We got the most satisfying conclusion we could’ve hoped for with the final part of the two-part event.
It was a relief to see that by the end of Grey’s Anatomy Season 19 Episode 12, Tia and her baby survived. Despite a dislocated shoulder, Addison returned to the road with renewed determination and Can-Do.
And it was a shining hour that touched on many couples, including Station 19’s Ben and Maya checking in with their wives and that carrying over from Station 19 Season 6 Episode 12 providing nice character moments, and potentially introducing new storylines.
The momentum from Grey’s Anatomy Season 19 Episode 11 didn’t let up and rolled over nicely into this hour. As most speculated and suspected, Addison didn’t get seriously injured.
She managed to walk away from that incident with a dislocated shoulder that quickly forced Link to set before she jumped right into assisting poor Tia, who took the brunt of everything.
It showed how badass of a woman Addison is when she barely spent time on that gurney. And I loved how smoothly Simone grabbed and put some scrubs on her back to cover that gaping hole in the back of her hospital gown.
It was such a small moment that led to many other great ones because Simone developing a bond with Addison was right up there with her doing the same with Mer.
Moments like that are when it’s apparent that Simone is the primary intern, with her story at the center of everything.
They even had a nice angle that hadn’t crossed my mind. Simone was born at the hospital and delivered by someone incredible as Addison.
A case like Tia’s that hit so close to home for all of them, as the violence outside spilled inside and impacted everyone there, made things more personal.
And once the door for personal opened, so did Simone’s ability to connect to what they were doing and show some interest in the field that she may have never considered.
I can’t take a break. If I take a break, who is going to do the work?
Addison
Simone is a chameleon in that she takes to most fields of medicine incredibly well and shows such an interest in them that it’s hard to pinpoint what specialty she may pursue.
It could be the makings of another General Surgeon, which would be another parallel to Meredith.
She had such a passion for Neonatal because of seeing Addison in action, and her admiration for her radiated from her with waves. But then you couldn’t blame her; Addison has been such an incredible force.
Grey’s Anatomy can nail these heartfelt stories that make us care about very real issues that are affecting us offscreen by presenting them onscreen with incredible talents like Kate Walsh.
She has truly carried this arc. She makes you feel everything — the rage, frustration, inspiration, all of it.
This type of storytelling brings these genuine, topical issues to the forefront, making the audience invest rather than feel preached to. When you leave that type of writing in the capable hands of actors who can execute them with great performances, it’s just so impactful.
The fear that the others had for Addison and Tia was palpable. Amelia broke into a run like her life depended on it at the mere thought of harm coming to her sister like this.
And the concern mixed with admiration and respect they all had when Addison set out to hit the road again — you felt that right along with the characters.
I’m concerned about Addison but also incredibly proud. Her bravery at getting back into that truck and returning to the cause even after everything she’s endured, the scary events, the near-deaths, all of it, was enough to give you goosebumps.
All of that is impactful storytelling and leaves the desired impression on the audience as much as the characters.
Addison is such a resilient, incredible, inspiring woman, and she’s slayed this arc, and it’ll be a real pleasure when she drops back into GSM with an update.
Everyone’s investment in Tia was moving and made sense even though we hadn’t known this woman long. She was one of their own, and we went through this mind-boggling shift where doctors went from being hailed as heroes at the pandemic’s beginning to being assaulted and treated like villains well into it.
Remember when being a doctor was considered heroic, like teachers and firefighters? Who does this? Who throws bricks and runs people over?
Jules
And then you add things like people’s reactions to them performing abortions or other such things, and they experienced this undeserved fall from grace. It’s disturbing.
Most of the people there got into healthcare because of a desire to help, not put their own lives at risk, yet that’s what they’re dealing with now. Jules’ musings during Blue’s MRI were so relatable.
Despite the close calls, it was a relief that they got a happy ending and didn’t kill Tia or her baby. After everything that happened, we needed that bit of hope. And it was such a beautiful moment when she woke up, and her husband reassured her that Connor was okay.
The entire situation shook everyone up. I could appreciate how Jo managed to keep the whole case together and then had that breakdown in the elevator. It was just delicious catnip for the JoLink shippers, too —
You don’t have to hold it in anymore. I’m right here.
Link [to Jo]
I mean, it was Link being McCharming in the Grey’s elevator, giving Jo that moment to break down and cry because he’s her safe space.
And the impact on Mika was great. She’s been killing it, so her anxiety attack worsened things.
I loved that Webber was there to pull her aside, spend the time with her that she needed, grounding her, and reminding her that they all experienced something traumatic that’s abnormal and that she deserved and had every right to have a moment where she was human.
We’re so far removed from the storylines that implied that they treated the interns horribly and didn’t work as a program. It’s a combination of the old-school approach we loved with the OG interns and something more current and new.
Because these batches of young doctors have gone through an unprecedented healthcare crisis on a global level like COVID, one that changed and affected how they went through school and came out on the other side of it.
I can’t take a break. If I take a break, who is going to do the work?
Addison
And these interns are facing a healthcare crisis with women’s rights on the line, gun violence, and so much more. And there’s more awareness than ever of mental health and how all of this affects budding doctors.
Jules’ storyline with her roommates added more humor to the hour but also didn’t feel out of place, especially when Max talked about womanhood, the path women take from being judged constantly, criticized as sex objects, spouses, mothers, up until they reach a certain age where they become invisible, their opinions invalidated the entire scope of their life.
It was such a fantastic scene that it didn’t feel forced and was a fun arc. Max and Norma hitting on Link the whole time was amusing.
Finding out they both got gonorrhea from the same guy was just top-notch comedy. And the more time we spent with Maxine, the easier it was to understand how Jules could end up roommates with the woman. Max was amazing.
Link: I know she means a lot to you.
Amelia: That doesn’t begin to describe it. I think the universe knows it screwed up when it gave me my biological sisters, so it gave me Addison, and Meredith, and Maggie.
The incorporation of some Station 19 content was actually handled well, and Ben and Maya’s friendship has become of the most underrated things about the firefighter show.
They both hit the ground running to get to the hospital to check on their wives, and they went from one place to another together until they knew that everyone was okay.
They also had the epiphany that this was what it felt like for their spouses when they went into calls every day.
We had some very solid and promising Marina moments, especially for those fans of the ship who were well aware of how tumultuous things have been for them for a while.
Maya showing how much she loves Carina and can and will put her first by going there to check on her was significant. It was a step in the right direction as the two continued to mend their relationship. Carina appreciated the gesture. They’re on a great path, and it’s endearing to see.
Maya: You’re okay.
Carina: I have a patient that’s six centimeters, so I have to go.
Maya: You have to go.
Carina: Thanks for coming.
Meanwhile, Maggie and Winston are not. At this point, they need to rip the band-aid off and end it. It’s tiring, unfun, and not entertaining, either.
As a Maggie fan, especially a Kelly McCreary fan, it breaks my heart that she’s exiting the series on whatever this note is.
Winston finally got to speak his piece and express his frustrations which were so valid. The article was probably the last straw for him, and understandably so.
I just don’t see an avenue for them to make it out of this intact, and I don’t know if I want them to anyway.
We had promising moments for potential couples, from Lumone to Blue and Jules to Jolink, Levi, and Carlos. The other married couples were thriving, and then there was Maggie and Winston.
Kevin McKidd knocked his direction out of the park yet again, and it’s been a commendable two-hour event for the Grey’s alum to helm.
Over to you, Grey’s Fanatics.
Are you worried about Addison? Are you relieved we got happy endings? Let’s discuss everything below!
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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 Twitter.