Grey's Anatomy Season 15 Episode 17 Review: And Dream of Sheep
Jasmine Blu
at
.
Updated at
.
It's the season of love, but it has also been the season of family.
It goes to show you love comes in various forms. We can debate all day about the 'ships sailing, but the familial aspect of this season is interesting as well.
Grey's Anatomy Season 15 Episode 17 had the (possible) departures of Vincenzo and Helen, Maggie stepping into a part of her identity, the complex Towen family unit, and it teased the upcoming arrival of Jo's biological mother.
Let's start things off with la famiglia DeLuca. No shade intended but is that it for this storyline?!
Perhaps it is only the end of the innovative baby in a bag portion of the storyline. I was starting to get accustomed to creepy baby sheep in baggies, too.
As insane as Vincenzo's idea sounded, it was innovative and cutting edge, so the idea of the show exploring the study was promising.
Vincenzo: Your sister has turned on me.
DeLuca: Papa no one has turned on you.
My heart hurts for both of the DeLuca siblings. Vincenzo is a real piece of work. It's difficult to determine if part of it is due to his mental illness or if he's an asshole who happens to be mentally ill too.
Regardless, he was downright mean and cruel to Carina and his explosive blowup at Alex was enough to wonder if there would be a repeat of the Alex and DeLuca beatdown with Vincenzo unintentionally avenging his son.
Related: Grey's Anatomy Season 15 Episode 16 Review: Blood and Water
Carina drew the short stick here because of her experience with her father. She knew him better than everyone, including DeLuca, and warned everyone he was in a manic state.
It must be difficult for her dealing with her proud father who is suffering from a severe case of bipolar but refuses help. She's stuck putting up with him lashing out at her whenever he pleases. She's doing it alone too, as she never troubled DeLuca due to their strained relationship.
Vincenzo was awful to her dismissing her work and skill in fetal medicine. The worst part is you could tell it wasn't her first time being berated by him. DeLuca was able to see firsthand what his father was like and understand how unwell he was in the moment.
All was well until he overrode protocol and meandered into Lindsey's room and told her and her husband (The Resident's Micah!) he could save their baby.
You don't give expected parents false hope, especially when it's not a sliver of a chance for a positive outcome. Teddy snapped at Carina (she was not having a good day at all) when she didn't do anything wrong, but Vincenzo was 50 types of wrong.
How the hell did he think he could bypass regulations and jump into using this couple and their baby as a Guinea pig, especially when he had no conclusive evidence it would work out okay?
He committed to all his wrongness until the end. It was heartbreaking for everyone. Unfortunately, the couple lost their unborn baby. Carina has to deal with Vincenzo again, and DeLuca had to face the music about his father's mental illness.
I might have saved that baby, and you let it die, and you let it die, and you let it die because of your cowardice.
Vincenzo
DeLuca was excited about the study, and he dedicated time and lost sleep working on it. DeLuca was determined to make his father proud and work alongside his father, and it blinded him.
The events crushed DeLuca's spirit. The hour started with Meredith being supportive of DeLuca, and their final scene together was the same. DeLuca feared Mer would remind him of her warnings, but he doesn't know Mer well enough.
Related: Whiskey Cavalier Season 1 Episode 3 Review: When In Rome
She wouldn't do that, but it was surprising she gave him his space. I expected Mer to stay with him while giving him the physical distance he requested. To Deluca's credit, his need for space could be due to his sleep deprivation and fear of how he would respond in his state.
Mental illness and the fear he'll end up like his father must be a real fear of his, and Vincenzo's physical presence and episode exacerbated it.
Everything with Vincenzo happened so quickly. The same sentiment applies to Helen.
Alex also allowed his experience with his mother to cloud his judgment. I particularly enjoyed his moment with Bailey.
He was so busy accusing Bailey, a mentally ill woman who struggles daily, of being discriminatory of mentally ill people he failed to realize how ableist he was.
Alex: It seems like you're prejudiced.
