Grey’s Anatomy Season 21 Episode 6 Review: Night Moves

Grey’s Anatomy sets up two exits with its latest episode, and one of them looks like it may be tragic. On Grey’s Anatomy Season 21 Episode 6, “Night Moves,” Levi is offered an attending position at Grey-Sloan Memorial with a chance for a trial run.

It’s an attempt from Bailey and Richard to try to keep him at the hospital after learning he’s been offered a research fellowship in Texas. 

While this is a nice offer from Bailey and Richard, it feels like it comes out of nowhere a bit. More context on their side would be helpful.

While loyalty is a factor, they’re also his mentors, so it’s odd that they don’t champion the fellowship acceptance more than they do. At the same time, their reaction when he tells them he’s going to take the research position anyway does seem to come from that place.

This is a moment of clarity of Levi, and it’s one of the best episodes we’ve gotten centered around him in a long time. He does really well acting as an attending for the night. He’s decisive and knows exactly what he’s doing, and he steps into the role better than anyone probably would have expected.

It’s a triumph for his character, too. Levi was once known as “glasses” and had a lot of stumbles, both in his abilities and in his confidence. So getting to watch him lead and show how far he’s come before he exits the show is a nice way to honor the character.

Perhaps that’s even more the case when he has the realization of how much working in peds really means to him. 

Meanwhile, we’ve also known that Midori Francis, who plays Mika Yasuda, would be exiting this season. And in true Grey’s Anatomy fashion, it looks like we won’t be getting a happy ending for both characters who are leaving. 

To be fair, it’s been a while since a major character died, and it’s something we’ve come to expect to happen every so often. We also don’t necessarily know that Yasuda will die in that car crash, but the previews, coupled with the fact that we know the show has to write her out somehow, make it look pretty bleak. 

If she does leave this way, it’s at least something that’s been foreshadowed a bit, if you think about it. Her being tired and overworked has been a theme for her character since she first joined the cast.

Still, it’s going to be a gut punch if she doesn’t make it, especially considering the timing both with her sister as well as her developing relationship with Jules.

Meanwhile, Sophia Bush makes her debut in an awkward way that might throw a wrench in things further for Teddy and Owen. What’s missing, unfortunately, is context. Teddy and Owen are on a date, they run into another couple who they seem to know, David and Cass Beckman, though clearly not that well.

Then Owen and David are both paged to the hospital. A little more background with both of these characters would have been welcome, but instead, it all moves really quickly without a whole lot of explanation. The men suggest that Teddy and Cass stay for dinner — no need for their nights to be ruined too. 

The women wind up heading to a bar instead and have a good time together. Teddy tells her about the problems in her marriage (another thing that feels like it’s come out of nowhere, honestly) and Cass offers advice — open up the marriage. She says it worked for her, and that discussion then leads to a major misunderstanding where Cass kisses Teddy. 

Presumably, this will result in some awkward interactions later, but for now, it’s just a new source of tension for Teddy and Owen. Owen’s reaction when Teddy tells him what happened is, quite frankly, shocking. Even for him. 

Teddy and Owen have been through so much together, and often with relationship problems that felt very true to the story. This season, though, it’s like the problems are forced for the sake of having a conflict.

I have similar feelings about Jo and Link. Jo is rightfully stressed, but the way she treats Link is an inch too far. All the chemistry between these two that made me want to root for them to get together has gone out the window, and they’ve had too much conflict too quickly just in general. 

Jo finally reveals to Link why she’s been acting so cut off, though, and it’s reasonable. She’s always been abandoned, so how does she know he won’t too? It’s not necessarily logical, but it does come from a real place. And Link’s reaction, much like Owen’s to Teddy, is way too harsh. 

He’s angry instead of compassionate, and that makes sense, but not to that to degree. And it’s frustrating to watch.

The good news is that at least one couple is moving in a positive direction. Simone’s off-hand “I love you,” to Lucas is endearing and funny, and it watching her deal with that throughout the episode feels relatable.

Then Lucas says it back later, in a rush, and with a smile. It makes them both seem young and innocent, and there’s a sweetness there that balances out everything else happening on the episode.

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 10/9c on ABC.

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