Grey’s Anatomy Season 21 Episode 17’s Jolink Wedding Brings the Romance as Other Ships Crumble

Critic’s Rating: 4.1 / 5.0

4.1

Whew, Grey’s Anatomy sure loves itself some messiness!

I don’t know what to say about Grey’s Anatomy Season 21 Episode 17 other than I had envisioned something totally different than what we’ve had, and now a girl’s feelings are all over the place.

Jolink’s wedding was whatever the heck it was, but the other relationships spiraled out of control during this hour.

Jules Pursuing Her Options is a Wise Choice

It’s no secret by now that some of us are a bit conflicted about what’s going on between Jules and Winston.

They’re simultaneously tossing out the idea of them as a pairing too quickly while trying to operate under the guise of a slow burn, too.

The show’s execution of this arc is a bit all over the place, but what’s interesting is that as Winston quietly grapples with his feelings (and I mean quietly, as we merely have to rely on Anthony Hill’s acting skills to tell us what the series isn’t right now), he’s pushing Jules away.

To be fair, he probably should’ve in some capacity, as she does need to explore more fields before she properly settles on one, and it’s not exactly fair to have one resident on the same attending service all the time.

In hindsight, Jules recognized this and quickly appreciated that she got to spend time with Webber and took some genuine interest in General.

She performed surgery under Webber’s watchful eye and guidance, and she doesn’t even fully realize how incredible it is to be under his tutelage.

Webber and Jules were a great pairing, and it was nice to see the mentorship angle front and center since the inappropriate but unspoken feelings between her and Winston have overshadowed their mentor dynamic.

Webber and Jules Are a Wonder Team

Their patient was amusing and was in a rough position. But goodness, that woman may have really found one of the good ones!

Steve was the perfect guy for sticking with her throughout the entire day, even though it was their first date. He genuinely seemed to care about her and showed interest. Never once did her real medical condition or the fact that she initially misled him push him away.

He was a genuinely great guy, and their sweet romance was one of the bright spots of the hour.

Jo and Link’s Wedding Was Sweeter Than Expected, But Just OK

Sadly, Jo and Link will never stack up to them regarding Grey’s Anatomy‘s history of epic weddings.

The fact that it had to battle it out as a plot with at least three other things spoke volumes. And I’ve never been a Jolink fan or cared about where they went.

Grey’s pulling this last minute wedding in four days bit didn’t feel like it served the relationship well and sucked some of the life out of their romance.

But their wedding moments were unexpectedly sweet. Levi’s return was a welcome highlight, and it was great to see him so happy.

Jo and Link’s Wedding Drama was Understated

The reminders that Jo is the poor orphan who doesn’t understand basic concepts like what having a mother feels like were a bit played out, and it was frustrating that she complained about Maureen so much when it was apparent the woman was excited and wanted to be a part of the moment.

But it worked out in the end when Levi helped Jo have this ephiphany and she could explain herself to Maureen and make amends. They were sweet, and it’s good that she has this extended family now.

Link’s characterization of struggling with vows was predictable, but his dynamic with Bailey has been one of the season’s underrated gems.

We all could’ve predicted things would result in a song. It’s Chris Carmack, so naturally, Grey’s Anatomy would allow him to sing. It was a bit too long, but the vows were cute enough and effective.

Their wedding didn’t feel like a big Grey’s event, but it turned out better than one could’ve anticipated.

It’s where the buck stops with happy couples, though.

Lucas is Too Attached, But Not Misleading the Family

Simone and Lucas were not doing well and were still on the Dylan case together, which is a powder keg situation waiting to happen.

The problem I’m having with Lucas and the Dylan case is that they aren’t doing a good job of showing us how he’s overstepping too much or giving the parents too much false hope.

Lucas never crossed that line or told them untrue things. He never seemed misleading or misguided in his attempts to answer questions or reassure them.

Instead, the situation reads as Lucas becoming a bit attached to the case and Dylan genuinely showing empathy and compassion. In contrast, Amelia and Simone read as cold and punishing, criticizing him for it.

We’d see moments when Dylan’s mother asked Amelia questions or wanted explanations. Amelia would just stand there, seemingly cold and a bit out of character, prompting Lucas to respond somehow, and then someone would scold him for it later.

