S17.E15: Tradition

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Quote

Jackson shares his big news with his colleagues; Koracick and Levi fight to save a pregnant woman's grandfather as she goes into labor; Maggie keeps a watchful eye on Meredith.

Promo:

Original air date: 5/20/21

Edited May 14, 2021 by ElectricBoogaloo

[ams1001]

Wait, what department is Winston head of?

Owen looking at Teddy like a lovesick puppy is just...ugh. ick. no.

Loved Jackson sneaking Mer out to avoid the clapping. I don't blame her.

Wait, did Levi just ask Helm to move into Jo's one-room loft where he is crashing on the couch? I assumed when he said move in with me he meant they could get a place together. Like, with actual bedrooms...

So is Tom quitting and moving to Boston, too?

How long as Luna been in the NICU?

I will miss Jackson's pretty face. But I like that's he's leaving happy.

[LexieLily]

Schmidt, you are living in Jo's loft and sleeping on her couch because it doesn't even have one bedroom, much less an extra one. You can't invite people to move in somewhere where you are crashing on someone's couch.

I am very disappointed that Owen and Teddy are apparently a thing again and her cheating on him on their wedding day will never be spoken of again.

Tom will be happier in Boston; without being in a hospital surrounded by people that hate him. I think April being there will be good for him. He did help April though her faith crisis (even though he slept with her), maybe she can help him.

Edited May 21, 2021 by LexieLily

[KaveDweller]

I thought it was kinda bitchy of Meredith to skip out on her clap out. I get what she said to Jackson about why clapping seemed wrong, but she disappointed a lot of people who took care of her and helped with her kids. Maybe just suck it up and let other people enjoy a moment?

When Jackson was driving away, I almost expected him to get hit by a car or something. Glad I was wrong.

When Jo made a point of talking to Karina about Deluca, I realized I could not remember when they ever interacted. Did I forget something important?

[katycat74]

I thought it was kind of crappy of Mer to ditch the clap out too. All those people worked tirelessly to save her for weeks. She couldn't let them have a special thing they were looking so forward to? 

I'll miss Tom, but I'm glad he's leaving on his own terms. And he's not tied  to Teddy! At this point, her and Owen deserve each other in misery.

 

Edited May 21, 2021 by katycat74

[ams1001]

16 minutes ago, KaveDweller said:

When Jo made a point of talking to Karina about Deluca, I realized I could not remember when they ever interacted. Did I forget something important?

He did make sure her drunk ass got home safely when Karev beat the crap out of him for his troubles.

[StaceyNotStacie]

Was I the only one who thought that Jackson was going to get the applause?  His scenes were well done, although I was disappointed that his final scene wasn’t him getting on a plane and April and Harriet being there to meet him. 
 

I’ll miss Koracik. I was hoping that with all of the scenes with Jo and the Irish doctor that maybe they’d put him with Meredith. They had good chemistry during their scenes this season. 

[bybrandy]

I was also hoping for Karasick and Mer and am not thrilled he's apparently leaving as well.  We aren't left with a lot of people left that I like on this show.

 

 

 

 

[KaveDweller]

32 minutes ago, ams1001 said:

He did make sure her drunk ass got home safely when Karev beat the crap out of him for his troubles.

Oh, right! Thank you, I had completely forgotten that whole storyline.

[JeanJean]

1 hour ago, ams1001 said:

I will miss Jackson's pretty face. But I like that's he's leaving happy.

And with April!!!!! I'm so happy about that.

Edited May 21, 2021 by JeanJean

[renatae]

OK, I was always shipping Japril, but not at the expense of losing Jackson. 😣

[funnygirl]

I will miss Jackson's pretty eyes and shirtless torso. 

Glasses is so annoying. It is not his place to invite his friend to live in Jo's loft... where he sleeps on the couch. Two surgical residents can more than afford renting an apartment. Freaking freeloaders. 

[Avabelle]

So now we’re losing koracik yet we STILL have to watch Teddy and Owen who’s storyline played out about three seasons ago at this point?? Why?!

