Meredith gets another beach reunion with a long-missed friend on 'Grey's Anatomy' 

When Grey’s Anatomy (Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET on CTV) returned last month, it did so with a massive shocker of a reunion between Meredith (Ellen Pompeo) and Derek (Patrick Dempsey). Admittedly, the reason for the reunion was not a good one since Meredith is currently fighting for her life after being diagnosed with COVID, but fans were still excited to see McDreamy back at Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital. Or at least in a fantasy adjacent to the hospital. In a sneak peek for this week’s episode, fans were tipped off to the return of yet another Grey’s Anatomy cast member who is no longer (fictionally) with us and considering the show has killed so many beloved characters, there were quite a few options available. Despite some other fan suggestions (more on that later), Thursday night viewers got to see George O’Malley (T.R. Knight) and Meredith together once again. This next statement may be as controversial as killing off a major character, but the reunion between George and Meredith hit us even harder than Meredith and Derek. It’s the friendship for us.

Seeing Derek walking on the beach and telling Meredith that he missed her did a big 007 on our hearts, but Meredith and George actually speaking about his death and the impact it had on those he left behind resulted in some of the most moving moments we’ve ever seen on Grey’s Anatomy. Ever. We’re talking all 17 seasons.

Seeing George and "Mer" together again quickly reminded viewers that Meredith has had many "people," including O’Malley. Their reunion gave viewers closure that never came after George stepped in front of a bus to save a woman and was killed. As for whether he regrets the split-second decision that cost him his life, George reminds Meredith that it was his job to help people, but that doesn’t mean he was ready to go. “I would have stayed if I could have,” said George (all the sobbing), adding that Meredith’s ability to decide for herself whether to live or die isn’t certain. “It’s different for everyone.”

It’s unclear why Meredith can sit next to George but can’t seem to get within 10 feet of Derek without eating a mouthful of sand, but we don’t make the afterlife rules. The writers did address George aging by explaining that it made Meredith feel better to think of him getting older with her, but honestly, T.R. Knight still looks like the fresh-faced intern viewers fell in love with in Season 1. Oh, O’Malley, we’ve missed you.

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Maybe it’s because Meredith is battling COVID, a very real disease that is currently killing thousands of people around the world. Maybe it’s because 2020 has ensured that no one is ending the year without an ample serving of grief. Or maybe it’s because after 17 seasons of watching surgeons lose patients and loved ones and seemingly moving on within a few episodes, discussing the very real toll of grief that eventually comes for everyone hit harder than we had anticipated. “Some grief is heavier than other grief,” said George. “Sometimes it moves through you and sometimes it just gets stuck and you carry it.” Ooof. Well said, O’Malley.

One thing we do know is that getting to see Meredith tell George that he changed her life likely gave many viewers the vicarious experience of having the one minute they never got with a loved one to say goodbye. Hearing George say that he still checks in on Meredith and has watched her children grow up may just be two fictional characters talking on a TV show, but the idea that our loved ones are still with us and the reassurance that provides cannot be understated. Now that’s a reunion.

And if there were any tears left to cry, the dam was broken when Meredith, George, Miranda (Chandra Wilson) and Richard (James Pickens Jr) sat together on the beach. You did it, Grey’s Anatomy. You broke us.

While there were the fans who felt that George reunion deep in their hearts, there were also a few who were pulling for a different reunion. After the episode aired, the Twittersphere made it known that the next dearly departed presence we see turn up on that beach BETTER be one Lexie Grey. Shonda, make it happen.

It would be easy to focus solely on the ghostly reunions, but Thursday’s episode was packed with many other great moments as well. Jackson (Jesse Williams) and Jo (Camilla Luddington) have taken the advice of the politicians in the Netherlands and decided to be friends with benefits. Maggie (Kelly McCreary) and Winston (Anthony Hill) are learning more about each other and continuing to become our new favorite couple. Tom’s (Greg Germann) asymptomatic response to COVID has taken a scary turn and could prove disastrous for a character that has not received nearly as much love as we think he deserves.

Then there was Owen (Kevin McKidd) being forced to confront his racial bias when he misdiagnosed patient, leading to Miranda serving him a much-needed lesson in equality versus equity. Up to this point, resident Mabel Tseng (Sylvia Kwan) has been largely silent, but we would definitely like to hear more of her.

Watch new episodes of Grey’s Anatomy every Thursday at 9 p.m. ET on CTV.

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