The 'Grey's Anatomy' Season 16 Episode 4 Promo Shows Meredith In Hot Water

Grey's Anatomy has taken to changing up the narrative this season full-throttle. Though technically still revolving around the continuing dramas at Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital, several characters have moved on. Most notably, the character who gives the show its name, Meredith Grey. She was fired at the end of Season 15, and a month into the new season, she continues not to be practicing medicine. If the Grey's Anatomy Season 16 Episode 4 promo is anything to go by, Grey won't be getting her job back anytime soon.

The fact the show didn't right Meredith's ship within an episode or two was a bold move. Most primetime soap operas of this nature might work up to a significant life change for the main lead to experience, like being fired. But as the main character is usually the hero of the story, everything is set to rights pretty quickly, so the status quo can resume.

But Grey's Anatomy hasn't done that. Meredith is currently in danger of losing her medical license. The show is a month in, and it will still be a couple more episodes before her hearing to determine if she can practice medicine. Even if the board finds in her favor, there's no guarantee she'll be hired back at Grey Sloan. For that, she has to stay on the right side of Miranda Bailey, the Chief of Surgery, and her former boss.

And from the looks of this week's trailer, she's going to have a lot of work to do in that department.

Here's the synopsis for the episode, entitled "It's Raining Men."

After Meredith inadvertently stirs up negative press for Grey Sloan, she tries to make things right with her former colleagues, jeopardizing her community service hours. Station 19’s Ben and Vic bring a young woman into the hospital, and Jackson stands up to Koracick when he goes too far with a patient’s family. Meanwhile, Bailey receives unexpected news; and Owen finds himself at Pac-Gen North, which Alex sees as a recruiting opportunity.

As fans are aware, Meredith wasn't the only one fired from Grey Sloan last season. Both Alex and Richard were out the door with her. Much like Meredith, the show hasn't seen fit to right that either. (Richard's wife Catherine was so mad, she promoted Koracick to a position that outranks Bailey as punishment for, well, just about everyone.)

Alex is now at competing hospital Pacific General North, where he's hired on Richard along with him. He already made a play to get Jo to join them, but she declined. Now it seems he's going to be attempting to poach Owen.

As for that bit about Station 19, Shondaland's big move this season was to start crossing over the two shows far more regularly. Bailey's husband, Ben, was already a significant figure for both shows. Now the series has Jackson (from Grey's Anatomy) and Vic (from Station 19) dating. It's a little awkward since Jackson and Maggie's relationship hasn't been over long. (But it is thankfully over.) but the more the show crosses her into the Grey's storylines, the quicker that will settle.

And hey, if Meredith finds she can't go back to Grey Sloan, maybe she'll decide to be a firefighter. That would be the ultimate crossover indeed.