[30 Helens]

This was the finale that wasn’t... although I kind of wish it was.  I liked the quick flashbacks to better days. (Alex, I miss you! Reanimate, Mark and Lexi!)

But as it stands, we’ve lost Jackson and Tom. DeLuca sacrificed himself in vain, because Annoying Sister is here to stay.  Teddy/Owen schmoopiness is making a comeback. And Meredith had the most amazing recuperation in history, because she is the Sun and Holy Ghost, amen.

Is there a reason to tune in next year? I’m sure I will, but right now, I don’t know why.

[ams1001]

7 hours ago, KaveDweller said:

Oh, right! Thank you, I had completely forgotten that whole storyline.

I'm sure we all wish we could.

[Guest]

8 hours ago, katycat74 said:

 

I thought it was kind of crappy of Mer to ditch the clap out too. All those people worked tirelessly to save her for weeks. She couldn't let them have a special thing they were looking so forward to? 

 

Meredith made a selfish choice when the alternative would have really cost her nothing? Shocking.

[RedbirdNelly]

I get not wanting the clap out--it's like enjoying it being your birthday but at the same time wanting that part when everyone sings and stares at you to end. You appreciate it but also uncomfortable attention. However, you really should suck it up for the joy it gives other people---certainly not let them gather and waste their time like that. (though her riding away on the wheelchair was cute).

I did kind of expect Avery to crash the car--his lit up eyes were kind of weird. I will miss his pretty face and cool voice. 

Yet again, we're stuck with Glasses and now he apparently invites people to live in a place he doesn't own. Without talking to Jo. Ok. 

Kind of weird to just skip over Owen/Teddy issues and have them act like teenagers but ok; none of that storyline has been good.

I was sad to realize we are losing Tom--the best deliverer of snarky lines. That was the best part of the show.

I could have done with less Deluca references. He was a character they never developed well so I'm not moved by his death and I don't miss him at all. It's hard for me to "get" people feeling his loss. If this was Dereck or some other character we were discussing that moved me, it would be different.

[ams1001]

13 minutes ago, RedbirdNelly said:

Yet again, we're stuck with Glasses and now he apparently invites people to live in a place he doesn't own. Without talking to Jo. Ok. 

Probably won't happen, but I hope she kicks them both out. But she'll just throw up her hands and live with it. (Though if she's really considering adopting Luna she'll eventually need to get a place with actual rooms (lest she turn into Max on New Amsterdam!); maybe she can move out and rent the loft to Hellmouth and Glasses. Though why either of them would want to live together in a place where they have no privacy I don't understand. It would be bad enough living with a spouse like that, I sure as hell wouldn't want to do it with a friend/coworker.)

[ElectricBoogaloo]

I'm more disappointed that Koracik is leaving than Jackson. Man, they're just dropping like flies. Yet somehow we're still stuck with Owen, Teddy, and Schmitt.

[dmc]

This episode was awful.

First off I don’t ship Owen and Teddy their relationship is a mess.  
 

I’m glad Meredith woke up but sad Koracick and Avery are going.

 

[Lady Calypso]

So, for a goodbye episode for Jackson, it didn't feel as big of a deal as I thought it would. Yes, we had plenty of Jackson flashbacks, but it felt like Jackson's goodbye was more of a B plot to other characters, such as Meredith going home, or the patients this week.

Tom's now leaving? That's a complete shock to me. So, he's just gone now? There was a little bit of set-up but it also still felt completely out of the blue. Preachy goodbye scene aside, I don't mind Tom's decision to leave. I think it works with his arc this season, and at least he's going off to help people. I guess that's as good of a goodbye than any, but it's just so random that he ups and leaves in one single scene, without seeing his own goodbye for others. But he gets to go to a place where at least he has April, who did become his friend in his first season (well, sex buddy first, then friend who got to know about his dead son first). And I grew tired of Tom's arc with Teddy so...at least this is something good for him. I will still miss him, and I might even miss Jackson a bit.

