Grey's Anatomy Round Table: A Devastating DeLuca Breakdown and Heartrending Gianniotti Performance!
Jasmine Blu
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The drama has reached an all-time high, and Grey's Anatomy Season 16 Episode 18 was filled to the brim with it.
But nothing topped the devastating DeLuca breakdown that we can't stop talking about.
Join TV Fanatics Meaghan Frey and Paul Dailly, and Grey's Fanatics Jasmin Pettie and Berea Orange as they discuss the hour.
Do you expect a downfall of Teddy and Owen if the truth ever comes out? Will she ever tell him?
Jasmin: Yes, I do. The reason for that is that Teddy slept with Tom more than once. I think Teddy sleeping with Tom one time because she was freaked out that Amelia's baby might be Owen's, and he might leave her, is something Owen could have forgiven and understood if she'd come clean.
But that's not what happened. She slept with Tom again, they began an affair, and it only ended because Tom chose to walk away.
As this episode makes clear, Teddy had no intention of doing so. As a result, I don't think that's something Owen will be able or should forgive.
I hope she does tell him, but at this point, it looks doubtful that she will. My guess is that the truth will come out some other way and bite her in the butt later on.
Meaghan: This is going to blow up in a MAJOR way. Nothing stays secret for very long. Maggie already knows about the affair. The second other people start to become privy to secrets on this show, that is when things start to unravel.
Teddy most likely won't own up to her mistake until she is backed into a corner. I can't see how Owen is going to forgive her for this. Can Owen just have a stable relationship for five seconds, please?
Teddy: It's not Owen's baby.
Tom: Oh.
Teddy: Tom, this doesn't change the way I feel about you.
Tom: But...
Paul: Teddy and Owen need to end their relationship. It simply isn't working for them, and I suspect they are in for a world of hurt if they don't make a decision soon. I do think Teddy will 'fess up in a few weeks.
Berea: Jasmin is so right. A one-time discretion in a moment of insecurity is something Owen could possibly forgive. He himself cheated before and knows how he has made Teddy feel over the years.
But her going back to him and doing it again? Not acceptable.
What makes it even worse is her unwillingness to end it even after she found out the truth. So I will echo Paul’s sentiment in that Teddy and Owen need to end it.
I suppose there is a slight chance they might make it through, but it is blatantly obvious that Teddy still has feelings for Tom. This news about Amelia’s baby simply presented an opportunity for Teddy to run back to Tom.
Now that that door has been opened, it’s hard for it to close. I hope Owen finds out sooner than later, and I really hope he hears it from Teddy (not Tom or Maggie).
Did Meredith handle her pro-bono day well? How do you feel about her proposing a surgery day once a month using Griffin's money?
Jasmin: I thought Meredith handled the pro-bono day well, all things considered. She had things under control until DeLuca pulled Bailey away and then lied to Helm and had the entire schedule rearranged by saying it was on her orders.
Up to that point, everything was on track and being handled, so if he hadn't done that everything would have been fine.
I think she handled that situation as best she could. In the end, she accomplished her goal. She got all of the pro-bono surgeries taken care of and made a plan for the future.
Twenty-five surgeries in 12 hours, it's bound to be a hitch or two.
Tom
I thought her blackmailing Tom by proposing the new pro-bono surgery day once a month was ballsy, but also badass. Tom shouldn't have told her where the money came from because now he's in her pocket for the rest of his life.
It also worked to calm everybody down which enabled the doctors to treat all of the patients as needed.
Meaghan: Meredith did the best she could given the hand she was dealt. DeLuca pretty much made it his mission to derail the whole thing, regardless of how noble his intentions were.
I love the idea of the hospital doing a monthly pro-bono surgery day. However, linking it to the blood money isn't the best idea. When the truth comes out about the money, which it will, it will ruin all of her hard work.
Paul: Yeah, she did well. Things kept popping up, and she tried her best to make the right compromises for everyone. It was a stressful day, but she knows how to handle people.
Berea: The pro-bono day went okay for their first time, all things considered. While a monthly pro-bono day is a good idea and extremely noble, it’s still something she should’ve run by Bailey and Tom first.
