Last week’s Grey’s Anatomy called for a Resident Scramble, as our doctors are forced to find their places amongst the program’s alumni, and OG series cast members.
Continuing with its theme of repair, the growing tension between Jo and Meredith and, Amelia and Penny, was addressed last week, as the show’s karmic twistiness, arose once more through April and Jackson.
As Meredith narrated the episode once more, “Odd Man Out” introduced us to some nostalgic mentorship, as former chief Richard, observed the relationships within the hospital. Alike to the Resident Scramble that had Cristina Yang displaced outside of Cardio; the episode decides to spare us some comic relief, as the most recent residents become too complacent in their specialties.
In turn for surrendering its comedic element, the episode settles for emotional relief; as identities are both questioned and asserted.
As Jo is paired with Meredith, Amelia is paired with Blake, causing both sides of these opposing teams, to face their pasts with this nostalgic resurgence of the moralistic, Resident Scramble. Elsewhere, Edwards and Warren find themselves assigned to Paeds for the duration of the episode.
In their personal lives, Meredith ignores Major Thorpe’s calls, unwilling once more, to let go and move forward, despite the baby steps taken in “All Eyez On Me”. As a result, Jo’s impatience reaches its peak, as Meredith passes her off to Blake; dare having to suspend her issues and teach a learning resident.
Whilst an immediate redemption of her character would feel a bit arbitrary, Meredith isn’t quick to answer to anyone – figuratively or literally – until she is pushed to do so. Quoting herself from the episode prior, “it’s not always wrong when people push you”, it is most definitely advice that needs to be taken.
Having to face her own issues, Amelia plans to move forward with Owen; organising a date, until she discovers she is forced to work with Penny. It is only with her own pushing, courtesy of Riggs, that she faces the loss of her Brother once more.
Meanwhile, in Quasi-Paeds, aka the solely run, Fetal surgery service, Arizona, Ben and De Luca consult with a woman pregnant with Quads, as Riggs and Amelia deal with their own unique case; of the wife and mistress of their patient, Griffin.
Angered by the hold her estranged husband has had on her life, the wife refuses to see her husband until he is dead. It is when he wakes up, forgetting his 11-year relationship with his mistress, that emotions arise once more in the hospital. Determined to out-wait her husband, who has her financially locked into a prenup, Griffin’s wife finds herself mourning the man she once knew; having had renewed hope for her marriage.
Back in Fetal Surgery, albeit with a more poignant case, Arizona tries to convince April to be tested for the same disease that fated Samuel. Having faith in her faith, Arizona and Karev discuss telling Avery to convince her otherwise. Unwilling to tell him herself, April argues her decision to Karev, with the much-discussed topic of Avery’s inability to grieve Samuel in her absence.
Far from resigned over the matter, Arizona is called back to her Quads case, when Ben can only find three babies instead of tfour.
Arizona discovers that baby C isn’t missing but has moved down, forcing mother Courtney, into labour. As they head to the OR to try and stop her labour, Arizona is left with one option; to deliver only baby C, and get the other three as close to full term as she can. Never done before, she awaits Bailey’s approval for the surgery. Stepping away from Trauma; and its prophesied doom – for now – an impressed Arizona, keeps Ben on her service for the foreseeable future. Meanwhile, it seems his marriage is far from spared with his new speciality; as it becomes obvious that Ben feels more than a financial disparity, looming between him and Bailey.
As Riggs becomes curious about the tension between Amelia and Penny, Griffin needs medical intervention, and Riggs pushes Penny beyond her fear to try and save him. Unable to find flaws in Penny’s approach, despite the loss of their patient; Amelia admits that Penny has an efficiency for Neuro that she is obligated to nourish – despite her personal hang-ups over Derek. With Riggs’ help, will she return the favour in repairing the relationship between him and Owen? Exhausted from an emotionally reflective day, Owen and Amelia settle for a date with the puppies that visited the Paed’s kids – which sounds A LOT better than dinner and a movie.
Elsewhere, Meredith is forced to find closure on her issues with Jo, as Edwards and Blake encourage her to confront Meredith. Bringing the thunder as “Josephine Alice Wilson” Meredith apologises.
In a defence; that I’m personally not 100% buying into, Meredith forsakes the accusation that Alex is her stand-in Boyfriend, by explaining that she is defensive of his heart.
Having suffered the loss of Izzy, Rebecca, and Lucy, Meredith expresses her hope that Jo will be the one to stick around. With her own; but puppy-less, reward, for easing her tension with Jo, Thorpe pushes Meredith once more, turning up at the hospital, to ask her out in person.
Left without an answer, as the episode ends, I’m optimistic about this week’s episode; entitled, “I’m not waiting anymore” .
Before we get too happy over the progression of events, Grey’s makes sure to nostalgically remind us of its dark and twistiness, before we close out. As April races to find Jackson, to presumably tell him about the baby, she is shocked to see that Arizona has already done so.
Having returned to his life as a single, available man, tonight’s episode is likely to show the multitude of ways in which our characters get what they want.
Grey’s Anatomy airs Thursday at 8|9c on ABC!
[Courtesy of ABC/Richard Cartwright, Source Content for Gif: ’Grey’s Anatomy’ ABC 2016 ]