Yasuda's New Connection In Grey's Anatomy Teases Taryn Helm's Return (2024)

Warning! SPOILERS about Grey’s Anatomy season 19, episode 7 ahead.Grey’s Anatomy season 19 might already be hinting at Taryn Helm’s return as a doctor to Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital, even if the medical drama only showed her as satisfied with her new job as a bartender at Joe’s. Despite Grey’s Anatomy season 18 having all its residents shipped out to new residency programs given that Grey Sloan Memorial’s own was shut down, Grey’s Anatomy season 19’s premiere episodes revealed that Taryn Helm (Jaicy Elliot) had chosen not to do so, instead favoring switching careers and becoming a bartender. Only later did the medical drama reveal the reason, but Grey’s Anatomy season 19, episode 7 already teased Helm’s return.

Despite Schmitt’s (Jake Borelli) best efforts at trying to convince Helm to return to Grey Sloan, Taryn always adamantly opposed it in Grey’s Anatomy season 19, episode 2. Her reasons to favor her new job continued to stand, especially considering how Grey’s Anatomy season 19, episodes 1 to 7 made Schmitt’s overworking obvious. However, the experiences of Grey Sloan Memorial’s new interns showed a minimal change in the way the hospital cared for their well-being, opening the way for Helm to possibly return to Grey Sloan, especially after Mika Yasuda’s surprise visit to Joes in Grey’s Anatomy season 19, episode 7.

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Yasuda Seeking Advice From Helm Could Bring Her Back To The Hospital

The main reason behind Helm choosing an entirely different field of work was the surgeons’ terrible work-life balance, as she highlighted in Grey’s Anatomy season 19, episode 2. That, along with the low pay she complained about and the pressure Helm felt was on residents, especially when the Webber method was being trialed, were precisely the reasons behind Helm’s refusal to return as a resident when Schmitt asked her. However, the surprise visit to Joe’s by Grey’s Anatomy season 19’s new intern Mika Yasuda (Midori Francis) could also help Taryn. Indeed, besides benefiting from Helm’s help on a microvascular anastomosis, Yasuda could remind Helm of everything she loved about surgery.

Despite the excitement the Webber method brought residents, as they could operate mostly alone except for the surgery’s trickiest part, the death of Schmitt’s patient deeply impacted Helm too, especially considering she participated in the operation. Being close to Yasuda could counter this, and lead Helm to find the beauty of being a surgeon again. Since Helm probably didn’t practice her surgical skills until Yasuda’s appearance, having Mika rely on her knowledge could bring Helm closer to returning to Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital.

Schmitt Begging Helm To Come Back & Throwing Shade Hints At Her Return

Helm not only appeared in three episodes of Grey’s Anatomy season 19 but also was often mentioned by Schmitt as some kind of example. Schmitt already begged Helm to come back without success and resorted to throwing shade at her in front of the new interns, but this could also be part of a ploy to let his best friend return to Grey Sloan. After all, it’s unlikely that the interns won’t take advantage of a past resident being that close to the hospital to dispense knowledge, especially given that Mika already tried and succeeded at getting an edge by doing so.

While Schmitt’s begging might not have convinced Helm to return, the interns’ fresh perspectives just might. Considering how Grey Sloan Memorial decided to offer them the best possible education while also not underestimating their well-being, their going to Helm for help could show her that Grey’s Anatomy’s new interns were being treated more fairly than she ever was, showing how things changed for the better at Grey Sloan. This could, in turn, simultaneously make Helm find her magic with medicine again and realize that returning to the hospital wouldn’t be as bad as it was in the past, opening the door for her potential return in Grey’s Anatomy season 19.

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Grey's Anatomy airs new episodes every Thursday at 9 p.m. ET/PT on ABC.