Grey’s Anatomy Season 23 Episode 1 Review: High Stakes and a New Chief

Grey’s Anatomy kicks off with a season premiere that proves this show could go for another 20 seasons if it wants to. On Grey’s Anatomy Season 23 Episode 1, “Collide,” Catherine unveils a new VIP floor, but before the ribbon can be cut, there’s a mass trauma that requires the doctors’ immediate attention. 

Chaos ensues, and it’s the kind of energy that’s reminiscent of earlier seasons. The hospital becomes inundated with patients after two planes collide on a runway — a disaster that’s ripped right from recent headlines.

Catherine is oddly annoyed that the trauma takes away from the big VIP floor unveiling, largely because she seems hellbent on impressing Dr. Seth Norton (James Wolk), whose company is responsible for the VIP floor in the first place.

And, as we find out later, he’s also going to be replacing Teddy as the new chief of surgery.

Meredith arrives late to the ribbon-cutting ceremony that doesn’t happen, but she’s just in time to help with all of those incoming traumas.

Catherine mainly wanted her at the ceremony because her last name is Grey, which means her name is on the building. (Never mind that it’s on the building because of Lexi, and it’s titled Grey-Sloan Memorial.)

Though Meredith is ready to jump in and help with patients, Catherine stops her to have her meet Dr. Norton, who wants to give her a tour of the VIP floor. Both Catherine and Dr. Norton seem oblivious to what’s happening around them, and it’s almost unsettling.

The contrast of the fancy VIP floor with an entitled patient who insists on having either Dr. Grey or Dr. Sloan do her operation (again, it’s Grey-Sloan Memorial, so that’s a whole other conversation) with the hectic trauma and the influx of patients in critical condition is really powerful. 

That one VIP patient expects surgery today, regardless of what else is going on at the hospital. And Catherine and Richard convince Meredith to be the one to do it. 

She agrees, despite having just promised a teen who had been waiting to be seen for a long time already that she’d get him the care he needs soon. The teen also needs surgery, and Meredith isn’t able to get him the care he needs as quickly as she should because she’s expected to prioritize a VIP patient. 

By the end of the episode, she says as much to Seth Norton, Catherine, and Richard. That’s when she learns Norton is going to be the new chief of surgery. She tells them the whole thing is going to implode, then walks away. 

One of the reasons this episode is such a strong premiere is because of Meredith’s presence. Seeing her do surgery, seeing her work with patients, and seeing her fight for what she believes in — all of this is Meredith Grey at her very best.

It’s too bad we can’t expect her to have a role like this in every episode anymore. Instead, it feels like a mic drop when she gets on that elevator.

The other thing that makes this premiere so strong is the balance of the doctors handling trauma while dealing with their own interpersonal relationships. Every character seems to have something major at stake, at least by the end of the episode.

Amelia and Toni are in conflict with one another because of Amelia sleeping with Cass, and it has a direct effect on their patient care. By the end of the episode, Toni hears Amelia out, and they kiss, which presumably means she’s willing to forgive. 

It would be so nice to see Amelia Shepherd be able to be happy in a relationship for a while, wouldn’t it?

Meanwhile, Simone is in the middle of a love triangle with Lucas and Bryant, which makes for some dramatic and humorous moments throughout the episode. The stakes are higher than expected, though, when it’s revealed at the end of the episode that Simone is pregnant. 

The other couple that winds up having some complications is Jules and Winston. While they’ve been trying to keep their relationship a secret, Ben has figured it out and warns Winston he should get ahead of it first. 

That seems easy enough, but when Winston tells Bailey she should delegate some things so she can focus on her master’s program, she asks him to take over as Residency Director.

And as Residency Director, he’ll be a direct supervisor to Jules. 

This episode also sets up significant conflicts for Jo and Link. Throughout the season premiere, Jo struggles with seeing patients in trauma, still clearly dealing with her own near-death experience. She’d been reconsidering her career already, but at the end of the episode, she announces to Link that she’s quit her job.

On top of that, Link is still dealing with his shoulder injury from last season. The pain is clearly getting to him, but he’s trying to ignore it. Then, when he finds a bottle of pills Jo has stored away, he slips them into his pocket.

It’s easy to see where this is going, and with his situation and Jo’s combined, this season will presumably be a heavy one for both of them.

Finally, the stakes for Kwan are high as well, since he’s currently out of a job. He’s enjoying the time off, but still manages to get back to doing medicine, in secret.

This happens when he sees his French instructor present signs of a stroke, and he encourages her to meet him at the hospital. Kwan does tests under Simone’s name, and it ultimately saves her, but it’s a risky move, to say the least.

There’s a positive outcome, and the scene provides a bit of comic relief when Kwan has to hide from Richard, and Simone covers for him. 

You never know what could happen with Kwan. After all, plenty of doctors have been fired and re-hired later at Grey-Sloan. 

Overall, Grey’s Anatomy Season 23 Episode 1 really is an excellent premiere. It’s high-energy, has the right balance of drama and medicine, and there are high stakes for just about every major character. If the show keeps this up, we’ll have a lot to look forward to this season.

---

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 airs Thursdays at 10/9c on ABC.

Check out our latest TV recommendations, updated weekly!

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