WARNING: This review contains SPOILERS for Grey's Anatomy Season 21, episode 17 "Love You Like a Love Song."
When Grey's Anatomy does weddings, it almost always does them well. The latest episode of Grey's is no exception. Jo and Link's love story reaches its long-awaited next chapter as the two long-time friends and expecting parents finally arrive at their wedding day. And while final preparations for the ceremony continue, tensions run high throughout Grey Sloan Memorial for plenty of other reasons.
The heartwarming reconciliation between Jo and Link's mother was a much-needed way to soften the latter's tough exterior, and it was refreshing not to have characters mention her soon-to-be twins every other scene. And we can't mention Jo's storyline without praising the temporary return of Levi -- let's be honest; no matter how much we all want him to come back permanently, it's too unlikely. There are already too many characters floating in and out of these episode arcs. Unless ...
I'm not sure if Grey's does this on purpose every season, but the closer we get to each finale, the more exit doors the show opens up for not just one but a handful of its current cast. To be fair, it does make you wonder if and how certain people might be leaving. (I know I'm not the only one skeptical about how many vacations Owen and Teddy have been on lately ... if you're going to phase them out, just do it and be done with it.) Approaching this final Season 21 episode, it looks like Amelia and Lucas are the most in danger of approaching the morgue, or another exit method that isn't quite so dramatic. More on that later this week.
Amelia is at the moment the most likely to go of the two, though. The show doesn't seem to know what to do with her anymore. Ever since her most recent (and arguably the most tragic and unnecessary) breakup and acting as Meredith's second when it comes to their Alzheimer's research, she has mostly served as a mentor to both Simone and Lucas off and on. Now that she's a major player in the show's most recent three-episode arc, it would make a lot of sense to write her out of the show now. As much as I hate that, again ... too many characters. Not enough fresh storylines to go around.
Simone and Lucas's breakup could easily be a red herring. You might think the show is setting the latter up to go, but a pending situation might instead bring the two of them closer together again. I'm not so confident about Winston and Jules, who are perfect together but can't seem to figure themselves out. And what is there to say about Teddy and Owen's drama? It just keeps going. I'd love to see Teddy go to the ends of the Earth to save Nora and finally end their story by letting Owen be with her, but this storyline could also take a dark turn. What if, instead, Teddy is so jealous of Owen's feelings for Nora that she stops trying to figure out a way to save her?
Either way, they're toast. There's no way the writers can push them this close to a separation again only to bring them back together ... again. I'm tired of it. It's not fun anymore. These two were so much better as friends than they are as lovers.
Which can't be said for Jo and Link, thankfully. I may not remember Link ever mentioning he can sing and play guitar, but it's been a while since I've seen his earlier seasons, so maybe I just forgot -- and I'm not mad that Jo got the kinds of vows she deserved. These two might finally get to be happy for more than just a few seasons. It would be a welcome change for sure, since as evidenced by every other relationship in this show currently (except Miranda and Ben? I think? Oh, plus Meredith and Nick), forever romance -- just like, probably, at least one other character soon -- is dead.
The Season 21 finale of Grey's Anatomy premieres this Thursday on ABC.