Grey's Anatomy spoilers follow.

Grey's Anatomy season 16 ended abruptly yesterday (April 9), but the drama's showrunner is still content with how the shortened run came to an apparently organic close.

In last night's finale, viewers not only discovered Richard Webber's diagnosis, but they also witnessed the dramatic unravelling of Teddy and Owen – on the day of their wedding, no less.

It felt like a fitting end to the season – something Krista Vernoff admitted the show had been "lucky" with – but season 17 won't be picking up right where its previous season left off.

ABC

Related: Grey's Anatomy fans are split over big Owen and Teddy twist

Speaking to Entertainment Weekly about the unexpected Grey's finale, Vernoff admitted that the drama will "have to reset" when it returns to filming following its production shutdown.

"I do think we have to reset, I don't know to what degree. We certainly can't just shoot what was going to be [episode] 22 and make it the premiere because it wasn't designed as a premiere," she explained.

"[Episode 22] was a relatively mild episode that followed an episode that was huge. So for sure, we're going to have to reconsider a lot of things."

Kelsey McNeal ABC

Related: Grey's Anatomy season 17 – release date, how to watch online, cast and everything you need to know

Vernoff added that "a lot of things" planned for the tail end of season 16 will change when writing resumes, but she doesn't know exactly what – or how.

"I don't know how it's going to change or what it's going to be, and I won't until we actually sit down," she said.

"I can tell you that we have been having text conversations where we're having brainstorms because we've had downtime and we've had rest, where we're like, 'Oh my God, here's what's going to happen with that character'.

"For sure stories are going to change, just because we're home with time to think."

Grey's Anatomy airs on Thursdays on ABC in the US. It airs on Sky Witness and NOW TV in the UK.

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