Bailey: What?
Alex: Against people with mental illness.
Bailey: I'm not prejudiced, you jackass, I am a person with mental illness. And I cope with it every day, I take my medication, and I do great, but sometimes I need help. That's why I asked you to stay on as Chief. And it's hard to ask for that help. Your mother needs to ask, and she can't. Your job is to make it so she can. So do your job, son. Prejudiced, yeah, jackass.
His mother needs to follow a routine. She did her best to maintain one during her visit by spending most of her visit sitting at the hospital during the Karevs' work shifts.
Alex was so afraid of what his mother would say if he spent long enough time with her to ask how she was doing, he avoided asking her at all.
Helen enjoyed her visit, but she wanted to go home, and she was too afraid to admit she needed help getting there. The idea of traveling back home alone was daunting for her.
Helen's visit was more satisfactory than her initial introduction. She and Alex had some endearing scenes together. My assumption is her visit was meant to prompt Jo to consider looking for her mom.
Jo knew who to speak to; Maggie was adopted, and she was curious about Maggie's feelings about her experience. She also needed Maggie to tell her the results of her genetic test.
Did anyone else laugh when it said she was mostly British? Jo and Maggie's dynamic is underrated. They barely spend time together, but when they do, it's funny.
Jo: Can you really find my mother?
Casey: Yes. Do you really want me to?
Jo: Yes.
Casey: Good. I couldn't help myself. She lives in Pittsburgh. Her name is Vicki.
Maggie's mentorship with Casey is underrated too, and I loved having my favorite hacker intern back onscreen and using his skills to help.
He offered to help Jo find her mother and secretly took the initiative without telling her. He had an itch which needed to be scratched. He can't seem to help himself.
Related: Grey's Anatomy Round Table: Who Wants Jolex Babies
Casey found Jo's mother Vicki, and she lives in Pittsburgh. Maggie proved to Jo that finding family can work out, but Jackson shared how reconnecting with his father did more damage than good.
Jo was surprised when Casey showed her the screen. It's time for a trip!
Speaking of trips, it's time to delve into the romantic portion of the hour. Amelia and Link are proof of how a random pairing thrown together can have insane chemistry.
The buildup for the two of them was subtle. Amelia was attracted to him the moment he arrived and said as much to her sisters.
Link hit on her early on in the season and asked her out before Meredith, I believe, but Amelia was busy with her pseudo-family.
Amelia: My god, you are just chiseled like a statute. It's like your chin has muscles.
Link Yeah, well I do work out my chin pretty hard. It takes out the whole day.
Amelia: I should go to my room.
Link: And I should go ...
Amelia: To your room. You have a presentation tomorrow, and I'm not fit or human contact.
Amelia's breakdown was embarrassing for her, so it was no surprise she was avoiding Link like the plague. She was adorable and very awkward, which made their interactions at the conference more endearing than ever.
It's funny how the longer you spend with people, the more they influence your behavior. Amelia was channeling her sister Maggie by blurting out everything on her mind.
Her comment about Link's chiseled chin was hilarious. He does look statuesque. She was tempted to take Link for a spin the first night, but she exercised some self-restraint.
We knew the alternative medicine conference was of importance to Amelia. She understands both sides of the situation since she's an addict herself, but she's also a doctor who feels guilty about all the Betty's who became addicted due to prescribed drugs.
We did not know what was motivating Link to give alternative medicine a try. It suited his personality, but there was a deeper meaning for him as well.
Link's heartrending story about his patient Jason provided more insight into a character whose development comes in sporadic spurts.
Link: The system is broken, and I'm doing everything that I can to try to fix it.
Amelia: So you're saying I missed the good part?
Link: I'm trying to make it right for Jason, and you're trying to make it right for Betty. Maybe we don't have to fight about this. Maybe we can fight this together like Batman and ... Batman.
Amelia: OK.
Link: You still want to hit me?
Amelia: No.
