Who here feels like they have no idea what they’re doing? George O’Malley in the pilot of Grey’s Anatomy and also me screaming at the writers of last night’s episode when George O’Malley made his return in Thursday night’s episode. George, who, reminder, is dead because on his way back from, uh, enlisting he heroically pulled a stranger out of the path of an oncoming bus, took the brunt of the hit himself, and then spent time dying slowly as a John Doe before spelling out “007” in Meredith Grey’s hand prompting her to scream, “it’s George” in such a terrible way my brain will never let me know peace. Now, George is back.

Meredith, who is hospitalized with COVID, is hanging out in liminal space, a beach where everybody has perfect skin and exceptionally white teeth and dresses in linen like they’re getting ready to take the annual family Christmas card photo in the sand — where. (In case you’ve forgotten, which is scientifically impossible, Derek Shepherd, made his return in the season premiere.) And there, on the lifeguard stand, is George O’Malley. Heart in an elevator guy. 007 himself. “You’ve got great kids … I check in sometimes,” he tells Meredith, at which point I am weeping.

“I would have stayed if I could,” he tells her, as I ugly cry. (I don’t know about you but the Derek return brought up some sad memories as a fan, but George, George! That’s another level.) He’s glad everybody lost their damn minds and spent his funeral cackling. He wishes his Mama O’Malley could let go of her grief and know he’s okay. Wait, sorry, am I having feelings? Why am I feeling things?I cannot believe this is working on me, this absolute Grey’s Anatomy classic where the show brings back dead people over and over and over instead of making me invest in current characters and plots. (Okay, George has never returned technically for new scenes, but he did briefly appear as a flickering ghost that one episode remember?)

“Ellen is the kind of actor I’m endlessly grateful to act with. She’s the embodiment of truth. George and Meredith love each other, for sure, but I don’t think he can hold a candle to love I have for Ellen,” T. R. Knight, who plays George, wrote in a caption on Instagram following the episode. I can’t believe this shit is working on me. Turns out the writers knew exactly what they were doing and I hate that for me.

[Redacted Dead Grey’s Characters] Returns to Make You Weep