Richard Webber’s sobriety has been periodically delved into in Grey’s Anatomy, tactfully exploring its ups and downs – still, the medical drama has hinted before at Webber’s possible relapse, making his Grey’s Anatomy season 19 finale troubles not the first time his sobriety was questioned. Grey’s Anatomy has always offered an honest and respectful exploration of the topic, never shying away from its difficulties, even when Richard relapsed in season 6 and lost the chief of surgery job as a result. Nevertheless, more times was Richard suspected of having relapsed than those he actually did in Grey’s Anatomy, making questioning his sobriety more common when Richard faced adversities.
Grey’s Anatomy season 19 challenged Richard, especially with Catherine initially hiding her tumor’s growth and then having to accept her wish not to do anything aggressive to treat her cancer for the time being. Adding to that Meredith and Maggie leaving Seattle, Richard’s life was largely upended in ways he couldn’t have exactly expected. So despite not having to go through losing Catherine anytime soon, Richard was still challenged a great deal, making the plane turbulence the last straw that could have made him briefly consider drinking again. Still, Grey’s Anatomy season 19’s finale wasn’t really clear about Richard’s potential relapse in Grey’s Anatomy season 20.
Richard Gave Sobriety Chips For Shots In In Grey’s Anatomy Season 15
While Richard truly relapsed only in Grey’s Anatomy season 6, the medical drama largely toyed with the possibility of him doing so again in Grey’s Anatomy season 15, episode 7. Richard had not only recently lost his longtime sponsor Ollie, but also Frankie, a nurse he had hired years before and couldn’t save after they delayed her surgery so that they wouldn’t have to deliver her baby prematurely. Learning about a bar exchanging sobriety chips for shots, Richard visited the bar and was seen exchanging his 8-year sobriety chip for shots. However, Richard didn’t drink them, instead choosing to destroy the bar’s shelves with a bat.
Despite not endangering his sobriety, that period of Richard’s life also coincided with Catherine’s first cancer diagnosis, making it particularly difficult for him, on top of Ollie and Frankie’s deaths. While Richard’s rage against the bartender’s advertisement was understandable, the actions that led him to be arrested weren’t justified. Still, given the upheaval in his life, his relapse could have been just as likely in Grey’s Anatomy season 15, especially with his being more susceptible to giving in to alcohol when the stress in Richard’s life intensifies.
Grey’s Anatomy Season 19 Finale Never Shows Richard Drinking
Richard’s talk to Amelia at the end of Grey’s Anatomy season 19, episode 20, revealed how much the plane turbulence affected him, even if his attempt at gulping Catherine’s drink was already thwarted by Bailey. Still, his inability to ignore all those drinking alcohol clearly got to him, as Grey’s Anatomy season 19, episode 20 implied that he ordered an alcoholic drink for himself. While the episode never showed Richard drinking the vodka tonic, his state of mind and perturbed expression heavily hinted at the possibility that Richard considered doing so.
Grey’s Anatomy season 20 will likely clarify whether Richard consumed alcohol or not in the end. After all, his previous relapse had serious consequences on his personal and professional life alike. Whether Grey’s Anatomy season 20 confirms Richard’s relapse or dispels it, his relationship with alcohol will likely be at the forefront of the medical drama’s next season.