Link: Because for a minute there, it looked like you wanted to hit me.
Amelia: I have a hair trigger. It can be scary. I'm sorry, I've been in a weird place these days.
Link: I can roll with weird. Wanna get some dinner?
Amelia: Yeah, no.
He wasn't diligent, and he failed to check on Jason and make sure his prescriptions weren't more than necessary, and the addicted teen died in a car crash.
He was so torn up he left medicine for a while and only fixed bikes. How did Link become one of the best new characters on the series? I love him.
Related: Good Trouble Season 1 Episode 10 Review: Re-Birthday
I love whatever is going on with Amelia and Link. They are smoking hot, have fabulous chemistry, and understand each other.
Amelia fell into her habit of jumping to conclusions when she heard two sentences of Link's speech, assumed the worst and bolted.
They had their disagreement and aired out their grievances, but they were respectful of one another the entire time, communicated well, and listened to each other.
They had a fair, mature, healthy argument, listened to one another, and came to an understanding.
Amelia was as turned on by their healthy communication, Link's heartbreaking story and earnest intentions as I was, and it was sexytimes from there.
Amelia, with her cute new hairdo, is living her best life. If it includes Link then so be it. They along with Schmico, Toddy, and Jaggie, are the cutest couples of the season.
Link: I feel like I'm taking advantage.
Amelia: Why?
Link: Because you're in a weird place, and I think you're insanely pretty.
Amelia: The feeling is mutual.
Of course, Toddy may already be in jeopardy. When Tom is away, Teddy and Owen will play. The best friends' feelings for each other are undeniable, and it was simmering beneath the surface during their interactions.
Owen wasted no time telling Teddy about Amelia. Did he tell her as his best friend or as the woman of whom he has lingering feelings?
He spent her case doting on her. Teddy probably shouldn't have taken on the case; it was too emotionally taxing.
He was by her side the whole time, and he gave her foot massages and made sure she slept. Owen consoled the emotionally distressed Teddy, but it didn't seem romantic. Who knows how Tom will react after witnessing their intimate moment?
Dammit, Grey's Anatomy. Tom doesn't deserve any heartache, and it's best if Owen remains single for a while.
The last member of the sisterhood was getting her sexy on, too. At this rate, those who dislike Jaggie are committed to it.
Teddy: Well, I mean, if you're going to sit there. You could rub my feet.
Owen: Really?
Teddy: You brought it up.
For the rest of us, they have blossomed into a sweet couple. When Jackson wasn't pulling a The Good Doctor and using fish skin to treat his patient, he had nothing but heart eyes for Maggie.
Did they resolve their issues after Catherine fell ill? They are in a lovely place in their relationship now.
He was supportive of her as she interviewed with morning shows about her work and family history.
He found her nerves amusing and endearing. He was proud of her, and she's proud of him with his spray-on skin project which had everyone calling him ruler of Atlantis and more.
By the way, anytime the series gives us the Jackson and Meredith legacy kid friendship, it is the best.
The only thing funnier than Meredith and others teasing Jackson with mermaid jokes was Richard being so outraged over fish going to waste he threw a fish fry on the roof of the hospital.
Maggie and Jackson's sweet sexytimes at the hospital brought to mind, Diane Pierce.
Jackson: Grey, you're being creepy.
Mer: I'm creepy? They're calling you the rule of Atlantis.
It's touching how Maggie followed her mother's advice about letting her hair down, having sex and enjoying herself, and finding a guy who is just a little bit more in love with her than she is him. It's especially touching when the person is Jackson who was there for her when she lost her mom.
The sisters are happy and in love or lust, and it is a beautiful thing.
Over to you, Grey's Fanatics! Are you 'shipping Amelia and Link? What did you think of the fish skin? Is this the last of Helen and Vincenzo? Are you looking forward to Jo meeting her mom?
Hit the comments below with your thoughts! As always, you can watch Grey's Anatomy online here via TV Fanatic.
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 X.
