National Adoption Day is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, and we wanted to honor it by honoring the best TV adoption storylines.

We’ve chosen several adoption storylines, from infant adoptions to teenagers relinquishing their babies to special needs adoptions to step-parent adoptions. We hope some of these will resonate with you.

Adoption is an important topic to me because I was adopted, so I was delighted to see stories like mine represented in shows in the 1980s like Punky Brewster and Anne of Green Gables.

Since the 2000s, even more series have covered it.

Shows like The OC and The Fosters highlighted the importance of taking in troubled teens and accepting them as part of your family. They are an often overlooked group.

Callie and Jude Find Their Forever Family (The Fosters)

Callie and Jude worked hard to find their forever family, especially Callie. They had been in too many abusive foster homes and longed for some nurturing affection.

Jude adapted more easily. Stef and Lena almost cheered when Jude argued with Jesus because he acted like an irritated younger brother.

However, the series threw so many roadblocks at Callie that it seemed unimaginable, but that often happened in the system. Birth parents had to be contacted before adoptions could become official.

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Stef taught Callie many lessons about love, including that love was unconditional. It didn’t matter if she screwed up; they would still love her.

When Callie graduated, she told Stef and Lena they were the first to treat her like she wasn’t disposable. They were in a unique spot because they treated their adopted children the same way they treated Brandon.

They worked hard not to show favoritism.

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Jack and Rebecca Adopt Randall (This is Us)

It wasn’t easy to choose between Randall’s or Deja’s adoption on This is Us. Still, Randall’s had more prolonged effects since growing up as the only African-American person in a white family was challenging.

The series highlighted how hard it was for Randall and how it frightened Rebecca that Randall might explore his heritage. Many adoptees struggle with not fitting in, even if they have a loving home.

Jack loved his son as much as the other triplets, and he strived to learn about Randall’s interests, including participating in a father/son initiation at a martial arts studio.

After Jack died, Randall felt more lost, especially when he learned Rebecca had kept his birth father from him for years, after knowing he had questions about his identity.

This was one of the most realistic TV adoption stories because it highlighted how it affected a family for many years, not just at the beginning.

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Regina Adopts Henry and Becomes a Better Person (Once Upon a Time)

Regina from Once Upon a Time started out evil, but becoming a mom and loving someone else changed her.

Being around children always brought Regina joy. She enjoyed being around Owen. Robin Hood commented she had a soft spot for them when she was kind to Roland.

Therefore, seeing Henry’s adoption story made perfect sense. It started out as a way to bring meaning to her life.

She wasn’t prepared for a crying infant, but she fell in love with baby Henry and refused to give him back after all.

Like any other mother, she was determined to protect her son. Since that was Regina, it came with mixed results until Peter Pan kidnapped him.

That was the beginning of her transformation. She would do anything or work with anybody to save her son. Her love for Henry broke the latest curse on Storybrooke.

While Once Upon a Time was a fantasy series, it demonstrated how an adoptive mother and birth mother could eventually work together for the child’s sake.

Regina and Emma despised each other initially but were like family by the series’ end.

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Olivia Adopts Noah (Law & Order: SVU)

Noah’s adoption story was more complicated than a typical infant adoption. Olivia and Amanda Rollins found Noah in an abandoned motel room of some pornography producers. Soon after, his birth mom, Ellie Porter, was attacked again and died.

Olivia petitioned to be Noah’s guardian, and everything she did was scrutinized. It seemed like if Noah became sick, it was her fault for being a single working mother.

Things worsened when SVU prosecuted Johnny for his crimes, but he wanted paternity rights to Noah, Olivia’s worst nightmare. After Johnny D died, Olivia assumed there were no more living relatives and that she and Noah would live relatively happily together.

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Unlike in Once Upon a Time, Noah’s birth family gave Olivia grief, and she needed to set boundaries. That sometimes happens in real life, and that’s why there are closed adoptions, and adoptive parents have rights.

Sheila Porter never should have been able to contact her that easily.

As Noah grows older, he has become more curious about his birth father, but we haven’t officially seen Olivia confront that delicate subject yet. It’s unique to his case.

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Simone Keeps in Touch With Baby Shay (All American/All American: Homecoming)

Many of these TV adoption storylines are from the perspectives of the adoptive parents or the adoptees. Simone’s arc offered an important perspective from a birth mother’s POV.

It was difficult not to sympathize with Simone since her mother, Tina, basically ordered her to give her baby up, or they would disown her. It should have been her decision while she was in high school and had her life ahead of her.

Her dad was the only one who showed her compassion after she delivered her infant son while barely looking at him. Maybe if Simone had taken those few moments to hold her son, she wouldn’t have had doubts.

Simone didn’t want her son back. She wanted assurance that he was cared for, and when she saw him laughing, she knew he was happy with the Douglases.

They were more gracious than most people. I loved their philosophy that Shay had two moms in his life, and Simone could stop by sometimes, which we saw visits in All American: Homecoming.

These are the best situations, but they don’t often happen.

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Families Come In Different Forms (Modern Family)

While Modern Family provided many laughs, it also taught us that families come in many forms and don’t need traditional roles. One of the most important things Cam and Mitch showed Lily was they were a family because of their love for one another.

Love and feeling like they are part of the family are the most important things to a child.

Since I’ve worked in social work and conducted home visits, I loved the scenes when the case worker visits the house and finds it a mess. It looked lived-in, and it seemed like the child had fun.

Modern Family did so many essential aspects right. For example, they created a storybook about Lily’s adoption so she would know that she was wanted. That’s important since many children question why their other parents abandoned them.

While Cam and Mitch encouraged Lily to learn about her Vietnamese heritage, she always seemed right at home with her dads.

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Unlikely Allies and Punky Power (Punky Brewster)

Whoever thought a spunky little girl and a grouchy old man would make a good fit? But they did! Many of us admired Punky Brewster for her survival skills and desire to live independently, but she still needed care and supervision.

It was easy to understand why the DCFS initially hesitated about making Henry Punky’s foster father. He was older, unmarried, and never had children.

However, something about Punky warmed even the grouchiest of hearts, and the social worker saw that, as well as Punky’s fear of the orphanage.

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There were many challenges as Henry had to give up his space, so Punky felt welcome and assured her he’d always be there. They still had to convince the system they were a good match, which presented many challenges.

Punky Brewster was so popular that Peacock rebooted it in 2021, and Punky met and fostered a little girl, Izzy, who resembled her younger self.

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Anne Brings Joy to the Cuthberts (Anne of Green Gables)

Megan Follows will always be Anne Shirley to me. The Canadian version taught many viewers the importance of adopting an older child and how an imagination gets them through the darkness of foster care.

Neither Matthew nor Marilla Cuthbert ever married, and their parenting styles differed greatly, but they both loved Anne. Matthew fell for her the minute she chattered on the way home.

While Marilla was stricter, she often had to hide her laughter over some of Anne’s antics before scolding her, especially when she smashed her slate over Gilbert’s head.

Matthew was outwardly more affectionate, but the two women learned how to express their love better after Matthew’s death.

Anne’s adoption story showed that older children shouldn’t lose hope. It was so popular that Netflix redid it with a modernized version, Anne With An E.

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The Cohens Adopt Ryan (The OC)

Ryan’s adoption on The OC seemed similar to Callie’s on The Fosters. He ran into trouble, and Sandy Cohen brought him home.

