Grey’s Anatomy Roundtable: Harder, Faster, Better, Stronger

As the doctors prepare their projects for the surgical contest, Alex and Amelia work with a young patient, and we see a new side to April.

Tell-Tale TV writers Lauren Busser, Alamin Yohannes, and Milka Väinämö are joined by Starry Constellation Magazine writer Jamie Steinberg to discuss Grey’s Anatomy Season 14 Episode 12, “Harder, Faster, Better, Stronger,” below.

• Lauren Busser (@laurenbusser)
• Alamin Yohannes (@alaminyohannes)
• Milka Väinämö (@milkamilka)
• Jamie Steinberg (@NotYerAvgChick)

On a scale of 1-5, with 5 being the highest, how would you rate “Harder, Faster, Better, Stronger”? Why?

Alamin: I’d give the episode a 4. It was great to watch the doctors looking toward the future of medicine. All of their ideas and motivations came across as really positive, which was wonderful to see. Specifically watching Catherine Avery and Candis Cayne’s Dr. Velez fight to convince Jackson to come abroad, Meredith teaming up with Jo and Arizona’s journey stood out.

Lauren: This episode is a solid 4 for me. I really liked that we got back to the main cast with some of the other characters getting their own storylines fleshed out.

I also think this episode did a great job of building off events from the last season and a half or so as well as introducing new problems. I am honestly, very excited to see where this study goes and where these proposals end up, and that’s what a good episode should do.

Jamie: I would give the episode a 3. I liked that we got a peek at what everyone came up with for their ideas for the contest. I just felt that the there were some slow parts that needed more umph.

For example, I didn’t think we needed to interrupt the storyline to see DeLuca flirting with his on/off again love. My favorite part though was Webber learning to dance with Maggie.

Milka: I would give this episode a 4. I really enjoyed it and loved seeing the doctors working on their projects, but I don’t feel justified to rate this one as high as I would have rated the previous two episodes.

Which doctor has the best project for the contest?

Alamin: Dr. Velez’s plan was the project I believed to be the best one for the contest. I’m happy that the Averys are working together, but the best part of it was watching Dr. Velez fight for this surgery for her community and herself.

It was powerful to see her make it happen for herself because, as we saw from Jackson’s initial reaction, other people were not going to do it. There’s something to choosing people over awards and accolades and Dr. Velez’s project creating a situation where Jackson made that choice. I’m rooting for Dr. Velez!

Lauren: I love all the projects. I think they’re all insightful and revolutionary. They could all change several people’s lives if they work out. Dr. Velez’s project is a very important one and could change lives.

I am definitely excited to see where that goes. However, I am also really invested in what Amelia and Alex are going to do about Kimmy. It sucks to be any age and have cancer, but it really sucks to be young and have cancer, so I hope that they’re able to find a way to help her.

Jamie: I’m not sure. It’s a toss-up between Maggie and Jackson for me. They all really have beneficial ideas that will save so many lives. However, Jackson growing skin — that could save people who have been burned and people with birth defects. Plus, Maggie’s heart valve would be groundbreaking! I’m really excited to see how this contest plays out and who becomes the final two.

Milka: That is impossible for me to say because it feels like all of the doctors pitched some pretty groundbreaking projects. I love the idea of seeing the Averys working together, but also the idea of Meredith and Jo joining forces excites me. Arizona’s project is also really interesting to me, most likely because I come from a country with a very low maternal mortality rate (even lower than in Italy, I think.)

We see Maggie on a date with Clive, but there are clearly still feelings there for Jackson. Do you want to see Jackson and Maggie together? Why or why not?

Alamin: I was hoping for them to get together initially, but now I’m actually conflicted about it. While I am aware they aren’t related, the understandable awkwardness of the situation has changed how I view their potential relationship.

Also, I am a very big fan of Maggie, so I do want her to be happy and get into a relationship that she actually wants because Clive is not cutting it. As much as Maggie wants us, and herself, to believe.

Lauren: I think that Maggie and Jackson could be great together. I want to see Maggie with someone who just gets her because she’s such a vibrant soul and clearly very intelligent, and she needs someone who can match that.

