RECAP: "Grey’s Anatomy" Season 20, Episode 3
Hello Grey’s FANatomy! (I’m still trying new names to see what sticks.) I’m back this week (albeit slightly delayed) to report on another dense episode of “Grey’s Anatomy.” This week, we’ve been gifted with the arrival of Natalie Morales to sass, educate, and eye roll her way through Grey Sloan Memorial. And I am here for this casting!
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“I’m sorry we dragged you all the way from Boston for this.”
The episode opens in a secret pitch meeting where Meredith and Amelia are trying to secure more funding for the unapproved Alzheimer’s research project. These Meredith fans want to give her all the money, but, oops, they are Catherine fans too. And Catherine can’t know about this project.
Later that same morning, Meredith and Amelia are hunting for a parking spot in the GSM lot (a new filming location we’re seeing a lot of). They “steal” a spot from a stranger (Natalie Morales) in another car. I’m very much #TeamAmelia on this one, you forfeit all right of way the moment you’re on your phone instead of paying attention to your surroundings, saving lives or not.
Meanwhile, Teddy is back up and walking through the hospital, but she’s not back as chief. She’s got treadmill PT fun ahead. And Meredith, in an ongoing effort to avoid Catherine, is now hiding in the PT room with Teddy. Teddy takes a fall, Meredith wants to look at her sprained wrist, which is when of course Catherine enters Teddy’s room. Reminder: Catherine is really looking forward to Meredith’s research next month.
Meredith has to explain the awkwardness with Catherine to Teddy. And coincidentally, she was the exact right person to confess to, as Teddy has some secret money the hospital can spend on research, and it can be a total secret. Because that’s DEFINITELY how projects are funded these days. With ZERO oversight. Where is this money even coming from?
“No trading, negotiating, or complaining.”
Interns and chief Eli are doing a morning walk and talk. Exposition is telling us there’s a new pediatric surgeon showing up today. Wonder if we’ve already met her? Dr. Beltran is her name, and Kwan is already fanboying.
Eli spots his ex-boyfriend Nico having a consultation with Jo. He’s not here as a doctor. Jo’s in black scrubs today, which can only mean one thing. Nico is pregnant. No? Right, it can only mean one thing: somehow Nico is having a baby.
Nico and his partner, Jason, are expecting a baby boy through surrogate, and holy hell this is awkward. Levi is now aware that Nico never mentioned him to Jason and that’s making him feel rejected twice over. Insert humble brag about chief resident, and yep, I’m cool with this subplot ending here. This is not interesting. People move on, Schmitt, you should too. And that’s how the episode ends for Schmitt, he’s moving on and finally taking steps towards his dreams of specializing in pediatrics.
“I’m the chief of Neurosurgery.” “Good for you.”
New peds patient is in need of both a neuro and peds consult. (This amazing young girl is into capoeira and I sure hope we get to see it demonstrated in this episode.) Enter the mystery woman, whom we already surmised was the new peds surgeon, to immediately get off to a rough start with Amelia. Wait a moment? Is this potential chemistry I’m smelling? The parking lot disagreement meet-cute is a solid rom com trope for Season 20 Amelia, who gave up on humans for a cat. This serial monogamist was not going to stay single long.
Beltran and Shepard continue their awkward day together, with Kwan, in the scan room. Monica (Beltran) is offering Shepard unsolicited advice. Beltran is clearly a rule-breaker, doesn’t accept the status quo, and questions everything. What Amelia is seeing as undermining, is really just Monica trusting that Amelia thinks differently. Capoeira girl is saved by team Beltran-Shepard during the surgery montage and we never see any demos. Bummer.
Apparently, there was some side drama with Kwan and being ashamed of where he went to med school, I didn’t notice any of it during the episode, what with all the chemistry on screen with Amelia and Monica. But it turns out, once again, Kwan sucks at bedside manner. Beltran is looking forward to teaching him how to be a better doctor. If you can’t tell, I’m super excited for, hopefully, recurring guest star Natalie Morales!
“It’s a self-propelled floating bubble.”
Ndugu is trying to go on vacation to see his beloved, our dearly departed, Maggie. But you know what they say about doctors at Grey Sloan who try to make plans? Something about God laughing or going astray. You get the idea.
Enter a guy in a metal bubble thing in the GSM lot (seriously this new set is a real snooze). He invented a watercraft with a metal rib that would let him walk on water. Unfortunately, the metal rib is literally impaling him. Um… the timing is a wild coincidence on this plotline. We learned in the real world this week that a container ship can take out a bridge in Baltimore. Why is this bubble thing and the guy in it not flattened and dead?
Rather than marveling at invention, persistence, and luck, Ndugu takes this opportunity to self-righteously lecture this patient on making selfish decisions that are wasting resources. Bubble guy was trying to float to Hong Kong to impress his wife. He’s jealous of her billionaire ex and he has some unresolved feelings to share before he dies at the hand of his own invention. They cut him out and he literally drops gallons of blood on the sidewalk before they run him through the hospital, pushing everyone out of the way, to get to the OR. During the surgery montage, we see the bubble guy crashing, he really lost a lot of blood quickly, and the montage ends with him flatlining. It was a nice touch to have Owen doing compressions to the music drop beats. His devastated wife confirms for all the doctors that she always loved him, and he didn’t need to be jealous and risk his life to keep her.
It turns out Ndugu was being a jerk because Maggie, unsurprisingly, canceled on him again. Ndugu needs help, he needs therapy for this attitude. Maybe Owen (sarcasm/ notorious for understanding and emotionally supporting other people /sarcasm) can help? The episode ends with Ndugu finally removing his wedding band. Will that make him nicer?
“That ex-lap was mine!”
Throughout the episode, Yasuda is desperately trying to befriend Adams — they are roommates, after all. The chip on his shoulder is even bigger after last week’s drama with Griffith. So much for emotional growth. Yasuda and Adams are given the “boring” task to keep last week’s GSW victim, Dorian, alive. Bailey has strict orders for them. Yasuda is on the ball all day, with Adams dipping out and losing interest. When Dorian is crashing later on, Yasuda figures out he needs an ex-lap surgery. She runs out to get the equipment and that’s when Bailey walks in to see Adams dutifully trying to save the patient. She rewards him with helping her through the surgery and Yasuda is chided for leaving.
Yasuda blows up at him in the locker room, where there are witnesses. Griffith, with her awesome new hairdo (she looks like a warrior), comes to Adams’ defense. Guilt is a powerful activator here. Adams continues to fail upwards, and now Yasuda is done with him. These three roommates are looking at rough times ahead. Fear not, Adams moved out without notice. Perhaps this Grey intern halfway house is going to need a new roomie soon? Who might it be?