Grey’s Anatomy Season 23, Episode 4, “Love on the Brain,” explores how the answers the characters are looking for might be right in front of them — for better and worse. It means doing the work to find the truth, in the medical field and their personal lives. Even in how and where they overlap! But it’s another thing entirely to accept it or implement change because of it. That takes dedication and honesty and even some bravery.
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Going the Extra Mile Isn’t Mid
Since this season isn’t spending all that much time with Bailey at school, it works that Grey’s Anatomy uses what’s happening there as a device for whatever storyline she’s navigating at the hospital. The storyline in “Love on the Brain” even offers a completely different angle of the VIP floor, which has been quite the antagonistic force driven by Norton. With Lillian and her kids, who pull together every dollar they have to get their mom the best care, this episode emphasizes how impactful the undivided attention and resources on the VIP floor could be when distributed more evenly and widely.
If Bailey uses this as the thesis of her research project, it could create a positive redistribution of the VIP floor’s resources when it inevitably dissolves or evolves. It’s just not sustainable in its current form — no matter if Catherine likes Norton. But it does have the positive effect of getting Blue back on Webber’s good side because he’s not as bad as Norton. They’re not even comparable. Also, Webber has forgiven and overlooked so many other mistakes over the years. It would be unfair to hold Blue to some unattainable standard, especially in the world of this show where characters are constantly breaking rules.
Even so, Webber’s overcorrection with Blue being a response to missing the mark with Norton makes so much sense. As does picking Blue up just to knock the wind out of him with his dad’s arrival in the final seconds of the episode. I could almost feel that something was coming when Blue complimented Lillian’s tight-knit family, but I didn’t know it’d be so immediate.
The same can be said about Jules and Winston’s reconciliation. It feels a bit like this make-up is an attempt to heal their hearts, but it still lands like Jules is feeling everything more than Winston. Adelaide Kane plays Jules like she’s walking around with her heart on her sleeve, even she’s checking on Simone at the start of the episode. Also, none of Jules and Winston’s problems have gone away. If anything, like Jules mentions, they’re more complicated. I don’t know if there is an easy path for them, but at least they’re not tiptoeing around each other anymore. I really liked Jules rolling her eyes over his shoulder though.
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Taking Steps in the Right Direction
Likewise, it’s a relief to see Simone and Lucas have a conversation after, well, everything. It’s worth noting that the care and chemistry is still there between them. Lucas wants to be there for Simone, and Simone wants to be there for Lucas. The extent of that is going to get really interesting if Lucas takes up Simone’s offer about the spare room. It’s also good for the sake of character development and drama. Not to mention, Niko Terho and Alexis Floyd do good work together, and it’s been a shame to not see them share the screen much this season. Hopefully, “Love on the Brain” is a step in the right direction.
It definitely is for Jo, who gives Corrie advice she also needs. “Even though you both survived doesn’t mean you don’t need to grieve.” If that monitor follows her forever, even if it’s beeping gets fainter and fainter with time, Jo has to give herself the space to grieve. It may be messy and nonlinear but going through that may help Jo to have more good days than bad ones. Those bad ones will still exist. That’s part of it. But seeing Jo finally open up to someone who isn’t Link and can understand what she’s experiencing gives me hope that she really can make it to the other side of this. She may even find her way back to medicine. First, it’s most important for Jo to live with herself and that monitor.
As for Amelia and Toni, there’s so much good in “Love on the Brain.” Because they’re so great together, I sometimes forget how new their relationship is — that they’re still getting to know each other. There are learning curves in that process, like Toni excitedly booking a weekend away without knowing that Amelia isn’t the biggest fan of surprises. The best thing is that it doesn’t cause a huge fight between them. It’s just a little tension in a stairwell, which is practically required on Grey’s Anatomy. Amelia wants to make memories with Toni and doing so means being honest with her. It means telling Toni, “But being able to plan for what’s ahead helps me stay sober.”
Sobriety is a part of Amelia’s life, and so is Toni now. I don’t think I’ll ever stop being proud of her development. It’s just impressive to think about how far she’s come and all the way she can still go. Even in the OR, she pulls off something magical to give Migue and his mother more time to make more memories. Essentially, with “Love on the Brain,” Grey’s Anatomy Season 23 continues to tell some really interesting and fulfilling stories for characters that have been on this show for a decade and the ones that recently joined.
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Other Thoughts:
- Norton would be off golfing.
- It’s always very meta when a patient points out how attractive everyone is at the hospital.
- The real-world commentary of a hospital closing their neuro department and the possibility of it closing is scary but necessary.
- I’d have the same reaction to leeches, Grant!
- Could anyone form Station 19 pick Pru up from school?
- Bailey telling Blue to watch out for the carpet with the white board made me giggle.
- Lucas wanting to pop the cyst also made me giggle.
- The dialogue between Winston and Jules after Tracie passes is so good.
- I hope Jules never stops feeling so much for her patients. It’s a superpower!
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