Jamie: It was great to finally see Clive. First, he seemed to really like Maggie and want something to come of them. He also seemed REALLY understanding of her need to leave mid-date due to doctor duties (or so he thought).

I do think there are clearly still lingering feelings between Jackson and Maggie. Eventually, she is going to wake up and realize she needs to choose between these guys. I’m hoping that means she’ll snap out of it and snag her some Avery amor.

Milka: Though I like their flirty exchanges, I don’t want them to be together. For some reason I am still keeping up with the belief that Jackson and April will find each other again — if that were to happen it probably would have happened already, but oh well, a girl can dream.

April is still struggling with the events that took place on “Personal Jesus.” What do you make of the way she’s coping?

Alamin: She’s coping as well as she can I suppose. While she is doing things that she may not have done in the past, at this point she isn’t doing anything self-destructive. It was wonderful to see the fire in her eyes come back after Arizona finally delivers her pitch for the contest.

Her coping also brought us that hilarious scene where she delivered the rules to the doctors and ended up barking at them for not reading them before asking questions.

Lauren: The opening scene with April and the intern initially struck me as being very, un-April. She’s always had her faith and it’s been shaken before but never this much. Like Alamin says, her actions are out of character, but she’s not self-destructive. I think ultimately she’ll find her way back, and maybe it will be through this contest.

Jamie: As much as April thinks she is fine, she’s not. She is sleeping with a resident who she knows next to nothing about just to distract herself. This is beyond outside of April’s character. She must seriously be hurting if she is dulling her pain through a random hookup (one she won’t even acknowledge during daylight hours).

Milka: She’s coping in a way that is very uncharacteristic of her which shows that she really must be going through some stuff right now. I have a feeling something even more intensive will happen to her in the future episodes and that will force her to face her emotions and thoughts about what is happening with her.

Which one of the new interns is your favorite?

Alamin: Casey is my favorite intern because he adds to the diversity of the show and is the most interesting. Through his interaction with Bailey, we know he is a hacker who has gotten into trouble in the past and then we saw him connect with Owen because of his military service.

Casey has both a fascinating personality and life experience while most of the others so far just have one trait the show leans on. At least that’s been true up until now.

Lauren: I’ve really found it hard to attach myself to any of the new interns this season. I think it was because they were portrayed as flat and there primarily for comic relief.

I do have to say that Casey has stood out to me for more. I really liked how he was able to help with the hack, and how he’s bonded with Owen. I will be interested to see what happens with him as the story moves forward.

Jamie: Blood Bank is hilarious. I love that his nickname carries on from the hostage situation. I dig Casey because it’s great to see him so accepted. No one judges. No one recoils. They are all respective of his journey and simply treat him like any other intern. I’m proud that Shondaland continues to push boundaries and help viewers see the norm in what was once considered outlandish.

Milka: Definitely Casey, since he is the only intern I want to know more of as of now.

What was your favorite moment from this episode?

Alamin: My favorite moment was when Maggie called Richard’s medical instrument for the contest is a “magic wand.” Their father-daughter relationship is wonderful and I am happy that it has been featured in the last two episodes. Watching them take dance classes together have wonderful, both heartwarming and hilarious, moments together were the best part of the episode. But that final scene was the best of them.

Lauren: There are so many good moments in this episode, but I think that I am personally, very invested in Kimmy and her brain tumor. This kid has so much chill when it comes to medical tests that I found it hard not to love her and get invested in her immediately.

Jamie: I loved seeing Maggie helping Richard learn how to dance. At first, I wasn’t sure that the dance instructor realized when Richard said “my wife” he wasn’t talking about Maggie. I loved seeing them bond and that she was willing to leave her date just to help her “dad” do something sweet and special for Catherine.

Milka: Maggie and Richard taking the dance lessons was wonderful to see and I loved seeing how the talks they had there inspired Richard’s project for the competition.

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What did you think of this episode of Grey’s Anatomy? Respond to our roundtable questions with your own answers in the comments below! You can also check out our review of Grey’s Anatomy Season 14 Episode 12, “Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger,” right here.

Grey’s Anatomy airs Thursdays at 8/7c on ABC.

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