I’ve just finished season 22 ahead of the season 23 premiere, and I have to say, it was a relaxing season to watch. I’ve actually been dissatisfied with the quality of Grey’s Anatomy for years, but in season 22, the writers finally managed to stop constantly flaunting the show's wokeness. Woke patients are now simply patients; instead of constantly highlighting how special they are, they’ve become part of the norm—at least within the world of Grey’s Anatomy.
The only spoiler I had going into season 22 was that it would be the last one for Owen and Teddy. I like her significantly more than him, but Owen had been around since season 5—back when Grey’s Anatomy was still must-see TV—so he was an integral part of the show. Out of the 40 actors who have been part of the main cast over the years, quite a few characters have met their end in major dramatic deaths, and naturally, that could have happened to Owen or Teddy, or even both of them. The season finale featured a bridge collapse; Owen was on the bridge, but he didn't suffer any serious harm—instead, he got to play the hero as a doctor once again. Nick was also on the bridge in his car and got injured. Since Scott Speedman now has his own ABC series (R.J. Decker) and has only appeared sporadically over the last two seasons, I wondered if his character might be killed off, but Nick made it through as well. However, there was a major disappointment at the very end. While Owen and Teddy did get the standard montage that departing characters usually receive, there was no actual farewell from anyone—not Meredith, Miranda, or Richard. I’ve actually watched all 682 episodes of Grey’s Anatomy and its two spin-offs to date; even though the Grey’s Anatomy universe launched in 2006, the total episode count still hasn't surpassed that of Dallas and Knots Landing combined.
I often wonder if anyone on the writing team has real expertise regarding the soaps of the 80s and 90s—specifically knowing what went wrong back then and how to avoid those pitfalls with Grey’s Anatomy. They kind of followed the Melrose Place model: constantly introducing new characters whom the audience would gradually grow accustomed to. Unlike Melrose Place, however, Grey’s Anatomy was fortunate enough—likely due to its greater success—never to lose more than two cast members at once. Had there been a mass exodus in a short span of time like there was on Melrose Place, things might have turned out very differently for Grey’s Anatomy.
One thing Grey's Anatomy definitely learned from the big soaps is how to avoid their mistakes when resolving cliffhangers—just look at the plane crash at the end of season 8. The way Lexie and Mark died on-screen was exactly how it should have been done. If Lady Ashley and Luke had died as epically and intensely during the Moldavian Massacre, there wouldn't be any complaints today about there having been only two deaths. It all comes down to portraying the death correctly, and Grey's Anatomy excels at that; George and Derek are further examples.
I always enjoy it when Grey’s Anatomy incorporates details from the past; for instance, in season 22, a female firefighter from Station 19 became a patient, and during her one-episode guest appearance, Addison revealed that Jake—who had become the love of her life on Private Practice—had left her because she is constantly traveling with her mobile abortion clinic to the borders of states where abortion is illegal. The rich history that Grey's Anatomy can now look back on and draw from is certainly interesting.
It is great that ABC hasn't given up on Grey's Anatomy yet and continues to promote the series; for instance, Harry Shum Jr. is currently competing on Dancing with the Stars. It is also nice that Grey's Anatomy has a soft spot for actors from former teen soaps. The O.C.'s Chris Carmack and Glee's Harry Shum Jr. have been part of the cast for years, Felicity's Scott Speedman was a cast member and remains a guest star, and One Tree Hill's Sophia Bush served as an on-and-off love interest for Teddy over the last two seasons.
Stars from 80s soaps, however, receive less prominence on Grey's Anatomy and its spin-offs. While Patrick Duffy, William R. Moses, and Jamie Rose have appeared on the show(s), they did so more as the standard guest actors needed for any given episode. Diahann Carroll was the only one to hold a true guest-starring role, playing Preston's mother.