I’m sure there are guidelines. At the very least, I imagine a board meeting should have happened and a discussion with other surgeons who will be performing the surgeries. But instead, we get to see Meredith be the savior taking things into her own hands. Again.
Which of the cases or potential ones did you find the most interesting?
Jasmin: I found the case of the wounded veteran that Amelia and Teddy treated the most interesting. It raised some good points, gave us some insight into how both Amelia and Teddy are feeling about their romantic partners and personal lives and provided a great feel-good moment in the end.
Meaghan: DeLuca's case. Aside from his insanity, it shined a light on such a difficult situation. Making an accusation like that as a healthcare provider without hard proof is a controversial decision.
At the same time, though, healthcare providers are also in a special position to identify these types of situations that might otherwise never be found.
Teddy: I paged Koracick.
Amelia: Do people really prefer him over me because that concerns me on so many levels.
Paul: I'll go with DeLuca's case. I didn't believe him for the most part, and I appreciated that the writers manage to lure me into a false sense of security here.
Berea: The veteran case was the most interesting to me. It makes me so sad the lack of support we give veterans in this country. From a medical standpoint, I enjoyed his the most, but Deluca’s case was interesting, too.
What are your thoughts on Levi and Nico's breakup? Is Levi moving in with Jo a good idea?
Jasmin: I'm glad they broke up. Levi and Nico went from a hot hookup to a real relationship to a hookup again, and Nico's been all over the map.
First, he said he couldn't help Levi on his journey, then they started dating, then he shut him out after his patient died, then they got back together, then he told Levi he wasn't out to his parents, so they went back to being a hookup, and Nico stops considering Levi and his feelings in his decision making.
To be honest, I think they've been over for a while, but Levi didn't want to admit it. Jo asking Levi to move in surprised me, but not in a bad way. They could both use a friend right now, and I'll be interested to see where that goes.
Meaghan: The two of them peaked when Levi's grandpa died and have completely fizzled out since then, so honestly, I'm not even fazed by this breakup.
After watching The Thing About Harry, I am dying for Levi to get more screen time and reach his full potential. Jo and Levi living together will be interesting given their history, but I think he makes a good support system for Jo without the risk of it developing into a romantic connection like someone like Link would.
Paul: Meh. Nico is all over the place, and there's no way they're going to be able to salvage this relationship. Nico likes to have his independence and doesn't like to have to answer to anyone. Levi moving in with Jo is the best thing to come from this.
Berea: I cannot stand Nico. He has the depth of a teaspoon, and he treats Levi like trash. He didn’t even think Levi deserved a conversation about this new job.
I am so ready for Levi to leave him behind. Levi moving in with Jo should be a good idea. They are both going to be healing and will probably lean on each other.
Did you believe DeLuca? How did you feel about Mer telling him she loves him? What's your reaction to his entire story arc during this hour?
Jasmin: I did, and I didn't. I believed he was right that there was some sort of abuse or neglect going on but wasn't totally sold on the human trafficking aspect, and I'm still not.
Both the girl and her supposed aunt appear to be natural redheads, which is a relatively rare hair color, especially in North America. This would make the trafficking rather easy to spot, so I don't believe the girl is being trafficked in the traditional sense.
DeLuca: She fits the profile.
Olivia: Profile for what?
DeLuca: Human-trafficking.
I do however believe that there is some kind of abuse going on and based on the scene at the end, she's either been kidnapped or forced into some kind of domestic slavery.
As for the conversation between DeLuca and Meredith, I feel the same way I did about all of the other times. She told him she loves him in an effort to get him to calm down, see things clearly, and not do anything else stupid like she did the last time. I found DeLuca's entire story arc this hour nerve-wracking and very difficult to watch.
Meaghan: Yes, I believed him, but not necessarily because he was believable but because I knew the show would go that route when they began trying to make it more about his mania.
It shows just how much his mental illness is affecting his job. He isn't necessarily a bad provider, but everything is tainted because his mental health issues are spiraling out of control, so no one believes him or takes him seriously right now. That is a dangerous situation to have in a hospital.
DeLuca, go home! Rest!
Bailey
Paul: I didn't believe DeLuca, and I feel terrible for it. He picked up on the signs, and nobody believed a word that came out of his mouth.
