It's no secret among Grey's Anatomy fans that overall, Owen Hunt is the worst. He's like that one person who somehow always lingers at the edge of your friend group, despite not really belonging there, who you just can't get rid of. A lot of us thought he was going to leave the show for good this time at the end of Season 20, but look at that! He's still here. And I still don't trust him.
In the latest Grey's midseason premiere, Owen actually seemed to do something sensible for once. Instead of acting on his usual impulses -- this time related to romantic tension between him and his sister's childhood bestie -- he chose the opposite. Unheard of, I know. Not only did he admit that he was catching feelings, but he also immediately removed himself from her medical case and walked away. At the end of the episode, it even seemed like he was fully prepared to tell Teddy what had happened. Only fair, since she admitted to something similar not too long ago.
And here's the thing -- this show really does want us to believe Owen might continue down this path of, for once, not being terrible. There's plenty of evidence that he's grown up at least a little bit. He didn't totally lose it when another woman kissed Teddy, especially since she was upfront and honest with him about it. He genuinely cares about his fellow veterans, even if he goes about it in the most reckless ways possible. He also genuinely seems like a good dad (I wish we saw more of that side of him, but Grey's mostly pretends kids barely exist once they're born).
And I want to fall for it. I really do. I honestly want to believe that Owen has learned from his mistakes and is going to continue doing the work to be better. But I've been watching this show for a long time, and I know better. We all should by now.
This is a medical drama. It thrives off of doctors making poor, spontaneous decisions. Because it seems like Owen is here to stay, the writers have to do something to keep his and Teddy's storylines interesting. These two have gone through pretty much every form of relationship drama there is. While they could get to a good place again -- well, this show also has a reputation for never letting good romance last. That for sure isn't ever going to change.
For now, I remain skeptical. Who's to say Owen isn't going to crumble at the face of temptation once again? I don't wish any more tragedy on this man (or even Teddy, who I really like in her boss woman era personally). But that's exactly where they want us. Hopeful. The more hopeful you are as a Grey's viewer, the more that's going to end badly for you (or the characters you're secretly rooting for) in the end.