While initially, Kirsten was wary about keeping him, once she met Ryan’s biological mother, Dawn, she insisted Ryan stay with them. Shortly after that, they officially became his legal family.

Soon, Ryan seemed to have been part of the family for years as Ryan and Seth became close friends. Kirsten even commented once that she had forgotten Ryan had another family because he meshed so well in theirs.

Sandy Cohen was one of the best TV dads, initially making Ryan feel loved and motivated. One of the best scenes is from the pilot when he teaches him how to tie a tie in a father-son bonding moment.

However, he was present throughout the series, motivating Ryan to try harder in school and helping him find peace after Marissa was killed.

The OC Online

Arizona Adopts Sofia (Grey’s Anatomy)

It’s rare that a child leads the story, but Sofia has since she was born. Since Callie and Arizona were together when she was born, Arizona legally adopted her in a second-parent adoption. She knew she wanted to be in her life forever.

Things became messy when they divorced, and Callie moved across the country, wanting to take Sofia with her.

While Grey’s Anatomy is fictional, the laws state that Arizona should have been given as much courtesy as Callie since she was also Sofia’s legal mother.

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Therefore, her defense was so poignant when she stated that she chose to be Sofia’s mother, and it was the best decision she made. That is the epitome of being an adoptive parent.

So was the fact that she chose to share custody with Callie for her daughter’s sake, even though she was awarded full custody.

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Lily Accepts Chuck as One of Her Own (Gossip Girl)

Chuck’s situation on Gossip Girl was different. Lily technically adopted him after Bart died, though they discussed it while they were still married.

If she was his legal guardian, he would inherit Bass Industries when he became an adult. But it was more than that.

She was the only adult who ever loved him as he was and often reminded him that she loved him like one of her own.

Many times, Lily’s scenes with Chuck were so heartfelt and loving as they schemed together or built each other up.

They were the best family relationship in the series and highlighted the strength of a stepparent and child relationship.

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These are only a few of the best TV adoption storylines. Did we cover your favorite?

Let us know in the comments below.

The post TV’s Best Adoption Storylines appeared first on TV Fanatic.

The first few minutes were deceptively lackluster, with a confusing November heat wave and a six-week time jump to set the stage.

But after that, the rest of the hour kept up a steady pace, with scenes ranging from eyebrow-raisers to jaw-droppers. Let’s get into it!

Callbacks on Grey’s Anatomy Season 21 Episode 8

I’ve mentioned it before, but this season has been stuffed full of callbacks, hints, and subtle references to older Grey’s Anatomy storylines.

This episode kept up the trend with several moments that felt nostalgic.

The most obvious example involved putting Lucas in the center of a convenience store gunpoint robbery, making him the third generation of men in his family to face a gun-related death (or near-death experience).

You may recall from earlier seasons that Christopher Shepherd (father of Derek, Amelia, and their other three sisters — one of whom is Lucas’s mother) died when his own convenience store was robbed at gunpoint.

Derek and Amelia were small children and both were present at the time of their father’s death, marking the first of many major traumas for the two of them.

Years later, Derek would face his own brush with death after a mass shooter in the hospital targeted him on Grey’s Anatomy Season 6 Episode 24.

Suffice it to say, Lucas ending up in this position was probably inevitable, given his family history.

More (Yes, More) Callbacks

The convenience store employee (Gladys) couldn’t keep her eyes off of Jo and Lucas while the gunman was trained on her, leading to him clocking the doctors’ presence and foiling their escape plan.

That moment felt awfully reminiscent of the time during the mass shooting when Bailey tried to hide from Gary, only to be caught because Charles wouldn’t stop looking at her under the bed.

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Our memory was also jogged a bit during the moment a grieving Mika reached out to Jules, seeking physical comfort, and virtually begging when Jules tried to redirect her.

On Grey’s Anatomy Season 4 Episode 15, Alex said goodbye to Rebecca when she was hospitalized for her mental health, and he sought comfort for Izzie in much the same way Mika did in the latest episode.

Plus, the patient Amelia and Winston operated on received a surgery that looked a lot like Joe’s standstill surgery during Grey’s Anatomy Season 2!

There are definitely some Grey’s fans who are disappointed in what they consider to be recycled storylines, but I find them comforting in a way.

It’s nice to know that the show remembers its roots and can continue developing characters and their stories by leaning on a history that has already been built.

While there are plenty of reasons to gripe about the directions the show has taken in recent years, their commitment to threading new stories into old ones is part of the reason the series is still enjoyable.

When Will Amelia Get to be Happy?

Look, Amelia Shepherd is my favorite character on this show.

I think she’s criminally misunderstood and underutilized, and while I’m grateful they brought her over after Private Practice ended, I don’t think Grey’s has done a great job of migrating her history with her.

This fall finale proved that even when they do highlight Amelia, they do it in a way that makes her suffer.

Once upon a time, she grieved openly about how every man she’s ever loved has died. Her father, her brother, her fiance, and her son were all taken from her in horrible ways.

The latest terrifying cliffhanger put Jo and Lucas in danger and suggested that Lucas suffered a gunshot wound right before the credits rolled.

That means that when the show returns next year, Amelia will have to face the possibility of yet another man she loves dying horribly, and there won’t be anything she can do about it.

She also just dealt with an almost-panic attack during surgery, which is so incredibly out of character for Amelia that I couldn’t actually believe what I was seeing.

Amelia — competent, brilliant, confident Amelia, who deals with her fear and stress by striking a superhero pose and shifting into life-saving mode — is not someone who breaks down from nerves at the O.R. table.

While admittedly, it gave us a nice moment of camaraderie and friendship between Amelia and her sort-of-ex-brother-in-law, it kind of felt like a needless moment of struggle.

Dr. Beltran was annoyingly missing from the episode, so we didn’t even get any stolen glances or kisses or flirtatious moments between them for our trouble.

Saying Goodbye to Another Fan Favorite

It was no secret that Midori Francis was leaving her role on Grey’s Anatomy this season, and Mika Yasuda’s arc finally came to a close during the fall finale.

Still in the painful grip of grief six weeks after her sister’s death, Mika returned to work despite the fact that she was still reeling from the trauma of her loss and her own brush with death.

Francis’s performance in this episode was nothing short of incredible, and her portrayal of how consuming grief is in the way it rearranges your very molecules was raw and beautiful.

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Yasuda experienced a couple of moments where her grief overcame her, even going so far as to scream at Bailey while she ran a code, and it really looked like she was going to be written out of the show by way of a straitjacket.

Mercifully, the writers allowed Yasuda to come to terms with what she needed on her own. When Bailey offered her extended bereavement leave, Mika chose to resign instead.

The decision honored what Mika knew about herself, what she could handle, and what she needed to heal and move forward.

Telling Grief’s Story

Throughout the episode, Mika sought advice and comfort from people she trusted.

Bailey connected with the intern by sharing her experience of losing her mother.

Griffith offered a kind ear as Mika stared into the room where Chloe died, and the advice she gave her friend was a really profound truth about grief.

Mika asked Simone if she’d ever feel normal again, and Simone’s response was beautiful:

“I think this is your normal now, and every day, you’ll get a little more comfortable with it.”

From my own personal experience with loss, I’ve found that to be true. Things never really go back to normal, and you’re never the person you were before your loss.

But you keep going, and the loss gets weaved into your soul and becomes part of who you are, along with a million other things — good and bad.

The Worst Place to Be Pregnant is Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital

Not that I’m interested in getting pregnant again, but if I do, keep me the hell away from Seattle and this hospital.

