Grey's Anatomy Season 15 Episode 8 Review: Blowin' In The Wind
Jasmine Blu
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Unless I'm there to ogle the ridiculously attractive staff or eavesdrop on all the juicy drama, I would never step foot into Grey Sloan Memorial.
Grey's Anatomy loves the hell out of a good storm, and with them comes a lot of angst, drama, and lust. Because for whatever reason, storms are super sexy, too.
On Grey's Anatomy Season 15 Episode 8 there was a healthy dose of sexy, but the drama of it all! How long do we have to wait for the series to return?!
Meredith was a good daughter for picking her pseudo-dad up from the slammer after his justifiable outburst at that trashy bar. She's not the judgy person, but she did express her concern for Richard. She knew he wasn't taking care of himself or going to meetings after Ollie's death.
Now he caught a case at a bar no less. There was ample reason to be concerned. Meredith has a way of advising people and letting them have it a bit without attacking them. It's one of her best traits.
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Where she failed him was by not telling him about Catherine or at least prodding him to talk to his wife, or check all of his messages, or something, anything!
Mer broke the news to Maggie, which was inevitable, and referenced them being even after Maggie's HIPAA faux pas, but she didn't give Richard any heads up. Scuttlebug spreads like crazy at that hospital. Most of the people there couldn't hold water if you gave them a cup.
Richard: Thanks.
Mer: Are you OK.
Richard: I lost control, Meredith. I was angry.
Since she already told Maggie, and she knew Maggie would be the one to break it to Jackson (while I'm sure a bunch of you are ready to go in on Maggie for telling Jackson, Meredith had to have known Maggie would spill the beans), why couldn't she tell Richard too?
It would have paralleled him telling her about Thatcher. If not Catherine herself, who better to tell him the news?
As it stands, he's going to be the last in his family to know about his wife's condition, and he's worried that Catherine is having an affair with Tom. Given what we know about Tom and Catherine's relationship, it sounds absurd just hearing him consider it!
Richard deserved better than that. It's also disconcerting and ominous that Miranda mentioned sharing his arrest with the medical board, and she had something to tell him before he sidetracked her with his affair theory.
What was she going to tell him? It's doubtful that she knew about Catherine at that point, and she didn't intend to discuss her sabbatical from Ben. Could it have had something to do with little Pancake or did it have something to do with his medical license being in jeopardy?
If Richard Webber can no longer practice medicine, they need to end the show right now. That would be unacceptable, unless, of course, they can find a way for him to wander the halls doling out advice and being all Richard-y.
Finally, someone told Miranda how ludicrous her marriage sabbatical is. Hopefully, she'll end this nonsense now that Webber has told her about herself. She can't avoid life to keep her stress under wraps.
You gave up your job and your husband. What's next, Tuck? Bailey, you're trying to fix the inside from the outside, and I know because my insides are a mess. You need to get some help, Bailey.
Richard
Taking a break from Ben wasn't going to stop her from worrying about whether or not he would make it home, to any home, at night. That's not how feelings or love work. It didn't stop Ben from heading to his former home between shifts to board up the windows because he cares about the people who live in that home.
Ben deserves so much better than this, and if any of you saw how hurt he was and how poorly he was adapting to this hiccup in his marriage on Station 19, you would feel angry at Miranda. Benly is 'ship goals, and with them down and out, what even is love?!
We might be able to ponder that question with Cece if she ever makes it out of that damn elevator alive.
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That wind storm was ugly and getting progressively worse as the hour went on. The mechanic (who had to serve as an orderly because the hospital was so swamped and understaffed) was an annoying nuisance at first, but damn if he wasn't right.
The other hospitals shut down, so everyone was flooding into the GSM ER. Their ability to treat everyone was waning by the second though. So by the end of the hour, it wasn't a surprise when the wind took out the power lines, and the elevators shut down.
Fans have invested too much of their time and love into Cece for her to die before she gets her transplant. Every precaution was taken to get her to that moment including DeLuca being brutally honest about her odds.
