That was really forgettable.
After fourteen seasons, it’s expected that Grey’s would produce an unmemorable hour every now and again. For every stunner like Don’t Fear The Reaper, you get a dud like You Really Got A Hold On Me. Unfortunately, Old Scars, Future Hearts is more similar to the latter.
Directed by Ellen Pompeo, this hour tries to be a little bit different by including flashbacks to a young Alex and a young Joe. Weirdly enough, it also gives us some young Maggie which is pretty random when she’s not the primary focus of the episode. I couldn’t exactly figure out a structure for this episode, and that rubbed me the wrong way. Moreover, the stylistic flourishes with the bizarre flashback color palettes just felt remarkably odd.
My favorite part of the hour? The continued drama between Meredith and auntie Marie. It’s the kind of subplot that continues to be very complex; both women are right, and there’s no clear-cut baddie. Furthermore, their interactions are mature and free of contrived TV drama which is always a plus. I genuinely can’t wait to see how the writers will resolve this one.
Bits & Scalpels
– I don’t think we’ve ever seen a young gay couple on the show before right? Both of them being fantasy geeks was a nice touch.
– I’ll never get over the heartbreaking fact that Jo used to live in her car.
– Alex’s mom and her mental illness? Horrifyingly sad.
– Tom’s kid died from a freak accident. Wow. And I’m impressed by how much the depth the show has managed to give him in recent weeks. His dynamic with April has been a refreshing surprise.
– And just like that, Alex and Jo are getting married. I honestly had forgotten that they weren’t.
– This hour was surprisingly free of witty dialogue. Not cool writers.
Grey Banter
Tom: (to April) How did that woman become this woman? Alcoholism? Drugs. Cancer diagnosis. Uh physical trauma? Dead relative. Dead pet. Dead beloved TV-show character?
Must-Download Tunes
I Don’t Want To Lose You by Luca Fogale
Conclusion
Not the greatest hour of Grey’s but it’s watchable in a diverting sort of way.
Nad Rating
C+
Perfectly stated. The Maggie flashbacks were so cringey and terrible! And I’m sorry, but I still find Jackson/Maggie absolutely gross. I can’t for the life of me understand where they’re going with this!
So true about the Meredith and Marie storyline being the BEST thing about this episode (and these past couple of episodes). Something about this feels like a storyline from the older seasons and I love it! Ellen is really incredible.