Grey’s Anatomy Review: Help, I’m Alive (Season 15 Episode 10)
There’s a strong case for Meredith and Link being made on Grey’s Anatomy Season 15 Episode 10, “Help, I’m Alive.” What’s charming about the idea of these two together is how very different they are, and Link’s personality could do wonders for Meredith Grey at this point in her life.
Is it the perfect match? Eh. It’s hard to say. But I don’t think we’re setting out to find the perfect match. Just as DeLuca could be good for Meredith in a lot of ways — and already is — Link has a similar potential.
His energy is good for the overall cast, but the positivity he has is so different from other characters Meredith has interacted with in recent years, friends or otherwise.
Regardless of where the story will go, Link and Meredith is at least an interesting pairing in early stages because of their differences. He’s laid back and fun-loving in a way that could be great for the woman we’ve watched call herself “dark and twisty” as she’s faced more tragedies than seem plausible for any one human.
Based on the interactions they’ve already have, I do have to question the tension that starts the episode. Meredith is quick to judge him and be appalled by his methods. He’s not one to feel the need to explain himself, though.
Still, he’s willing to help with the birthday party, which is sweet and seems perfectly fitting for his character. Of course this guy is good with kids and willing to pretend to be Thor.
I have questions about the birthday party in general (what were the kids doing prior to arrival, wouldn’t Amelia and Maggie be there, and would Alex really just blow it off like that?) but it is fun to watch.
What’s less fun to watch is the situation with Teddy, Owen, and Amelia. Ultimately, I think it’s going to be an interesting and maybe even positive dynamic, but getting there is officially insufferable. The plotline has been drawn out too far at this point, and their reactions are all generally pretty frustrating.
It is generous of Owen to give Teddy his job, and it also seems like the right call. Thankfully, he’s also open with Amelia about both wanting to be able to raise the baby with Teddy and having his family with Amelia.
This is the “unconventional” love triangle we’ve been promised, I hope. I’d love to see Teddy and Amelia being able to support one another.
As something of a side note, one of my favorite things about Teddy’s return to the hospital is seeing the changes through her eyes. It was that way when she returned the first time, but we see it a bit again on this episode when she realizes it’s Alex Karev she has to ask for a job.
The subtle reminders of how much things have evolved over the years are smart, and they make the story of the entire show feel cohesive.
All of this is also wrapped around an unfortunate incident with Owen, who is accidentally given a paralytic. He’s so calm at the realization, taking the few seconds he knows he has to tell everyone how to handle it. Too bad no one is quick enough to break his fall.
We’re never too terribly worried about him surviving the incident. The doctors around him handle it well — including Schmidt, who takes on a new confidence because of it. It’s really nice to watch.
Schmidt attributes some of his new confidence to his new relationship with Nico. I’m really enjoying seeing how his character is developing this season.
DeLuca also gets a really wonderful chance to shine when he takes over that surgery for Owen. He completes it entirely on his own and does so perfectly. It’s a nice little moment of leadership from Alex the way he comments on it, too.
Elsewhere in the hospital, Catherine is focused on a groundbreaking surgery while Tom and Amelia are focused on Catherine’s tumor. Catherine’s difficulty accepting her situation is paralleled with the surgery she’s trying to pull off. It may be her last big surgery, and everyone knows it, so it means even more for it to go well.
It doesn’t.
Her goal to save this woman’s uterus isn’t possible. Catherine comments during surgery that it is “disintegrating before her eyes,” and we imagine that she’s speaking about more than just the uterus. She’s speaking about herself too.
She has a right to be mad at Meredith for telling people, and it’s even understandable how she reacts to Richard and Jackson. She’s not ready to be a patient yet. She’s not ready to accept it all yet.
It’s heartbreaking, and this is clearly only the beginning. We’re in for it. Get your tissues ready.
Other thoughts:
- Tom is immediately fascinated by Jo, as he should be! I love how far she’s come too.
- Did Meredith not go to Cece’s funeral along with Maggie?
- I’m glad to see Bailey in therapy, and I’m glad to see her continue making the conscious choice to step back at the hospital.
What did you think of this episode of Grey’s Anatomy? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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Grey’s Anatomy airs Thursdays at 8/7c on ABC.
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Ashley Bissette Sumerel
Ashley Bissette Sumerel is a television and film critic living in Wilmington, North Carolina. She is editor-in-chief of Tell-Tale TV as well as Eulalie Magazine. Ashley has also written for outlets such as Rolling Stone, Paste Magazine, and Insider. Ashley has been a member of the Critics Choice Association since 2017 and is a Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic. In addition to her work as an editor and critic, Ashley teaches Entertainment Journalism, Composition, and Literature at the University of North Carolina Wilmington.