Cece is a fighter, and her advice to Meredith was some of the best in years. Would she have fought so hard if she knew the origins of the organs? Meredith deliberately avoided telling her that selfie-stick girl was the donor. Given how Cece ended up in the hospital and the loss of the sweet, bike girl, Cece would have flipped out again.
Cece: If I die today, I die fighting. I die knowing I did everything I could. But Dr. Grey, if you don't fight; if you don't try, if you don't do your part and squeeze all the light, and love, and joy you can out of this one life you've been given, I'm going to hunt you from my grave.
Meredith: OK.
Cece: OK. Now give me those organs. I would much rather hunt you from above ground.
It's interesting that Cece was pushing Meredith towards Link, but she didn't urge Meredith to go after DeLuca. Does she have reservations about the different standings too?
DeLuca has been kicking all kinds of ass this season. He has pulled himself together, and he's an exceptional doctor. He's a catch, and everyone is starting to see that now.
He has been cautious with Meredith while still being flirty, but after seeing Link's bold, unabashed, relentless pursuit of Meredith, and seeing that Meredith took Cece's words to heart and agreed to go out with Link, he had to step up his game.
There are a surprising amount of MerLuca 'shippers out there. There are still reservations to be had about this 'ship. It's cool that DeLuca's stance on dating a superior has evolved since Maggie. He's correct about Maggie being OK with it all, so while it's still weird to date your sister's ex, it's not a problem for any of them.
The entire series has revolved around underlings dating superiors, so even in this #MeToo era of heightened awareness of power dynamics and sex in the workplace, it's still nothing new. The age difference isn't an issue either because hell, men date younger women all the time and no one gives a crap.
It's more so their standing in life. DeLuca has matured a great deal and has evolved from that guy with the brother/puppy vibes who crashed on Meredith's couch for weeks, but he's not on the stepfather to three kids level, you know?
MerLuca would be a hot fling, which is where they are probably headed based on that insane chemistry they had, but it doesn't feel like something that could be long-term or serious.
Meredith: You impress me, DeLuca.
DeLuca: Well, you amaze me, Dr. Grey, and while I'm feeling brave. I'm not sorry I kissed you at the wedding because it's all I've been able to think about since, and I know you have options, but I want you to know I'm one of them.
Meredith: I am your attending.
DeLuca: No, no, no. Don't do that. This isn't some type of abuse of power. I'm a senior resident.
Meredith: You dated my sister.
DeLuca: Maggie doesn't care, like, deeply doesn't care. Meredith ...
Meredith: Andrew ...
DeLuca: Look, I think there is something here, and we can keep going through all the excuses of why not, but I think you feel it too.
Meredith: I'm having such a week. I don't trust my thinking. So I'm going to walk out of here, OK? But I'm going to think about what you said when I'm able to think, OK?
DeLuca: OK.
Ok
Maybe Meredith doesn't want serious, which is fine, but DeLuca, even back when he dated Maggie, lamented his position as the guy who wasn't taken seriously or didn't make it to a second date. DeLuca has matured, and he wants more than the hookups. He wants something serious, but I'm not sure Meredith can give him that.
Nevertheless, their exchange in front of the scans was so damn hot I couldn't be mad at it. The sexual tension is there, and it is strong, and it's respectable that Deluca put himself out there. He left Meredith flustered and considering acting on her attraction.
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Do you think they're going to make out in that elevator? It's a perfect set up for them depending on how long they'll be stuck in there. Sure, you'd like to believe that they would be too worried about Cece, but this is Grey's Anatomy.
Speaking of elevators, the tension in the other elevator is palpable. It's ridiculous how Teddy blurted out her pregnancy to Owen in the OR in front of everyone there, but they were busy, he was impatient, and it happened.
She then got swept away in everything else going on before they had the chance to talk, but now they're stuck in an elevator together with Amelia and this news. On top of that, Amelia has revealed that she wants to foster Betty. How messy!
