I don’t know why, but I just can’t stop watching Grey’s Anatomy.
Even when the show isn’t reinventing itself after 12 years, it still knows how to deliver heartbreakingly great episodes. This week, we had a very Alex-centric hour about parenthood and decisions, and while it’s sometimes hard to care about the weekly patients we see in this fictional hospital, I can’t say I wasn’t moved by the twins’ story. Arizona pushing Alex harder by reminding him about the first time they met (a heartwarming callback to season five) was a brilliant nod to the fans who have been watching for a long time. There’s nothing I love more about this show than how appreciative it is of how far it’s gone since the good old intern days.
That’s why I also loved Jo and Alex’s fight. It was painfully scary how the show lead us on to believe that Jo was pregnant until around halfway through the hour, but I’m glad the problem ended up being an Izzie-related one. I honestly can’t remember the last time these characters even recognized that there was someone named Izzie in their lives once, even if it seems like a lifetime ago now, so it was definitely a delightful shock to bring back the whole Izzie-babies storyline. Should we expect a child to come looking for Alex around season 20, wanting to meet his father?
And even Chief Bailey has been redeemed this season. She was far too unlikable and annoying last year and barely had any intriguing storylines, but I have to admit that I’m loving her new position as chief. This character is best when given the right amount of sassy dialogue mixed with heartfelt messages, especially when interacting with Meredith. It’s hilarious that Meredith didn’t realize how underpaid she was until Callie pointed it out, and I loved that Bailey asked Richard not to interfere because they should let her fight her own battles.
Of course, there’s still a weak link on this show and it’s April and Jackson. Never mind how unlikable these two have gotten ever since their weird separation storyline, this was just an incredibly predictable subplot that weighed down the hour tremendously. I breathed a huge sigh of relief when Jackson moved out by the end of the hour (it was painfully obvious that his stuff would be missing the minute April walked into the apartment), and I hope this means we don’t get to see these two on our screens for a while.
Bits & Scalpels
– I’m loving all these carpooling scenes with Meredith, Maggie and Amelia. Amelia changing in the backseat, Meredith freaking out about it and then mimicking Maggie’s face when she sees how much Mer makes are all hilarious.
– Hysterical scene with all the women having wine (except for Meredith sucking down on tequila, of course) at the house while a cover of Single Ladies plays in the background. It was all so very fun especially with Maggie’s nervous breakdown and Mer ending the scene asking “what do they think they’re paying her?”.
– Sadly, I still don’t care so much about that intern. But it was nice seeing how the mother crying at the end paralleled with the story he told Alex earlier about the woman who was stuck with her toddler and wouldn’t stop crying.
– I liked Bailey telling Ben the step-by-step moves that Alex would take with UNOS and the twins’ case while we simultaneously see him do exactly as she says.
– A part of me did actually think the boy was going to live when Alex insisted on trying. I guess this show can still surprise us from time to time.
– I hope Jo and Alex don’t make babies anytime soon.
Grey Banter
Maggie: He was funny, he was cute, he was sexy. He was sexy, right?
Callie: Mm, very.
Maggie: He was.
Amelia: Sweet ass.
Meredith: No idea.
Maggie: He spit a little when he talked, and he said “all-timers” instead of Alzheimer’s.
Maggie: It’s like I flew to this planet on an exploratory mission and the Earth blew up behind me and I can’t go back! And now I’m here with you aliens. Except I’m the alien, and I’m all alone, and I have nothing, and no one wants me.
(Callie signals Meredith)
Meredith: You got us. We want you.
Maggie: I can’t have sex with you!
Meredith: No.
Maggie: You’re a Cylon! This is Galactica!
Jackson: I feel like a hostage, but like a reverse hostage where the kidnapper just follows me everywhere and won’t leave my damn house.
April: You know what they call that? Marriage! And it gets hard, but you don’t just leave. You don’t just stop.
Jackson: You do. You do just stop. You know what they call that? Divorce.
Must-Download Tunes
Already Gone by Sleeping at Last
Conclusion
Both entertaining and emotionally gripping, this is a solid hour and a vast improvement over last week.
Chris Rating
B+
An Alex-centric hour, what more could I ask for? 😀 A very enjoyable episode indeed.
“Should we expect a child to come looking for Alex around season 20, wanting to meet his father?” HA! Thought the same thing!
P.S. Could April BE any more annoying?! One of the worst decisions this show made was making her a series regular and not only that but also pairing her up with Jackson out of all people.
Word! April was never NOT annoying, ever since she showed up in season 6. Remember how annoying she was back then too? Being Derek's puppy back when he was chief for like 10 seconds? I hope the show gets rid of her.
Here's a question: what the hell happened to Mer's kids? Like, we saw a lot of Zola from the moment she was adopted, and Baby Bailey from his birth, and even baby Ellis was in the episode after Mer came home in season 11. But now, except for the upstairs hallway being littered with toys, there's nothing to indicate that she's balancing career and kids. She's carpooling, leaving for the day, but the kids aren't in the car. Did… she have someone else take them to GSM daycare? Did she give in and hire that nanny that we only saw once in season 11? I'm almost concerned (to the extent that I can be concerned about fictional characters, which is to a considerable extent).
Haha those are some valid concerns, Tabitha! It's quite annoying that the show won't even address this matter. I mean, a simple “I dropped them off at the daycare” sentence would do, no? It's even more noticeable in last week's 250th episode where everyone's at the house and there's literally no sign of Mer's kids. Even when she mentions them later as she screams at Amelia!