We’ve seen these characters go through miscarriages, experience stillbirths, lose their children shortly after birth, and deal with just about every pregnancy complication under the sun.

Has the show allowed births that resulted in healthy babies? Sure, but even those deliveries were absurd.

Meredith had baby Bailey during a blackout, Bailey had Tucker while her husband was in brain surgery, Callie had Sofia prematurely after a near-fatal car accident, April had Harriet via a DIY C-section in Meredith’s living room … need I continue?

Anyway, the point is, I think we all knew that Jo’s pregnancy was destined to be dramatic in some way.

So, no one was surprised when she started bleeding and cramping while actively being held hostage at gunpoint.

We won’t find out her fate (or that of the twins) until next year, but a scare like that is terrifying enough even without the added stress of pregnancy.

My guess is that the story will somehow involve Jo feeling immense guilt for how she’s complained and worried about the pregnancy now that the twins are in danger, and I despise that trope.

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Pregnancy is hard. It’s often scary, uncomfortable, and limiting. It’s sometimes painful, even excruciatingly so, and can be debilitating.

So if pregnant people can go through it, they deserve to complain about it, guilt-free.

Hopefully, Jo’s situation will provide a good enough reason for one Dr. Carina DeLuca to return, which has been on my wishlist since Station 19 ran its series finale.

Bits and Bobs

• The tension between Beckman and Altman is clearly still there, and so is the heat between Owen and his friend Nora. Maybe the doors haven’t entirely closed on the Altman/Hunt open marriage idea?
• It’s so good to have Ben back, but he’s still just as hot-headed and arrogant as he was before he became a firefighter. He always thinks he knows what’s best, and it’s never not gotten him into trouble.
• Did Gladys skip the convenience store employee training day where they taught the whole “don’t be a hero” thing? Nothing in that safe is worth your life, Gladys!
• I’m not thrilled about the Blue/Molly storyline, and I don’t think it’s fair for her to keep showing up while he’s working. I love Blue and want him to be happy, and he deserves better than this.
• Far be it from me to say anything nice about Teddy, but I have to admit, she’s a highly qualified and effective chief.

That’s all for now, folks! Grey’s Anatomy will return with a new episode in the spring, but the conversations don’t stop here.

Stay tuned for my mid-season report card coming soon, and let’s chat in the comments about the season so far!

I also want to hear all your theories about how the rest of the season will go, so don’t be a stranger.

Grey’s Anatomy will return on Thursday, March 6, at 10/9c on ABC.

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There was a shocking death, an emotional goodbye, and a heaping portion of callbacks to older Grey’s Anatomy storylines, and I wasn’t really prepared for any of it.

Granted, some of the episode’s reveals were predictable, but overall, the hour left me reeling.

Knowing that Midori Francis is slated to leave the show and her character, Mika Yasuda, this season, I wasn’t shocked at all to see a near-death experience for the talented intern.

The part that shocked me was that she survived.

Tragically, her baby sister, Chloe (who was already fighting cancer) didn’t survive the car accident that nearly claimed Mika’s life.

But somehow, Mika pulled through after a tense hour of touch-and-go surgery and angst from her friends and sort-of-girlfriend.

Now, the question remains: how exactly are the showrunners planning to write Yasuda out of the show?

Saying goodbye to her character via a traumatic accident made sense, and that option was in line with how other Grey’s Anatomy departures have gone.

Derek “McDreamy” Shepherd, George O’Malley, Lexie Grey, Mark Sloan — I could keep going, but the point is, there have been plenty of dramatic and bloody deaths for major Grey’s characters.

So it begs the question: what was the point of putting Mika through a car accident that she technically caused and then killing her sister off?

Call me jaded, but now I fear that Mika’s actual exit will be far more tragic and hard to stomach.

Throughout the episode, other characters waxed poetic about how they felt about Yasuda.

Jules, whose relationship with Mika has been heating up all season long, was particularly inconsolable, but all of the interns struggled with the prospect of losing their friend.

Despite several moving speeches (the one from Blue actually made me a little sniffly), thankfully no one had to actually say goodbye to Yasuda. Yet, anyway.

This week marked Jake Borelli’s final episode as Levi prepared to move to Texas for a pediatric research fellowship.

First of all, Texas? As a gay man? In this political climate? Why couldn’t the writers have sent Levi somewhere slightly more queer friendly?

At least his new love interest, James, will be by his side, I guess.

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Is it probably way too soon for those two to be moving in together, especially to a new city and state across the country? Yeah.

But you can’t stop true love, so James quit his job as Grey Sloan’s chaplain (which he’s had for, what? Two months?) to follow Levi to San Antonio.

It was a terribly romantic gesture, even if it was a little rash. I wish those two the best.

Of course, Levi couldn’t go anywhere without first spending a few emotional moments with Jo.

The bond those two shared was, at times, a little baffling, if only because of how downright mean both of them could be.

But no one could deny that there was a lot of love between them.

No matter the physical distance, Levi and Jo will always be close, especially now that Levi has an official godfather role in the unborn twins’ lives.

Levi’s arc ended with a beautiful montage of some of his best moments throughout his tenure on the show, and it was the perfect way to honor a character who experienced such immense growth in a few short years.

The storyline has him moving to Texas for now, but Levi says he’ll be back in Seattle at some point, so we won’t be surprised to see him pop up again someday. (One can hope, right?)

This week, even though Chloe, Mika, and Levi were the obvious focal points, my character spotlight was on Lucas.

Since his first day, he’s struggled to fit in and find his place in the hospital and with his class.

He carries the weight of the world on his shoulders and thinks he’s responsible for everyone and everything, and that was clearer than ever in this episode.

From the physical manifestation of his stress (vomiting into a biohazard bag as he raced between Chloe and Mika’s operating rooms) to the way he stormed away from Simone as she tried to comfort him, Lucas showed a lot of his internal struggle.

In no world is he to blame for Chloe’s death.

But that doesn’t mean he’s not going to blame himself for it, especially after Mika asked him to take care of her sister.

Adams isn’t the only one shouldering blame and guilt, either.

When Mika is ready to see her friends again, she’s going to have to contend with Lucas’s heartbreak over not being able to save Chloe as well as Jules’s guilt over tagging Mika in for surgery before the accident.

It’s a classic setup, and I’m honestly not looking forward to it.

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I think they’re going to have Mika provide some sort of absolution for both Lucas and Jules, and while I get that they need to hear that she doesn’t blame them, the focus really should be on Mika right now.

It’s unfair to put anything else on her.

As a side note, I hope Midori Francis gets an Emmy consideration for the scene where she reacts to Chloe’s death. Her sobs shook me to my core.

Bits and Bobs

• While Chloe was coding, the interns were responding to the code alone. Why are there never any grownups when things go south in this hospital?
• There were so many callbacks to old Grey’s Anatomy scenes: the interns crowding outside the trauma room window and Jules and Simone watching babies in the nursery for comfort. It was nostalgic in a heartbreaking way.
• Owen and Teddy managed to move past the weird Cass Beckman kissing storyline because of all the chaos, but Sophia Bush will be back, so I can’t imagine that drama is over.
• Watching Bailey comfort yet another class of interns as they grappled with losing one of their own was a special kind of awful.

Overall, it was a stressful and impactful episode, and it left us with the promise of things getting worse before they get better.

Next week is the fall finale, and the promo has already set up an incredibly terrifying premise that is yet another callback to an old storyline.

