Ben’s Grey’s Anatomy Season 21 Return Highlights Sad Truth About His Intern Class

Notice! SPOILERS for Grey’s Anatomy Season 21, Episode 4 ahead.

Ben Warren returned to Gray Sloan Memorial in Grey’s Anatomy
season 21, episode 4, but talking to past colleagues made a sad reality about her class of interns evident. After starting out as an anesthesiologist, studying to become a surgeon long enough to reach his fourth year of residency, and changing careers to become a firefighter, Ben Warren was known for jumping from one career to another in Grey’s Anatomy. This initially made Ben less desirable as a resident of Sydney Heron, whose return to Gray Sloan after 17 years made Ben virtually unknown, but she eventually warmed up to Ben.

This led to Grey’s Anatomy season 21, episode 4, finally including Ben’s return as a resident of Gray Sloan under the leadership and watchful eye of Miranda Bailey. Ben’s first day back was chaotic enough to create some awkward moments with the other interns, but it also showed how he made the right choice upon returning.as Ben was evidently back in his habitat despite difficulties with the new systems. However, officially returning to Gray Sloan Memorial also meant that Warren would have reconnected with some of the characters who were close to him, revealing a sad truth about his intern class.

Ben Reconnecting with Jo on Grey’s Anatomy Season 21 Shows How His Interns’ Careers Have Changed

All the other interns in the class left, died or were fired

Ben’s problem with the new medication delivery system arose after several small mistakes he made on his first day, leading Ben to find someone to help him other than his superior or intern. This led to Ben’s emotional reunion with Jo, who helped him before they could catch up on their lives. Grey’s Anatomy Season 21, Episode 4 did indeed show Jo and Ben working together again at Gray Sloanmany years after the first time Ben and Jo faced the monster that was surgical residency together. As a result, this highlighted the sad reality of his class of surgery interns.

Finding yourself again in Grey’s Anatomy season 21 meant that the last time Jo and Ben were co-workers was as residents. Jo and Ben’s updates highlighted their less-than-simple careers, with Jo choosing obstetrics/gynecology training over surgery and Ben returning to train as a surgeon only after years as a firefighter, but they also showed how Ben and Jo were the only ones in their class still thriving at Gray Sloan. In fact, although only Heather tragically died, Leah and Stephanie were fired or left their jobs and Shane followed Cristina to Switzerland, leaving just Jo and Ben at Gray Sloan.

Ben’s return inadvertently highlights a Grey’s Anatomy storytelling problem

The public never gets to see how the interns’ careers actually progress

Jo and Ben’s reunion thus unwittingly underlined a great Grey’s Anatomy problem. As this is a medical drama focused on interns and residents, seeing them progress is essentialand this was the case with MAGIC, Lexie’s gang and even Jo and Ben. However, Grey’s Anatomy showed the brilliant ways of surgeons only to the MAGIC who survived, Bailey, Jackson and April.

Instead, all the other residents fell into oblivion. If Grey’s Anatomy whether it showed Izzie and Leah getting fired or Stephanie having enough work to get away, most of the residents would eventually complete residency. Not continuing to show their stories long after the end of the residency program only sees their importance as residents rather than as characters in generalmaking the reunion of Ben and Jo in Grey’s Anatomy season 21 was more important because it went against that mentality.

Grey’s Anatomy releases new episodes every Thursday at 10pm on ABC.