Half of Grey’s Anatomy Season 14 is under our belts, so it’s time for a little review.
There have been many ups and a few downs as the fourteenth season tried it’s hardest to bounce back from a lackluster season before. The question is did they succeed?
Below is a little midseason summary of what was a success so far this season, and what was lacking. Check it out as we break down what worked and what didn’t. Then sound off below with your thoughts.
All-new episodes of Grey’s Anatomy will return January 18. Until then, you can (re) watch Grey’s Anatomy online here via TV Fanatic.
Love Triangle – Worked
After 13 years Grey’s Anatomy did the impossible, they gave us the most mature love triangle ever. Megan’s return could have led to some ugliness and angst, but it was so damn pleasant to watch because everyone was so mature. The only people weirded out about it was everyone else.
Meredith was overjoyed that Nathan could have his love story, so she encouraged him to fight for Megan. Megan was totally game for Nathan moving on with Meredith if he was happy. Meredith and Megan totally had a girl crush on each other. And when it was all said and done, there was no jealousy or animosity anywhere. It was a total love fest for everyone involved. It was pretty darn incredible.
Abigail Spencer as Megan Hunt – Worked
Abigail Spencer breathed new life into this relatively unknown character. Megan was such a fun, interesting, refreshing character. Spencer had fantastic chemistry with McKidd. They felt like actual siblings when they were interacting with one another. Megan was feisty and determined, and in such a short time she left an impact. She commanded the screen every time she was shown. Hopefully, the door is open for her to drop in again.
Nathan’s Understated Departure – Didn’t Work
Yes, it’s nice that he got his happy ending and all of that, but his departure just sort of happened. There was no transition. The happy ending wasn’t bad, but it was just one of those things where the character departed without much fanfare. It was so quiet and understated, and the buildup to it was non-existent.
I felt like we as viewers could have appreciated it more if there was some warning that he would be here today and gone tomorrow. He didn’t even get to say goodbye to Owen, April, or Maggie. But, you know, cheers to the happy family!
Grey’s 300 – Worked
The 300th episode of Grey’s Anatomy was a momentous occasion and they celebrated it beautifully. Rather than doing a more traditional clip episode or attempting to bring tons of people back, they managed to pay homage and take us down memory lane in a creative way. It was full of callbacks, classic Grey’s music, character mentions, and so much more.
The doppelganger medical case was definitely creative. The nostalgia was intense all the way through, and the ending was absolutely perfect. Meredith winning the Harper Avery, and hearing the beautiful speech her colleague and friend gave on her behalf while she looked up to the gallery to see her friends, family, and the proud ghost of Ellis is one of the greatest moments in the show’s history. Meredith and Alex going back to their gurney and toasting to the occasion with Cristina over the phone hit us right in the feels. Honestly, the first half of the season could have ended with just that.
Cyber Attack – Didn’t Work
The midseason finale was the weakest episode of the season. The cyber attack plot was redundant for anyone who watched a handful of other medical shows already. It was generally frustrating all around when it mostly painted almost everyone in a negative light. The doctors of GSM came across incompetent at best, and other than Richard saving the day by being awesome as usual, the episode was boring.
Paul’s Arrival – Worked (Barely)
Paul’s arrival barely makes it on the list of things that worked. It mostly works because we’ve been waiting for him to pop back up and confront Jo for nearly two seasons now. It didn’t make for a particularly fun or interesting cliffhanger. I stand by that because the fact of the matter is, it was long overdue. However; it does mean that this storyline can finally move forward, and that’s why it works overall.
Teddy’s Return – Worked
Honestly, who wasn’t excited about the return of Teddy? She tapped into the Grey’s Nostalgia with her return. It was great seeing her friendship with Owen again. Teddy is a ride-or-die friend til the end, and it was nice to see Owen look happy for a change. The two almost revisited their near-romantic relationship, but the timing is never right for them. It didn’t matter either way, though. It was awesome having her back if only for a little while.
Iraq Flashbacks – Didn’t Work
The flashbacks that were meant to explain how Megan and Riggs broke up and how she ended up captured were so boring. It probably would have been more interesting if we saw what life was like during the decade Megan was in captivity or how she ended up adopting Farouk. It was a bottle episode dedicated to showing us something they could have just told us, and the revelation that Megan had also cheated on Riggs, and that Owen was pissed off at Riggs for ten years for nothing was just ludicrous.
Amelia’s Tumor – Worked
Amelia was to be blunt, insufferable last season. She was one of the most agitating aspects of a poor season, and she got progressively worse as the season went on. Finding out this season that she had a brain tumor put everything in perspective. This plot easily could have been criticized for being a sloppy fix for her terrible characterization over the past season, but somehow, it managed to work.