Adams and Jo will be in a convenience store when it’s robbed at gunpoint — which, if you recall, is exactly how Adams’ grandfather died. Bad vibes all around.

Sound off in the comments to let me know your thoughts on this week’s episode!

Grey’s Anatomy airs Thursdays at 10/9c on ABC.

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For a while, it’s felt as if the show wanted to play it safe, opting for easily resolved storylines with happy endings.

All that went down the drain with this latest installment, and as happy as I am about the drama of it all, it means we need to prepare for some heartbreak.

Tonight marked an exciting cast change as Sophia Bush made her first appearance as Dr. Cass Beckman, a trauma surgeon who works at Seattle Presbyterian.

The episode opens with an awkward date night between Teddy and Owen, who recently decided to make more of an effort to repair their marriage.

But despite scheduling sex and getting dressed up for a nice restaurant, they still seem extremely distant.

After all, watching my partner stare at their cell phone isn’t exactly my idea of a thrilling date night.

Of course, the date heats up eventually.

Unfortunately for Owen, he’s not there for that part. So sad.

After the jaw-dropping admission from Beckman that she and her husband (a cardio surgeon at Grey Sloan, apparently) have an open marriage, things get a little spicy.

By this point, the husband halves of the two relationships have conveniently been called back to work, so it’s just Cass and Teddy left to enjoy their would-be dates.

I know I’ve never been secretive about how much I despise Owen Hunt, but I think we can all admit that sharing a burger with the likes of Sophia Bush beats pom frites and wine with Owen any day.

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Teddy, for some reason, acts quite scandalized at Beckman’s admission, which is kind of rich, considering.

Teddy and Owen had an open marriage at one point too — Owen just didn’t get the memo.

Too soon?

To her credit, this time Teddy resists the urge to cheat on her husband.

But when she tells Owen what happened, she shared it like a funny little anecdote, clearly expecting him to laugh about it with her.

Not to be all “Team Owen” here, but if I’d been cheated on by my spouse, I don’t think I’d be in a very silly mood the next time they locked lips with someone else, either.

No word yet on whether Owen and Teddy will end up trying the Beckman Method of Marriage Repair (trademark pending), but suffice it to say that this episode did not bring them closer together.

We’ve known for a while that Jake Borelli and Midori Francis would be joining the long list of Grey’s Anatomy departures at some point this season.

There was an air of mystery around both characters and how they’d be written out, and it looks like we may have some answers now.

Levi (Borelli), who has been waffling back and forth about whether to pursue pediatrics or general surgery, is moving to Texas to take a research position in pediatrics.

It doesn’t come as any real shock, honestly.

It’s been obvious for a while that Levi felt his place was in peds, and this episode only confirmed it.

Still, when Bailey let him run point on a general surgery case, he proved just how confident and capable he is. He’s come a long way since they called him Glasses, hasn’t he?

After an emotional goodbye scene with Helm, Levi just needs to figure out how to tell James that their fling has to end.

Surely we’ll get a sweet Levi/Jo goodbye, too, right? Man, I’m really going to miss him.

I’ve been nervous all season about how the writers would handle this exit, and I have to say that I’m totally satisfied with this ending for Levi.

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He’s spent years feeling insecure and questioning his abilities, but in this episode his growth was on full display.

We may have met Levi as a dorky, awkward, and clumsy sub-I, but the Levi we’re sending off is anything but.

Having Levi develop the confidence to make difficult decisions and follow his own heart is ultimately a beautiful way to acknowledge and honor how far this character has come.

Mika, on the other hand, may not get such a clean break.

The worst part about what is about to happen to Mika is that it was so predictable.

As soon as Jules told Mika she wanted to kiss her, but they had to agree on a rain check because Mika was scrubbed in for surgery, I knew that kiss was never going to happen.

The episode ends on a cliffhanger, but it’s not hard to predict where this is going.

Mika and Chloe get in a car accident, Mika doesn’t survive, and then Chloe will suddenly need an organ transplant.

What do you know! A perfect match just came in, and you even have the same last name!

Of course, all of that is speculation, and I could be way off base.

But if Mika does go out like this, it’s going to be a pretty disappointing end to what could have been an incredible LGBTQ+ relationship for the show.

We’ll probably never know what could have been, but we can hope that Mika at least gets to say goodbye before she’s unceremoniously killed off.

(Also, the poor Yasuda parents and siblings just keep taking hits, don’t they?)

The best part of this episode was the stunning display of solidarity that Amelia gifted to Jo as she struggled to parent sick toddlers.

When people talk about how it takes a village to raise a family, this is what they mean.

Jo wasn’t warm, welcoming, or kind when Amelia showed up. She was scared and overwhelmed, so she lashed out.

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But Amelia, bless her soul, saw her co-parent struggling, and she met her where she was — in the floor, doing laundry, feeding her toast.

I’m no stranger to the mom guilt Jo described. It’s all-consuming, powerful, and painful.

Amelia’s support was everything in that moment, and I loved every minute of it.

Bits and Bobs Worth Mentioning

• Griffith’s accidental “love you” reminded me so much of the Prince episode of New Girl. The way Lucas doubled back at the end of the episode to return the sentiment made my heart grow three sizes.
• If I had a nickel for every time a patient on Grey’s Anatomy had a pole through their torso, I’d have two nickels. Which isn’t a lot, but … well, you know how it goes.
• I’ll never understand why interns are just left to run the hospital alone during the night shift. Where are the adults?!
• For a moment, I thought Helm might go with Levi to Texas, but I think we have to admit that those two never had the kind of relationship Vic and Travis from Station 19 had.

That’s all I’ve got, folks!

Next week promises to be a doozy, so I’m certain we’ll have lots to talk about.

Until then, join me in the comments!

What are your thoughts on the episode, and what comes next for our favorite doctors? Let’s chat!

Grey’s Anatomy airs Thursdays at 10/9c on ABC.

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The post Grey’s Anatomy Season 21 Episode 6 Review: Night Moves appeared first on TV Fanatic.

Well, it looks like Burton’s One Tree Hill co-star, Sophia Bush, has pretty much the same mission as she joins the cast.

We’re taking a look at the promo to discuss Grey’s Anatomy Season 21 Episode 6 spoilers.

Sophia Bush Has a Bomb to Drop

Did I hear that correctly?

“We opened up our marriage,” said Dr. Cass Beckman in the promo for the next episode.

It was our first glimpse of Sophia Bush’s new Grey’s Anatomy role, and boy, did it leave an impression.

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We’ve known for a few weeks now that Teddy and Owen have been having some marital troubles.

It seemed to boil down to regular life stuff.

Two kids, high-powered careers, and impossible schedules are enough to drive any marriage into a slump.

Teddy and Owen Want Their Marriage to Work

But Teddy and Owen seem committed to making things work one way or another.

For most Grey’s Anatomy married couples, trying to repair the relationship tends to look like a few weeks in a therapist’s office.

Somehow, it doesn’t seem like that’s the direction these two are heading in.

We haven’t been formally introduced to Dr. Beckman (Bush), but we know she’s a surgeon at Seattle Presbyterian.

We also know she’s married to a cardio surgeon at Grey Sloan named David Beckman.

And, well, now we know they’re swingers. Or polyamorous. Or something.

That’s the beauty of a teaser, isn’t it?

It didn’t give us enough information about these new characters to determine how they identify, but non-monogamy plays a role in their relationship.

