2020, ABC
The Tom-Teddy-Owen love triangle
Teddy’s been seeing Tom (Greg Germann) behind Owen’s (Kevin McKidd) back — while planning their wedding — but her fiancé found out in the finale. (She accidentally left him a voicemail of her and Tom having sex. Awkward.) Still, she was planning to marry him, but he let her know through his mother that he was “postponing” the wedding. What will happen when they finally talk and who she might choose is up in the air until next season. (While Teddy was in the Station 19 finale, we couldn’t see her ring finger.)
DeLuca and the human trafficking storyline
DeLuca was so sure that he was seeing signs of a young girl being trafficked, while the rest of the staff attributed his behavior to his family history and the possibility that he could be bipolar. However, as was later revealed, unbeknownst to the doctors, he was right. “We had an episode where [that girl] comes back,” showrunner Krista Vernoff told Deadline. “It felt important to offer that kind of hope to people who are living that experience. I may still complete that story next season.”
Richard and Catherine's future
Their relationship seemed pretty much completely over in both their eyes nearing the end of the season, but after his health crisis, she had a change of heart. The only problem? He wasn’t interested. Still, there could be hope for the two of them.
The potential Meredith-DeLuca-Hayes love triangle
Season 16 saw Meredith and DeLuca’s relationship take a rocky turn, only for Cristina to send her a present in Hayes (Richard Flood). Things never really took off — though Meredith and Hayes did have a couple bonding moments — but the stage is set for the show to make this a full-blown love triangle in Season 17.
Amelia and Link and their baby
At least Grey’s solved the “who’s the father?” mystery earlier in the season, but while Amelia (Caterina Scorsone) gave birth in the finale, we don’t know what she and Link (Chris Carmack) will name their baby or how they’ll do as parents.
DeLuca's mental health
His sister was the one who suspected that he, like their father, is bipolar, and there were a few signs that she could be right (and not just his behavior at work, but also not wearing gloves in the blizzard and speeding on his motorcycle). The season ended with Meredith bringing him home, but something was clearly going on.
Then she seemed to confirm he was diagnosed in a Station 19 episode. “My dad has bipolar I,” Carina (Stefania Spampinato) told girlfriend Maya Bishop (Danielle Savre). “And my sweet baby brother has inherited it.” Whatever is next for DeLuca will have to be addressed when Season 17 begins.
The original plan for the finale
The final two episodes of the spinoff’s third season featured Grey’s characters and were supposed to offer a hint as to the plan for the original Season 16 finale. Station 19‘s characters dealt with a bomb at Pac-North, and the rest of that storyline likely won’t be part of the next season of Grey’s. But personal stories—including character and relationship ones—likely will be. It’s just a matter of wondering how much will change.
