I will not name it a comeback, however it completely is.
Holy crap, Gray’s Anatomy really did it. Nineteen seasons in, they efficiently revitalized the collection with a beautiful mix of nostalgia, contemporary faces, and a renewed focus.
With Gray’s Anatomy Season 19 Episode 1, it looks like a reboot of the collection, and it is all the higher for it. I am genuinely enthusiastic about what’s to return this season.

The hour took us again to the collection’ roots, understanding the magic that was M.A.G.I.C. Utilizing the collection’ staple beloved characters like Meredith Gray herself, Webber, and Amelia to buoy the introduction of those contemporary, new characters was good.
They already established a basis with these characters that successfully ties and connects the newbies with our veteran actors, the place the dynamics developed may be compelling.

Simone, as our candy, immediately lovable gateway character to the intern storyline, already had moments with each Mer and Webber that excite you about what these dynamics will probably be like shifting ahead.
Webber shines finest when he has a mentee below his wing, and a smooth spot for a younger, up-and-coming physician, and Simone offers him that.
SImone: My mother died. She died after I was born, on this hospital, so I have not been right here since then.
Webber: Because you had been born.
Simone: I have not been right here because the beginning of me killed my mom someplace in one among these rooms, which is why I used to be late the primary day, it had nothing to do with the twister, I had a panic assault, after which I noticed the colours of the partitions I have been picturing this place my entire life. Once I consider my mom and the partitions are beige, and I get right here and so they’re blue, it is disorienting, disappointing. I received it unsuitable all this time.
Webber: Properly,t hey solely painted the partitions blue a number of years in the past. You bought it proper. S
imone: Makes me really feel so a lot better. Thanks. Thanks, Dr. Webber.
The scene when she confessed why she was late gave us this nice perception into her character and made her immediately rootable, however it made her endearing and one to look at, one thing Webber took word of there.
And Mer spoke to Simone with a familiarity that implies that Mer actually rigorously chosen and crafted her unorthodox surgical intern class and sees one thing that others do not with every of them.

The Lucas connection was the largest shock of all and legitimately stopped me quick and made me emotional. We’ve got Derek’s nephew, this unexplored a part of him that retains Derek and his influence on this collection alive on this lovely approach.
However he is not one other Derek, and so they ensure that of that. As a substitute, the extra attention-grabbing angle is the notion that he is very very like Amelia. Not solely does she get to mentor and information her nephew, however Amelia will get to confront some issues about her previous and actually relish how far she’s come, what she endured, and what she’s achieved.
It is nothing like a mini-version of your self trying to you as an aspirational purpose that places issues into perspective. It reminds you of your roots and humbles you, however it additionally makes you proud.
Lucas and Amelia’s dynamic, along with her serving as his mentor, molding him into the good surgeon that he is destined to be, is such an thrilling storyline to discover, one not marred by the redundancy of Amelia’s relationship hassle arcs or perpetual hangups about being a screwup or so forth.

It looks like an arc that is worthy of Amelia, lastly.
In some ways, the first characters took a backseat to the introduction of the brand new children, and it labored fantastically. We all know there was a six-month time leap, and we’ll have the time to delve into all of the modifications.
Amelia: Derek was a god to him.
Mer: I do know.
Amelia: And Lucas was Derek’s favourite nephew, and I do love him, so I hate to maintain saying this, however I do not assume he has what it takes.
Mer: I do know you do not.
Amelia: He is a large number. He would not comply with directions. He has to do every part he personal approach. Did you rent him as a result of he reminds you of Derek?
Mer: Not Derek. He’s a large number. He does must do issues his personal approach. However he does have a stroke of the household genius, and he is a little bit of a black sheep. You do not see it, do you?
Amelia: Is that why he drives me loopy? He is me.
Mer: Sure, he is you. He is received the spark. He is received the drive. He simply wants an opportunity.
For now, the callbacks and parallels between the surgical interns and the OG ones had been an excessive amount of enjoyable. The collection has at all times been concerning the characters evolving and rising, however the collection desperately wanted that component of wandering into GSM with new eyes, a clear slate, and the unknown forward of you.
The collection was at all times at its most engrossing after we watched younger medical doctors fumble their approach by means of studying the best way to be nice with the steering of those that got here earlier than them.