Of course, all the promo revealed is that Beckman told Teddy about this detail.

There’s no word on how it was received by Teddy (or Owen), or whether they will explore non-monogamy as an option for themselves.

Although, Teddy already kind of explored that on her own with Koracick, but we’re supposed to forgive and forget that.

There are several ways this could go.

Altman and Hunt could open their marriage, decide it works well for them, and move on happily with the freedom to see other people.

They could try it and decide it’s not for them, and that they don’t want to risk impacting their relationship.

Or they could dismiss the idea altogether, which could either lead to a lifetime of “what-ifs” or a confidence in their decision to stay monogamous.

Whatever they decide, the powers that be knew what they were doing with that promo.

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Teasing this kind of explosive storyline — especially ahead of a two-week hiatus — was sure to get fans talking.

And with Sophia Bush’s casting already the topic of excited conversation surrounding the show, we can’t stop thinking about the implications.

When Promos Offer More Excitement Than Episodes

There is the distinct possibility that the promo was just an attention-grabber, and that nothing significant comes from it.

It wouldn’t be the first time.

In fact, it wouldn’t be the first time in the past week.

The teaser for Grey’s Anatomy Season 22 Episode 5 alluded to a probable helicopter crash, but we know how that ended.

After last week’s rather disappointing and anticlimactic episode, let’s hope that Sophia Bush’s inaugural hour brings more excitement.

There are still several big storylines that will presumably be wrapping up soon, given the impending departure of both Jake Borelli and Midori Francis.

What About Levi and Mika?

Levi (Borelli) spoke with Dr. Beltran about a possible peds research opportunity in Texas, which could carve out a reasonable exit.

That is complicated by his blossoming romance with Grey Sloan’s new chaplain, James, but this show has never shied away from complicated before.

Meanwhile, Mika (Francis) is dealing with her younger sister’s advanced cancer treatments.

There’s no word yet on how she’ll be written out, but it’s probably safe to assume it will have something to do with Chloe.

As Meredith is now based in Boston, the writers could easily send Mika and Chloe to the east coast for some kind of clinical trial.

Maybe Meredith has pull, or Nick is doing something new and innovative with transplants for Chloe’s type of cancer.

I’m not a doctor, so I don’t know how plausible either of those things might be.

But it would be cool to see these characters written out in ways that leave the door open for their return in the future.

(You hear that, Shonda Rhimes? Please don’t kill them off!)

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Our brief look into the episode also showed Levi being given the responsibility of running point on a new trauma patient.

He may not be an attending yet, but Bailey is bestowing honorary dark blue scrubs upon him to see how well he can run a case.

We’ve seen this before with previous classes, but it’s been a while.

I have faith that Levi will pull off an excellent save as long as he can stay focused.

We still have a bit of a wait ahead for the new episode, but it promises to be a doozy.

If there’s anything I know about Grey’s Anatomy, it’s that anything is possible on this show.

As I’ve said before, the Grey’s Anatomy writers have nothing to lose at this point. We should prepare for pretty much anything.

What expectations do you have for the new episode?

And if you’re a fan, here are some of Sophia Bush roles you absolutely must see!

Let us know in the comments, and tune in Thursday, November 7, at 10/9c on ABC.

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The post Grey’s Anatomy Season 21 Episode 6 Spoilers: Sophia Bush Stirs Things Up appeared first on TV Fanatic.

Sometimes, tropes are overdone or offensive, but they often exist to give the audience a sense of familiarity and relatability.

If I had to choose a favorite trope, it would be the concept of found family, and I wouldn’t even have to think about it.

A grouchy, tough boss has a soft spot for a rough-around-the-edge intern and becomes a parental figure for them.

A set of childhood best friends grow into adulthood together, sharing all of life’s challenges and celebrations like siblings.

Sometimes, a character gets the “Dirty Uncle Sal” treatment.

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As Meredith Grey so eloquently put it on Grey’s Anatomy, this character is “the one who embarrasses everyone at family reunions … but you invite him to the picnic anyway.”

No matter how the relationship dynamic plays out, these platonic friendships that morph into families who do life together will always make me feel warm and fuzzy inside.

There are hundreds of examples of families found on television, but we’ve gathered a few that stand out for us to celebrate the trope.

Meredith Grey and Richard Webber: Grey’s Anatomy

The writers of TV’s longest-running medical drama could host a master class in the art of creating a found family.

Over the years, characters have built families with the coworkers they see constantly.

But one of the most realistic examples of chosen family on Grey’s Anatomy is in the daughter/father dynamic between Meredith and Richard.

The love hasn’t always been reciprocated, but Webber has considered himself responsible for Meredith since her first day as an intern.

Despite the ups and downs in their relationship (and I mean a LOT of them), these two have always been family.

We even saw a glimpse of what life might have been like if Richard had raised Meredith in Grey’s Anatomy Season 8 Episode 13.

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Evan “Buck” Buckley and Christopher Diaz: 9-1-1

9-1-1 is another show that doesn’t hold back when it comes to creating a family feel.

Perhaps the most meaningful example of this on the show is the relationship between Buck and Christopher.

Christopher isn’t biologically related to Buck; he’s the son of Buck’s closest friend and partner, Eddie.

But that has never stopped Buck from loving Christopher like his own and stepping in as a parental figure when needed.

In a testament to their bond, Eddie named Buck in his will as Christopher’s legal guardian in the event of Eddie’s death.

Christopher trusts Buck even when he can’t talk to his dad, and Buck has proven time and time again that he’s worthy of that trust.

Watch 9-1-1 Online

April Ludgate and Leslie Knope: Parks and Recreation

April may have a snarky attitude and pretend she’s too cool for school, but the love she has for Leslie shines through on Parks and Recreation.

Leslie isn’t old enough to be April’s mother, but she’s certainly acted in a big sister capacity over the years.

As April’s boss, Leslie always did a great job of supporting her professionally.

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More importantly, she showed up for April outside of work, supporting her through years of major life changes.

No matter how hard April tried to feign otherwise, she loved and appreciated Leslie’s advice and support and frequently sought it out.

Leslie’s influence is directly responsible for much of April’s growth, and April shows her gratitude in her own way.

Watch Parks and Rec Online

Rosa Diaz and Jake Peralta: Brooklyn Nine-Nine

Brooklyn Nine-Nine is another one of those shows where everyone feels connected to each other in a familial way.

Jake even slips up more than once and calls Captain Holt “Dad,” if that tells you anything about their relationship.

But one of the most special duos on this show is Jake and Rosa, best friends who act more like siblings.

They bicker and fight, but they always have each other’s backs at work and in their personal lives.

When Rosa came out as bisexual, Jake stood by her side as she navigated coming out to her parents, who were less than supportive.

And for her part, Rosa showed up for Jake to back him up in his many, many shenanigans, often getting him out of messes he created himself.

Watch Brooklyn Nine-Nine Online

Stella Kidd and Wallace Boden: Chicago Fire

Found family in a firehouse is almost a given, so this may be too easy.

Still, no one was more devastated about Chief Boden’s departure from 51 than Stella.

She viewed him as a father figure who was always available for advice and encouragement.

Boden saw Stella as a daughter and would have done anything she needed at any time.

The bond these two shared was just one of many examples of beautiful platonic friendships on Chicago Fire.

Through good times and bad, Boden and Stella set a fantastic example of how powerful chosen family can be.

Watch Chicago Fire Online

Billy Baker and Spencer James: All American

Billy Baker treated Spencer as another son from the minute he moved him into his house so he could be a star player on the Beverly football team.

