'Grey's Anatomy' recap: Catherine fires half the staff (original) (raw)

It’s getting hot in Seattle, and it’s not just the remnants of a night of passion with Winston (Anthony Hill) and Beltran (Natalie Morales). Station 19 is working overtime trying to control a wildfire that has Grey Sloan Memorial overflowing with patients and people searching for their unaccounted-for loved ones. It will take all hands on deck to tackle the chaos.

Which is why it’s almost laughable that Meredith (Ellen Pompeo), Amelia (Caterina Scorsone), and Teddy (Kim Raver) have been metaphorically sent to the principal’s office for going behind Catherine’s (Debbie Allen) back to fund Meredith’s Alzheimer’s research through the Fox Foundation. Teddy’s key card doesn’t work, thanks to her recent firing, but that doesn’t stop her from jumping into a gown to help Theo Ruiz. He’s a fellow firefighter who Ben (Jason George) brings in from the field.

Ellen Pompeo in "Grey's Anatomy" episode "Burn It Down".

Disney/Anne Marie Fox

It’s a good thing Teddy was there to pitch in; with all the ORs full of burn victims, she had to semi-operate on the first responder right there in the middle of the hallway. Seeing Griffith’s (Alexis Floyd) face when Teddy barked at her to pull the rib cage open was definitely a highlight.

Of course, the team saves Ruiz, but my Spidey senses flared when Ben gets in an elevator to head back out into danger and essentially tells Bailey good-bye. So help me if Station 19 kills Ben off in a blaze of glory in their series finale.

Luckily, Adams (Niko Terho) works with Dorian, the gunshot-wound guy who’s been in the hospital for 54 days, to create a spreadsheet of first responders and their safety status. Not only does Bailey breathe a sigh of relief when she sees that Ben is safe, but other family members at the hospital can check on their loved ones, too.

Adams is all over the hospital. Not only is he watching to make sure Dorian is transferred, but he’s helping a woman with asthma and short-term amnesia in the ER and biding his time until his meeting with Catherine to discuss his future. The bad news is that he may have to repeat his intern year. The good news is that Maggie offered him a job in Chicago if he wanted to leave Seattle and all its demons. Adams is unsure what he wants to do. Griffith is borderline panicked he’ll take it.

Anthony Hill and James Pickens Jr.

Disney/Anne Marie Fox

The hospital is practically dripping with uncertainty. Catherine tells Amelia and Meredith that since they used Fox Foundation funds for their research, everything belongs to her. The sisters are commanded to turn over all data by the end of the day, or they, too, will lose their jobs. Tom Koracick (the man we equally love and hate) will be taking over completely.

While Amelia and Meredith process this bit of breaking news, Jo has some of her own. Thinking she has been working too hard with multiple overnight shifts, Schmidt is somewhat unsurprised that she passes out during the wildfirepalooza. He’s even more annoyed when he finds out she’s pregnant and never told him!

I am delighted and confused! Delighted that Jo and Link are having a little JINK and confused as to why she didn’t tell her baby daddy that they are going to have three children under the age of toddler running around next season. Why the secrecy, Jo? Shouldn’t we let that news fly?

Speaking of ripping Band-Aids, Richard (James Pickens Jr.) is hanging up the old scalpel, and I couldn’t agree more. After botching surgery with Yasuda (Midori Francis) and Millin (Adelaide Kane), he realizes that he’s not at his top game lately and feels it’s time to step down. Although I understand the reasoning, my hope is that Dr. Webber will still teach the younger kids or act as a mentor in some capacity. He’s an OG, and I can’t give him up just yet.

Meredith, on the other hand, I’m used to her having an occasional cameo. But it is nice when she comes barreling through the hospital with a no-nonsense attitude and metaphorically burns the place down. She and Amelia decided to publish their research after resigning. No politics. No games. She just wants her hot boyfriend to move in with her and the kids in Boston. And Nick (Scott Speedman) will because he is the most understanding man on the planet.

Natalie Morales.

Disney/Anne Marie Fox

Just so we are all on the same page, Meredith flew to Seattle, picked a fight with Catherine, wrote an abstract, published it online, and put an offer on a house in an afternoon. She didn’t once scrub in for surgery or help in the overrun ER — 2005 Meredith Grey would be so disappointed.

Back in the hospital, a pending appointment with Catherine causes Adams to leave his asthma patient in the capable hands of Kwan (Harry Shum Jr.), who seems uncomfortable. When he holds the breathing treatment up to the young lady’s face, she swears she recognizes him but can’t place it. Kwan kindly dismisses her and slinks off to another bed, looking like he’s seen a ghost.

The woman is his former fiancé! A car accident caused her short-term memory to be damaged, and she doesn’t remember him. Color me intrigued! Was this moment more shocking? Or was it when Millin and Yasuda shared a sultry glance before being interrupted by Griffith? You tell me.

Later, all the residents and interns learn that they passed their big test, and Bailey shares with Adams that his score was the highest in his class. We don’t know if this would have helped his case with Catherine because all of the interns march into his meeting vouching for their friend. It’s insinuated that if she kicks out Adams, then they all will leave.

Just as Catherine is about to laugh in all their faces, Bailey bursts through the door and asks, “Can you replace me?” Catherine stares her down. And we fade to black.

For fun, let’s say Catherine calls their bluff. Not only would all five interns we’ve come to sort of know and halfway love be on the chopping block, but they would be joined by Bailey, Meredith, Amelia, Teddy, Owen (who advocated for Teddy to do the hallway surgery), and Richard.

Ten bucks says the showrunners do it. Bring on Season 21!