Grey’s Anatomy season 16, episode 8, “My Shot,” is all about Meredith’s future as a doctor, but that wasn’t the only drama going on.
‘Grey’s Anatomy’ season 16, episode 8, ‘My Shot,’ review:
From the very start of the episode, Grey’s Anatomy 16×08 “My Shot,” is seeping with angst. Meredith heads to the medical board hearing with her entourage, and it’s clear that no one is prepared for what’s about to happen. It doesn’t help that everyone is dealing with their own issues at the same time.
Even as Meredith is waiting to go into the hearing that will determine her entire future, her friends and family are all still torn apart. Bailey isn’t happy to see so many people there backing Meredith up and Weber isn’t happy she’s complaining.
There’s also Weber’s drama with his family; he just got back from his niece’s funeral and can’t even look at Maggie. He didn’t even bring Catherine with him and it’s all news to Jackson.
It only elevates from there. Once Meredith gets into the room where the hearing will be held, her lawyer is quick to give her a warning not to talk out of line and make the situation worse.
But they also realize that one of the doctors on the board is the same one that killed Derek. Meredith asks if they could ask for him to be replaced, but that would also mean postponing the hearing for months. So, they decide to go through with it anyways.
Related: Grey’s Anatomy season 16, episode 7 review: Nothing is as easy as it seems
The other doctors start to get questioned about what happened, starting with Bailey who doesn’t shy away from talking about Meredith.
They even bring up her entire disciplinary history from the time she was an intern until she was fired. It doesn’t matter that Meredith was always trying to do what she thought was right in the moment, all together it sounds awful.
DeLuca was questioned and things get awkward when they make him read a complaint he’d made about the attendants, including Meredith. He tries to say that it was ages ago and that it was all resolved, but they make it look like Meredith purposely used their relationship to smooth things over. Which doesn’t even make sense, but it does sound bad.
Gabby’s father is questioned too and luckily he only has nice things to say about Meredith, claiming that more doctors like her are needed in the world.
Schmitt goes after him and also tries to make Meredith sound good. But he admits that he was the one that saw Gaby’s wristband had Elis Grey on it and told Bailey because he thought it was a mistake.
Weber is questioned about his long history with Meredith, including the study that his late wife was included in. He has to discuss how they found out she was going to get the placebo pill and had it switched for the actual trial medicine. Instead of admitting Meredith helped him though, Weber says he did it all on his own. They also bring up the fact that Weber pulled strings to get Meredith the internship in the first place.
When Alex was questioned, they started to talk about Meredith’s adoption of Zola and how it was postponed. Though Alex says that shouldn’t be relevant, they are concerned that Meredith has shown she doesn’t care about law in her career and personal life.
Everything gets even more crazy when Meredith yells at the doctor that killed Derek because he’s judging her. She tells him that he can’t talk about her family like that when he was the one that took her husband away from her because he neglected to perform a head CT. The trial comes to halt and then he starts to have a seizure.
While they’re waiting to find out if the hearing will continue or not, Weber and Bailey get in a fight about Meredith. She accuses him of always covering for her and he accuses her of being jealous.
Their own history is complicated, and it’s clear that Bailey is deeply hurt because she feels like Weber wasn’t there for her, but he says that he was trying to protect her too.
The medical board comes back and wants to postpone the hearing, but Alex dramatically says that people from all over the country came to speak on her behalf. They brought in patients from her first day to her last day, all with amazing stories of how Meredith saved them. Alex also has letters from doctors like Cristina, Arizona, and Calli on their experience working with her.
Bailey joins in too. She says that Meredith is a pain in her side. She’s always going to break rules and deserves to be punished, but not have her license taken away. Meredith is better than anyone in the room, except herself, Bailey says.
At the end of it all, they learn that the doctors voted in favor of Meredith getting to keep her license. Everyone is happy and hugging; it’s a big victory for all of them. Meredith takes the time to thank Bailey and her former teacher tells her to come back on Monday. Not only does Meredith have her license, she also has her job back.
DeLuca drops by the house just when Meredith gets home, and it doesn’t look good. He’s sad to realize that Derek will always be Meredith’s love of her life.
They’re just not on the same level when it comes to feelings, and he asks her to take some time to think about what she really wants. Hopefully this won’t be the end of them because they really are an amazing couple. I can’t imagine anyone better for Meredith on Grey’s Anatomy at this point.
‘Grey’s Anatomy’ season 16, episode 8, ‘My Shot,’ extra thoughts:
🚑Jackson puts away his usual jerk attitude and is there for Maggie when she’s breaking down in the hotel bar. She’s worried that Weber will never be able to look at her the same and Jackson convinces her to let him bring her home. They get a little too cozy though, and almost kiss, but luckily Maggie kicks him out. I still don’t like him.
🚑The doctor that killed Derek dies. I’m not sure what the point of this was. It won’t make Amelia and Meredith feel any better.
🚑I enjoyed all the throwbacks to Meredith’s iconic moments on the show. It makes me a little sad every time they bring up her old friends though. Grey’s Anatomy season 16 keeps mentioning Cristina and it’s really bittersweet.