While it was originally about the team and Spencer’s potential, they grew to care deeply about each other over the years.

When Billy died during All American Season 5, it devastated Spencer because they had been arguing and had not made peace yet.

When Billy makes a ghostly visit in Season 6, he tries to help all his children, including Spencer.

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Amanda Wagner and Will Trent: Will Trent

Amanda appears as a tough old bird, but she has always considered Will to be part of her family.

At the end of Will Trent Season 1, it was revealed that she found baby Will in the trash can and tried to raise him herself.

However, society didn’t let single African-American women keep infants, and she had to give him back, but she gave him a part of her, his name.

She also gave him a job at the GBI, and Will was always loyal to her.

Watch Will Trent Online

Harlan “Sonny” Jennings and Emily “Em” Wright: HI-Surf

Em is the only one who can ever really call Sonny out.

Unlike others in his life, Em doesn’t hold back.

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You can always tell how hard it is on him when he feels like he has disappointed her and not met her expectations.

They have such a strong dynamic, and you can tell there’s a lot of history there that the series hasn’t even begun to dig into.

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Vince Leone and Jake Crawford: Fire Country

Vince Leone always reads as very paternal when it comes to both Jake and Eve on Fire Country.

He considered both of them his other children, and that especially was solidified when his and Sharon’s daughter died, and Bode went to prison.

In work environments, there is a healthy dose of respect, but you also get the sense that Vince is the dad of the house.

Just as quickly as he extends advice to both Jake and Eve, they also confront him in a way you’d expect from children calling out their parents.

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Melinda “Mel” Monroe and Vernon “Doc” Mullins: Virgin River

Funnily enough, when Mel first got there, Doc seemed to hate her and didn’t want her around at all.

But they eventually settled into a beautiful rhythm and developed this very special filial relationship, which is almost as much at the center of the show as her romance with Jack.

Doc never had the opportunity to raise children, but you can tell he pours all of this fatherly affection and love into Mel. As for Mel, she returns his affection in kind.

The two share a bond that includes confiding in each other, seeking out advice, holding secrets, and comforting each other.

In fact, the upcoming season of Virgin River will be interesting as Mel explores a relationship with her biological father.

Because she and Doc have been so close for the past few years, it makes you wonder if he’ll feel a pang of jealousy or resentment.

Watch Virgin River Online

Susannah Fisher and Isabel “Belly” Conklin: The Summer I Turned

Pretty

Sadly, this mother-daughter dynamic on The Summer I Turned Pretty ended in tragedy.

But Belly looked to Susannah as a second mother and, at times, had a stronger relationship with Susannah than she did with her own mom.

And Susannah, given that she only had two sons, always viewed Belly as her daughter.

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It made things interesting since Susannah actively rooted for Belly to be with one of her sons; her opinion on this matter adds weight to the already complicated and messy love triangle between Belly and the two brothers.

Still, Belly and Susannah sometimes felt more like mother and daughter than she did with her actual mom.

As a result, Belly’s grief over Susannah’s passing has fundamentally shaped who she is as a young woman moving forward and made her grief story carry just as much weight as that of Conrad and Jeremiah’s.

Watch The Summer I Turned Pretty Online

While the bond between biological relatives can be lovely, it’s often the people we meet later in life that make the biggest impact.

We’d love to hear from you!

Let us know in the comments if you have favorite TV found families that we missed.

The post 11 Examples of Found Family on TV that Prove Genetics Aren’t Everything appeared first on TV Fanatic.

There was nothing inherently wrong with the episode, and it works fine as filler content for a show that just won’t stop.

Despite the potential for massive shakeups, which were hinted at in the promo, the hour was just sort of lackluster.

Yearning for the Grey’s Anatomy of Yesteryear

You can call me a lot of things, but a Grey’s Anatomy hater is not one of them.

That isn’t going to stop me from calling out wasted potential when I see it, though.

Let me put it this way: if this were, say, 2010, this episode would have gone very, very differently.

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Interns politely asking permission to bend rules and treat underinsured patients? Forget it.

In the old days, the interns would have just taken matters into their own hands, gone rogue, and figured out a way to get their patient treated.

Do I need to remind you about the time Meredith completed actual insurance fraud and went to jail because she couldn’t bear to turn a patient away?

If this was Grey’s Anatomy Season 8, the Monica/Amelia scene in the vestibule would have ended with a steamy kiss, with Amelia saying something along the lines of, “Well, I had to do something to get you to stop freaking out.”

To be fair, it goes both ways.

Back in my day, Jo’s ultrasound (which she attended alone after kicking Link out of the room) would have taken a dark turn which would have been revealed with a breakdown in the hospital parking lot.

I’m glad the JoLink twins are okay, truly — I’ll never be able to bring myself to enjoy drama centered around pregnancy.

But in general, there were a lot of setups for potentially groundbreaking reveals that just kind of … fizzled out.

Wasted Potential in Grey’s Anatomy Season 21 Episode 5

Take the Levi/James angst, for instance.

There was a lot going on throughout the episode, obviously, but at points at the beginning, middle, and end, Levi was ruminating on the scandal of finding James’s wedding album.

If you remember from Grey’s Anatomy Season 21 Episode 4, that’s actually all that happened.

James and Levi slept together, and then Levi found an album of wedding photos in a drawer, starring Grey Sloan’s new chaplain himself.

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He assumed the worst, obviously, and honestly, so did I!

This is Grey’s Anatomy, after all. At this point, we could just change the name of Murphy’s Law to Grey’s Law.

But after all the drama and buildup, it turns out that James is just a widower who is ready to move on.

Boring.

Teddy and Owen have spent the last couple of episodes bickering and struggling with marital problems, only to end the hour with a little chuckle and a quip about how “we’ll be fine; we always are.”

Boring 2, Electric Boogaloo.

Amelia walked in on Winston “returning” a nightie to Monica (which wasn’t even hers, awkwardly enough, so Winston’s certainly keeping a full calendar).

Remember when Amelia asked Monica out and she said she just wasn’t ready for anything because of her divorce? We could have gotten a jealous, angsty argument about that, but instead, Amelia was mature and adult about it.

BORING.

There were a few tense scenes, including the helicopter ride back to Seattle as Levi and Lucas transported an injured pediatric patient.

Heavy turbulence and terrible weather made it a bumpy ride, which didn’t make things easy for two doctors who were trying to prevent a child from bleeding out.

But there was no crash. Just a nice, safe, emergency landing and a smooth ambulance ride back to the hospital.

Fine, I’m not going to say it again. But you know I’m right.

Blurred Lines Between Fiction and Reality

A decidedly not boring element of the episode came in the form of a patient named Mr. Johnson, who also happened to be a custodial worker at the hospital.

Unfortunately, his story wasn’t boring because it was far too close to reality.

The guy works in a hospital and still can’t afford the medical care he needs because of the nightmare that is privatized insurance.

While the case did inspire Blue to register to vote, it was a grim reminder that the American healthcare system is broken and people are crushed under it every day.

There’s nothing boring about that, but it’s not exactly a fun thought, either.

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One moment got my attention enough that I sat up and audibly gasped: Teddy and Owen were in the middle of treating a patient when his chest exploded, spraying blood everywhere.

He was fine (no amount of explaining is going to make me understand exactly how he was fine, so I’m sorry to the medical consultants on the show).

Dare I say it? Boring.

