James Pickens Jr. as Richard Webber and Debbie Allen as Catherine Fox in Grey's Anatomy season 21 episode 2-1 Richard’s retirement was heavily hinted at in Grey’s Anatomy season 20’s ending, but season 21, episodes 1 and 2’s developments revealed another major impending crisis, one Richard cannot see clearly because of his focus on retiring. The Seattle wildfires of season 20’s finale caused Grey Sloan Memorial to ask for all hands on deck, prompting Richard to lead a difficult emergency surgery even if a few days before he would have avoided the OR. Richard involving Yasuda and Millin in the repair made Ndugu think the interns’ mistake killed the patient, but it was later revealed the mistake was Richard’s.

Richard coming clean with Winston Ndugu about his mistake in the OR in Grey’s Anatomy season 20 reintroduced Richard’s retirement story, despite various Grey’s Anatomy surgeons making plenty of mistakes through the years that killed patients. However, Richard was determined to view his mistake as a damning one that should have ended his career, only due to his age. This prompted Winston to push Richard to be in the OR with him, as he wanted to show Richard that he could still operate on patients and it wasn’t his time to retire if it wasn’t Richard’s wish to do so.

Grey’s Anatomy Season 21, Episode 2 Hints Richard’s Surgical Skills Aren’t His Biggest Problem

Ndugu’s Behavior Establishes How Only Richard Doubts His Surgical Skills

James Pickens Jr. as Richard Webber and Anthony Hill as Winston Ndugu in Grey's Anatomy season 21 episode 1

Grey’s Anatomy season 21’s premiere finally turned the tide on Richard’s confidence in the OR. While Richard spent Grey’s Anatomy season 21, episode 1 hesitant to be in the OR and operate on the patient, his approach proved fundamental to saving him. Indeed, had Richard not been in the OR with Winston, he wouldn’t have realized how to approach the bleeding, proving Richard’s expertise as the thing that made it possible for Winston to save the patient in the end. While Richard was in his head, worrying about his supposedly declining skills, Winston wanted to learn from him.

Playing golf with Lucas and Winston and winning, only to have the energy to play some more, made it evident Winston was right when he saw Richard’s endurance and concentration as unmatched.

Grey’s Anatomy season 21, episode 2 possibly convinced Richard that Winston told the truth. Indeed, playing golf with Lucas and Winston and winning, only to have the energy to play some more, made it evident Winston was right when he saw Richard’s endurance and concentration as unmatched. While Richard didn’t exactly show interest in returning to the OR in Grey’s Anatomy season 21, episode 2’s ending, he gave Teddy back her job as chief, hinting at his choice to free his schedule having to do with a potential return to the OR.

Catherine’s Health Is Shaping Up To Be Grey’s Anatomy Season 21’s Biggest Story

Richard Will Have To Deal With Catherine’s Refusal To Involve Him

Debbie Allen as Catherine Fox in Grey's Anatomy season 21 episode 1-1 Debbie Allen as Catherine Fox in Grey's Anatomy season 21's teaser trailer pointing angrily offscreen Ellen Pompeo as Meredith Grey, Chandra Wilson as Miranda Bailey and Debbie Allen as Catherine Fox in Grey's Anatomy season 21, episode 2-1 Debbie Allen as Catherine Fox and James Pickens Jr. as Richard Webber in Grey's Anatomy season 21 episode 2 Debbie Allen as Catherine Fox, Ellen Pompeo as Meredith Grey and Chandra Wilson as Miranda Bailey in Grey's Anatomy season 21 episode 2-1 Debbie Allen as Catherine Fox in Grey's Anatomy season 21 episode 1-1 Debbie Allen as Catherine Fox in Grey's Anatomy season 21's teaser trailer pointing angrily offscreen Ellen Pompeo as Meredith Grey, Chandra Wilson as Miranda Bailey and Debbie Allen as Catherine Fox in Grey's Anatomy season 21, episode 2-1 Debbie Allen as Catherine Fox and James Pickens Jr. as Richard Webber in Grey's Anatomy season 21 episode 2 Debbie Allen as Catherine Fox, Ellen Pompeo as Meredith Grey and Chandra Wilson as Miranda Bailey in Grey's Anatomy season 21 episode 2-1

Richard’s focus being on his worries about retirement let him miss what was going on in Catherine’s life. While his newfound clarity in Grey’s Anatomy season 21, episode 2 moved his attention back to his wife’s silence, prompting him to involve her in his singing because of his good mood, Richard still didn’t know Catherine’s secret. Although Grey’s Anatomy season 20’s ending introduced Richard’s retirement as his next major crisis, season 21’s premiere revealed his next major hurdle involved Catherine’s worsening condition and her refusal to tell him about it.

Catherine collapsing in front of Meredith in Grey’s Anatomy season 21’s premiere was already indicative of something bad, but the tests Meredith had Catherine undergo only confirmed how her death might be impending. Catherine seemed resigned to it, and sure she didn’t want to let her loved ones know about it, effectively making Richard’s biggest problem the potential death of his wife and his unpreparedness for it, as Catherine is set on keeping her liver problems private in Grey’s Anatomy season 21.

Episode #
Title
Release Date

1
If Walls Could Talk
September 26, 2024

2
Take Me To Church
October 3, 2024

3
I Can See Clearly Now
October 10, 2024

4
This One’s for the Girls
October 17, 2024

Grey’s Anatomy season 21 releases new episodes every Thursday at 10 pm ET on ABC.