There were a lot of feelings swirling around during this hour, but Amelia's arc was the most emotional. Betty's disappearance did a number on her, and no one was getting sleep. The dangers of that storm weren't doing anyone any favors.
When Betty walked into the hospital with only a few minor scrapes, it was such a relief. Was I the only one afraid she would be seriously injured, and her life would be hanging in the balance as a cliffhanger?
Betty: Just go ahead and yell. I know you're mad. I get it.
Amelia: Thank you for coming back. You can always come back, OK? You can always come back.
Betty: OK.
Betty fell off the wagon and got high again, which is sad. The ups and downs of addiction are hard on the addict and their loved ones. It's a long, grueling, complicated journey.
Amelia and Owen in full-blown parent-mode have been one of the highlights of the season, but it peaked during this installment. Everyone saw it, especially Teddy. They are a family.
It doesn't matter what any papers say, or if they're living together or not, or any of that. They have become a family, and that's that.
Amelia put on a front while working on the selfie-stick girl. You knew she was affected, but she was hiding it well. It was more surprising that Helm was so worked up about the case. Helm rarely seems affected by anything outside of her adoration for Meredith Grey.
That poor girl on the phone with her mother hiding the fact that she was in the hospital with a stick through her brain was heartbreaking, but when Amelia took that freaking phone call after she was declared braindead, gah! Feels!
Amelia realized that while Betty isn't officially her daughter, she already loves her like one.
She experienced the worry and pain that only a mother can experience when Betty was away and if you weren't misty-eyed when Amelia hugged the hell out of Betty and told her that she doesn't care what she did as long as she came back home, then what is life?
Amelia's arc this season has been incredible.
Jackson reached a similar conclusion as Amelia. Sometimes, it doesn't matter if the person you love runs as long as they always come back. The bickering married couple left an impact on him.
The husband loved a dramatic exit and space after an argument, and the wife knew that, but they always found their way back to one another and had been together for 45 years.
Jackson said a lot of things during his conversation with Maggie, and it was frustrating that he was operating on a high road in their argument, but he also needed the reminder that fighting is part of a relationship too. It's not a healthy relationship if no one fights.
They are not something to avoid, they're something to get through, and everyone handles them differently. Jaggie has some issues, and it seems like they're going to be sweeping them under the rug because of the Catherine situation.
It takes precedence, and as suspected, Maggie will be the one to help him through it all. He was there for her, and she's more than willing to return that because she loves him. It's always funny when Meredith is the wise one with all the relationship advice.
Maggie: Jackson, I don't know how to say this ...
Jackson: It's OK. You don't have to say anything, Maggie.
Maggie: Jackson, I'm so sorry. It's your mom.
Now, let's get into someone else who is wise and a 'ship that has me grinning from ear to ear. Levi and Nico are everything.
For the past couple of seasons, choosing a favorite intern has been like a carousel ride. It changes up with whoever is in sight and given the screentime. Casey, Dahlia, and Levi have been front-runners on and off, but now that Roy is gone, they all are entertaining.
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Levi has come into his own though. He has always been lovable but a mess. He was clumsy, unsure, and bumbling, awkward little thing, so words cannot describe how refreshing it is to see him stand up for himself.
Shoutout to Levi's backbone for making the kid one of the best parts of the hour. He wasn't here for any of Nico's crap, and he showed that he's someone who should be taken seriously, not just as a romantic partner, but as a person.
Levi: There's a reason why they call Pacific Northwest storms "the big blow." This is an extra big blow.
Nico: See? I can't even touch that.
Nico had his reasons for shutting Levi down at first. As hard as it was to hear them, especially if you're inclined to support Levi and subscribed to the "Protect Levi at All Costs" Fanclub, Nico was entitled to his feelings.
Where he was most wrong was making assumptions and snap judgments about Levi without having a conversation with him. He dismissed Levi without knowing anything about him, and he the same thing at the clinic when Levi specifically told him he shouldn't go out in that storm, and he did it anyway.
It's always a treat when a confident person gets taught a thing or two by an unexpected source. Levi demanded his respect, saved Nico, and then told his truth.
