Grey’s Anatomy Review: Beautiful Dreamer (Season 14 Episode 19)

Grey’s Anatomy Season 14 Episode 19, “Beautiful Dreamer,” proves more than ever why the long-running series is important television.

This is a show that doesn’t shy away from tackling very real issues, and on this episode, we’re dealing with DACA as one of the new surgical interns finds herself in danger of being deported a country she hasn’t lived in since she was a baby.

The story is told well, and naturally, the doctors and Grey Sloan come together to try help Sam Bello in whatever way they can. Even Bailey is willing to push the limits of the law if it means protecting one of her own.

Jo’s details on how Sam could go and change her identity are maybe a bit much, but all of those conversations just point out the unfairness of this situation.

And yes, turns out, Sam did do something illegal, which is why the ICE agent has come looking for her. But the thing she did? She ran a red light.

What’s enthralling about watching “Beautiful Dreamers” isn’t the entertainment value — not saying that the entertainment value isn’t there because it is — but it’s actually being forced to think about the injustices a person can face due to these immigration laws.

It sits with you long after you watch. It’s uncomfortable — and it’s supposed to be.

The only problem is that this is a character who, at least in my opinion, has done little to win the audience over. We haven’t had the time to get to know her or even really to know much about her relationship with DeLuca.

So their emotional stakes feel surface level when they shouldn’t.

I do like that the solution to save Sam involves Cristina. It’s a nice callback to her and it shows how much Meredith is willing to do for others, particularly other women, which continues to feel like a prominent theme this season.

As for the ICE Agent, it’s interesting that we see him placed in a state of vulnerability. We probably *all* think Bailey is faking at first — and I think her initial intention to run tests and stall the man is a bit mixed — but she’s a good doctor and is able to convince him that he needs medical care.

Eventually, he’s out of uniform and instead in a hospital gown. He even tells Bailey information he isn’t supposed to, and as he’s lying on the table, he admits he doesn’t like his job and doesn’t even know what they’re doing anymore.

It would have been easy to go a different way with that character, but somehow allowing us to see the other side of him makes the entire DACA storyline more powerful — and it shows how much bigger all of this is.

Aside from that storyline, there are several other standout moments. Alex’s concern over Kimmie is sweet and heartbreaking, especially since Kimmie has made her decision to leave the hospital and enjoy her last days in her own way.

If you’ve been watching carefully, through all of that, Jo’s reactions to Alex showed how much she understood his love for children.

She tells him she wants to have children with him, and that’s something I think would be an incredible next step for his character.

Then there’s Richard, who in his silence actually gave us the most emotional scenes from the episode. He falls over Ollie and holds her when she dies, crying and breaking in a way that is so rare for his character.

He does have a support system, so I hope he holds strong after this.

Catherine, on the other hand, is not okay — and we don’t quite know why. What we do know is that whatever Jackson has done, for a reason he sees as simple and positive, is going to somehow be catastrophic.

I’m exhausted by just thinking about that idea, but we’ll see what happens.

And yet out of all of this, the moment that really, really gets me from this episode has to do with Owen, and I mean this is a good, happy tears sort of way. Owen is setting aside romance and focusing on something he’s wanted for a long, long time.

He’s made the decision to adopt a child. It’s the perfect next step for him, and it shows real growth on his part.

Other thoughts:

• Arizona’s crash cart idea is so smart, and yet it’s so simple that it’s kind of surprising.
• I love how Maggie just assumes she’s going to stall the ICE agent with some long tests and she’s so immediately on board with it.
• Thank goodness Ruby is okay, and it’s a nice turn of events that she’s okay because of April’s gut feeling.
• I hope this episode isn’t an indication of what Jackson and Maggie’s relationship is going to be like.

What did you think of this episode of Grey’s Anatomy? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Reviewer Rating:

User Rating:

 

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

Follow us on Twitter @telltaleTV_

Want more from Tell-Tale TV? Subscribe to our newsletter here!

22 TV Characters Who Deserve Their Own Spinoff