May Tank rest in peace!

We got an upsetting loss on Grey's Anatomy Season 19 Episode 8 with the death of Tank, while Simone's ex returned to her and Lucas' surprise. Also, Teddy is officially the new chief.

Join Joshua Johnson, Meaghan Frey, and Jasmine Blu as they discuss the hour.

Were you shocked by the outcome of Link's surgery with Tank? Do you think there will be blowback on Link and the hospital after such a high-profile death?

Joshua: I wasn't entirely shocked by Tank's death; from Link's first scene talking about the surgery, it was obvious that the patient would die. Even once we got to know Tank, I knew he would die: he was so likable, everyone was rooting for him, even his mother phoning in to "admonish" Simone and Blue was a hint that Tank was going to die.

I was very moved by the story and cried when Tank died. There will be some blowback on both Link and the hospital, especially with the change in chief of surgery.

Meaghan: The fact that he died wasn't surprising, but that didn't make it any easier. Tank was such a loveable character in the short time we knew him; typically, the more we like them, the harder they fall.

I'm sure there will be major blowback from a PR perspective, but at the end of the day, Tank died from pretty normal post-op complications, so legally, Link should be in the clear.

Jasmine: Yeah, the writing was clear on the wall that he wouldn't make it to the end of the episode. I was still in denial the entire time, though, and it broke my heart when he passed away. It was a rough loss. He was just a kid!

While technically, Tank died because of normal complications; I feel there will be a small period where there'll be some serious blowback because of how poorly it may reflect on the hospital and Link that they lost this high-profile patient. It never has to make sense; it just has to keep people talking.

What were your thoughts on the step-by-step depiction of abortion and the case in general?

Joshua: I was apprehensive about this storyline and expected the worst, to be honest.

Once again, the acting, writing, and relationship-building between characters made me feel like something much more traumatic would happen to Sierra or her child.

Instead, we got something more nuanced and almost more difficult to watch.

It reminded me of Grey's Anatomy Season 15 Episode 19 when we watched the sexual assault victim go through the rape kit process: this is something that women face with alarming regularity, and by showing what Sierra had to go through, it forced the audience to a) be aware of what women deal with when it comes to unwanted pregnancy, and b) confront their own ideas of reproductive health care.

I also appreciated how it demystified the process of a first-trimester abortion. Shamefully, my knowledge of the abortion process doesn't extend past what I learned in high school over 20 years ago.

While I know that this story was dramatized for the sake of television, they kept all of the drama out of the procedure and put it into how the pregnancy and another child would affect Sierra's and her family's lives.

In my opinion, this was one of the most well-done stories the show has done in a while and fits in very well within the stories that Grey's Anatomy tells about how women suffer in the medical system.

Besides that, I also loved Jules in every scene related to this story. She listened, withheld judgment, and met Sierra where she was.  Fantastic acting from Adelaide Kane and a great way to introduce more of Jules' backstory.

Meaghan: I really have to applaud the writers because this storyline was so well done. The way it was portrayed felt so intimate, and it was handled with so much care.

Sierra's story, in itself, was very important to tell. Most of the time, when abortions are portrayed on television, it shows a young girl who accidentally got pregnant and has no other options.

By showing Sierra's story, where she is in a happy, healthy marriage, has children already, and is making the best decision for herself, helps to change the lens through which people view the procedure.

The way that Jo handled the procedure was also extremely important. There was no somber tone; it was a matter of fact like you would handle any other medical procedure -- as it should be. Taking that tone helps to destigmatize it.

Jasmine: I'm thoroughly impressed with how the series tackles women's healthcare issues this season. They've done it well, with nuance, showing rather than spouting off statistics. They're putting faces and scenarios to these issues in a way that makes people see and understand them better.

I loved that they showed this entire process in such a nonchalant way, and it did demystify and destigmatize this issue that's so controversial.

Yet, many people don't even understand what it entails. People conjure up certain images about this procedure, so seeing a step-by-step depiction provides some perspective.

I also appreciated that Sierra was a married mother and not some teenager or young adult. She had other reasons for not wanting this child; bringing up PPD was a great moment because it's not something that people often discuss or consider, and it's valid. The whole thing was handled remarkably well, and yes, Jules and Jo were great.

Did you enjoy Teddy and Richard's negotiation tactics?

Joshua: I did not, if only because it made Teddy seem much stupider than she actually is. I did not buy for a minute that Teddy didn't realize she couldn't negotiate an offer, let alone not know how to do so. Bailey and Amelia negotiated for Teddy, and Teddy had almost no hand in it. The plot felt silly and highlighted why Teddy should not be chief.

Meaghan: It was a nice lighthearted side to an episode with a much heavier subject matter. However, I agree with Joshua. How does Teddy not know how to negotiate an offer?