Grey’s Builds Up Finale with Dylan’s Case

It’s clear that they’re setting us up for the finale and the massive events that may happen due to this case, but it feels a bit contrived.

Things are not looking good for Dylan, as the poor girl suffers from Locked-In Syndrome. Amelia seems to be spiraling and deflated, feeling as if she’s bitten off more than she can chew.

We have a combination of Amelia doubting herself, her impostor syndrome kicking in hard, and Lucas caring too much about this case. Basically, the Shepherd clan is heading down a potentially devastating road.

Lucas’ frustrations have also resulted from the tension between him and Simone, with neither addressing things outright nor having a healthy conversation about what they mean to each other.

Their relationship issues have recently exposed so much about them as individuals.

Simone and Lucas May Be Fractured Beyond Repair

We’ve always known that Lucas falls fast and hard, and he’s been in love with Siomone since he first met her.

Meanwhile, Simone is a bit of a runner and is terrified of getting involved in something serious again, especially after she did that with her ex.

I understand that it’s way too soon for Simone to embark on a serious relationship when it’s apparent that with time, she’s not ready for it. She’s not a bad person for that either, and her fear of moving too quickly with Lucas makes perfect sense.

She has her fair share of issues that spill out in little ways, and we’re seeing that within this relationship, too. I don’t love Simone any less.

But I am exhausted by this relationship that I genuinely used to enjoy. Simone isn’t bad for not being in a place for a relationship right now, but Lucas still deserves better than what he’s getting from this right now.

Simone’s Poor Decisions Could End Lumone For Good

Simone doesn’t make Lucas a priority, rarely makes the effort to understand his position on anything, and seems to harbor some residual feelings against him for being the “nepo baby,” implying she doesn’t respect him.

These are all things that deeply hurt Lucas, and he’s put up with it all because he loves her and is naturally optimistic and hopeful. But it’s not working right now.

They could be right for one another, but the timing isn’t in their favor.

If it wasn’t already difficult enough to see the two collapse as a pairing, not even an hour later, Simone was having sex with a guy at the bar. It was great seeing Grownish’s Trevor Jackson, but not like that! Goodness!

Teddy and Owen Can’t Last If He’s In Love with Someone Else

Troubled relationships aren’t reserved for just the younger doctors; Owen and Teddy are still a hot mess and only getting worse.

Nora’s bad turn led to some genuine awkwardness when Teddy took her on as a patient. But to Teddy’s credit, she wasn’t lying or exaggerating when she said that she wouldn’t look at Nora as the woman who slept with her husband and would treat her like any other patient.

Teddy, revitalized from that Hawaiian trip filled with sex and therapy with Owen, was at her best and dove right into trying to perform a risky procedure to save Nora’s life.

And she didn’t stop trying to revive her when she coded on that table, performing a near-impossible task of bringing her back.

Even Teddy was endearing at the wedding, mapping out Nora’s heart and developing an innovative way to operate again. Teddy is at her best when she’s passionate about medicine and helping people.

She and Winston’s inability to even enjoy the wedding because they’d prefer to take off to figure things out for Nora confirms why they’re the best at what they do.

But this whole time, she’s been blind to Owen’s genuine love for Nora. He’s in love with this woman, even if he won’t bring himself to say it out loud.

Is This the Death of Towen?

Owen doesn’t need to say it because we all see it. He was devastated when he learned her prognosis, and he could barely hide his emotions about it.

Owen went from avoiding her to keeping his feelings in check to staying behind and standing up to Teddy to be with Nora and hold onto her as they processed that this could be her end.

The raw intimacy between them in that room, as he lay beside her in bed and kissed her forehead, was too much. Nora looked up at him with pure love in her eyes, and his actions said more than he ever will with his words.

For the umpteenth time, I wonder if Teddy and Owen can even get through this. It’s one thing to have sex with another person outside of your marriage, but this is more than sex.

Owen is legitimately in love with another woman — one who is dying at that, and there’s no walking that back or ignoring it.

Teddy is desperate to save the woman who has stolen her husband’s heart. What does she do with that?

Over to you, Grey’s Anatomy Fanatics.

Did you enjoy Jo and Link’s wedding? What are your thoughts on Simone and Lucas breaking up? How do you feel about Owen and Nora? Let’s hear it below!

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