Welcome back, Scott Speedman!
First, can we have a round of applause for that blessed disclaimer ahead of Grey’s Anatomy Season 18 Episode 1 announcing that the pandemic storylines are over?
And from that point forward, it was evident that the series turned over a new leaf, ironically, going back to its roots in the process.
It wasn’t a perfect premiere, but it was a welcomed one where Grey’s Anatomy felt like its old self again. It’s all we could’ve wanted 18 seasons into this series.
The premiere felt a bit understated as the hour settled into itself with the promise of a new season with some of the best aspects that Grey has to offer, and while it was humdrum at times, there were bright spots and sparks with promise.
Some things were a bit of a headscratcher. Megan’s return came with little fanfare.
She and Farouk showed up at Teddy and Owen’s wedding to celebrate the ordeal, and later, while the trio ended up working to save the priest with no success, she announced that she and Riggs no longer are together.
It’s not unexpected, but it is a bit disappointing when it felt as if the two were getting their happily ever after. And one of the first thoughts was that we lost out on Mer and Riggs for a love story that didn’t last.
But it means we get to keep Megan around for some time, and Abigail Spencer is always a welcome addition to any series. It’ll be great when we get to catch up with Megan further.
The hour mostly served as a chance to drop in on various characters and introduce new storylines, giving us a taste of what we’ll get from the rest of the season.
And to our delight, the medical cases are back, too. The freak accident with the tandem bike couple and the priest was good for a few chuckles.
And at least two of their cases were harrowing, with the priest succumbing to his injuries. Do you automatically go to hell for killing a priest, even if it’s an accident? What’s the repent process like for that?
The man who blew his face off with fireworks was another fun case, and it introduced us to the new doctor. Dr. Lin will give the others a run for their money, but there’s no denying that she’s good at her job.
So Riggs and I broke up.
Megan
It was odd for her to comment on how ill-prepared and inexperienced the residents were when she should have known that the pandemic changed everything.
Webber was right when he pointed out that globally hospitals face similar issues with residents, interns, and other medical staff who got thrown into the deep end and even pulled out of their studies early when all hands were on deck.
She’s a bit arrogant, not unlike previous doctors who’ve walked through those doors, but she’s an acquired taste, and that’ll lead to some new dynamics and interpersonal drama.
But did anyone else think it was odd that Bailey, Maggie, and Hayes were the ones interviewing doctors? It paled in comparison to the Bailey/Webber combo when they were looking for residents.
But it also seemed like something out of Maggie and Hayes’ purview. Nevertheless, they were a fun panel, and it allowed the trio to interact with each other in ways that we missed before.
Maggie’s biggest update was that she and Winston are happy and back from their honeymoon. And they both found themselves with sex-related injuries.
Between a happily married Winston and Maggie and Teddy and Owen managing to get married after a terrible day of their priest dying on their wedding day, it was enough to have Link on edge.
Amelia and Link have attended couple’s counseling to work through their issues, but it’s not looking good for either of them. Amelia didn’t hesitate to lambast Link again for how he proposed to her and didn’t respect her wishes.
But in response to fans who sympathized with Link more than Amelia after that proposal, Grey’s is now presenting us with Link’s relentless pushing of this issue.
It would help if we had a better understanding of why Link thinks they can only get married to be together. Where exactly is this coming from here?
It made no sense that he subjected himself and Amelia to a couple of more proposals despite Amelia making it crystal clear that she doesn’t want to get married.
The married couple they both were working on had some mixed feelings about marriage too. Amelia seemed amused by the bleak outtake on hating each other once you’re married.
Amelia and Link are both stubbornly adamant about their positions. Both are so unyielding on the topic that it makes you wonder why either of their stances doesn’t come with a compromise option.
As it stands, Link doesn’t think that they can be together after she declined his proposals. He equates marriage with a lifetime commitment, and with Amelia saying no to it, he seems to think that she’s saying no to a lifetime with him.
And he ended the hour with overwhelmed, fried, and dyed Jo in the car. He believes that he and Amelia are over now.
The Link/Jo friendship is always cute, and if Link is having issues with Amelia right now, it’s natural for him to retreat into his relationship with Jo.
