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Fans are happy to see Addison Montgomery (Kate Walsh) back at Grey-Sloan. The doctor is teaching residents on Grey’s Anatomy. There were many references to her past, but fans thought there was one scene that was out of character for her.

[Spoiler alert: This article contains spoilers from Grey’s Anatomy Season 18 Episode 3 ‘Hotter Than Hell.’]

Addison Montgomery returns to teach residents on ‘Grey’s Anatomy

Kate Walsh wearing a white lab coat in 'Grey's Anatomy.'
Kate Walsh | Scott Garfield/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images

The episode “Hotter Than Hell” shows Addison brought in to help with the teaching program. The residents are excited to meet and learn from her. She’s still focused on genetics and obstetrics.

The first scene shows the residents following her and gossiping about her past with Derek (Patrick Dempsey) and Meredith (Ellen Pompeo). Jo (Camilla Luddington) sadly has to leave during this time because she’s paged.

She later takes the residents to see a patient who is getting Grey-Sloan’s first surgical uterine transplant. The patient had a hysterectomy two years ago after struggling to give birth.

Jo joins them again and stays behind to talk to Addison. “Hi, Dr. Montgomery,” she says. “Are you an OB resident?” Addison asks. “Yes! Dr. Wilson,” Jo responds. “Great! Can you get me some coffee? Black and sweet,” Addison asks while handing Jo her mug. Jo looks surprised by this and leaves.

They don’t get to interact much later. Jo is busy helping out with two births.

Fans think Addison acted ‘out of character’ with Jo

Fans might have expected them to interact more, given their specialties. On Reddit, they accused Addison of not acting like herself in this scene.

“Get her coffee? Is she Mark? That seems out of character?” one fan wrote.

“Brings back memories of when she scolded Mark for making Alex and Izzie his patsies,” another person remembered.

“Very out of character for Addison. But, Grey’s never has cared much for character consistency,” a third fan wrote.

“Greys will always throw away characterization if it’s an opportunity for a stupid plot or joke,” someone accused.

But Addison wasn’t cold throughout the episode. She had some very emotional moments.

Addison cries about Derek being gone

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This is the first time Addison has returned since Derek died. She broke down about him when she was in the elevator with Meredith. 

“I thought coming back here to Seattle, to Grey-Sloan that he’d be here,” Addison said, crying. “That I would be able to feel that he was still here in the city that he loved, with the people he loved, but he isn’t. And it’s real. He’s not here.”

Meredith said he is here and in his children. She invites Addison to meet them. The episode ends with Addison doing just that. Addison will be in the next episode to continue to teach. Hopefully, she has a better conversation with Jo.