Bits and Bobs

• Simone and Lucas are giving me butterflies. They’re just so cute.
• Ben realizing Winston needed a friend was so sweet. I loved seeing him playfully tell Bailey she wasn’t invited to go with them (after she declined the non-invitation).
• Jo mentioned that DeLuca didn’t see any concerns on her ultrasound. So … not only are the babies okay, but we know DeLuca is at the hospital! Maybe we’ll get a glimpse of Carina soon?
• Even though I knew they’d be writing Levi out soon, I’m going to be heartbroken if they send that poor boy to Texas. Stop sending characters I love to Texas, ABC. (Looking at you, 9-1-1.)
• We finally got clarity on where Ben is in his residency! He’s coming back in as a fourth year, so he does have some seniority over the interns.
• Amelia may not have felt entitled to an explanation, but Monica sure wanted her to know that her fling with Winston was meaningless. I’m so invested in this ship.

All in all, it was a fine filler, but I do hope to see more action as the season progresses.

What were your thoughts on the episode? Let’s chat in the comments.

There’s a short hiatus, but the next installment will air on November 7. Sophia Bush will make her first appearance on the show, so don’t miss it!

Grey’s Anatomy airs Thursdays at 10/9c on ABC.

Watch Greys Anatomy Online

The post Grey’s Anatomy Season 21 Episode 5 Review: You Make My Heart Explode appeared first on TV Fanatic.

If the promo for this week’s episode is to be believed, then we’re in for another aircraft disaster and another complicated pregnancy storyline.

We’re unpacking that and more in our Grey’s Anatomy Season 21 Episode 5 spoilers.

Grey’s Anatomy Season 21 Episode 5 Spoilers: LGBTQ+ Stories

First, let’s take a moment to celebrate: Amelia and Beltran are both back for the new episode!

Fingers crossed that we’ll get some good scenes between the two of them.

I’ve been begging for a good queer slow burn relationship, and the heat between Amelia and the new peds surgeon is a live wire begging to be touched.

There are other LGBTQ+ relationships building (or crumbling) on the show, too.

Levi and James finally connected (wink, wink) last week, and that was looking promising.

At least, it was, until Levi discovered a wedding album in James’s apartment.

Mika and Jules have shared the steamy screen quite a few times, but things between them are currently off.

That hasn’t stopped Jules from being there for Mika (and her sister, Chloe) every chance she can while Chloe undergoes cancer treatment.

It’s clear that Jules and Mika are in love, but can’t do anything about it, and that’s one of the most heartbreaking tropes of all time.

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Obviously, I don’t have much hope for that ship, or for the James/Levi one.

Both Midori Francis and Jake Borelli are leaving the show this season, so the ships were doomed to sink.

It’s going to be sad to see them go, but I’m going to focus my energy on Amelia and Beltran and hope they don’t let me down.

A Potential Flight Disaster

The biggest storyline of the hour seems to be a potential helicopter crash, and Levi and Lucas are on board.

Some fans have speculated online that this could be the event that writes Jake Borelli out of the show.

Sure, it’s certainly possible they could kill him off in a chopper accident.

It wouldn’t be the first major Grey’s Anatomy departure that happened in a similar way, either.

But if that’s the plan, it begs the question of why they bothered having Levi discover James’s wedding photos.

I don’t think we’ll see any big character deaths this week, but I could be wrong.

Grey’s Anatomy Season 21 Episode 5 Spoilers: Jo’s Latest Development 

Last week on Grey’s Anatomy Season 21 Episode 4, Jo and Link were shocked to learn they’re expecting twins.

The pregnancy wasn’t planned, and they had already discussed waiting a while before considering having more kids.

So it’s understandable that the idea of adding two more babies when they’re already raising two toddlers is overwhelming.

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This pregnancy storyline has the potential to be transformative for Jo’s character development, though.

She was abandoned by her mother and essentially raised herself. 

Then, she was left behind without so much as a goodbye by the husband she thought would never leave her.

Her daughter, Luna, came to her through loss and adoption, and the process was difficult.

At times, Jo felt sure she wouldn’t be allowed to adopt Luna, and that only added to her self-doubt.

If the writers have decided to let Jo and Link have these twins without any major disasters, we’ll see Jo experience something entirely new.

There’s no reason to think Jo would love or treat the twins any differently than Luna or Scout — biology definitely isn’t a prerequisite for family.

I just wonder if having biological connections for the first time will lead to revelations for Jo.

Whether that might be about her health, her past, or an exploration into the postpartum period for someone with a history of depression, there’s an opportunity to tell a unique story here.

Where Do the Interns Stand?

After last week’s episode, it’s clear that the interns are all dealing with their own challenges.

First, there’s Ben, who is getting back into the swing of things after his time across town on Station 19.

It’s hard to tell where he stands, because it seems like he should be further along in his residency than the other interns.

But since he’s struggling to get his act together, maybe it’s a good thing that he’s getting to start fresh.

Mika is understandably preoccupied with her sister’s cancer, and her friends are doing what they can to support her.

Jules is balancing the pain of heartbreak with the love she has for Mika, proving that she’s there for her no matter what.

Lucas is still struggling to find his place in a world he doesn’t think he’s good enough for.

I’m hopeful that between Winston, Richard, and Nick, he’ll be given the support he needs to find his confidence.

Simone is as brilliant as ever, but Ndugu’s harsh words for her last week will stick with her.

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I’m curious whether that experience will create a rift between Griffith and Bailey.

Blue is … well, he’s finding himself.

After getting closure from his ex-fiancée, he’ll finally be able to move on and stop holding onto so much guilt. Hopefully.

An Action-Packed Hour Ahead

There hasn’t been a major disaster or tragedy on Grey’s Anatomy in a while, so I’m hoping this helicopter crash will be a real nail-biter.

If you have theories about what we could be facing come Thursday, let me know in the comments!

We’ll be back in a few days with a thorough review of the episode, so check in then for a chat.

Grey’s Anatomy airs Thursdays at 10/9c on ABC.

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The post Grey’s Anatomy Season 21 Episode 5 Spoilers: Ten Blades and Chopper Blades appeared first on TV Fanatic.

Unfortunately, the hour was packed with heartbreak, but we saw that coming.

There was very little levity since the episode centered around Mika’s sister’s diagnosis, but we did get to enjoy one or two bright spots.

Ben Warren, the Intern? Resident?

Warren is officially back in his scrubs, and his first shift went pretty horribly.

It was to be expected; first days are hard and he’s been out of the game for a long time.

I’m having a hard time figuring out exactly where he is in his residency, though.

He’s been grouped in with the M.A.G.Y.K. class of interns, but shouldn’t he have a year or so on them since he’d already completed his intern year before joining Station 19?

It’s possible that he’s being put through something of a refresher course, but it’s pretty confusing, especially since he seems totally outpaced by doctors who have far less experience than he does.

Still, it’s okay if he needs a little time to get comfortable in his new-old environment.

Until recently, he was running into burning buildings, so if nothing else, he’s going to have to get used to consistently breathing fresh air at work.

The biggest issue facing Ben as he returned to his residency wasn’t his knowledge, age, or how long he’d been away.

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Bailey may not have impacted his first shift back in a direct way, but she still overstepped, causing issues for someone else in the process.

I’m going to level with you — this next part is hard to write, because the last thing I ever want to do is criticize Miranda Bailey.