Teddy/Owen? Blech. I knew that Owen would forgive her for her blatant affair because of her mental health issues. Mental health issues shouldn't forgive the shitty things that Teddy did for months. And the worst part is that all Teddy did was go comatose for 24 hours and then come out of it and just had two weeks off before going back to work. No therapy, no real time off to heal, just...."well, she's fine now!" 

Schmitt, go screw yourself. I don't even like Hellmouth that much to begin with, but I guess I can sympathize with her feeling isolated from the pandemic. It still doesn't mean that Schmitt can invite her over to live with him in JO'S PLACE WHERE THERE'S NO BEDROOM. It doesn't matter if Jo is going to be too busy and not be at her place that much. If she is, you just KNOW that Hellmouth and Schmitt are going to be giggling to all hours of the morning and pissing Jo right off. And, if she adopts Luna (sorry, WHEN she does), that adds a fourth member to the household. Jo is going to have to kick these two out. And I guess screw Nico? Who asked his boyfriend to move in, and his response is to move in with his friend? I dislike Nico but if I was him, I'd just break things off.

I totally get Meredith wanting to not have to exit the hospital with a bunch of people clapping at her. But she probably should have at least told Perez that she was leaving out another way because she didn't want to deal with all of that, instead of running away like she did.

[Guest]

44 minutes ago, Lady Calypso said:

And, if she adopts Luna (sorry, WHEN she does), that adds a fourth member to the household. Jo is going to have to kick these two out

Or they're trying to recreate the dynamic from Meredith's house back in the day.... only without bedrooms. 

[choclatechip45]

I liked that they gave Jackson a nice sendoff. I hate Teddy/Owen. I did like Jo telling Carina how kind Deluca was because that's what my memory of him is on this show.

[taanja]

1 hour ago, dmc said:

This episode was awful.

First off I don’t ship Owen and Teddy their relationship is a mess.  
 

I’m glad Meredith woke up but sad Koracick and Avery are going.

 

Succinct and to the point. Yup. That's all I got too.

[dmc]

2 minutes ago, taanja said:

Succinct and to the point. Yup. That's all I got too.

I couldn't think of anything else to write LOL🤦‍♀️

[Amazee-Dayzee]

Admittedly I'm annoyed that they are having Koracick leave also as we are losing a lot of good cast members and we are stuck with some that are less than subpar unfortunately and it sucks.

I was also hoping that Koracick and Meredith would end up hooking up after bonding over being sick during the pandemic but that is not gonna happen. I'm sorry but I am not shipping Mermac just because Cristina sent him as a gift for her. I really want to see Jomac as a couple but since I'm still convinced they killed off DeLuca so that Meredith and Cormac could get together without any problems I might as well accept it. For some reason, I have a REALLY big feeling that next season will end up being Jo's last.

[DEL901]

So Jackson talks about his dad teaching him about the type of man he doesn’t want to be...selfish.    Then he walks out with no notice.   

And, yeah, that grin at the end was weird.    

I get Tom leaving because his character didn’t really have an arc, but other than Greg Germann’s superlative acting, I thought the dialogue and sudden epiphany were ham handed.   ....on the other hand, it gives Jackson another opportunity to be selfish and have Tom leave immediately for Boston leaving the hospital down yet another top doc.

[Racj82]

Man, Meredith is the one who almost died. She deserves to leave the hospital in any way she feels.

And they know Meredith would hate that grand gesture. That's something they are doing for them. Not for her. I can't stand that. For example, don't throw people surprise parties that hate surprises. 

Edited May 22, 2021 by Racj82

[statsgirl]

14 minutes ago, Racj82 said:

That's something they are doing for them. Not for her.

Yes. Frontline health workers are going to extraordinary lengths and making self-sacrifices during this time. They deserve the right to celebrate a win and use it to encourage themselves to keep working so hard when there are so many losses.

[WhyAmIHere]

3 hours ago, ElectricBoogaloo said:

I'm more disappointed that Koracik is leaving than Jackson. Man, they're just dropping like flies. Yet somehow we're still stuck with Owen, Teddy, and Schmitt.

