Grey's Anatomy: Nothing Left to Cling To (16x01)

Oh boy, we're back! This show is one of the hardest that I review, because there are just so many characters and so much going on.

Cons:

I'm never going to be on board with Owen and Teddy! I can't do it! You can't make me! Amelia and Link are fine, Teddy and Tom are adorable. Owen can go be a single dad for a while. Yeesh. There's that scene at the end where Owen finally figures out how to help Teddy - he lists the house and finally seems to be hearing what Teddy needs. And the whole time I'm just like - ugh I don't know if this dude deserves this. Teddy is more annoying with Owen, and much more fun with Tom. I like that Tom is planning on fighting for her, but I feel like it's going to be fruitless.

This is half a complaint, and half a hope. We see Jackson starting up a potential relationship with an EMT, as he and Maggie are firmly broken up. I hope that sticks. I do not want to get back on the Jackson and Maggie merry-go-round. These two characters are at their worst when they're together. I like them both so much better when they're alone, or with other people. Also, it was weird that the hiatus hook was all about Jackson being in peril, but he wasn't, at all. He was helping some climbers who had gotten injured, and he is safe. I thought at first the episode was going to flash back and show all of the drama that had happened in rescuing the hikers, but no. It was practically a footnote on the way to other things. Kind of an odd narrative choice.

Amelia being pregnant is just... sigh. Can't we have just a couple of episodes where the pregnancy-related drama dies down? I guess not. I was ready to be amused by her trying to set up a threesome with Link and Carina. I was even wondering if Carina was going to get annoyed by her assuming that this was an okay thing to just ask. But instead, we've got pregnancy scandal. And it's Link's, right? I can't remember, time-line wise, if there's a chance it's Owen's. Either way, it's drama central once again. I was just starting to really enjoy Amelia and Link, too.

Pros:

I complained that the Jackson drama was so weirdly brushed over, as he wasn't at all in danger. But I really did like the married couple who were found by Jackson after he'd abandoned Maggie on the road. They acted as a benchmark of devotion. She held on to him for hours and saved his life at the cost of serious damage to her own body. And then she fought for him as he got sick in the hospital, wanting to save his life but also to preserve his wishes. It's nice to see a somewhat outside view of a powerful and devoted couple. When you measure them up against a lot of the other relationships on the show, you can see where things falter, and where things hold true.

Speaking of things holding true, this episode takes us through a month of time, as we see Jo get help in a facility, and Alex come to terms with being there for her. Poor Jo tries to give him an easy out, because their license was never filed and they're not actually married. But when Jo is ready to come home, Alex does the cheesy get-down-on-one-knee thing and re-proposes to her, committed as always to staying by her side. This was cheesy and yet perfect. I love that Jo isn't suddenly rescued from darkness by her white knight, but she's doing much better and she's putting in the work. I want to see her and Alex have all of the happiness in the world. They truly deserve it. I also really liked Link and Alex getting drinks together. I wish they would do more with Link and Jo's friendship.

We are seeing the consequences of Meredith's lawbreaking, as she, Alex, and Richard have all been fired, and Meredith's medical license is in question. I like that Meredith takes it all in stride, as she was expecting something a lot worse than community service. There's even the scene at the end where she's telling Andrew that it's like a vacation. And then an email comes, and the board is going to pursue a hearing against her medical license. I would imagine that this is a wake-up call for her, as she realizes what she might have cost herself. It was interesting to see Meredith's dilemma treated almost in a comedic way, because it highlights her privilege as a white woman of means. It's also nice to see that DeLuca hasn't had to pay for his heroic lie, as he is released and back at work at the hospital.

And then there's Richard, who is feeling aimless without his job. He and Catherine are on the outs because Catherine supported Bailey in firing Richard. I like that Richard is angry, and standing up for himself a little bit, but also that Catherine is firm in her own decision. She's angry with Bailey for what has happened, but she's not begging for Richard's job back either. That's an interesting balance. My general dislike for Catherine should be a surprise to nobody who has read these reviews before, but I like this dilemma. I also love the idea of Richard and Alex working together at a different hospital. They were both fired, but their medical licenses are not in doubt. This hospital is in need of an overhaul, and I think Alex and Richard might actually be up to the task. It will be fun to see Alex take on this new challenge, at least for a while.

Before the end of the episode, with the Amelia pregnancy reveal, I was actually really enjoying Amelia and Link's plot. Amelia was confusing in her communication to Link, but eventually cleared it up and told him that she wanted to slow things down, go on some dates. This is how the subject of a threesome gets brought up, and Carina is looped in. I like Amelia as a comedic character. She's at her best when she's not being all broken up about Owen. I hope that even with the pregnancy, we can keep some of this lighter tone.

Tom Koracick is such a joy. I love how happy he was to see Teddy and the new baby, and how he declared his continued feelings for Teddy, but said he would be just her friend and be there for her. He's honestly such a good guy, and I hope he ends up with someone who deserves him. Also, now he's helping out with Catherine's foundation, and he's effectively Bailey's boss. That seems like it will lead to some interesting and hilarious drama!

That's that. All in all, this episode didn't feel over the top, as far as Grey's Anatomy premieres go. It resolved some of the dangling threads from last year's finale, and laid the groundwork for some stories I'm sure I'll enjoy. I'm less sure about some of the other story elements, but that's been true on this show from the very beginning.

8/10