Grey’s Anatomy season 16 episode 11 review: Owen acts like a grown-up, Link falls apart
By Meg Dowell
The men of Grey’s Anatomy stole the show in this week’s episode, but not all of them earned gold stars for good behavior.
In the 15-year history of Grey’s Anatomy, men haven’t always had the best track record when it came to major drama. Owen in particular has displayed his fair share of terrible character traits, but at least recently, he seems to be turning into a decent human being.
When Teddy confessed to him that she had lost her engagement ring, it was clear he wasn’t happy about it. But he didn’t storm off. He didn’t yell at her or threaten the end of their relationship. He offered to help her look for it after gently calming her down. Like any decent fiancé would do.
Of course, if Owen does end up being the father of Amelia’s baby (identity pending — but maybe not for much longer), there’s no telling whether or not he’ll revert back to his old hot-headed self. Deep down, he really does mean well, but his history with Amelia is likely to bring out the darkest parts of him.
It’s possible Teddy will be able to talk him off the ledge … if she isn’t sidelined by the fact that Amelia and her fiancé are having a kid together.
While it would be pretty disappointing to see Teddy’s “happily ever after” ruined, it’s also a very predictable Grey’s trope at this point. Couples are almost never allowed true happiness for long before the drama train rolls in.
Perhaps the most unsettling part of all this, however, is Link’s reaction to the unprecedented news that he might not be the father of Amelia’s child.
Granted, he had every right to be upset — Amelia caught him completely off-guard, and broke the news to him while they were both at work, which logistically just isn’t a nice thing to do in the first place.
Whether or not he should have known about the intimate details of Amelia’s relationship with Owen before they separated is questionable. But he does deserve to know whether or not he’s the father, and Amelia does need to respect his wishes.
At least she apologized and owned up to her recklessness — she gave him that much. His reaction was cold, but that’s to be expected.
How much longer they can drag this particular storyline out is unclear. Sooner or later, we’re going to have to find out who the father is. Let’s not forget that something could still go seriously wrong with this pregnancy — not that fans want that to happen, but you know … drama.
On a happier (?) note, we got a few sweet moments between Meredith and McWidow — and surprisingly, between Bailey and Tom.
Both of these interactions showcased the power of empathy in the face of loss — and at its finest, too. Meredith and McWidow had a hard time connecting until the topic of losing a spouse came up. Tom and Bailey butted heads the entire episode, until she mentioned her miscarriage and he opened up about his own experience with his ex-wife.
What a refreshing reminder that even characters who get on your nerves often have a soft side to them. Humans are, by nature, dynamic. Even characters in long-running medical dramas should be.
Are Tom and Bailey friends now? Maybe. Are Amelia and Link heading toward a dead end? It’s possible. And Meredith and Dr. Hayes (sorry — McWidow)? There’s something special about understanding someone else’s pain … in a dark and twisty way, of course. Cristina really wasn’t messing around, after all.
Next. Grey’s Anatomy: The “Cristina treatment” won’t work on Alex Karev. dark