Here’s a short list of several things happening on Grey’s Anatomy for which I am eternally grateful:
• All the cuteness and sexiness we’ve been getting between Bailey and Ben this season. They are Grey Sloan’s hottest couple and I am happy to bask in their hotness. Even if it’s just for a short while until Bailey discovers that her husband is training for the Grey’s spinoff.
• Actual Seattle exterior shots. They really make a difference!
• A little reminder of how great April and Arizona’s friendship is. Arizona knows exactly how April feels as she navigates sharing custody with someone whom she has complicated feelings for. I will watch April and AZ chat in a hospital gurney together anytime. Also, the nod to April and Owen’s friendship is a nice touch.
• Little Harriet with her chubby cheeks wearing a knitted hat!
• The fact that Grey’s jumps right in and deals with Amelia’s brain surgery. In the span of one hour, Amelia has her tumor removed, can’t speak, speaks French, speaks English, and then hugs DeLuca because she is healed and she is free. Then she goes home with Owen. Thank you and good night.
The last item is especially great because Amelia has already hijacked too much of season 14. Surely, she (and Owen) will have to deal with fallout from the tumor that’s been growing inside of her for a decade and affecting every decision she’s ever made and every mood she’s ever been in (and she has been in some moods, people). But for now, that story line is all tucked away, allowing us to focus on something else.
Let’s talk about the Meredith and Megan and Riggs of it all. Last we saw Meredith and Riggs, she was yelling at the guy for throwing away this amazing opportunity to reunite with the love of his life. She was actually offended that Riggs wasn’t fighting for Megan. Pull out all the stops, dude. Your True Love is back from the dead.
Well, that was the last time anyone saw Riggs, because as Meredith delivers some bad news to Megan about an infection that will once again prolong her stay in the States, they realize that Riggs is nowhere to be found. “I think we broke his brain,†Megan laughs. With both ladies trying to give the other a shot with Riggs, it is the exact opposite of your typical love triangle and it is wonderful.
While Meredith is trying to figure out whose name to keep on her paper about Megan’s surgery that she plans to submit for a Harper Avery — she has to take Jackson off, or it’ll be ineligible; she wants to keep Jo, but Jo doesn’t want her photo or name in a medical journal for fear of her psycho husband tracking her down (it’s very sad and also, where is Matthew Morrison?) —Megan gets word that Farouk has been taken to a hospital in Baghdad. She wants, no, she has to leave immediately and get to him. Meredith reminds Megan that she has an infection, which if left untreated could kill her. She won’t be much use to Farouk if she’s dead.
If only Megan knew that Nathan Riggs was in the midst of pulling off a grand gesture for her heart.
Meredith has been receiving calls from Riggs all week, though she assumes it’ll be more of him trying to explain why he and Meredith would work, and Mom has no time for that nonsense. She ignores his calls until she can’t bear to hear her ringtone again. When she picks up, Riggs is very formal and puts her on the phone with someone very official at the embassy in Iraq. He has questions about the clinical trial Meredith is running that Farouk is a part of, in order to approve giving him a temporary medical visa so he can go to the U.S.
Riggs is trying to get Farouk back to his mother.
It’s a swoony gesture, but one that he can’t do without Meredith’s help. She passes the test with the impromptu phone inquisition (Meredith is an expert Googler and a great liar under pressure), but when Riggs and Farouk land in Seattle, they get held up over some paperwork. Enter Meredith, who is there to kick some ass (with her swagger and, again, that knack for lying) and take children out of airport prison and back into the arms of their mothers.
Thanks to the tag team of Meredith and Riggs, we get to watch as Meredith tells Megan not to make any sudden movements, and then Riggs walks in with a surprise for her … and finally, Farouk and Megan are reunited. Which part made you tear up the most: Huncle Owen thanking Farouk for taking care of his sister, or a beaming Meredith walking away, knowing her job is done and giving a little look up to the ol’ Derek in the sky? I mean, Huncle Owen is great, but Meredith’s undying love for Derek can make me bust out with a single sob no matter the context.
YET SOMEHOW STILL Megan isn’t convinced that Riggs is into her as much as he’s into Meredith. Meredith once again tells her that she would like to be removed from this narrative. What more do you want, woman? Sure, a lot can change in ten years — for both Riggs and Megan — but can’t she just enjoy this grand, loving, soulmate-level gesture for, like, a day?
Speaking of grand gestures, Jackson and Catherine return from Harper Avery’s funeral, and Catherine lets it slip during an awkward family dinner with Webber and Maggie that Harper left his grandson a quarter of a billion dollars.
Over this hilariously bad dinner (when Jackson asks if Maggie would like some wine as they sit and listen to Webber and Catherine arguing, her response is: “I would like a gallon of itâ€), Jackson can’t help but argue with his mother over what to do with that much money. He doesn’t want it, he’d rather donate it. It’s too much of a burden. Which, like, cry me a river, dude! Everyone at the table says as much, but Maggie does try to come to Jackson’s defense. Having all the options is incredibly stressful. Too many choices is a good problem to have, but a problem nonetheless. Okay, so Maggie can cry me a river, too.
Regardless of how inane the situation is, Jackson is thankful to have Maggie’s support. The next day, he thanks her and tells her that he appreciates her. Appreciate is not the sexiest verb, but somehow coming out of that mouth on that face with those eyes, it just works. Maggie returns the sentiment and it looks like these two might be coming to terms with their real feelings for one another … until Catherine walks into the room. She also thanks Maggie for talking some sense into Jackson, but then she really does it: Catherine finds it funny that Jackson is just like Maggie — she would never listen to what her mother had to say, but if her sister said it, she’d be all ears. Her sister. Jackson and Maggie look at each other as if they’ve just realized that, yes, technically they are step-siblings. They’re family. This isn’t Game of Thrones, so it totally ruins the mood.
Laughter Is the Best Medicine, Except For Real Medicine
• The idea that all the Shepherds went to a French preschool is hilarious and wonderful, but it also means we were robbed of hearing McDreamy speak French. Not cool, Grey’s.
• Although the parade of terrible interns was ultimately unbearable, the Bailey and Webber comedy hour was not. Also, I vote for the intern who hates all of her peers to join the Grey Sloan family. We met those peers. They were awful. She’s right to hate them.
• All of our doctors wonder how nice it would be to explain away some of their crazier moments with a tumor. Arizona’s pick? Dating Minnick.
• Catherine Avery and Amelia’s neurosurgeon used to, maybe, hook up. He calls her Kit Cat! Webber is enraged! This is all glorious.
• “I’ve been on this planet for six decades. There’ve been penises in my life that are not attached to you!â€
Sob Scale: 5/10
A mother and son were reunited! And Meredith smiled while looking up at the sky! THE SKY IS DEREK.