Helm May Return On Grey’s Anatomy & Fans Are Thrilled

Spoilers ahead for Grey’s Anatomy Season 19 Episode 17. During the May 4 episode of Grey’s Anatomy, Dr. Webber approached a beloved surgeon about coming back to the hospital — much to fans’ delight. “I came here a couple months ago to ask you to come back, and when you shared with me how difficult that was, I didn’t listen,” he said during a surprise visit to Dr. Taryn Helm. “But I’m listening now. What would it take to bring you back?”

Helm, of course, was one of the surgeons lost to Season 19’s residency program overhaul. While Jaicy Elliot’s character hasn’t been totally absent from the show — she’s been living her best life working at Joe’s Bar and hanging out with the new residents, especially Mika Yasuda — her presence alongside the Grey Sloan surgeons has been missed. When Helm noticed that Yasuda was struggling to stay afloat with her student loans and demanding schedule, she approached Teddy for help. “When I burned out, nobody stood up for me,” she said during Episode 16. “So, I’m standing up for Yasuda. Because if she can’t afford to pay her student loans, and also eat, and live, while she’s learning how to save lives, there is something wrong with the system.”

Helm’s words stuck with Teddy, who consulted with the hospital attendings to make the residency program more sustainable — starting with an emergency fund that would help Yasuda with her expenses.

Next course of action? Maybe bringing Helm back, too.

Fans don’t get to see Helm’s answer to the proposal, which happens during the final moments of the episode — but by her expression, she does seem to consider it. So, is Helm returning to Grey Sloan? Viewers on Twitter certainly hope so.

Of course, this wouldn’t be the first time a doctor left the hospital — and came back. April was rehired after failing her boards, for example. Cristina herself had a job at Joe’s for a brief time after the hospital shooting but ultimately decided to get back into surgery.

Elliot has praised her character’s Season 19 storyline, even if it did take her away from the hospital. “It’s an important story that I think we need to hear,” she told Hollywood Life in November. “The point needs to be made that, especially at times like what we went through with the pandemic, we realize how crucial it is to have healers in our society and how they should be valued much more than what they are. I’m excited to talk about that and raise awareness around that.”

Now that Webber and co. seem to be focused on hearing those concerns and changing their residency program for the better, perhaps it’s the perfect time for Helm to step back into the OR.