Mer is an effortlessly pure match within the function of chief. She’s a improbable mentor, and I completely adored her rendition of the “Welcome to Gray Sloan Memorial” speech.
It is a contemporary begin, she carved her personal approach, discovered her personal voice and phrases to say, and the break from custom marked the required modifications and evolution of the hospital and present.
Finish your day higher than it began.
Nick
The prospect of Mer and Nick working collectively to proceed increase this new and improved intern program, one Nick largely impressed within the first place, can be a promising storyline.
We all know that Ellen Pompeo will solely be in eight installments this season, and presumably, Nick will take her up on the supply and stick round to function residency director for a bit.

However one totally expects the 2 of them to fall again into some completely satisfied bliss and undergo with their relocation plans. Mer wanted to get this program off the bottom, and that six-month timeframe gave them the area to deal with some enterprise and notice how a lot they wished to be with each other.
From the sounds of it, on a private stage, Mer has been unhappy this whole time. Even Zola wished to contact Nick to cheer her mom up.
The 2 of them working collectively briefly offers them time to rekindle that connection and permits Mer to have her cake and eat it too. She needed to make this sacrifice and repair this program, suspending her personal happiness.
However now that she’s established this, she poured her all into getting this program off the bottom, and even that proved to be a love letter to this hospital meaning a lot to her and Nick; her reward will probably be Nick and regardless of the future holds for them.

She nonetheless considers this job as an interim one, and Nick received the chance not solely to see how a lot she missed him of their time aside however he additionally received to see what she achieved on the hospital.
Mer sacrificed their relationship, however it wasn’t in useless. And Nick is a good sufficient man and physician to see and respect that now, even when he is a easy and human sufficient one to have wished Mer to struggle for him extra and more durable.
Jules: I believe I could have already slept with an attending already.
Mika: You’re employed quick.
They’re already establishing a Mer departure, and it will work. One can already envision her naming Amelia the Chief if Bailey would not step again into the function.
It appears the previous six months of the residency program shutdown have weighed closely on the workers. However we’re catching them previous the thick of it, and it is a model new day on the horizon.

Levi, for instance, having the come up of getting chief resident fits him, notably since he is been probably the most notable resident of his class by design because the others disappeared or received sidelined.
Even that’s attention-grabbing as a result of he’ll be lording over the surgical interns. Their class represents what Levi’s class with Sam, Parker, Helm, and so forth ought to’ve been upon their introduction.
It would not be Gray’s Anatomy in the event that they did not have the inappropriate romantic entanglement side of the present. Hyperlink because the Derek who slept with an intern he met at a bar earlier than he realized who she was good for a giggle.
Hyperlink is totally in his informal hook-up period. We’re previous the uncomfortable Amelia stuff and the unresolved Jo stuff, too. They might nonetheless revisit a few of it. And womanizing, Sloan-like Hyperlink remains to be a far cry from the man we first met, however a lady will simply be content material that he is not randomly a dick anymore.

Mer’s response to Hyperlink’s admission was priceless. She actually is not the one to evaluate, and her recommendation about avoiding elevators could not be higher.
They might mess around with this Hyperlink and Jules factor, perhaps recycle that sort of relationship once more, or they will actually stick by Jules’ assertion that it meant nothing and go away it there.
Hyperlink was merely overlaying his bases, and doing the very best factor he may with the H.R. paperwork, however Jules’ unfazed rejection of them even having a relationship was hilarious.
Jules is enjoyable. She appears savvy, and she or he has coronary heart. She took her first day in stride, and I can not wait to be taught extra about her.

They performed round lots with giving the brand new interns related traits to beloved characters of the previous whereas nonetheless making an attempt to make them their very own.
Simone has that candy earnestness of an April with an Izzie edge. She immediately stood out, and she or he’ll be one to look at. She dealt with her instances effectively and expertly managed to clean so many issues over.
Hyperlink: I slept with an intern. However I did not know she was an intern, it was earlier than, it was not in the present day. Wow, that is awkward.
Mer: I’m in no place to evaluate you on this. I do advocate you steer clear of elevators for the foreseeable future. Go to HR. They’ve paperwork for this kind of factor.
Mika can be fascinating out of the gate. Initially, she had a little bit of that Cristina high quality with the darkish humor and inappropriate jokes. However she shortly pivoted and exuded such real, open compassion and coronary heart.
Her connecting with the affected person’s mom by sharing she’d hope sufficient for each of them as if that affected person was one among her seven sisters was such a fantastic second for the character.

