If last week’s elevator drama was meant to give DeLuca a chance to make his case in the battle for Meredith’s heart, “Help, I’m Alive” gives the other corner of the new love triangle a chance to make his. Obviously, I was very much on board with Meredith doing bad things to DeLuca after he was vulnerable with her in an enclosed space and also spoke Italian. But then we get to watch Link decorate a child’s superhero-themed birthday party and Little Bailey calls him Thor and Little Bailey is not wrong, and I don’t know, friends, I’m very torn. Yes, Meredith has been through more trauma than a human possibly could without going insane, but also the two major love triangles she’s anchored have consisted of (1) a man nicknamed McDreamy and a hot vet with a sad backstory and (2) these two doctor hunks — that seems like a fair life trade-off to me.
Meredith and Link begin the day hating each other, which of course in TV drama-land typically means they are going to have the hots for each other very soon. Meredith can’t get past Link’s lax attitude in surgery and Link has no time for all the stress Mer is putting out there. He’s especially not happy when she questions a call he makes. You know he’s an Ortho god! His call ends up being the right choice and Meredith has to eat some (handsome) humble pie. She does this by allowing Link to help her out last minute with Bailey’s fifth birthday party, which is currently falling apart. That doesn’t seem like much of a win for Link, but he’s the one who offered.
Can we talk some more about Link hanging up streamers and balloons while wearing the perfect sweater? Because, HELLO. It’s here that Link opens up a little bit about his childhood cancer and all the terrible things that go with it (he lost friends, his parents divorced). Now he’s being vulnerable too! So, he doesn’t speak Italian, but he’s great with kids! The important part is that Meredith learns that Link is so relaxed because his cancer gave him perspective and Link learns that Meredith is stressed because she is a world-renowned surgeon raising three kids on her own. But also important is that sweater. I DIGRESS. Anyway, now that they understand one another a little better, they have the hots for each other — as is tradition.
DeLuca is texting Meredith to help him celebrate a solo surgery he performed, but Meredith is too busy watching Link shove cake in his mouth to even read it. Okay, I know that doesn’t sound sexy, but trust me, it is.
I guess we have to talk about the other love triangle clogging up the halls of Grey Sloan: Yes, the Teddy-Owen-Amelia drama gets a little resolution (for now). Praise Shonda for having Teddy finally stand up for herself instead of letting literally everyone in Grey Sloan blame her for something THAT IS NOT HER FAULT. As she explains to Owen, who after touching foreheads with her last week is suddenly extremely angry again for no good reason, it’s not like she got pregnant on purpose as a means to hurt him and Amelia. He’s the one who came to Germany, boned her, and then left. Okay, Teddy says it much more eloquently than that but I am very much #TeamTeddy in this whole mess and I am angry. Owen is simply upset because he doesn’t like the position he’s in. In fact, he calls it a “crap situation” that never would’ve happened if Teddy had told him about the baby right away. He says that very loudly and in front of Amelia. Even I have to admit that Amelia has the right to be offended. Why do either of these ladies want Owen around?
Just when you think he can’t get any more bone-headed, Owen’s like: challenge accepted. The guy — a doctor — has the flu but refuses to stop working. No one wants a doctor infected with the flu! This is Medicine 101. Eventually, he puts himself on some fluids, because sure why not, but in a hilarious turn of events, the anesthesiologist in the surgery he’s about to perform (WHILE INFECTED) accidentally puts the paralytic in Owen’s I.V. instead of the patient’s. (We have bigger things to discuss in the moment, but honestly, that seems like a huge mistake that should be addressed by the board — is anyone even on the board anymore?)
It’s only once he’s in a hospital bed that Teddy can actually get Owen to talk in a calm, rational matter. She reminds him that by being here and making sure he’s a part of their baby’s life, she is giving up the perfect job back in Germany. She’s making all the sacrifices and also getting blamed for everything. Something has to give. And so Owen gives Teddy his job (I’d ask if this is even allowed, but Karev is Chief and you know the less work he has to do, the better). Teddy will be Head of Trauma, Owen will work under her, and they will figure out a way to co-parent.
With that settled, he tells Amelia that he is in love with her and their little family, and he doesn’t want to do any of this without her. I was waiting for someone, anyone, to jump out of the bushes and remind them how terrible their marriage was, but alas, no one does. Owen and Amelia are officially back on.
In much more serious news, Catherine is back at Grey Sloan and things are tense. She’s rightfully super pissed at Meredith for pretty much announcing her diagnosis over the hospital PA system, and so kicks her off her case. She’s letting Tom and Amelia work on that — it’s not going well, but that is not for this episode. Meanwhile, she’s taking on a complex, risky surgery in the hopes of saving a young woman’s tumor-ridden uterus. Co-piloting this surgery with her are Jackson and Richard. Since none of them have addressed the fact that she has a gigantic tumor on her spine and didn’t want to tell them about it, this surgery should be totally fun and all about the patient.
After a while in the O.R., it’s clear Catherine is in pain. Jackson tries to step in, but that just offends his mother. Things go downhill and eventually, Catherine realizes that her patient’s uterus can’t be saved. There’s nothing anyone can do. She walks out of the O.R. angry and upset, partially because she wanted to help her patient, but also partially because, hello, that patient is metaphorically Catherine. When Jackson and Richard find her later, they finally have the big blowout they needed. Although it is a hoot to watch Jackson’s reaction when he finds out Richard was recently arrested (“I’m married to a felon!” Catherine yells), the real takeaway here is that the guys are hurt that she wouldn’t confide in them. Not only are they surgeons, but they’re her family. But don’t those dumb boys see? If Catherine told them, it would make it real. Seeing Catherine Fox break down like that is a lot to take in. She’s scared. And if Catherine’s scared, we all should be.
Laughter Is The Best Medicine, Apart From Real Medicine
• Levi Schmitt is Glasses no more! After “saving” Owen’s life during the paralytic mix-up, Schmitt is feeling empowered. He celebrates by hooking up with Nico (in the on-call room this time, Alex would be so proud) and wearing contacts. What a day!
• “No one has ever started a sentence to me with the word ‘respectfully.’”
• Bailey’s getting that help she needs in the form of a therapist and some new medication. It seems to be working! During all the Catherine goings-on, she doesn’t feel the need to butt in and she stops Maggie from doing so as well. Sure, not telling her therapist she had yogurt on her chin throughout their session was a big step, but this is a real breakthrough!
• After Jo overhears Amelia and Tom yelling at each other in frustration, she suggests a new 3D tool that would help them practice more effectively for Catherine’s surgery. Tom’s response: “Am I dreaming? Because she walked in here with a miracle and she looks like a mermaid.”
• Teddy’s in the lounge massaging her feet after a hard day of setting Owen straight, when Tom walks in being very Tom and holding a plate of delicious french fries. You guys, he feeds them to her so she doesn’t have to touch them with her feet-hands! Tom’s a dog, but he’s also kind of the best. Can he stay?
• Webber trying to meditate by a tree under direction of his new sponsor forever and always.
Sob Scale: 4/10
We only knew Garrett and his comatose fiancée for a short time, but that whole “I don’t want to do life without you now that I know what it’s like with you” speech will stay with me forever. Wake up and marry him, Natasha!
