Grey's Anatomy Season 16 Episode 7 Review: Papa Don't Preach
Jasmine Blu
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It has been a while since Grey's Anatomy ripped out our hearts with a tragic death.
It all changed with Grey's Anatomy Season 16 Episode 7. We only knew Sabie for one installment, and yet, her death will have a lasting impact on Maggie and Richard.
However, let's give a shoutout to Kelly McCreary's sister, Crystal McCreary, who played Sabie. Their similarities in appearance are uncanny.
Sabie was quirky and lovable, and her personality in some ways aligned with Maggie. It was amusing when the pair interacted with one another.
Rarely do we get moments when we're reminded of the biological connection between Richard and Maggie. She has a family she doesn't even know.
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It's not something she and Richard talk about, which made it bizarre when the snippy exchange she and Jackson had got cut short by her lookalike entering the hospital.
It's one thing not to tell Maggie about her cousin, but it's weird to leave out that they look alike. Also, Sabie and Chris knew things about Maggie, but she didn't know anything about them.
You could tell Chris and Richard were estranged when they had no idea he was fired from GSM. They went to him looking for help with Sabie's heart tumor, even though they hadn't spoken to him in years.
I'm Sabrina Webber, and this is my father. Richard is my uncle, and he's your biological father, so we're your family.
Sabie
It's true about how some family members only reach out to you when they need something. Sabie was effervescent and sweet, so Richard would've done anything for her anyway.
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The unfortunate thing about Richard being at Pac North is in hindsight, it makes you wonder if Sabie would've lived if she was treated at GSM.
Maggie took the family over to Pac North to see Richard, and I wonder if it would've been best if she called Richard back to the hospital. Bailey would have made an allowance for that one.
It sucks that Maggie was caught up in the family tension between Richard and Chris. She didn't know what the nature of it was, but it affected her regardless.
Maggie: I'm sorry does that woman look like me?
Jackson: I don't know, I'll have to see her scowl first.
Chris and his wife didn't want to see or know Maggie because she was the product of infidelity. A lot of the judgment Chris had for Richard fell on Maggie.
He couldn't wait to say she was just like her father.
Alex hands out privileges at Pac North like they're candy. Everyone can moonlight there before the season is over.
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Sabie's condition was grave, and her chance of survival was diminishing by the day. It only made sense to have the best cardiothoracic surgeon on the West Coast perform her surgery.
I know Margaret Pierce and there's not a doctor in this city with half her skill or expertise.
Richard
Chris put up up a stink about it because of her relation to Richard, and he didn't want his brother to be right. When given the option between the best heart surgeon and the second-best, why wouldn't you choose the best?
Working on family members is a guideline, but the situation with Maggie and Sabie was complicated. It's too bad Maggie couldn't articulate it in a way that didn't sound harsh.
She wasn't close enough to them that she felt it would affect her judgment, and they're not family in the way that matters. Except, it does make a difference.
You know what Chris told me when I told him I was an alcoholic? That's what you get.
Richard
Maggie was insistent that she was the best person for the job, and she was forceful with it, but she didn't behave any differently than she would've if it was any other patient.
Sabie's tumor was bad and pressing. They came to Richard for a consultation, so why wouldn't they work with the doctor who he says is the best?
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The poorly equipped hospital and shoddy staff members who are mostly incompetent played a role in everything going wrong during surgery.
Maggie: I can't do this.
Alex: I'll be with you.
Maggie: No, I can't. They didn't want me to operate, and I pushed them. I told them I was the best.
Alex: You are.
Maggie: I can't do this.
It wasn't until Sabie died that Richard's fears made sense. His family already resented him, and it seemed they were caught up in this idea that he had money and was "bougie."
They weren't fond of Maggie's existence, but now, to Chris at least, Maggie, Richard's daughter, is the one who killed his little girl.
Maggie gained and lost family on the same day. The moment they said Sabie was down for seven minutes, it was evident Sabie was gone.
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It was heartbreaking that Maggie had to be the one to deliver the news, but if anything, it made me grateful for Alex.
How is she, is she OK? Can I see her?
Charlie
It's been a long time since we had quality Maggie and Alex scenes. They always had one of the best and most underrated relationships in recent years.
