GSMHvisitor

No, I can't see the good in Alex's exit, and it's not as a Jolex shipper, but as an Alex fan. He left everyone and everything without goodbye, lied about where he was going, disappeared for weeks, and then sent these cowardly, horrible letters. And yes I would have been equally angry about it, if they had killed him off. But I'm tired of hearing those were the only two options. They had the easiest and best solution right in front of their eyes. They said Alex went to Iowa to help his mom. Why not stick with that and say he needed to be there for her or his siblings indefinitely? Then he and Jo could have tried long-distance that ulimately didn't work out.

Flashbacks to the past and dead wife of a character who isn't even a regular? Are you kidding me? But in 16 seasons we couldn't even meet Alex's sister once?

I have never read a single bad word about Justin from cast or crew. The silence is weird and suspicious, but I won't believe Justin made problems on set unlesd I read something that is credible. I don't even remember any rumours that were mentioned on this board and I usually read this board pretty throroughly. I don't think I missed something as big a juicy BTS rumours.

What behind the scenes rumors? This is the first I've ever heard about that. If anything it was actually the opposite. Justin was a very beloved among the cast. I've never heard anything other than that he was an absolutely generous, laid-back funny and humble guy. Can you tell me where you read that Justin wasn't getting along with people?

But there were options! There were several at the beginning. It's just lazy writing that we ended up with ghosting everyone or death. They could have said he got a new awesome job offer elsewhere. Since Catherine bought Pac North and he got fired from Grey Sloan previously, it would only make sense that Alex would finally want to escape the Seattle doctor mess. And since they started this story by saying Alex was visiting his mom, they could have said he decided to move back to Iowa to take care of her. Either way he and Jo could have tried a long distance relationship for a while and then they could have said it didn't work out, if they wanted to keep Jo around. It's solely the writers' fault that this turned out the way that it did. In fact, it looks to me like viewers wanting Alex dead is exactly what the writers were aiming for. What else am I to make of the fact that neither his wife Jo nor his best friend Meredith were worried for even a second that something terrible could have happened to him? Cheating/leaving are the only possibilities the viewers heard over the last 4-5 weeks, so now they've had plenty of time to come to the conclusion that death is the better option. But that's not me. The only thing I want out of this is for Alex to come out of this alive. I could so see this happening and I will hate every second of it. So many times especially in the last 5 years Alex has only been used to further other characters' storylines and I will hate it if the even use his exit that way. But I don't expect anything else from these writers.

So Jo is still thinking Alex left her? For weeks she's been riding the he left me/ is cheating/ ran off with another woman train and not a single thought that maybe something terrible has happened to him? Seriously Jo?? I get that the ghosting/cheating thought would be the dominant one after his cryptic text (voicemail?) about going through something and needing time, plus the radio silence after, plus finding out he's never been visiting his mother. But I would hope she knows him well enough and trusts him enough to realize that all this is so off and doesn't make sense for her husband to do. But she's not even considered for a moment that something terrible could have happened to him instead. It's insane it actually took her weeks to contact his mother. She could have gone to Iowa to find out what is going on with Alex weeks ago. Honestly, if my husband just disappeared like that for weeks and then I find out from his mother that he hasn't been with her, I would go straight to the police. Everyone is talking about what an ass Alex would be for leaving her like this, but nobody is talking about how Jo has pretty much zero trust in him and doesn't even waste a thought on the very real possibility that something happened to her husband. But I gotta say, my sympathy for Jo is very limited right now. Especially because there's no way I believe Alex actually ghosted her and his entire life and is cheating on her. They've teased this option so much over the last 5 episodes or so that for me it's pretty clearly a red herring. I hate the mere thought, but I think they're killing him off. Also because I doubt they would do a tribute episode for a guy who walked out on his wife/ and or is cheating on her. My best option now is coma or amnesia. But I don't know how they could sell that without Justin being there in person.

So you've said before. And being a fan of Justin and knowing that he was never not supportive or loyal to the show it wouldn't make sense to me either. But it's just so weird that there's been complete radio silence from TPTB + the cast about his departure that people probably jump to conclusions. What's more is that I can't come up with a reason why Justin would not be willing to do a goodbye arc, or hell, just a goodbye episode. Especially because I know he's a decent guy who has always been loved by all the people on set and he's never complained, not even about his character having been sidelined so much - which he was. How did he even get out of the contract in the middle of the season? I'd really just like to have an explanation that makes sense.

