Grey’s Anatomy Season 22 Episode 10 Review: Strip That Down

Amelia returns to the OR thanks to a visit from Addison Montgomery on Grey’s Anatomy Season 22 Episode 10, “Strip That Down.”

It’s a welcome return that reminds the audience of the bond these two women share, and also updates us a bit on what’s been going on with Addison lately. Kate Walsh is fantastic as always, once again seamlessly stepping back into this role — and always knowing how to make a fabulous entrance. 

Yet this time, she’s a little more emotional, weighed down by the world, changes in medicine, especially for women, and the strain this has all put on her relationship with Jake. This will mean more, of course, to viewers who watched Private Practice, and it’s a nice detail to include.

It’s a shame, though, that there isn’t much interaction between Addison and other characters. Granted, there also aren’t very many characters left from the days when she worked at the hospital.

It really makes you realize how much has changed over the years — and how many years the show has lasted. This is an entirely new era.

The case Addison asks Amelia to consult on is a pregnant woman with headaches that can’t be explained. Naturally, what is initially a consult becomes an emergency, and that’s what pushes Amelia into the OR. 

It’s during surgery that the roles actually become reversed. Addison loses her cool as Amelia operates, and Amelia kicks her out of the room because of it.

Addison’s stress comes from her personal issues, the changes in medicine, and even an underlying feeling that her patient was pressured to have a baby when she really didn’t want to. Now, it turns out, the hormone changes from that pregnancy have exacerbated a tumor. 

Once leaved the OR, we get a chance to see Addison interact with Richard, though sadly, it’s not in person. Instead, it’s via a phone call since Richard is at home recovering from his surgery.

Still, it’s nice to see that interaction and the way Richard is still able to be a mentor to her. 

Elsewhere in the hospital, Bailey’s patient, Katie, who has been receiving cancer treatment from a clinical trial, is doing significantly better. She gets that news just as Ben and Lucas learn that the trial is being shut down. 

This is one of the most interesting parts of this episode. There’s no way Bailey or the patient will have any idea if the tumors that have been shrinking thanks to the clinical trial medicine will increase in size again. Does stopping the treatment just stop her where she is, or will she get worse again? 

Bailey realizes the sudden in to the trial is ultimately because government funding has been cut off, and that feels even more helpless. 

Bailey’s helplessness over how she feels about Katie’s trial also causes her to act rashly while on a paramedic ride-along with Owen and Blue. It’s a new program Owen has proposed, and it’s one that has some good possibilities for storylines if they keep it going. 

It’s a shame there couldn’t be more of a connection with Station 19 for this, though. It’s almost like this idea came a little too late. (Bailey does reference Ben’s time as a first responder, which is a nice detail.)

There are also a few lighter moments on this episode. Link, Simone, and Wes work with a patient who has an injured hip — which he hurt while dancing as a male stripper.

There’s so much positivity in the way he’s treated, especially from Link, who musters up an inspirational speech much like one he’d give any other type of athlete. This also inspires Wes to give Simone a show of his own once work is done for the day. It’s a sweet, funny gesture that really shows the kind of connection they could have as a couple. 

Unfortunately, Link gets hurt a bit when trying to push the patient’s hip back into place. The patient accidentally kicks him in the shoulder, and Link struggles from that point on.

We’re led to believe this could be worse than he lets on, and if you keep in mind how this season started, that would make a lot of sense. A lot has happened since then, but Link sustained major injuries in that explosion, and this could be a setback.

Simone steps in for him, subtly, in the OR when she realizes something is wrong. Then, at the end of the episode, Link tells Jo he thinks he’ll go ahead and take his family leave as well, instead of them staggering it. It makes one wonder if he’s going to tough something out that he shouldn’t. 

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Grey’s Anatomy airs Thursdays at 10/9c on ABC. New episodes return in a few weeks.

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