Grey’s Anatomy practically butters its bread with popular ships.
A series that has been on for 21 years? We’ve had more iconic pairings than we can count. Many of them have irrevocably changed shipping culture as we know it and are pop culture phenomena.
These days, Grey’s Anatomy shipping doesn’t feel quite the same, which is why the promise of something intriguing is something we cling to — except what good is that if the series doesn’t deliver?
Grey’s Anatomy has had Amelia and Monica dancing around one another for well over a season — two seasons.
Every time it seems as if we’re coming one step closer toward the two taking things to the next level, the series pulls back on it or resets them in some irritating way.
At this point, it’s not a slow burn — it’s a stall tactic.
Nothing is satisfying about it either, because the series doesn’t even utilize Monica enough and has her appear onscreen to the degree it requires to make this a fun slow-burning romance.
On a show that already has an overbloated cast, anytime Beltran pops into an episode, it’s a treat.
But they face the challenge of immersing her in compelling medical cases, allowing her to form bonds with others, and executing a slow-burn approach with Amelia.
Except there’s so much going on that for the average fan (I’m not talking about the diehard Monica/Amelia shippers sustaining themselves off crumbs), it’s becoming increasingly more difficult to follow along with their unified story.
It doesn’t read as a fun slow burn until we get to the major moment when they give in to the feelings that are building up within both of them and choose happiness and hot, sexy times.
Instead, it feels like a frustrating tease — like the series is having fun dangling this little plot in front of us as filler rather than actually respecting it as a legitimate story arc that should occupy space within the frame of the series.
I would take watching Monica and Amelia find their way to one another and learn how to navigate a healthy, normal relationship (You know, since the series is notoriously allergic to giving Amelia those) than literally any recycled drivel that has Towen at odds again for the umpteenth time.
Redirecting some focus to this relationship rather than wasting time on at least three others that aren’t even compelling to watch anymore could do wonders for the show.
Dare I say it would even breathe life into the stale shipping content we have on the series as of late?
There’s no real reason for Grey’s to hold back on this pairing, and it’s been bad enough that they’ve resorted to some of the same tired reasons why they haven’t pursued them.
Monica randomly hooking up with Winston was such a bizarre choice. The idea of these two divorces finding something, fun, flirty, and casual with one another isn’t that much of a stretch, but there’s no real reason for it to have to be with one another.
One of the most annoying developments is when a series randomly pairs up two characters for something casual just for contrived drama rather than just devoting time to trying to build up the couple that we know should happen.
They also tried to lean into the notion that Amelia wasn’t ready for anything, and that’s an excuse that has gotten old.
The problem is no longer that Amelia isn’t ready for a relationship or shouldn’t be in one; it’s that the series won’t just allow her to have a solid, healthy relationship without them screwing with it for ridiculous reasons.
Monica would be the perfect opportunity for them to allow Amelia to participate in something that serves her well, without contrived obstacles, rehashing the same stories, and having her self-sabotage them.
Not every healthy relationship has to be rooted in so much drama just to get to it. It can be just as interesting to see these two women with their own respective scars navigate how to be with one another while also kicking butt in an O.R.
Their professional clashes can be a more interesting conflict than bogging them down with potential relationship drama and darkness, so it’s not like it’s a dynamic that would be devoid of any conflict at all and thus dull.
And Monica has proven to be an interesting character in her own right when the series opts to focus on her.
But at the rate Grey’s is going, it could miss its prime opportunity to pair them together.
There’s only so long they can keep putting ridiculous obstacles in their way and only tap into their chemistry to sell a slow burn before it fizzles out because viewers are frustrated.
We’re already at that point.
It’s time to pull the trigger on this couple. If for no other reason than to finally put Amelia to better use and give her a stronger story arc, rather than having her disappear into the narrative while less interesting stories and characters take center stage.
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