Bailey panics as she hears there has been a surge of COVID-19 cases, knowing she has loved ones in an assisted living facility. Meanwhile, Jackson and Richard team up against Catherine to teach her a lesson, and Teddy continues to try to mend her frayed relationships. After an intense surgery, Jo is uncertain about her future.
In 2019, the television industry aired 532 scripted shows across numerous outlets. The way people consume content now is different than it used to be. It happens according to one's own schedule. As such, it's less necessary to provide ample coverage of each episode in any given season from a show. Moreover, it is simply impossible to watch everything. As such, this site provides shorter episodic reviews in order to cover as many shows as possible. With all of that being said, here are my thoughts on the next episode of ABC's Grey's Anatomy.
"Fight the Power" was written by Zoanne Clack and directed by Michael Watkins
Death is a natural part of life. And yet, this year has amplified all of the darkness and isolation that can be associated with that. People are dying in hospitals far away from their loved ones. The pandemic is absolutely grueling. The disease destroys the body. Sometimes the pain of seeing someone you love going through that experience is worst than experiencing it yourself. The doctors at Grey Sloan know all of the precautions they should be taking. They aren't perfect. They make mistakes too. But they also live in a world that isn't seeing this pandemic in the same way they are. They are seeing the patients who are suffering. They know the racial makeup of which communities have been hit the hardest. They understand the inequalities in the system. They can also feel powerless in the face of such a mounting and widespread enemy. Bailey wants to do everything right to protect her parents. She knew that they needed more help. They couldn't live on their own any longer. Her mother especially needed a lot of care. And yet, this disease is so easily transmissible. Bailey's mother contracts the virus and dies shortly thereafter. It's not a long agony. It's still personally devastating for Bailey and her father who can't be in the room. Bailey goes through a wide array of emotions. Ben is there to help her through some of it. He ensures that his mother-in-law is transported to the hospital to receive the care she needs. However, he can't provide Bailey all the emotional support she needs right now. They are keeping their distance in the hopes of staying safe and healthy. They have been lucky so far. Their loved ones haven't been. That hurts. And they are left to question the decisions they made. They have to figure out how far to fight. Bailey instinctively knows what her mom wants. She doesn't want to be hooked up to a machine. And yet, Bailey starts to question that in the moment. It's hard for her to say goodbye. She has been a daughter for her entire life. Her mother has always been there for her. She doesn't want to give up on her now. She doesn't want her to be yet another statistic for this disease. There is a whole life beyond the name on the chart. Everyone who has died during this pandemic has had a personal story. Those need to be lifted up for the world to understand the gravity and severity of all of this. We can't close ourselves off and grow callous to the constant suffering. It's real. It can't be ignored. It's hard to die with dignity in this circumstance though. It almost feels too artificial because the families aren't able to surround their loved one with the support and guidance they need in these final moments. Bailey wants to keep fighting. It's hard for her to accept this and find peace in it. She has so many friends who can help ease her mind and suffering. She wants Meredith to provide that support. She has Maggie and Richard though. That is still encouraging. It provides all the necessary perspective to stand firm in the decisions that have to be made. They are still difficult. Her mother has died. So many others may face that same fate too. Meredith's health is improving. However, she is still largely sleeping all the time. Meanwhile, Koracick is admitted to the hospital. It seems dire early on. He recovers a little bit when Teddy visits and wants their friendship to continue. These personal connections provide ample stakes to the stories. The doctors are fighting hard for the people they love. But there are so many faceless people requiring the skills of these doctors to fight for them as well. That too is exhausting. Jackson carries more responsibility to help ease Bailey's schedule. It's difficult for him. He too is frustrated at the world and how acceptable certain losses have become. This pandemic is forcing the medical profession to evolve. Jo is capable of performing miraculous surgeries. She doesn't know if that fills her with the same joy that it once did. It doesn't compare to the excitement she experiences immediately upon helping a woman give birth. That is miraculous too. All of these stories are happening simultaneously. People go to the hospital for many different reasons. The system has changed because of the pandemic. People are reckoning with the identities they have long accepted as part of themselves. The world demands those expectations be changed. It's being done through this suffering. No one knows how the world will return to what it once was. This has been an eye opening experience for so many. Unfortunately, it takes that personal loss for many to care. That is horrifying in its own way. It's a loss that Bailey suffers here. She still gets to comment on the joy that her mother brought her throughout her life though. That's the uplifting note necessary in all of this as well. Her mother was proud of what her daughter accomplished even though it scared her every step of the way.