Levi is an unapologetic nerd, and for that alone, he has captured my heart. When he told Nico that he's not the type to have some freak out about accepting his sexuality, it was the perfect way to check Nico for assuming things without knowing a person first.
For Levi, any sex at all was off the table for him for years. He was a colossal dork who lived in his mom's basement and still lives there. He played D&D and had his nose buried in books.
He knew he had feelings for men, but he wasn't in any romantic or sexual situations of any kind to fully explore his sexuality period let alone his sexual orientation.
Levi: You know what's also your fault? The fact that you think I have a shame spiral because I don't. I'm not spiraling. I'm a nerd. I'm not more ashamed of being attracted to guys than I am of anything else in my life. Do you know what I did almost every night before I went to college? I sat in my mom's basement, with three other debate club kids, playing dungeons and dragons. And, it's the same basement I live in now. Trust me when I say, no one was having sex, with guys or girls. Sex was, sex was like the sun sword. It's a magical weapon in the game that's really hard to find. It's basically like a talking lightsaber. Nevermind, it doesn't matter. The point is, sex wasn't on the table for us, so I didn't know I was gay. I knew I had feelings for boys, but I didn't understand it. Not until you kissed me. You kissed me, and I felt the opposite of shame. I felt like I existed and everything fell into place. For the first time, it felt like I was holding the sun sword, and I... [Nico kisses him] are you just kissing me to stop me from talking?
Nico: No.
There was something brave, empowering, and badass about Levi owning his truth and not being ashamed or embarrassed.
He spent his entire life doing things and being something that others would find embarrassing, and he did it unfazed and with no apologies, so being gay, in his mind, isn't any different. It also seems like maybe he wouldn't have the tragic, angsty experience of a parent who doesn't accept him either.
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Levi's mom may be the sort who is happy her son found love at all. Who cares who he found love with, that's assuming, of course, that Schmico graduate to a love story. They are one of my favorite 'ships at the moment, so my fingers are crossed that they do.
Also, can we talk about how adorable Levi looks without his glasses, or that he keeps getting the best lines? Levi has a new swagger and confidence, or maybe he's just tired of everyone counting him out, but I'm here for it.
Elsewhere, his ex-one-night-stand was having a second honeymoon with her hubby. When did Jo and Alex become this cute?
Given everything else that happened with their wedding and honeymoon, the issue with the wedding license fell in line with the rest of their experiences. Alex has been working his ass off as Chief, and for the most part, he's doing a good job even if his style is different than Bailey's.
He deserved the day off. It gave the couple a chance to have a bit of a second honeymoon. Jolex thrives during storms. The next storm or natural disaster, Jo will probably find out she's pregnant.
It was a fun midseason finale. It was a definite upgrade from Grey's Anatomy Season 14 Episode 8, and Kevin McKidd always rocks it out as director.
Owen: How could you keep this from me?!
Teddy: Don't act like this should be easy!
Amelia [jumps into the elevator too]: Hey, I have been looking for you everywhere because I had to see you and tell you that um, whoa, that I want to apply to be Betty's official foster mom. That might mean that Betty and I have to move out for a while for bureaucratic whatever, but, um, I love her, you know? Like, we love her, right? What? Did something happen?
It was exciting enough to pique interest upon the show's return, but the cliffhangers were bearable. We're left hoping that Cece lives. Amelia, Teddy, and Owen are stuck in an elevator together, and she's the only one who doesn't know about Teddy's pregnancy.
Levi and Nico are the hottest new couple, and the love triangle between Meredith, Link, and Andrew is growing stronger, with Andrew having an advantage over the lovely Link who is sporting a fresh, new cute hairdo.
What did Miranda plan on telling Richard? When will he find out about Katherine?
Are you all aboard the Schmico 'ship? Are you coming around to the MerLuca 'ship? Should Amelia foster Betty? How will she react to the baby news?
Hit the comments below with your thoughts, reactions, and more.
You can watch Grey's Anatomy online here via TV Fanatic!
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.
