This week’s episode of Grey’s Anatomy, “Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story,” marks 300 episodes of the beloved, long-running series. Some days it feels like there was never a day when Grey’s didn’t exist, and others it feels like we’re still right there in the beginning of it all. This week’s milestone episode, packed with Easter eggs, brought us back to the Grey’s of yore, and it’s never felt more like Season 1 since, well, Season 1. So, I present to you, the 10 Easter eggs that I picked up on. If I missed something, please let me know because I NEED to KNOW. Until then, please enjoy this transportation back to yesteryears.
1. The long forgotten back hallway
The new interns were slumped on the hospital beds and gurneys kept in the basement hallway that our magic five used to spend endless amounts of time at (and the hallway that we haven’t seen in so long I was afraid they may have destroyed the set!). The newbies were complaining of exhaustion, how they want to die, and how it’d been two weeks and they still didn’t know their way around. When they were called to an incoming trauma, one was left behind, fast asleep. I might be wrong, but I’m like 90 percent sure that happened to Alex once upon a time.
2. The missing members of MAGIC
Three of the main patients of the episode greatly resembled George, Cristina and Izzie. And if their looks weren’t enough, their names were Greg, Cleo and Liza. Are you kidding me?!?! And if THAT wasn’t enough, they were second-year residents at Seattle Pres, and Cleo lost her damn mind when she realized who Meredith, Jackson and Catherine were.
3. “Cosy in the Rocket”
Those nostalgic slaps in the face also came within the opening scenes of the show because then, with an even bigger slap across the face, they played a snippet of the original theme song that ceased to play after the early seasons as well as a clip from the original opening credits.
4. “They”
Next came the first #tbt song that I caught: Jem’s “They,” which first played in the pilot episode, when Meredith was lost with Katie Bryce and Izzie was stuck doing rectal exams. This time around, Meredith was a little lost in the decision of going to the Harper Averys or staying to treat their trauma patients. Seeing as she is afraid of flying, and first and foremost a surgeon, I don’t think there was much of a question as to whether she was going to stay or not.
5. Derek’s untimely, avoidable demise
The other starring patient of the episode was a man that had been injured while shielding children from the loose rollercoaster car that caused the episode’s chaos in the first place. He was unable to speak, despite clearly understanding what the doctors were saying, and Amelia was insistent that he needed a head CT. Owen took him directly to surgery to repair other traumatic injuries. Um, Owen, did you forget that that’s HOW DEREK DIED??? Amelia sure didn’t, as she brought in a portable CT and found an expanding brain bleed.
6. Illicit hookups
It’s been a while since somebody had sex where they weren’t supposed to—we’re pretty far past the days of on-call hookups. This time? The skills lab—with no lock on the door! Damn it, DeLuca.
7. “Keep Breathing”
The other #tbt song I caught was a cover of “Keep Breathing” by Ingrid Michaelson, the original of which played in the Season 3 finale when Cristina realized that Burke was gone for good. This time? Zola was talking to Maggie about how much she missed Derek, and Maggie let her know how much she missed her mother. You’d think Derek would be the thing that really got me, but then Liza (fake Izzie) got to hold her baby for the first time, and Alex of all people started crying. Don’t forget he fertilized Izzie’s eggs when she had to get them harvested. My poor bby.
8. All the friends we lost along the way
Meredith won the Harper Avery, and Jackson, accepting on her behalf, listed off everyone that she’s lost as a testament to her strength. Her little sister Lexie, Derek—who he said knew that Meredith would be there winning that award someday—and her mother Ellis, who had won the award twice on her own. Meredith was watching this live from the room where she had just finished surgery, and all of her colleagues were there clapping for her. When she looked up at the observation booth, Ellis was standing behind Maggie and Zola, clapping for Meredith with the proudest look on her face.
Thanks, Satan.
9. An unconventional but cute AF family
Sofia came home to live with Arizona, but was missing Callie. After Arizona comforted her, the camera zoomed in on a framed picture of Mark, Arizona and Callie holding a tiny baby Sofia. Earlier in the ep, Arizona did a pretty fantastic impression of Mark. I didn’t think it would get sadder, but I should have known.
Can you not? I can’t handle any more of this.
10. The long forgotten back hallway, again
Back in the basement hallway, where the interns were going through all of the bad things they “almost” did, Meredith and Alex arrived to kick them out and reclaim their space. They celebrated Meredith’s win, with Cristina dialing in.
And so, for one episode, MAGIC was back together, even though it was largely through our memories, and things felt right in the Grey’s ‘verse.