She has a lot going on, too, as a single, new mother who is redoing her residency.
She has the expected Jo fears about motherhood, including the feeling that she’s doing something wrong and abandoning Luna if she leaves her in daycare during her shift.
Single motherhood in all of its messy, chaotic glory suits Jo. And it helps that she has formed a tribe for herself with Link and Levi.
The hour even gave us some things for Hayes. He rarely got the opportunity to flourish and hasn’t since his introduction, but this may be his season.
I don’t want a year, Amelia, I want a lifetime with you.
Link
Hayes reaching out to Bailey and hoping to spend some time with her and her children was an unexpected but sweet storyline.
His kids still haven’t adapted to their new life in Seattle. They’re coming out of the pandemic, too. And whatever relationships they cultivated with Mer’s kids must’ve fallen by the wayside when one of his sons developed panic attacks over Mer and Hayes dating.
Yeah, they tossed that in as if it was nothing, and that was one of the most disappointing aspects of the premiere.
Fans have waited for ages for Mer and Hayes to take some steps forward in this potential romance the show teased, but they never pulled the trigger on it.
Now we find out that they evolved into something offscreen, but Hayes had to end it for his son. It was a disservice to this possible pairing and the fans of it.
And not only that, but they dangled a new romance in our faces, and to be honest, they’ve succeeded at distracting us with the shiny familiar toy.
It doesn’t hurt that the shiny, familiar toy is Scott Speedman.
A potential issue this season is Meredith may spend a significant chunk of it in another state and hospital. It’s better than Mer in a bed or on a beach with ghosts, so we should choose our battles.
In addition to Abigail Spencer, Kate Burton, and Scott Speedman, we also got some Peter Gallagher.
David lured Mer to Minnesota under the guise of her attending the lab in honor of her mother. But he had something bigger in mind.
He wants Mer to run his Parkinson’s study with all of the best equipment, staff, and laboratories, and he’ll be the patient.
She will have the opportunity to make a breakthrough in a Parkinson’s treatment and save this family friend.
It’s a career opportunity of a lifetime, and it’s also the first time that Mer is presented with a serious offer that could lure her away from Grey Sloan.
Hell, it speaks volumes that I wouldn’t be upset with her if she left right now. It’s a game-changer for Meredith, and it’s one of those storylines that reminds you that we could be at the end of the series.
Heating things up in Minnesota is Nick Marsh. The promos teased that someone from Mer’s past would return, and viewers probably got spoiled after the beach scenes from Grey’s Anatomy Season 17.
But Nick is not an unwelcome addition to the series. Oh, yes, he’s a series regular now, if you didn’t know already.
Nick: Hi.
Mer: Hi. How did you find me?
Nick: Well, a five-star hotel right next to a hospital. I took a chance.
Nick was one of the first men that Meredith had electric chemistry with since Derek. Speedman’s one appearance in a single-bottle episode during Grey’s Anatomy Season 14 generated so much buzz.
People couldn’t stop talking about the chemistry between Mer and Nick in what was a fantastic episode and Ellen Pompeo’s directorial debut.
And the chemistry between Nick and Mer still smolders. Nick is confident and magnetic. He knows what he wants and goes after it.
But there’s something about their scenes that pulls you right in with them. They speak in the low, husky voices, and the flirting is top-notch, and you feel as if you’re intruding on their moment, but you also don’t want to turn away.
It was a big step for Meredith not falling into bed with that delicious man, and she’s a better person than I, that’s for damn sure.
But there are only so many times she can resist that man, especially when he’s being all Nick.
What does that mean for Hayes, though?
Mer went from saying that she was seeing someone and it was serious to dismissing it.
Meanwhile, Hayes is still smitten and possibly even pining for her.
Whoever came up with bringing Nick back deserves a raise.
Mer: I didn’t think you saw me at the restaurant.
Nick: Well, you’re pretty hard to miss.
Over to you, Grey’s Fanatics. What are your thoughts on Nick’s return? How do you feel about Amelink’s impasse? Do you like the new doc?
Hit the comments below!
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Jasmine Blu is a senior staff writer for TV Fanatic. Follow her on Twitter.