Last night, during #TGIT on ABC, I wandered through Shondaland, amused and shocked by the attractions. From Grey’s Anatomy to How to Get Away with Murder, I watched every show until the closing credits and next week’s previews were completely finished. Let’s get into the recap of What Shonda Taught Me Week 7 (Dang! Time is flying).
This week’s lesson: Power-trippin’ aint easy
Remember my post from two weeks ago about Penny arriving at Meredith’s house for dinner? Remember how I sat there with my mouth wide open because I couldn’t believe Meredith’s “willingness” to allow Penny to work with her at Grey-Sloan? Well, I knew that Meredith’s decision would either strengthen her or bite her in the butt. Last night’s episode proved me doubly right.
I spent the episode of Grey’s Anatomy observing Meredith’s interaction with Penny. I encourage everyone who reads this post to go look up the word “shade” in the Shondaland version of the dictionary. That’s where you’ll find Meredith’s picture—chucking the deuces and everything. Meredith simply didn’t have time for Penny, yet she wanted Penny to prove and discredit herself at the same time. In a way, it’s like Meredith’s battle was with determining if Penny was a good doctor and a good person, although Meredith believed neither to be true.
The entire episode, in between the medical emergencies that a typical ER has—a possible double amputation on a child who has lost everything including his family and an ill pastor who mistakenly sent a sex tape to his congregation—is spent teaching us that power-trippin’ doesn’t get you far. Meredith is painted as a bully for her blatant distaste and “unfairness” to Penny. But really. Wouldn’t you encourage the person who could’ve saved your husband’s life (but didn’t) to kick hot coals (rocks aren’t good enough)? What did we expect? Towards the end, Meredith’s anger disguised as a power-trip and laden with guilt, becomes softer to the point that she’s willing to give Penny another chance to redeem herself. Forgive me, but weren’t we under that impression during dinner at Meredith’s two weeks ago. *rubs chin*
Meanwhile, April is power-trippin’ in more ways than one—trying to prove that she’s “wife worthy” to her husband (all while setting her own terms and rules) and making decisions about medical procedures and outcomes without consulting the rest of the team or even showing them the information that’s needed for the right course of action.
Egos were flying all over the place in the hospital! But of course, consequences will arise.
Over on Scandal, it’s dirty work as usual. Olivia is regaining her footing after the “chick on the side” debacle. She’s working with a client—a girl who claims she was raped by her former professor. This isn’t just any ol’ nasty man, though. It’s a man that just received the Presidential Honor from Fitz (Can Fitz get it right? At all?) So Olivia is on the case to try to prove her client’s case—even if it means discrediting the professor and ultimately making Fitz look like a fool. She solves the case and saves Fitz’s reputation—all without missing one of her infamous lip puckers.
Also, the news is out that Rowan (Papa Pope) has flown the coop. Fitz and Jake are working together (yeah, I said it) and going nuts trying to avoid Papa Pope’s “pisstivity”. Jake, who’s in a glass box of emotions as “Ron Burgandy” once said because the two women he has loved have left him—one of them has left because of her love for another man and the other has left because of a bullet to the chest. It seems like his love for revenge and freedom from B6-13 is the only thing keeping him going. Tough luck Jake.*slides him my phone number*
Cyrus is enjoying his position back to the White House but notices that he seems to be taking counsel and command from Olivia instead of Fitz. Cyrus isn’t one to bite his tongue, so he brings it to both of their attention. Fitz, who’s as left in the dark as a shoe hidden underneath a bed, brushes it off, while Olivia soaks it in. At the end of the episode, Olivia is “assisting” Fitz with complicated “Presidential” business, but winds us taking charge while Fitz takes notes (literally). The scene closes with Olivia–with a glass of Scotch in her hand, wearing a power suit and standing on the presidential seal engraved in the rug of the Oval Office. Is this her move for the Oval Office? Hmmm…
Oh, did I mention that Liz North has been rehired (for the umpteenth time) and gets it on with David Rosen in the Attorney General’s office? Did I also mention that the “blushing and crushing” VP, equipped with the nostalgic wine coolers from their previous convo, is perched in his waiting room anxiously awaiting a meeting with him—while he’s handling private parts? Umm….
Our night ends with How to Get Away with Murder. All I can say is, I’ve never seen so many people who want to kill one person in my life. Literally, everybody said that they’d want Annalise to die or they’d like to kill her themselves. I believe if the show had a janitor as a character, he probably would’ve recited the line last night too!
So what do you do when your crew wants you dead? You keep on workin’. Annalise still showed up in the classroom and courtroom to do a job that has obviously taken over her personal life and maybe even her personality as a whole. She’s on the case to defend a client accused of murdering or “aggressively assisting” with the suicide of his ex-wife’s boy toy. Turns out the prosecuting attorney is sleeping with Annalise’s client’s wife and welp, the boy toy wasn’t too thrilled about that.
In other news, Nia’s (Nate’s deceased wife) blood is posthumously being tested for drugs that could’ve been used to assist in her death. Nate, like Fitz from Scandal, can’t catch a break. He’s back in the courtroom—again, as a suspect or person of interest in a possible murder—again. And who does Annalise call to the rescue? Her female jump-off slash attorney-in-crime, Eve—again. After using Nate’s grieving charm on a nurse that has taken a liking to Nia and Nate’s relationship, they’re able to manipulate some things to get a favorable outcome in an otherwise guilty-as-sin case. Nia’s blood test shows no sample of drugs. #Winning.
Oliver, Connor’s boy toy is caught up in the criminal rapture of AK and Associates and finds himself doing a little too much to help out. Ultimately, after trying to set up a date with Connor a possible (very obvious) murder suspect in the Hapstill case, Oliver’s life hangs in the balance. See what power-trippin’ does for you? Stay in your lane!
Bonnie feels betrayed by Annalise because she showed Asher the video of her molestation as a child. Annalise’s reasoning was that it would protect Bonnie from Asher’s tattle-tale behavior. Bonnie wasn’t having it—any of it. And for the first time, we see Bonnie in a “don’t come for me unless I call for you” light. Work Bonnie. She gives Annalise her two cents, and by two cents, I mean that she tells Annalise “I want you to die.” Nothing fancy before it. No “just kidding” after it. Power-trip on FLEEK!
Meanwhile, Frank is still a goon, although Bonnie looks like she snatching all of the thug credentials available at AK & Associates. All of them. Wes is still getting on my nerves, even though he’s in a few scenes holding Annalise’s possible murder weapon. I’d much rather he just go somewhere. Lauren is still working and getting laid (my kinda gal). Michaela is struggling to identify with anything beyond pastel colors. And Connor is still the guy that makes you say, “I like you. I think.”
Join me next week!
