Grey’s Anatomy season 22, episode 15 recap: Owen and Teddy’s exit storyline introduced

When news broke that both Kevin McKidd and Kim Raver would be leaving Grey’s Anatomy at the end of the season, fans were immediately curious about how the show would write the two longtime characters out of the show. Well, the groundwork for Owen and Teddy’s exit is officially being laid, and it’s clear now why ABC broke the news of their exits ahead of season 22, episode 15, “Take Me to the River.”

As the episode opens, Owen is preparing to head out to Cascade Hill, a rural hospital, to assist with bringing some supplies and helping out at the hospital for the day. He’s initially supposed to be joined by Richard, but a last-minute scheduling change results in Teddy subbing in for him. They’re joined by Simone and Dani, who help to pack up the supplies before the group heads out to the hospital.

When they arrive at Cascade Hill, they’re greeted by Dr. Braider, and they’re rushed into action when a young woman named June is brought in after being injured while rafting. We learn her boyfriend is missing, and search and rescue are looking for him. As they race June into the hospital, Teddy takes notice of how Dr. Braider seems to suggest that Owen would be perfect for the hospital, hinting that Owen has been offered a job at the hospital.

As the team works to treat June, her boyfriend Keaton is brought in, but he’s not happy to see June and claims she’s to blame as he shouts for them to keep her away from him. He has free fluid around his spleen and needs to be taken to a trauma center. After stabilizing Keaton, Owen admits that the hospital wants him to start a regional surgical program. The news surprises Teddy as Owen points out that he’s considering the position, as this would mean folks in the area could get care closer to home. He notes that this is an opportunity to build the program from the ground up, which really excites him as it becomes clear he’s considering the job.

Keaton begins crashing and needs emergency surgery to save his life. Owen prepares one of their former ORs, and they make do with what they have for the surgery. Owen and Teddy work to remove his spleen, and the pair are able to pull off the surgery. After witnessing the successful surgery, Dr. Braider points out how they made her case for the surgical rotation with what they pulled off.

After the surgery, Owen assures Dr. Braider he’ll come back next week before heading out with Keaton in an ambulance as he gets transferred to Grey Sloan. After he leaves, Dr. Braider points out how Teddy is lucky to have him, as she admits she hopes he’ll leave the hospital. She asks for Teddy to put in a good word, and Teddy makes it clear Owen will make up his own mind.

As the episode draws to a close, Owen thanks Teddy for coming out with him today. She admits it was a good day as she jokes about how she’s done some crazy things in her career and the surgery today was up there. She asks if he’s going to take the job, but he reveals he turned it down as the timing wasn’t right. Teddy admits she was worried he was going to leave her as he reveals he’s going to go there once a month to help out.

While Owen might have turned down the job for now, the introduction of the storyline seems to be the start of what will become Owen and Teddy’s exit storylines. It seems likely that in the episodes ahead, Owen will reconsider the offer and eventually leave Grey Sloan to take the job at Cascade Hill. With Owen likely to take the job, it seems likely that Teddy might end up joining him in leaving Grey Sloan, realizing she doesn’t want to lose Owen.

Winston and Jules finally make their relationship official

At the top of the episode, Winston notes that he needs to break things off with Iris now that he and Jules are going to explore their feelings for one another. He decides to rip the band-aid off fast, but when he goes to break up with her, he realizes it’s Iris’s birthday, and he aborts the plan. Shortly after, Jules asks Iris about her birthday plans, and Jules is surprised when Iris mentions going out with her friend and the guy she’s seeing, who is a doctor at the hospital.

Winston comes in and Jules roasts him indirectly about the situation and how he’s going out to dinner instead of breaking up with her. Later on the stairs, Winston admits he hates upsetting people and being a jerk. Jules reminds him that being a jerk would be keeping Iris in the dark as she leaves him in the stairwell.

While spiraling about Winston’s decision not to break up with Iris, Jules asks Blue for advice, and he suggests Winston must not be as into her as she thought or he would have broken up with Iris already. Before ending the conversation, Blue makes it clear that if Winston doesn’t break up with Iris and keeps his promise, he’s not worth it.

After work, Winston goes to see Jules and tries to apologize. Before he can speak, Jules admits Iris doesn’t deserve to have her birthday ruined and tells him waiting is okay, so long as he actually has plans to break up with her. To her surprise, Winston admits he ended it with Iris earlier in the afternoon, as Jules was right about Iris deserving the truth, even if on her birthday.

Blue crosses a line that could cost him his job

Early in episode 15, Bailey and Blue team up to treat a man named Quinn Durston, who has stage four hepatocellular carcinoma and is awaiting word from the FDA for a procedure that Bailey and Blue hope will give him additional time with his son.

When the FDA finally give their decision, it’s unfortunately not good news as they have said no to the experimental treatment.

This case hits close to home for Blue, remind him of his mother, and can’t understand how a bunch of suits at the FBI have the power to make decisions that can cost patients their lives by not approving new treatments that can help then. Bailey reminds him they need guard rails, but it’s clear that Blue is not happy with the decision.

 Bailey and Blue take Quinn into the OR to place a drain to hopefully help with his symptoms until they can find another option. Blue tries to convince Bailey to give him the treatment. She steps out and tasks Blue with placing the drain as she exits.

When looking at post-op scans as the episode comes to an end, Bailey notices fluid on the scan and worries he’s bleeding from the tumor. She informs Blue they need to order some additional scans which is when he admits he ignored the FDA and gave Quinn the experimental treatment when she left.

It’s a reveal that could very well jeopardize not only Blue’s career, but also Bailey’s as we enter the final stretch of the season.