Death is a natural part of life. And yet, this year has amplified all of the darkness and isolation that can be associated with that. People are dying in hospitals far away from their loved ones. The pandemic is absolutely grueling. The disease destroys the body. Sometimes the pain of seeing someone you love going through that experience is worst than experiencing it yourself. The doctors at Grey Sloan know all of the precautions they should be taking. They aren't perfect. They make mistakes too. But they also live in a world that isn't seeing this pandemic in the same way they are. They are seeing the patients who are suffering. They know the racial makeup of which communities have been hit the hardest. They understand the inequalities in the system. They can also feel powerless in the face of such a mounting and widespread enemy. Bailey wants to do everything right to protect her parents. She knew that they needed more help. They couldn't live on their own any longer. Her mother especially needed a lot of care. And yet, this disease is so easily transmissible. Bailey's mother contracts the virus and dies shortly thereafter. It's not a long agony. It's still personally devastating for Bailey and her father who can't be in the room. Bailey goes through a wide array of emotions. Ben is there to help her through some of it. He ensures that his mother-in-law is transported to the hospital to receive the care she needs. However, he can't provide Bailey all the emotional support she needs right now. They are keeping their distance in the hopes of staying safe and healthy. They have been lucky so far. Their loved ones haven't been. That hurts. And they are left to question the decisions they made. They have to figure out how far to fight. Bailey instinctively knows what her mom wants. She doesn't want to be hooked up to a machine. And yet, Bailey starts to question that in the moment. It's hard for her to say goodbye. She has been a daughter for her entire life. Her mother has always been there for her. She doesn't want to give up on her now. She doesn't want her to be yet another statistic for this disease. There is a whole life beyond the name on the chart. Everyone who has died during this pandemic has had a personal story. Those need to be lifted up for the world to understand the gravity and severity of all of this. We can't close ourselves off and grow callous to the constant suffering. It's real. It can't be ignored. It's hard to die with dignity in this circumstance though. It almost feels too artificial because the families aren't able to surround their loved one with the support and guidance they need in these final moments. Bailey wants to keep fighting. It's hard for her to accept this and find peace in it. She has so many friends who can help ease her mind and suffering. She wants Meredith to provide that support. She has Maggie and Richard though. That is still encouraging. It provides all the necessary perspective to stand firm in the decisions that have to be made. They are still difficult. Her mother has died. So many others may face that same fate too. Meredith's health is improving. However, she is still largely sleeping all the time. Meanwhile, Koracick is admitted to the hospital. It seems dire early on. He recovers a little bit when Teddy visits and wants their friendship to continue. These personal connections provide ample stakes to the stories. The doctors are fighting hard for the people they love. But there are so many faceless people requiring the skills of these doctors to fight for them as well. That too is exhausting. Jackson carries more responsibility to help ease Bailey's schedule. It's difficult for him. He too is frustrated at the world and how acceptable certain losses have become. This pandemic is forcing the medical profession to evolve. Jo is capable of performing miraculous surgeries. She doesn't know if that fills her with the same joy that it once did. It doesn't compare to the excitement she experiences immediately upon helping a woman give birth. That is miraculous too. All of these stories are happening simultaneously. People go to the hospital for many different reasons. The system has changed because of the pandemic. People are reckoning with the identities they have long accepted as part of themselves. The world demands those expectations be changed. It's being done through this suffering. No one knows how the world will return to what it once was. This has been an eye opening experience for so many. Unfortunately, it takes that personal loss for many to care. That is horrifying in its own way. It's a loss that Bailey suffers here. She still gets to comment on the joy that her mother brought her throughout her life though. That's the uplifting note necessary in all of this as well. Her mother was proud of what her daughter accomplished even though it scared her every step of the way.