I came here to say the exact same thing.  I still like Amelia and Link, but mostly I still watch this show out of habit.  I can't decide which is worse the later years of ER or the later years of Grey's. 

[marceline]

Sometimes I wonder what it must be like for a Human Resources professional to watch this show. People quitting jobs then coming back the next day or quitting with no notice. (Don't these doctors have contracts?). People getting privileges instantaneously. It must be maddening. 

[shantown]

They almost got me emotional at the end with Jackson leaving and the quick montage of flashback scenes.... but then I realized I only liked it for the quick glimpses of Mark, Lexie, Karev, Callie, Christina and all the other great characters that are gone now. Between that and the beach, this show really isn't doing itself any favors by continually reminding us of how much better it used to be!

[izabella]

Now that Koracik is leaving, too, if they sent Amelia and Link to Boston, I'd rather watch THAT show....Jackson and April, Amelia and Link, plus Koracik and anyone-but-Teddy saving the world through the Avery Foundation....sounds better than the lackluster blah that is left at Grey's.

Edited May 21, 2021 by izabella

[bunnyface]

Meredith was selfish in not letting the people who saved her life celebrate.  No surprise.  (But honestly, who was working while they were all standing around outside waiting for her forever?  Usually they are a quick in and out thing here.)  Also, there is no way she is going home without rehab after being on a vent for three months.  But who's counting?

Jackson just up and quits with no notice to do what he wants.  No surprise.

Tom just up and quits too, with even LESS notice than Jackson.  That was a surprise but in this show, anything goes.

Owen and whatshername crawl on top of each other YET AGAIN in the most dysfunctional relationship ever.  No surprise but man do I hate it.

I guess the only ones I like at the moment are Link and Amelia, even though Link is never going to escape that house unless he dies like everyone else.  

I guess he was high on life, but Jackson looked slightly psychotic on his way out.  I thought for sure he was going to get broadsided by a bus or something.  Would be no surprise with this show.

1 hour ago, marceline said:

Sometimes I wonder what it must be like for a Human Resources professional to watch this show. People quitting jobs then coming back the next day or quitting with no notice. (Don't these doctors have contracts?). People getting privileges instantaneously. It must be maddening. 

Probably the same way any medical professional watches it.  Lots of slack jaws, eye rolling and mumbling "no, that's not how that works. That's not how any of that works."

[tomorrowgirl]

I've seen two articles that say Greg Germann will return in some future episodes.

"Greg Germann is joining Grey’s veteran Jesse Williams in departing the medical drama as a series regular. However, this is not the last we have seen of Tom Koracick, as Germann is expected to reprise his role as a guest star in the future."

https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/another-grey-anatomy-doctor-exits-010049088.html

"Greg Germann is a comic genius and we are so lucky that he brought his talents to our show these last few years. We will miss Greg terribly in the day to day -- but we plan to see Tom Koracick again!" showrunner Krista Vernoff said in a statement, teasing that fans haven't seen the last of him.

https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Culture/greg-germann-leaves-greys-anatomy-seasons/story?id=77828036

[madmax]

59 minutes ago, bunnyface said:

Also, there is no way she is going home without rehab after being on a vent for three months.  But who's counting?

THIS!!!  God, this pissed me off.  I knew it was going to happen, I predicted it on another thread, but come on.  Have a little bit of reality.

I was spoiled on Koracick leaving, but I thought it was totally out of left field.  Very minimal build up then boom!  I gotta go save the world with Jackson.

Just no to Owen and Teddy.  I'm one of the very few that like Owen but this is starting to make me question that.  Why go back to that hot mess?  

Nice beat with Maggie and Richard.

I truly thought Jackson was going to be in an accident, too.  I was waiting to hear the crash and fade to black.  

[Madding crowd]

So Meredith had no other reaction to hearing about Andrew’s death than “he will be fine”? I know she had the beach vision, but I expected her to care a little bit. I think she was selfish about skipping the clap out; these people spent a lot of time saving her and they deserved better than her too good for everyone attitude. I’m a fan of Owen but hate Teddy so , yuk! I agree the last shot looked like Jackson would get hit by a car or something.