Miranda Bailey and Her Abuse of Power

She had good intentions, hoping to make sure Ben was settling in okay, but Bailey’s attempts to monitor her husband turned sour.

It’s not just that she (unofficially) assigned Griffith to keep tabs on Ben, not worrying whether Simone already had patients to take care of.

It’s that Bailey has a history of using her power and influence to get interns and junior residents to do things for her, even if it compromises their education.

I can think of several examples without digging too deeply.

While in a childcare pinch during Grey’s Anatomy Season 2 Episode 20, Bailey asked Cristina to watch baby Tuck in the hospital for her to avoid missing her surgeries.

When she worried about the clinic being run poorly by interns, she undermined Callie (who was Chief Resident at the time) by asking Meredith to supervise them.

To prove a point while treating a racist patient, Bailey pulled Cristina off an important surgery, which led to a tense conversation about how that made Cristina feel.

That history in context with the latest episode is hard to ignore.

Griffith’s patient deteriorated, in part because she wasn’t there to monitor him, and Ndugu read her the riot act for it.

I’m not ignoring that Bailey stood up for Griffith and explained the situation to Ndugu; I’m glad she did that much.

But I do hope that Bailey takes more away from this situation than just what Winston said to her, which was focused on leaving Warren alone.

She needed to hear that too, but the bigger lesson here is that she needs to stop using her subordinates for personal reasons at the expense of their own careers.

Mika Deals With Family Tragedy on Grey’s Anatomy Season 21 Episode 4

Whew. Okay, now that my stomach hurts from admitting that Bailey is a flawed character, we can move on.

The current and most pressing storyline involves Mika and her little sister, who has recently been diagnosed with an aggressive cancer.

Naturally, Mika does what any sister who is also a doctor would do, and she dives into the research to find out exactly what it is and how she can save Chloe.

It didn’t go unnoticed that this week focused on preserving Chloe’s fertility before she starts treatments for the cancer.

We’ve seen this before, when Izzie and Alex created embryos during her cancer treatments, but this time there was no time for a lengthy IVF process.

(There wasn’t time for it that time, either, but we’re going to let that slide because it happened a hundred years ago.)

I don’t know if the science currently exists to allow ovaries to be relocated in the body to preserve fertility during radiation treatments, but it’s an incredible concept.

Mika’s commitment to making sure Chloe had options in the future was heartwarming and proved that she didn’t just want to save her sister’s life; she wanted to ensure she’d have the life she wanted.

I really enjoyed Webber’s role in this episode, as he acted as more than just Chloe’s surgeon.

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He supported Mika emotionally as well as professionally, reminding us of the warm, encouraging teacher and mentor he’s always been.

While he’s desperate to retire, he still has so much to offer.

The show could never be the same without him, so I’d really love to see him move into more of a mentor role for young surgeons trying to figure out their place.

Love Is In the Air

There were a few developments in the romance department this week.

First, James and Levi found themselves entangled in bed after a painfully nerdy Star Wars debate.

Their chemistry was off the charts, and Jake Borelli’s impending departure means that for the second time this season, I have to watch a queer ship sink.

James’s secrets may contribute to that if the wedding photo album Levi discovered means anything.

Mika, preoccupied with her sister, was sharper than necessary to Jules throughout the hour.

But that of course didn’t stop Jules from showing up for Mika and Chloe in every way she could.

The heartbreak in both of their eyes was on full display as their feelings sat between them, untouched.

In better news (maybe), Jo and Link finally got a peek at what’s going on inside Jo’s uterus.

Surprise! It’s twins!

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(Just kidding; I had a feeling. Remember what I said after Grey’s Anatomy Season 21 Episode 1 about pregnancy storylines being complicated?)

Teddy and Owen acknowledged that there had been some distance in their marriage, which could potentially contribute to the theories circulating about Owen’s relationship with his old friend from earlier this season.

And just to give us a little taste of classic Grey’s, Simone and Lucas shared a sweet moment and a kiss in a stairwell.

A Few Random Thoughts About Grey’s Anatomy Season 21 Episode 4

• I can’t believe they did a necrotizing fasciitis storyline just a week after Sydney Heron left the building. So rude.
• Watching Teddy explain the realities of being a woman and the pressure to look perfect to Owen was so satisfying. He can take his judgement somewhere else.
• Catherine’s biopsy was negative, and the episode only touched on it in passing. That was weird, right?
• I love when they talk about how broke residents are, but then explain someone’s absence by saying they were away in Paris for two weeks. Checks out.

All in all, it was a good (if heart-wrenching) episode.

I’m guessing we’ll find out more about how Mika’s exit will go as Chloe’s story progresses, and the same for Levi now that he’s learned more about James.

If you have theories about how they’ll be written out, I want to hear them!

Grey’s Anatomy airs Thursdays at 10/9c on ABC.

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The post Grey’s Anatomy Season 21 Episode 4 Review: This One’s For the Girls appeared first on TV Fanatic.

Sophia Bush, best known for her roles on One Tree Hill and Chicago P.D., is joining TV’s longest-running medical drama as Dr. Cass Beckman.

Not much is known yet about the character, but from the details that have been released, it sounds like she’s going to fit right in.

What We Know So Far About Sophia Bush’s Grey’s Anatomy Character

Bush is scheduled to make her Grey’s Anatomy debut on the episode airing November 7, which will be the sixth installment of Season 21.

Her character, a trauma surgeon described by Deadline as “amiable, fun and a little messy around the edges,” is married to a cardio surgeon who works at Grey Sloan named Dr. David Beckman.

(Don’t worry, we read that wrong the first time, too.)

The male Dr. Beckman hasn’t been introduced on the series, and so far there’s no word on whether the casting team has made their pick for him.

Sophia Bush’s Previous Ties to Grey’s Anatomy

While this is Bush’s first time on the ABC hit, her career has linked her with previous stars on the show.

One Tree Hill co-star Hilarie Burton Morgan appeared as Dr. Lauren Boswell on Grey’s Anatomy Season 9 Episode 23, leading an infidelity storyline with Dr. Arizona Robbins that is widely hated by fans of the show even after a decade.

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Bush is also set to star in a new thriller with Grey’s cast member Chris Carmack (Dr. Atticus Lincoln), release date unannounced, called The Stranger in My Home.

Her familiarity with medical roles (see: Bush’s starring role as Dr. Sam Griffith in Good Sam) and with other cast members is sure to serve her well as she joins the massive and dynamic Grey’s Anatomy cast.

Sophia Bush is a Win for Representation on Grey’s Anatomy

Nothing is known about Dr. Beckman’s sexuality other than the fact that she’s married to a man.

But Sophia Bush came out as queer earlier this year, detailing her experience in an emotional op-ed for Glamour.

LGBTQ+ fans have been concerned about the future of queer representation on Grey’s Anatomy.

Concerns have been especially heightened since it was announced that Midori Francis and Jake Borelli were leaving the cast and taking their LGBTQ+ characters with them.

Fans in the community are thrilled to have a new cast member on board with whom they identify, regardless of whether her character is straight or not.

Grey’s Anatomy Adds Sophia Bush and Prepares Viewers for Big Changes

With cast changes usually comes new directions for the overarching storyline.

Sophia Bush has proven she has the chops to headline successful shows before, so this should be no different.

Tune into Grey’s Anatomy every Thursday at 10/9c on ABC, and catch Dr. Beckman’s first appearance on November 7.

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The post Grey’s Anatomy Adds Sophia Bush to Recurring Cast appeared first on TV Fanatic.