I hope that at this point in her career, she will know you don't just have to accept an offer. I would say that asking for double the offer, a stipend, AND an assistant is a bit much, though.

Jasmine: I thought it was a lighthearted, fun little side story with amusing points, but I can understand the criticism about it making Teddy appear incompetent.

Things are looking bleak for Maggie and Winston. Discuss.

Joshua: The writers keep giving Maggie this same obstacle without doing anything to help her move past it. Winston is being as open, honest, and transparent as he can be, and it feels like Maggie is purposefully looking for fault in Winston, which she also did with Jackson.

She is absolutely failing to "Be extraordinary," thinking that she can have both her marriage and her career exactly as she wants it, without considering Winston's feelings and ignoring the fact that he's an entirely different person with his own inner life (both things she also ignored when Winston was dealing with his brother).

He's trying to share that inner life with her, and she can't see past her own expectations of the relationship. At this point, I"d be happy if they broke up, if only because Maggie really needs to learn this lesson that she never learns.

Meaghan: Maggie is frustrating me so much through this whole issue. I understand that Maggie couldn't even fathom changing her specialty because she is passionate about cardiothoracic surgery, but Winston isn't her.

The fact that she keeps looking down on him regarding his choice is terrible. I'm with Joshua because I'm ready for the two of them to be over at this point. Winston deserves better than this.

Jasmine: Yeah, I'm over it. I love Maggie and am usually one of her biggest defenders, but she's genuinely getting on my nerves with this stupid storyline and her disregard for Winston. They can break up, and I won't even care.

Are you ready for a new love triangle now that Simone's ex is back? How do you feel about the friends, roommates, and potential lovers dynamics to Simone and Lucas' relationship?

Joshua: I am unsure about this plot yet, and will have to wait to see what happens.

I don't necessarily want Simone and Lucas together; I think they'd be better off being each other's Person (they seem to have that kind of chemistry). But for that to happen, they'd have to deal with whatever romantic feelings they have for each other.

That said, I'm excited to see how the five interns really start to relate to each other now that they're becoming more than just co-workers.

Meaghan: It's almost too early to introduce a love triangle. We are just starting to see Lucas and Simone explore their romantic connection. We aren't invested in them as a couple enough yet.

This would've been a better storyline to explore next season, similar to how they introduced Addison at the very end of Grey's Anatomy Season 1.

Now it will feel like a stretch if Simone rejects her ex-fiance because of her feelings for Lucas, versus if they were dating for a while and in love already when her ex shows up.

Jasmine: Well, I'm invested in Simone and Lucas. They can be both each other's person and romantically linked -- it's often how I prefer my ships anyway.

I am not always a fan of love triangles, so I'm not thrilled about a possible one here, but I also don't think it'll be some stretch for Simone to want to choose Lucas over her ex-fiance. The guy broke her heart and left her during a difficult period of her life.

Hell, maybe it's the Scorpio in me, but that's enough reason to choose a promising new guy over that kind of history. It doesn't necessarily have to be a clear-cut decision here.

I love the whole thing with the interns at the house, though, and I'm here for all the scenes exploring all aspects of that for all of them, not just Simone and Lucas.

What was your favorite storyline, scene, character, etc., from the hour?

Joshua: We've got a lot of backstory for Yasuda, Blue, and Jules in the last couple of episodes, which is exciting. I'm eager to see more of who they are and how everyone will relate to each other.

Meaghan: I love everything about the new interns. Honestly, at this point, anytime spent with the old characters feels like time being taken away from seeing the characters I'm interested in.

Jasmine: Yes, Meaghan! Same, sis! I'm here for everything with the interns, and I'm shockingly more invested in them than the others.

Is there anything else you'd love to address?

Joshua: There were a couple of plots that didn't go anywhere that I hope to come back in some way.

The case with the constipated patient resolved a little too easily; I expected him back in the ER with a perforated bowel or something. The case just seemed unfinished.

Additionally, I expect that Allison biting Prue is the beginning of something bigger that will worsen things for Teddy and Owen, which I'm not looking forward to.

Meaghan: You're right, Joshua. Given Grey's Anatomy's usual flair for the dramatic, it is surprising that the constipation patient didn't become a more serious issue. I'm assuming they meant to include it as a silly little B-plot.

We already got that from the Teddy and Richard negotiations, so it wasn't really necessary. That's a problem we will continue running into if they insist on maintaining the old cast and the new interns as main characters.

There are too many people; they feel they need to give as many of them a storyline as possible in each episode.

Keeping that up long-term is just not feasible. If the series is renewed for another season, they need to cut at least two or three series regulars to allow the characters to have room to breathe.

Jasmine: Both of you bring up some really great points.

Over to you, Grey's Fanatics. Do you agree with our round table? Hit the comments below and share your responses!

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.