[funnygirl]

Jo saying that Carina is the best OB shows how much she doesn't know. 

That honor goes to Addison Forbes Montgomery: double board certified OB/GYN, fetal and neonatal surgeon. 

[Featherhat]

39 minutes ago, Madding crowd said:

So Meredith had no other reaction to hearing about Andrew’s death than “he will be fine”? I know she had the beach vision, but I expected her to care a little bit. 

Mer does have some um.. low key reactions to death and tragedy sometimes. Rewatching S5 I saw the scene where she tells Derek "bad day all around I guess" to him admitting his Dad had been murdered. Her reaction to her mother's death when they had met in Mergatory ala the beach was pretty muted as well, although there was a lot of stuff under the surface next season.

 

[chitowngirl]

5 hours ago, deaja said:

Or they're trying to recreate the dynamic from Meredith's house back in the day.... only without bedrooms. 

I know it was addressed ages ago, but what is the status of Meredith’s former house?

3 hours ago, shantown said:

They almost got me emotional at the end with Jackson leaving and the quick montage of flashback scenes.... but then I realized I only liked it for the quick glimpses of Mark, Lexie, Karev, Callie, Christina and all the other great characters that are gone now. Between that and the beach, this show really isn't doing itself any favors by continually reminding us of how much better it used to be!

Especially when they randomly show a classic two-parter in the middle of the season!

It really looked like they were setting this up to be the final season until EP signed a new contract.

[Crashcourse]

I zoned out on the beginning of Hellmouth's and Schmitt's conversation so I missed why he invited her to move in to Jo's place.  Was she just lonely, or did she really need a place to stay? 

[Racj82]

4 hours ago, statsgirl said:

Yes. Frontline health workers are going to extraordinary lengths and making self-sacrifices during this time. They deserve the right to celebrate a win and use it to encourage themselves to keep working so hard when there are so many losses.

She doesn't have to be a part of it if she doesn't want to. Doesn't make her rude. They can celebrate all they want while she quietly goes home to her kids as she wants. 

[shantown]

I'm really hoping Glasses and Helm get a loft across from Jo. Let Linc/Amelia get out of that house they've been stuck in and move in down the hall too. It's a perfect set-up for some wacky "whoops, wrong apartment" hijinx, means there are built-in nearby babysitters for Scout and Luna, and allows for some non-hospital setting social scenes. I'm finding that I don't actually mind a lot of these characters* when they're away from Meredith, but everyone I just listed has been forced at some point to worship the sun, to the detriment of their character and other relationships. It would be nice to see these friendships have some room to grow, and I think Meredith being in a coma all season shows it could be possible to do the show without her.

* I do very much mind Owen and Teddy and they can please leave immediately.

[KaveDweller]

1 hour ago, Crashcourse said:

I zoned out on the beginning of Hellmouth's and Schmitt's conversation so I missed why he invited her to move in to Jo's place.  Was she just lonely, or did she really need a place to stay? 

She seemed to just be lonely.

I don't totally get it, because while I certainly know that lockdown caused depression for a lot of people, Helm has been working and surrounded by people this whole time. And she is a resident, so she has been spending most of her time at work even before the pandemic. I am not sure what she is missing that she had before. 

I agree it would make sense for them to move in together in a different apartment. Maybe if/when Jo adopts Luna she'll get a new place and Helm/Schmitt can take over the loft.

[windsprints]

I wish there was more of Jackson since it was his farewell. Most of his time was spent with Meredith who I never really felt he was even that close friends with during these past 5 or more years. I did enjoy all the flashbacks and would have welcomed more.

As for Meredith being all mostly fine now - Link & Amelia talked briefly and mentioned how her levels were so super that she can skip rehab. Then there was Bailey & Richard saying the physical therapist said she could just go home.  

I can understand not wanting a big deal when leaving. No other patient got a choice did they? All of her colleagues spent months saving her & crying for her day & night and she couldn't spend literally 3-4 minutes being wheeled by them? The worst part if it for me is that she didn't even have the decency to have it canceled. Instead she let these people make signs, buy her flowers and gather to cheer for her. She's 50, part owner of the hospital & apparently the sun but she can't tell Bailey or Richard to have it canceled? Grow up.