Blue comes throughout as extremely aggressive and a little bit of a jerk, however in an endearing approach, which has shades of Karev. And as a lot as you need to dislike him for mendacity a few lifeless organ donor brother, it was efficient.
Of all of them, he appears to have a hell of a narrative to clarify why he is there. Harry Shum Jr., in something, is prompt gold.
And Lucas is impossibly fairly and candy, like a human model of a labrador. His undeterred optimism, earnestness, social awkwardness, and skill to ramble and put his foot in his mouth are shades of our beloved George, making him an prompt favourite.
He even made the primary screwup that the others will not let him stay down anytime quickly. It was all as a result of he wished to be as personable and compassionate as doable when informing kinfolk that their relations had been braindead.

I look ahead to studying why every of those recruits, who weren’t the highest-ranked of their class, and are basically a merry band of misfits and rejects, received into this program.
All of them had some screwup that made him the undesirable ones out of the bunch, however they’re diamonds within the tough, and Mer noticed the potential in all of them.
I hate it. I hate it a lot. You want senior surgical residents. I could go so far as to say you want a chief resident. And in the event you make me him, I will probably be imply. I will probably be bossy. And if I am ever tempted to go smooth, I’d image a return to OB, and I’ll get stronger. Stronger like a vagina, which I have been compelled to be taught can stretch to 200 instances its pure measurement and elevate a 30lb weight simply by flexing. I will be the vagina of this system in the event you’ll let me.
Levi
She’s picked these variations of the very best of the folks she set to work with through the years, and it is exhausting to not love that for what it’s.
Additionally, there is a frustratingly binary outlook on intelligence, as if grades or rating dictate any of that. Essentially the most book-smart particular person is not at all times the neatest within the room. For each Cristina, Maggie, or Bailey, there are folks like Karev or whoever else.

It additionally speaks to the pandemic’s results on the medical subject. So many individuals received thrown into the deep finish of working towards medication, and looser standards have expanded choices and afforded genuinely gifted, good folks alternatives that they’d’ve gotten locked out of due to low scoring, rating, or the place they received educated.
I like that this new batch of interns is tough across the edges and an embodiment of what the technology has the supply — good and gifted however in unorthodox methods, bucking in opposition to custom.
The hour completely nailed their introduction, and I am already invested in every of them and need extra.
Further Notes:
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Guys, even the music decisions felt so old-school Gray’s Anatomy!

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We did not get a lot of Bailey, however she appeared carefree, stressfree, and completely satisfied, so good for her.
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Maggie and Winston’s relationship wants extra substance.
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Levi’s Vagina Monologue was top-tier. Ten out of ten execution and supply.
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Is it too early to ship Simone and Lucas? As a result of there have been vibes, and I need to see extra of them.

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Boo! It sucks that Niko Terho and Jake Borelli did not have a scene collectively but. If you wish to watch a enjoyable, queer romance, take a look at The Factor About Harry. They had been each nice in it.
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Interns on the gurneys within the hallway won’t ever stop to hit me within the emotions!
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The bizarre wrap-up of Teddy and Owen’s authorized troubles offscreen was weird. However tanned, unfazed Owen and aggravated, wine mother Teddy was attention-grabbing.
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They forked over half one million for Owen’s protection after they went on the lam, and now Owen has a suspended medical license. If I had been Teddy, I’d be pissed. Like, are they’re their marriage okay? As a result of oof.

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The child intern jokes, anticipate it, by no means received previous. Bokhee’s was the very best. And sure, we should always at all times say “please,” to her. I do not care.
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Transplant instances are a few of the finest, with out fail, and I admire the reverence and respect Nick at all times exudes throughout them. It is important to see that. Good for him that he received to do a triple-organ surgical procedure!
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I’ve solely had these 5 interns for a single episode, and I already would kill for them.
Over to you, Gray’s Fanatics.
Did you take pleasure in this smooth reboot of the collection? What are your ideas on that? Which new character did you take pleasure in most? What are your ideas on that Lucas/Derek reveal? Hold forth under!
You’ll be able to watch Gray’s Anatomy on-line right here by way of TV Fanatic if it is advisable to catch the premiere!
Jasmine Blu is a senior workers author for TV Fanatic. Comply with her on Twitter.