Grey’s Anatomy Season 22 Episode 18 Review: Bridge Over Troubled Water

Grey’s Anatomy says goodbye to two long-time characters in a finale that pulls out all the stops. Grey’s Anatomy Season 22 Episode 18, “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” gives both Owen and Teddy a proper send-off, honoring each character and their respective journeys on the series. 

It was announced earlier this season that Kevin McKidd and Kim Raver would both be exiting the series, and thankfully, their stories get a happy ending. 

Owen and Teddy’s sendoff:

After a cliffhanger that left Owen’s fate in question, the Grey’s Anatomy Season 22 finale doesn’t waste much time showing Owen save himself from a sinking car, only to then spring into action to save several lives in a crisis.

It’s a bit reminiscent of Derek’s last episode, where he saved several lives and proved his skills and heroics. Thankfully, though, Owen’s story doesn’t end the same way. 

This is also especially fitting for Owen. The first time Owen Hunt appeared on Grey’s Anatomy, he had just used his skills as a trauma surgeon in the field, performing a trach on a man with a ballpoint pen. His last episode gives him a chance to do something like that one more time.  

It’s Owen Hunt at his absolute best, and it couldn’t be a more perfect way to allow him to shine before he leaves.

Meanwhile, Teddy worries over Owen, knowing he takes that bridge to work and having heard his voicemail cut off just as the bridge collapsed.

Ben still has friends in the fire department and is able to get some information to Teddy — they find Owen’s car in the water, with the window broken and no sign of Owen. Ben tells her that’s a good thing, but she still can’t help but worry.

Patients continue to be brought in due to the collapse, and when a patient arrives with a unique trach that was done in field, Teddy knows Owen is okay. He’s just out there being a hero.

One funny callback is that Blue says the trach was probably done by a survivalist “whackjob.” When Owen did that trach with a pen on his first episode, Alex referred to him as a “nut job.” 

Teddy’s relief is overwhelming, and when she sees Owen after he arrives at the hospital, the two share a look that tells us everything we need to know. It took a divorce and then a catastrophe to bring them fully back together, but somehow, that feels appropriate.

Owen tells Teddy she should take the job in Paris, but that he wants to go with her. He says she’s made plenty of sacrifices for him, and now he can move somewhere for her. 

As they both prepare to leave the hospital, each character gets a wave of flashbacks to reveal their journeys. Both feel nostalgic and powerful, offering a respectful, satisfying way to honor each of them. 

I do wish Teddy had a little more to do in this episode, since her situation doesn’t quite compare to Owen’s heroics on that collapsed bridge. Otherwise, it all feels like a good way to say goodbye to the characters and to give them a happy ending.

Meredith and Nick:

This finale also includes high stakes for Meredith and Nick. Nick was also involved in the bridge collapse and was badly hurt, and his kidney transplant from years ago complicates matters.

Meredith would prefer to operate herself, but Amelia encourages her not to. So it’s only appropriate that Meredith ask the person who trained her — Bailey. Bailey, however, isn’t supposed to be doing surgery because of the whole incident with the experimental treatment and the IRB, but she does it anyway. 

There are a few moments where it looks like Nick might not make it, but thankfully, Bailey is the right person for the job, and Meredith’s knowledge of Nick’s medical history — having operated on him herself in the past — also helps.

It would have been a bit ridiculous for Nick not to survive. Meredith lost Derek in an accident (something Amelia tells Cass, specifically regarding the incompetent doctors), but she also lost her sister in a plane crash, plus the loss of her parents, and too many others.

For Nick to die like this would have been too over the top. 

Instead, he survives it, and Meredith realizes she wants to be married to him. 

When he’s brought to the hospital in the first place, Meredith is asked if Nick is her husband, and she says “yes” without missing a beat. It’s not true, but it feels true. 

For Meredith to then propose to Nick at the end of the episode shows more growth than anything on the part of her character. Meredith may not be at the center of the show like she used to be — only appearing occasionally now — but it’s still impressive to see that character development. 

Everybody else:

There are a few other twists and changes as the season ends. Richard sticks to his guns about Blue being fired, which feels a bit out of character, and Blue is forced to turn in his badge.

Bailey remains benched from surgery after Nick’s operation, and she decides she may want to spend her time getting more education to “have a seat at the table” like Catherine. 

Jo considers quitting OB, since treating mothers reminds her now of her own past trauma. In fact, she wonders if she can continue practicing medicine at all.

And while Link is supportive and tells her he’d take care of them all if she needed to step away from work, he has a problem of his own that we’ve been leading up to now for several episodes. His shoulder pain has been subtly causing an issue, and this episode hints that he’s going down a path of addiction to painkillers.

Simone appears to choose Trevor over Lucas, despite their hookup the night before. Jules and Winston seem to be in a good place, and it sounds like they might agree to make their relationship public.

Amelia assumes Toni is going back to her ex, then surprisingly hooks up with Cass Beckman. It’s bad timing, since Toni had actually made the opposite choice and arrived at Amelia’s place to declare that she’s falling in love with her. 

All of this certainly leaves several possibilities open for next season, and it’s a bit of relief that there are no cliffhangers when it comes to the lives of any characters this time. 

---

What did you think of this episode of Grey’s Anatomy? Share your thoughts in the comments below, and don’t forget to leave your own rating!

Critic Rating:

Audience Rating:

 

Grey’s Anatomy returns next Fall to ABC.  

Check out our latest TV recommendations, updated weekly!

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