His behavior has been erratic, to say the least. Meredith telling him she loved him was something he needed to hear at the right time, but given that he was speeding on his motorcycle, he's not out of the woods yet.
Berea: I believed DeLuca was right from the beginning. It is such a shame, though, that he has lost all credibility, so no one else would take it seriously.
He could be both right about this and also in the midst of a manic state. I believe his breakdown showed that. I felt so bad for Carina watching him breakdown like this in front of everyone; this has been what she’s feared for a while.
DeLuca: I'm not your business anymore, Meredith. I don't work for you. I don't love you.
Mer: But I love you. I love you.
Meredith telling DeLuca she loves him did not move me at all. “You went to jail for me” was not that romantic in my opinion. Their relationship was intriguing for me in the beginning, but it has lost all appeal to me over time.
Meredith just doesn’t seem that into him. Rather it feels like she’s just phoning it in when it comes to that relationship. She’s had more passion with Finn, Derek, and Nathan than she does with Andrew. I think it’s time to let that relationship go.
Do you have any additional thoughts you'd like to add?
Jasmin: I'm glad that Meredith is back in the spotlight kicking some surgical ass! It is her show after all. Jackson got served in this episode, and it was glorious. I'm glad that he and Richard reconnected.
I'll be interested to see what Jo changes her name to in the coming weeks. I'm glad that Amelia and Link are back together, that they're happy, and seem to be doing well.
I was disappointed that we didn't get more scenes with Meredith and Hayes this episode because the setup kind of made it seem like we would.
Meaghan: I too am extremely disappointed we didn't get more Mer and Hayes time. I am a huge fan of these two and would love to see them get more interactions, even if it is on a purely friendship level.
Paul: I've been very critical of the series of late, but the show appears to have hit its stride again. More cases like this, please!
Berea: I am with Meaghan. Can we please get more Mer and Hayes content? Those two are great, and I love every scene the two of them have.
What was your favorite moment of the hour? Who was the MVP of it?
Jasmin: My favorite moment was when Jackson tried to invite literally everybody he knew to the game because he had an extra ticket, but he's spent the last season and a half being such an ass to everyone that no one wanted to go with him, and he got served!
To me, Maggie was the MVP of that one.
Meaghan: My favorite moment was when DeLuca instructed everyone what the protocol is for a dangerous patient, and the doctors flipped it and used it on him. It was completely heartbreaking and played so well.
From an acting and performance standpoint alone, DeLuca is the MVP.
Security, arrest this woman for child trafficking.
DeLuca
Paul: My favorite moment was Meredith telling everyone that pro bono days would be more frequent.
DeLuca was by far the MVP because of the subject matter, and the fact that everyone thought he was falling apart.
Berea: My favorite comedic moment was Maggie asking Jackson why doesn’t he just go to the basketball game alone. Oh right, because he can’t be alone.
Jackson: How about you, you like hoops?
Jo: Yeah, and not being invited to things as an afterthought.
Maggie: Why don't you just go alone. Oh yeah, that's right. You can't do alone.
I hope that whole arc of him begging everyone to go with him is the beginning of him doing some introspection.
I also loved Tom being the one to end things with Teddy. People have been blaming Tom for this (albeit short-lived) affair, but he’s not a bad guy. He’s been cheated on before and he doesn’t want to be on the side while Teddy builds a relationship with Owen.
Tom is a good man who did the right thing here and deserves more credit.
Ultimately, my MVP was Deluca (or Giacomo) for that scene in the waiting area. That was great acting, and Carina gets an honorable mention for her reaction, too.
Over to you, Grey's Fanatics. Do you agree with us? Disagree? Hit the comments below!
Grey's Anatomy airs Thursdays on ABC.
Jasmine Blu is a senior staff writer for TV Fanatic. She is an insomniac who spends late nights and early mornings binge-watching way too many shows and binge-drinking way too much tea. Her eclectic taste makes her an unpredictable viewer with an appreciation for complex characters, diverse representation, dynamic duos, compelling stories, and guilty pleasures. You'll definitely find her obsessively live-tweeting, waxing poetic, and chatting up fellow Fanatics and readers. Follow her on X.
