We’re back from another adventure in Shondaland. Yesterday, (October 15) the overarching theme of our trip to Grey’s Anatomy, Scandal and How to Get Away with Murder seemed to be that being offended or betrayed can open new doors. And who doesn’t like to usher in great opportunities without a healthy dose of betrayal first? *raises hand*. But apparently, the plot and characters in Shondaland have made betrayal and offensiveness their way of life, and viewers like you and I, love it. Let’s get into the recap and uncover What Shonda Taught Me.
Lesson: A hit dog will holler (not familiar with the saying? Look it up.)
This week on Grey’s Anatomy, we got to see “the morning after” with Maggie and Andrew. After spending last episode rooting for her to get some action, atlas, we’re able to see her awaken in her bed—next to a man. They sheepishly try to avoid each other, yet clearly enjoyed each other’s company tremendously. And I find it cute. Andrew needs to “sneak out” without alerting Meredith’s kids that he’s there, and just when he thought that the coast is clear, Amelia, who is hip to Maggie’s rendezvous shenanigans appears and puts both of them on blast. Maggie and Andrew later agree that this “one-night stand” was just that, almost offended that it ever happened—and then seal the deal with a very “open door” handshake. See what I did there?
At the hospital, it’s work as usual with the exception of the “silver flood” a surge of senior citizens who take over the ER. This situation teaches us some heartfelt and tough lessons about love and grief as a few of the seniors “kick the bucket”, leaving behind family members and friends that make the staff reevaluate their decisions about love and friendship. Through the seniors, the staff learn about the pain of finding a soulmate very late in life and losing them all too quickly or having your best friend die, although you’ve spent what seems like your whole life with them.
The lesson “a hit dog will holler” was a little tricky to uncover in this show, but if you add in Penny’s arrival as Callie’s date (Penny was the doctor that allowed Derek to die) and mix it up with Meredith’s grief-slash-anger-stricken lessons about dealing with the loss of a loved one, you’ll see that these characters were offended by their own decisions and the cards they were dealt and they’re starting to speak out about them.
Scandal was an epic display of what a bruised ego coupled with a healthy dose of betrayal can look like. Cyrus is flabbergasted at Fitz’s rejection of his charismatic (in a political kinda way) apology. So now, he’s ready to dethrone him. So who does he begin to coerce into his hollering-dog plans? None other than Mellie. He spends the episode urging her to feel embarrassed, slighted, washed-up and used. Her only saving grace? To go along with the Senate committee’s interest in impeaching her husband. Rowan, or “Papa Pope” is hit dog too. Although he’s behind bars and can’t outwardly flex his former B-13 muscles, he hasn’t given up on his ideas of power and his bitterness towards the Fitz-Pope union. Jake is on the hunt for the people responsible for the fire in the Louvre (which sparks a visit to “too cool for prison” Rowan and Charlie), and ultimately leads him to Elise—who turns out to be his ex-wife/co-spy. They argue then make-out, then agree to be “spies” again, then somebody gets shot (isn’t that how these relationships tend to work out?). There’s a new Gladiator on board (remember Marcus Walker, the activist during the investigation of Brandon, the young black male shot & killed last season). Although he can’t fill Harrison’s shoes (R.I.P. Harrison), he’s there to strengthen the team and rally for Olivia during this “chick on the side” downfall she’s experiencing. By the end of the episode, a few hit dogs, namely Cyrus and Mellie are hollering and the downfall of Fitz’s legacy commences.
On How to Get Away with Murder, it’s murder as usual, Annalise is on the case of a teenage girl accused of murdering her best friend under the alleged coercion of two “socialite” friends. While this case is simmering, Annalise gets an unexpected phone call from Nate’s dying wife, with a simple request—that Annalise help her kill herself to escape from all of the medical turmoil she’s experiencing due to her cancer. If this isn’t a complicated decision (at least in Shondaland), then I don’t know what is! Do you help the suffering wife of the man you’ve been sleeping with (and happened to frame for murder) with her requests to die? Or do you walk away with your morals intact and tell the wife to fight to keep living while you deal with your lust-filled feelings for her husband? Hmmm. Tricky.
The Annalise Keeting interns are starting to feel like they’re in a cult—having to oblige to Annalise’s every command or endure strict consequences where their grades would be the least of their concern. So what’s the natural thing for the young, impressionable, guilt-ridden students to do? Turn on Annalise! At this point, everyone is suspicious of everyone and no one wants to be held accountable for their hidden agenda—except for Asher, who seems to be helping the prosecutor to dig a deeper grave for Annalise. The episode goes on to show each character weighing their own conscience and betraying the one person that they believed in. Ego is a terrible drug. And like I said, a hit dog will holler.
Come back next week for a recap!
