The aptly titled Gunpowder and Lead had so many things that make this series great, and it was an enthralling ride from beginning to end.
They’ve found their niche this season, and installments like Grey’s Anatomy Season 19 Episode 16 showcase that well,
The hour had the perfect blend of storylines for the interns and more familiar characters, cases you’re invested in through and through, and personal drama that stirs up an array of emotions.
Grey’s has unapologetically come in hot with these topical issues, making their messages known about this Roe v. Wade decision, pro-choice, and gun violence.
It doesn’t get more topical than mass shootings, especially since we’ve recently had more than our share of notable ones. The fact that the series could take the risk of knowing that there’d probably be a handful by the time this installment airs speaks volumes about the epidemic that we’re in with this.
And they keep finding ways to incorporate these issues via their patients. I can’t even say they’re heavy-handed with this exploration. They also continue exploring these things in well-thought-out, detailed ways that only feel preachy if you’re just sick of engaging with these topics and want to ignore them.
The case with Randall was heartbreaking. He didn’t even realize the severity of the repercussions he faced after getting shot three times at a grocery store.
As someone actually from Buffalo, with the anniversary of the Jefferson massacre by a white supremacist fastly approaching, even the mere mention of Randall’s experience felt like it hit too close to home and brought up memories of how horrific that day was for our city, specifically the victims and their loved ones.
Owen is a victim of gun violence, and the case hit close to home for him, and his bedside manner was just so good during this installment as he connected with the patient.
But he also had those moments when he had to sit there and wonder what many of us have: what has happened to us as a country?
He was absolutely right about how mass shootings have happened so frequently that it no longer fazes us, and most of the time, we don’t even hear about them anymore.
I’m a survivor of a shooting too. Too many of us are.
Owen
Since Russell’s surgery wrapped up, there had already been two. You could just relate to Owen’s frustration and hopelessness. What do you do? All he can do is treat patients, patch up wounds, and pull out bullets.
And there wasn’t much to be done about Bailey’s harassment. The concept of everyone reaching out to the people that have called her the most, humanizing her to them, and actually hearing them out and being heard sounds great.
It made for a great, supportive, beautiful moment with everyone making these calls to rally around Bailey. But it felt so idealistic, and I can’t say it would make that much of a difference.
It doesn’t make her or her family any safer. The situation is no less scary, and the harassment will not stop. The whole situation is terrifying.
The man coming in and manipulating his way into attacking Bailey was so disturbing it was enough to move you to tears. He was chasing her around the hospital to do what? Kill her? In the name of being pro-life?
Blue tacking that man and saving Bailey was a relief, and he deserved every bit of praise and beautiful doctors to date that he got because of it, but it’s all so terrifying.
And that’s what really brought Addison there because she could understand what Bailey was going through and wanted to do a wellness check on her friend.
It wasn’t until they started talking more that it hit that Addison didn’t know so many things about what Bailey had gone through over the years. She had no idea about that heart attack and was upset she didn’t.
The Bailey and Addison friendship has been so great this season, and Addison has just been freaking phenomenal. She lights up the screen every time she’s on it, and every single second with Kate Walsh feels like a gift.
She even brought her juju, even if Bailey chucked the cup in frustration. She needed whatever outlet she could have. Bailey’s rant feels like any of us pro-choice individuals in disbelief over the extreme measures so-called pro-life people take in the name of their belief.
How do you call yourself pro-life and threaten the lives of Bailey and her four-year-old daughter? Does the hypocrisy not land in the least? When does reason come in? You’re threatening an actual child while saying that every life matters!
Ben was livid over this, and it’s a wonder this man hadn’t busted a gasket. He’s scared for his wife and their family; you can’t blame him for his feelings.
My mother used to say kill them with kindness, Miranda. I just wish that I could kill them with the truth.
Bailey
It’s likely not the last of Bailey dealing with things like this. But at least she has a support network. Teddy is such a boss lady as chief, and doing whatever she could for Bailey and commending Blue was great.
And Addison is headed back on the road, but they’re in this together and can keep lifting each other up and being each other’s soundboard when needed.
Plus, we got that amazing Cristina mention. She sent them supplies and a note, proud of her friends for their actions. It’s so good when they keep leaning into the nostalgia and still give us these little moments and mentions.