He always loved and supported her in times of need, and they had a history of being there for each other in Meredith's absence.
They were close, and it was nice to see their closeness again. Alex gave her the moment to breakdown, but he was right beside her to deliver the news, and he was willing to step in when it got too hard.
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Sabie's death is going to be hard on Maggie, and the effects of it from this point forward should be interesting. It'll be a nice change of pace to have her storyline linked to something like that than the silly and petty drama between her and Jackson.
Maggie: We need to talk.
Jackson: I'm talking, to someone else.
It's odd that Jackson didn't tell Catherine he broke up with Maggie and is dating Vic. He and his mother are close, so it's something he should've told her some time ago.
It's almost like he doesn't want to hear what she might have to say about it.
She's not a woman who minces words, and we saw how she was with Gemma. She knew something else was going on between Richard and Gemma.
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She probably knows nothing happened between them yet, but it doesn't mean she's going to sit by and let Gemma move in on her husband.
Catherine: Richard.
Richard: Catherine, this is Gemma, she's a friend.
Catherine: I can see that.
Richard was talking himself in circles and making himself look guiltier than he was as he tried to explain things.
Catherine is a woman of power, class, and grace. She handled Gemma like a queen. It was the ultimate power move.
She offered her the chance to work for the Avery foundation anywhere in the country, but not in Seattle. Who else can pull off something like that?
You're talking an awful lot for someone who says there's nothing to talk about.
Catherine
The only contrived moments of the hour (outside of Meredith wandering around for about two minutes worth of screentime wearing a grandpa hat and sweats) came from some of the Amelia and Owen stuff.
Owen can waver back and forth between being OK and insufferable. He was both within the same hour.
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Whatever he felt about Amelia and her pregnancy, he should've kept it away from Cassidy. The woman was going through enough without his judgment and misdirected animosity.
Now you're telling me that it's not that you didn't want to have kids it's just you never wanted to have them with me.
Owen
The poor woman couldn't afford another kid; she didn't want one, and she didn't have to explain her decision to anyone.
She had a hard time trying to obtain an abortion, but she wasn't so hard up for it that she hurled herself down the stairs.
Owen making her process more difficult was too much. Amelia stepped in and did what she should've done and showed the woman the compassion and empathy she deserved.
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It didn't make sense that Amelia chose to go to Owen's job while he was working to tell him she was pregnant. It was terrible timing.
Link and I are having a baby, and you need to know.
Amelia
Owen's reaction was disgusting. He did not need to disrespect Amelia the way he did, and it was ugly. He was lashing out, and he probably needs to go visit his therapist soon.
However, Owen is entitled to his hurt feelings.
While his behavior was abhorrent, it was reasonable for him to conclude Amelia didn't want a baby with him, and of course, that would hurt anyone.
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Owen being hurt wasn't the problem, directing it at Amelia was the issue.
Amelia: I told Owen about the baby and he got weird.
Meredith: That's understandable.
Owen's hurt feelings about their past are an Owen problem, not an Amelia problem.
No, they didn't have a biological child of their own, and Amelia was terrified of birthing another child. However, they had Leo together.
Amelia was in his house helping him raise Leo. They share custody of him like he's their child.
I love my son and I would never do anything to hurt my son, and I would never do anything to hurt myself.
Cassidy
Leo doesn't call her "mom," but she has been there for him like one. Not only does Owen have a biological child with the woman who is supposed to be the love of his life, but he and Amelia have Leo.
Once he stepped back, he probably realized that. They did have a family together, and Amelia is allowed to change her mind.
She wasn't ready then, but she is now, and it has nothing to do with Owen. He had to stop making the situation about him. It was nice that they made up, and it's sweet that they'll all be some big, unorthodox family.
Grey's Anatomy does those best.
Over to you, Grey's Fanatics. Did Sabie dying break your heart?
How do you think it will affect Maggie going forward? Do you love the sibling-like bond between Maggie and Alex?
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Did Catherine do the right thing sending Gemma away? Did Owen overreact to Amelia's pregnancy?
Hit the comments below!
You can watch Grey's Anatomy online here via TV Fanatic!
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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.
