‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Recap: Amelia’s Family Drama Get Messy

Last night’s episode of Grey’s Anatomy, “Good Shepherd,” was a drama-filled episode about family estrangement and resentment.

Amelia (Caterina Scorsone) and Link (Chris Carmack) were flown to New York to perform surgery on a 18-year-old named Jonah, who is suffering from severe scoliosis. On their way to the hospital, they happen to meet Amelia’s sister Nancy (Embeth Davidtz).

Amelia hasn’t seen her family in years; they don’t know about her divorce or the fact that she had a brain tumor. Nancy thinking Link is Amelia’s husband Owen, invites the pair to dinner at her house.

Stuck with few options, Amelia grills her friend with benefits on facts about her ex-husband in preparation for the dinner.

Neither of Amelia’s sisters including Kathleen (Amy Acker) have seen Owen before, so the ploy works perfectly until Amelia’s mother, Carolyn (Tyne Daly), who has met Owen before, arrives unannounced and uncovers the plot.

The Shepherd family lays into one another, hurling insults and uncovering the deep-seated animosities they have towards each other.

Link tries to stand up for Amelia, but this casual fling between the two has become too complicated, and Amelia breaks up with him because he knows too much.

The pair arrive at the hospital again to perform the surgery on Jonah. Amelia options that they should replace Jonah’s vertebrae with a titanium cage, it could permanently undo his scoliosis or cause paralysis or death.

Amelia and Link butt heads over the decision; Link thinks the only reason Amelia wants to undergo this risky procedure is so she can prove her self to her family.

Amelia yells, “I’m not the screw-up 14-year-old they think I am,” and Link counters by saying, “I know that, but I don’t think you know that!”

Just then, Amelia’s mother arrives to the hospital and talks with her daughter. The two have a real conversation and Carolyn apologizes for not being there for her, and the two reconcile. Amelia also apologizes to Link, repairing their relationship which has seemingly evolved past a casual fling.