Post — Aaron Ngo

Major Spoilers are included in this episode review. Please read with caution.

Genetics and nature vs nurture were the main themes of this episode, titled “Blood and Water”. The opening threw me off ground when Ellis Grey made her return in a dream sequence, causally interacting with Maggie Pierce, biological daughter, and Zola Grey-Shepherd, adoptive granddaughter. We learn at the end that it is Meredith who dreams about this and promptly writes down whatever her mother’s trying to tell her this time.

This is what Meredith does for the majority of the episode. She also involves herself in DeLuca’s family drama with Carina and their mentally-ill father. The cliffhanger from last week’s episode is explained: DeLuca’s father has returned to present an idea to Chief of Surgery, Alex Karev. He wants to make a baby in a bag outside of a mother’s womb. The details aren’t fully explained, but Alex is on board immediately.

However, Carina and Meredith have concerns because DeLuca’s father has episodes… but Alex isn’t too worried about it and approves it anyway? I’m not sure where the logic factors into this, but DeLuca is not happy that Meredith chose to work against him instead of being supportive. This will likely drive a wedge in the new romance.

Side note: I’m happy Carina is back. We’ve missed you.

The adoption lawyer was not ready for Owen and Amelia at all. She had to go into overtime sorting out their living situations / relationship, and how Leo is going to adjust to having two different addresses. It was amusing to have an outside character react to the complicated situation, and then we got into the Owen-Amelia’s argument: how they can’t love each other without hurting each other.

Amelia is pretty done playing second to Teddy Altman, and Owen “kind-of” recycles what he told Cristina about not being able to love or be loved by another person. He chose Amelia, but she refuses to believe it because Teddy will always be in his life, and she can’t risk him running back to her someday. These are all valid points… I see no clear solution.

Jo Karev is feeling uncomfortable about the idea of having babies, even gender-neutral ones. She’s afraid because of her unknown genes—being adoptive and never meeting her birth parents—and doesn’t want her kids to inherit something she can’t control. So, she finally decides to get herself tested using a gene product thing and not Bailey’s gene test, the one she used to help Meredith find the gene for Alzheimer’s.

Anyway, Alex’s mother got Alex and Jo thinking about the next step, especially with Alex’s Chief days counting down… Miranda Bailey is counting them, people! She is ready to take back the reigns!

Maggie and Richard have tension this episode because she blabbed about the big “secret affair”—she’s the love child of Ellis Grey and Richard Webber. The whole medical community knows about it now, and he’s dealing with the fallout of it all. He is not pleased about tackling that part of his life because it was a low moment… which hurts Maggie because he made it sound like he regretted her existence. Of course, they make up by episode’s end, but it was nice to see the show readdress the whole love affair again.

Schmidt and Nico are still together… But Schmidt messes up and doesn’t tell his mom about the new boyfriend. Nico thinks it’s because he’s ashamed of him. For either being gay, male, or Asian? I’m glad it was none of the above… The truth is, Schmidt doesn’t want to hear his mom’s freaked out opinion on his new boo until he knew for himself. I love you is muttered, and all is good with these two amazing men.

I do like the message behind the episode regarding genetics and how it closes with Meredith, Amelia, and Maggie sitting at the kitchen table (SISTERS!)… but not a lot of details were really explained when it came to the medical procedures. Although, it was getting more graphic, which I enjoyed. I am curious on how the baby out in a bag works, but no concrete information was given other than animal testing…

I need more than that!

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