Quote

So Meredith had no other reaction to hearing about Andrew’s death than “he will be fine”?

Last time she died she had a similar reaction to Ellis being dead. She later told Izzie she chatted with Dead Denny. Other than that she never did much with all the info she learned from her dead time. Now that she mentioned DeLuca and his mom I am curious if she'll mention talking to dead Derek, Lexie, George & Mark like she did Denny.

Quote

I know it was addressed ages ago, but what is the status of Meredith’s former house?

The one on Derek's land? She sold that house after she returned from her year away after he died. She moved back into her old house.

I wish Tom wasn't leaving. I would have been much happier with Jackson taking Glasses, Boyfriend, Helm, Teddy & Owen and leaving Tom. 

Please let Amelia & Link move out of Meredith's house. They've done so much to help Meredith should be insisting they have their own place to have some time together. 

Edited May 21, 2021 by windsprints

[Guest]

20 minutes ago, windsprints said:

Last time she died

[nokat]

18 hours ago, funnygirl said:

I will miss Jackson's pretty eyes and shirtless torso. 

Glasses is so annoying. It is not his place to invite his friend to live in Jo's loft... where he sleeps on the couch. Two surgical residents can more than afford renting an apartment. Freaking freeloaders. 

When the flashbacks happened and they showed Jackson shirtless, I was like "hello again." He is a gorgeous man.

I didn't like Glasses inviting another roommate to Jo's, but I do like that he knew Helm was in a very dark place and needed a friend. I cannot begin to imagine what horrors the nurses and doctors have been going through. Her mention of the freezer truck! :(

[kurtz]

This episode was underwhelming. Lots of “blink & they’re gone” moments throughout the hour. It started well (Jackson & Charles Pearcy in the elevator with Alex) but very little about Jackson’s send-off/ Meredith’s discharge kept me engaged. 
 

I agree with the posts above that the vintage Grey’s footage could have been utilized more effectively. 
 

I liked the patients-of-the-week stories. It’s shocking that this show is set in Seattle and this most likely is the first story centered on indigenous people. But other than some bizarre comments by Tom, I felt both stories were respectfully presented. 
 

Speaking of Tom, that was the worst write-off since Callie decided to up and leave Seattle for NYC. Truly bad dialogue. I believe Tom Koracick wants to do better but to say “I want to be an ally” to a POC is just lame writing. 

Owen and Teddy may be my least favorite Grey’s couple, but their lust seemed in character for them both. We knew it was going to happen. It was just a matter of time. 

Meredith’s reunion with her children and Amelia was really nice.  The sense of family felt genuine without any reference to “sisters”. And whether or not it was rude to do so, I’d secretly escape a clap-out, too, if I knew I was finally returning home to my family. 

I probably missed some details of the episode, but it was just so low-energy  Maybe had they eliminated some of the smaller stories (Helm/Schmidt, for example) and focused more on Jackson’s exit leaving Meredith the last one standing of their residency class, it would have been more compelling.  

 

[nokat]

2 minutes ago, kurtz said:

Meredith’s reunion with her children and Amelia was really nice.  The sense of family felt genuine without any reference to “sisters”. And whether or not it was rude to do so, I’d secretly escape a clap-out, too, if I knew I was finally returning home to my family. 

Meredith walking in and all the kids yelling Mommy was so sweet. Amelia feeling a bit embarrassed by the house and Meredith reassuring her and telling her she couldn't thank her enough was nice too.

[chitowngirl]

1 hour ago, windsprints said:

Most of his time was spent with Meredith who I never really felt he was even that close friends with during these past 5 or more years.

They’ve bonded over their famous and overbearing mothers.

21 minutes ago, kurtz said:

Speaking of Tom, that was the worst write-off since Callie decided to up and leave Seattle for NYC.

I still think the worst write-off was Erica Hahn in the parking lot.