It brought us those incredible sisterly moments between her, Maggie, and Meredith. It led to some very much needed closure on the Omelia relationship. It introduced us to Tom, who has been a delight. It also gave us hints of a special bond between Amelia and DeLuca. Now that Stephanie is gone, she needs a new protege, and DeLuca more than proved himself to be a worthwhile one during her time of need. It was one of the best aspects of the season so far.
Carina Rarely Practicing Medicine – Didn’t Work
Carina is a fun addition to the show, but the problem is, her inadvertent role in helping Amelia diagnose her tumor aside, she doesn’t get to be doctorly. She wasn’t granted privileges to practice until the winter finale. Prior to that, she was working on her study we barely saw, and she sort of wandered around the hospital when she wasn’t making out with people or giving advice to her brother. It was a blast watching her deliver her first baby in the winter finale, I just wish she was able to do things like that sooner.
Omelia Calls It Quits – Worked
It was just long overdue. The two of them needed to be on some sort of common ground. The best part about them calling it quits is the fact that they actually were able to part ways amicably. Prior to the tumor discovery, it seemed unlikely that they would. Amelia made the wise choice of breaking things off because she still needs to figure out what was her and what was the tumor in all of these years. It was the most mature decision she’s made. The two of them are better as friends, and the friendship feels genuine.
Jaggie – Didn’t Work
For the sake of being fair, I’m just going to put Jaggie down as something that didn’t work. I’ll even admit that I roll with this ‘ship out of pettiness, spite, and the sake of being contrary. But for the lot of you, Jaggie isn’t working because there’s no chemistry, it’s gross that they’re kind of related, and Japril. Whatever.
For me, it’s not working because it’s not going anywhere. It’s in this weird limbo of middle-school flirting that’s cringeworthy at times. If they’re going to do it, then do it. If they aren’t, then ax all of the innuendoes. Either make the move or don’t make the move, but this in-between stage is uncomfortable. I just need to know where this is going or where the two of them stand for peace of mind. I’m legit starting to wonder if Shonda and Co. are trolling the fandom. If so, kudos. It’s working.
The Interns – Worked
Introducing new interns is a plus.The appeal of the first season of Grey’s was that we were following newbies as they navigated the hospital and tried to figure things out. The originals aren’t newbies anymore, and it’s always fun to have some fresh blood and actually show them.
The cliche Millennial interns are good for some laughs. They have such diverse personalities, from the very little we know of them, and they could be interesting down the road. At the moment though only Levi and Sam are getting the attention. It would be nice to see a bit more of the others.
DeLuca and Sam – Didn’t Work
Are we supposed to be invested in them at all? It’s not working because I am not. My soft spot for Andrew has me really wanting to care about this storyline, but it’s not doing anything for me at all. So the gist of it is that they had a toxic relationship, and they’re sort of addicted to each other.
Well, other than the two of them dipping into rooms to hate f**k, as the kiddies say, there’s nothing more to their storyline at the moment. The very little we know of Sam doesn’t exactly put her in the likable or interesting category, and this isn’t exactly what I had in mind when I was praying to the Grey’s gods for DeLuca character development.
Arizona and Carina – Worked
Carina had a juggling act going with Arizona and Owen. Hey, no judgment here. Owen probably needed a fun hookup, and the sexually liberated Italian goddess was the perfect person to help him out, but Carina and Arizona are where it’s at. The two have smoking hot chemistry, and unlike her predecessor, Arizona’s latest lover is actually likable. This pairing works, but more importantly, the buildup is nice. They don’t just have sex, they flirt, and they talk, and court one another. They’re adorable.
Ben’s Firefighting Transition- Didn’t Work
So far, the pre-transition process for Ben heading to the new spin-off is not going smoothly. It’s so out of place when it’s alluded to or brought up. Ben telling the boys about passing the test was weird, and after getting up earlier than usual, disappearing to work out, and falling asleep on the job, Bailey finally found out Ben’s secret offscreen and was understandably annoyed. There is just no decent way to make this shift, so it’s weird.
Season So Far – Worked
So far, Grey’s Anatomy Season 14 feels like it’s back on track after an abysmal season last year. The show made strides and evidently attempted to rectify a lot of the pitfalls from the previous season. It’s lighter and funnier. There is more balance with the characters, and most of them aren’t out of character save for a couple of exceptions. This season feels more like the season honoring the original cast members. The cases are back to being interesting, and the relationships are better. Overall, the season has been strong. Hopefully, the back half of the season will be just as strong.