Of course, Addison came to check on Bailey but had to gather Amelia together too.
No one has abandoned you, Amelia. Everyone is doing the best that they can.
Addison
No one else could’ve gotten through to Amelia and called her out with pure tough love like Addison. And Amelia needed every single bit of that callout.
Addison took the best approach and everything, bluntly asking her if she was drinking or doing anything again, telling her to get it together, making sure that she said how much she loved her AND that she needed to act better rather than implying that her love was conditional to Amelia being better.
Amelia needed to hear all that, and it was so satisfying when Addison called her out because she was a raging jackass to everyone, and it was infuriating to watch.
Addison was right about her being too self-absorbed, making everything about her feeling abandoned when people were trying to live their lives and do the best that they could.
Amelia’s verbal attack of Winston was so out of line and vicious. And the way she went off on Mika was just wrong. I hope that she makes amends to everyone she lashed out at and they don’t just sweep it under the rug because she was hurting and needed a meeting.
Her final scene with Webber was sweet, though. His phone call with Maggie was a nice touch, and now they’re both in a similar place of being recovering addicts with abandonment issues who can lean on each other as they cope with the people they love moving away from them.
Winston is totally in his mentor era and did so well with Simone in the O.R., but he’s proven to be great at that role before. And he bid for Chief of Cardio, which should probably go in his favor since, minus Teddy herself, there’s no competition.
The interns were great, as always. I’m glad that Lucas got another win and shows more confidence when practicing medicine. He’s good at connecting with patients and can understand the LARPer instantly.
Even though it could’ve jeopardized his job, he performed that trach anyway, and it was excellent and saved his patient’s life.
Levi going off on them didn’t even feel right when it didn’t appear they had any other choice.
And Lucas understood the patient’s love for the woman he played his roleplaying game with because of his own situation with Simone.
It was interesting to see him and Jules have drastically different takes about love, and even the patient picked up on Jules’s aversion to it. But now that she’s jealous of Blue with someone else, maybe she’ll start opening her heart.
You look like a princess, but you have the heart of an ogre.
Patient [to Jules]
Lucas realizing how hard it is on him to be Simone’s Man of Honor was a natural step for him to take, and passing over the duties to Jules should be interesting. But then, is anyone believing we’ll have this wedding? Doubtful.
Like Amelia, Jo was having her frustrating moments as she lashed out at Link again because he was starting to teach Scout sign language. By now, it’s common for all babies and toddlers to learn sign language.
It’s become such a norm, thank goodness, that Jo freaking out because she was still processing Luna’s hearing loss felt ridiculous, and she keeps taking everything out on Link more than anyone else, which sucks. But at least she apologized for it.
Some of the confusion with this storyline is that Jo is better now that she knows Luna’s hearing loss is isolated because it means there aren’t more serious things going on.
But initially, they made it seem like Jo was freaking out because of the hearing loss altogether. And it had her turning the idea of hearing loss into this huge catastrophe like it was the end of the world or something that was becoming problematic.
It felt like it went beyond her need to process things. But at least now, we can move forward with this storyline. And if we’re incorporating ASL into the series more, all the better.
The Helm return to the hospital was unexpected but such a relief. Mika is struggling and falling under the radar, which is concerning. I’m so glad that she can see that Mika is burned out and needs help.
It hasn’t been healthy for her, and she’s not functioning well, and it was due for someone to comment on it and advocate for her if she can’t for herself.
It’s Mika Yasuda…. from Grey Sloan?
Mika
Over to you, Grey’s Fanatics.
Are you worried about Bailey? Did Addison need to give Amelia that reality check? Did you love the Mer, Maggie, and Cristina mentions? Hit the comments.
You can watch Grey’s Anatomy online here via TV Fanatic.
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Jasmine Blu is a senior staff writer for TV Fanatic. She is an insomniac who spends late nights and early mornings binge-watching way too many shows and binge-drinking way too much tea. Her eclectic taste makes her an unpredictable viewer with an appreciation for complex characters, diverse representation, dynamic duos, compelling stories, and guilty pleasures. You’ll definitely find her obsessively live-tweeting, waxing poetic, and chatting up fellow Fanatics and readers. Follow her on Twitter.
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