Grey’s Anatomy 12×10 – All I Want Is You

There’s no way this was going to top last week’s masterpiece of an episode and it’s a little unfair to expect it to anyway, but All I Want Is You was a very underwhelming hour of Grey’s and a confusing one at times.

It’s so weird to see the show attempt to shake up some of the character dynamics this week because there’s no way I would have ever imagined Bailey’s husband share a scene (and a drink!) with Jo, Stephanie and Penny. It was really baffling to see them interact like a bunch of interns discussing relationships and the differences between men and women. Even the Riggs/April dynamic was puzzling to watch, although that’s a little more understandable seeing as how they actually spent lots of time together off-screen when April ditched Jackson for a year (thanks for the reminder, show).

Of course, the fact that this is becoming more of a Meredith-centric show is a huge plus for a season that’s hardly disappointed so far. I loved every minute of her therapy sessions, made all the more compelling thanks to Ellen Pompeo and Bill Smitrovich’s chemistry. Whether they’re sharing deep, personal life lessons with each other or laughing about Meredith’s huge file of tragedies, I was mesmerized by their interactions and truly wish we could see more of those in the future. As far as fictional therapists go, he really did a wonderful job making Meredith realize on her own what she really wants. While I am definitely worried about seeing new men in Mer’s life because I’m still reeling from the horrific McDreamy death, it was undoubtedly a gripping moment to come to the conclusion that Meredith is not a widower anymore and truly does not want to be alone.

The upsetting flashbacks certainly tucked at my heartstrings (as they’re supposed to), especially the Mer/Cristina goodbye and the tear-jerking season one flashbacks. They are always so impeccably picked out, each and every single one being an iconic moment from Meredith’s life, and executed alongside a heartbreaking musical score that’s going to haunt me forever. Even better was how the flashbacks culminated in the triumphant moment from last week’s acclaimed episode: the final shot of Meredith raising her head and staring at the camera in a spectacularly glorious manner. Fascinating stuff.

To go from Mer’s compelling storyline to all the other stuff happening at the hospital was difficult because, not only were the cuts quick and random, but also it was just hard to care about everything else going on. The ambulance blowing up outside Grey Sloan Memorial felt more like an afterthought rather than a real, serious subplot, and Alex’s case, while heartbreaking and emotional, was predictable and structurally typical (no one really believed Maya was going to die, right?). Only the Owen/Riggs subplot felt slightly more interesting than the rest if only because Amelia helped Hunt draw parallels from her own stumbling relationship with Meredith. We still don’t know the full story concerning Owen’s sister, but color me impressed so far.

Bits & Scalpels

– I still don’t care about Maggie and the intern. Luckily, this C-subplot was salvaged by the look on Webber’s face when he discovered the truth about them.

– Hysterical: the therapist asking Meredith if she has feelings for Karev.

– Did anyone else feel like the girl’s mother looked a lot like Lexie? I miss Lexie.

– Oh, look, they’re mentioning the 3D printer again. Hooray.

– Truly nail-biting scene when Owen and Riggs were operating in full-sync. Goosebumps, anyone?

– Loved Meredith kicking everyone out of her house. I really think she is one of my favorite, most complicated and multi-layered characters on television.

– The Jo/Alex scene at the end was so random. I’m not sure I love Jo anymore.

Grey Banter

Meredith: My mother died of Alzheimer’s, my stepmother died of the hiccups, my sister died in a plane crash, my husband was hit by a semi. That file…it’s a real page-turner.

Meredith: A terrible thing happened. I did get knocked around. But nobody died. And any day where nobody dies, that’s a good day.

Therapist: Do you want to be alone?
Meredith: Well, I’m a widow. I’m good at it.

Meredith: I am very good at being alone. I’ve taught myself how to do it. And I don’t mean my kids. I love my kids. And I have my class and my work. I have moved on.
Therapist: You see, but a widow hasn’t really moved on. She’s still sort of married. She’s just married to a dead guy. You’re not married anymore. And you’re not a widow anymore. So, what are you?

Must Download Tunes
Daughter by Sleeping at Last
Run Run Run by Jill Scott

Conclusion
The aftermath of Meredith’s brutal attack proved to be gripping on every level, but the rest of the hour was disappointing in comparison.

Chris Rating
B