Too much April is never a good sign, right?
Despite the show’s desperate efforts to pretend that this season is focusing more on Meredith and her life after Derek, it’s become clear now more than ever that this isn’t Meredith’s show at all. There are way, way too many characters right now, and to add Penny and Dr. Nathan Riggs (April’s friend from her last tour) to the cast just seems ridiculous. The show was already overcrowded with superfluous characters, so why this season is intent on making things soapier and more packed than ever is beyond me.
And that’s not the part that irked the most about this episode. There’s a huge April problem on Grey’s Anatomy, and it’s a problem that started way back in the sixth season and never went away. This week, more than ever, I found myself cringing every time this horrendous character did or said anything. Was the show trying to redeem her by having her lie to the hospital about the extent of a patient’s condition? Were we supposed to feel bad because this entire storyline paralleled with her failing marriage in the least subtle way possible? Honestly, if anything, it only confirmed what a manipulative, unlikable person she is. Maybe she and Jackson deserve each other after all; I’m starting to hate that guy too.
The main storyline, involving Meredith bullying Penny every chance she got, wasn’t the most exciting or original one either. It was actually a bit confusing at first because I thought Meredith was fine with Penny joining the staff (as was evident from the last scene of the 250th episode), but it seemed like she suddenly decided she wasn’t okay with it after all. Truth is, this was just an extremely predictable subplot with a very anticlimactic ending. And I don’t know what happened this week because I definitely loved Penny last time a lot more than I did here. It’s a true shame, and I hope they can fix this and stop relying on the Derek drama if they want this character to stick around.
The reveal that Richard knew who this person was (Derek’s killer!) and kept quiet should have had a bigger impact too, but sadly it just came off as overly and unnecessarily dramatic. I wish I can find it plausible or even slightly realistic, but after everything we’ve seen on this show it’s hard to see this as anything more than a tedious way to create more trouble between Meredith and Webber.
Bits & Scalpels
– The case was undeniably heartbreaking, as was evident from the first scene (although I could’ve lived without the close-ups of the boy’s hands) and definitely a reason I enjoyed this hour more than I should have, but can we stop with our ill portrayals of the Middle East? The line about the boy returning to Jordan with no hands and no one to take care of him over there was a bit much.
– There was also a C-subplot involving Richard and Maggie, but the only thing to get out of this one is Richard’s hilarious nickname “Bumpy”.
– Dr. Nathan Riggs already feels like a McDreamy replacement. He wasn’t so bad, but I’m very intrigued about whatever’s going on between him and Owen. But seriously, what are the odds?
– I will not approve if this Nathan guy ends up being dating Meredith.
– Absolutely loved Callie sticking up to Penny. She was definitely the only person with actual human logic this week.
– Richard and Meredith’s talk in the end was actually very heartwarming, but I was too distracted with the music to be honest.
– Oh dear lord, the music this season is going to be the death of me. No, a cover of Britney Spears’ “Oops! I Did It Again” is never okay, show.
Grey Banter
Callie: You don’t teach by shoving someone else’s face in the dirt. That’s not teaching. That’s just being mean. And small.
Richard: I didn’t want Blake here. I fought it.
Meredith: Then why did you hire her?
Richard: Because I’ve been accused of coddling you, and I didn’t want to do that. I didn’t think you’d want me to. That was one reason. I didn’t want you here, either. When you were accepted to this program, I didn’t know how I was gonna look at you every day and be reminded of the best and worst times of my life. And you walked in, the spitting image of your mother. Talented, smart, here…every day. And I decided that wasn’t fair to you. I decided to put aside my personal feelings to…
Meredith: Rise above.
Richard: And I’m glad I did that. Every day.
Meredith: He would have said the same thing. Derek…he probably would have even liked her.
Must Download Tune
Gone by Aaron Espe
Conclusion
A disappointing and unoriginal episode made all the more frustrating by the ever-increasing cast. At least the case was a tearjerker though.
Chris Rating
C+
Word. The Meredith stuff was lame and I won't even talk about April. Also OOPS I DID IT AGAIN? Really Greys?
Hahaha riight?? What were they thinking?
I think you are being way too generous with your rating Chris. But seriously how did April survive on the show so far? I couldn't watch the episode in one sitting because she is super annoying! Please kill her already 🙁
This episode is about shame. Shame is slow, uncomfortable, pitiful, and the most excruciating of all pains. This episode shows us this if we imagine the surrender of ego. We would have to participate in the viewing of this episode with solidly activated empathy. Watch it again with that — truly imagining you're any of these characters dealing with this awkward consequences of their own existential acting out. Sure it's Hollywood but these crimes of passion and rejection happen to all of us. This show was a one-age play especially created to give us an experience of working out our butt-hurt shit in a mature way. This piece shows us that being a badass actually requires that we confront our shit. So this HAD to happen and be about Meredith. She is the namesake of the show. From the beginning. And grieving the loss of her perfect McDreamy life is actually a gift to us. Imagine ever having that much success and in the end, be brokenhearted. Then way? TV fiction sometimes can show us how getting over ourselves and moving forward is the coolest thing ever.