Easy! Just give him a new awesome job in a different state he wants to take. After Catherine hijacked Pac North it would make even more sense for Alex to want a job away from the Seattle doctor mess. Then he and Jo can fight (off-screen or via phone) about whether Jo wants to leave too. I think it would make neither of them a complete asshole for wanting to go/stay. Well, maybe Jo would look a little worse for not going, but I don't think it would do too much damage to her character. And frankly, the top priority in that situation should be to give Alex a half-decent exit. He's an OG and that's the least they should have done. Instead they are cooking up some bullshit that will lead to God knows what kind of stupid resolution. EDIT: also what Evie said right above me. Really there were several ways to handle this better than what they went for. But they're sacrificing reason for drama as always.

That's fair. I did think maybe he wanted to deflect. I do wish him the best and he needs to do what's best for him. But I am also super sad this is the way it ends for Alex. I was so invested in this character.

I'm more and more confused. Obviously he's not gonna tell the public if he had/has to face some severe tragedy in life, but all of his statements sound like he was just done with Grey's and is looking to do other projects. But why not do a little good-bye arc then? And how was he left out of his contract so easily, if it wasn't for personal reasons?

As far as I know that was because TPTB didn't think he had the right chemistry with the female lead.

Yeah it must be really severe if he decided to quit altogether. Now I'm worried he or his family might be ill. I wonder if we will finally hear something from cast & crew once the show comes back. I'd expect them to wish him well and thank him for his work at the very least.

So maybe a new project was offered to him that he didn't want to miss out on? Regardless, if this story is true I'm disappointed in Justin that he didn't care enough about the character or the fans to give Alex a proper ending. I don't blame him for wanting to leave, because the lack of screentime and storylines was insulting, but this? This is not okay.

But who would turn down a spin-off that will give your character more focus? If anything I could see Justin demanding more of something (Storylines? Screentime? Money?) and TPTB refusing. Because I could absolutely see those people having an "Do it our way or get out" attitude. It bothers me that we will never know what exactly went down. I feel so disrespected as a fan by this curveball. I'm also not sure that story about his mental health issues is legit. So far there has only been one site that wrote about it. Not a single other media outlet has picked it up. That makes me wary.

Things still don't add up to me. Like some others suggested, if Justin needs to take care of his health wouldn't he have opted for an extended leave of absence instead of quitting the show so suddenly? Especially, because there have been so many seasons in different stages of this show where Alex was treated like a side character. Justin certainly must have been annoyed about it, but if it didn't make him quit before, why now? He always seemed to enjoy that he had a steady gig that brought in good money and a daily routine. But even if it reached the point where he couldn't take it anymore, in addition to alleged mental health problems, I'd want to believe he cared enough about the character (and the fans) to want some sort of proper ending for him. But this... this is just so weird I can't make sense of it.

This is how it ends for my favourite TV character ever? This just sucks. This shit show is dead to me now.

What a joke. I knew this episode would be lame once they went over the top in their promotion for this episode by using the word "shocking" way too many times. I like DeLuca but the way he keeps running after her is silly and makes me like him less. Even in dumping her he was wishy-washy. And Meredith is not likable in that relationship. I never really buy it that she actually cares for him, let alone loves him. In short, they are just not right for each other. They both deserve better. Why the hell should Koracik still want to be with Teddy? She's such a wet blanket. Jo stole that baby? Another person on this show who did something stupid and legally questionable. On this show this means she will probably get rewarded for it and she and Alex will adopt that baby (not that Alex really matters in that scenario, because he never does, but I will get to that in a moment). So that was the big cliffhanger? A bunch of people I don't care about (minus Ben maybe) are trapped in the bar and might get smashed by a car? Yawn. You know who I care about? Alex! He is at this point the sole and only reason I still put up with this nonsense show. And then he isn't even in the episode? And it's the fall finale no less. This season has been one giant joke for him so far. The Pac North story has barely had any movement so far, 9 eps in I still don't have a clue what its purpose is. Several episodes he got nothing else to do than being the emotional support guy/cheerleader for other characters (Jo, Meredith, Maggie) and when they did give him a story (Hallowen) it was just for comedic relief. At this point they can't make it more obvious that nobody in that writers room gives a rat's ass about Alex as a character.

Yup, I remember this. I also hated it because it was the stupidest justification ever. Alex was punished by Owen for ratting out The Sun when she was the one who had broken the law. It was so unprofessional of Owen. His reasoning was just so dumb.

I saw that story, but was hoping that love scene is with someone else. I guess no such luck 😕 This pairing is not working and I wish KV would finally realize it.

Reading the merciless snark on this board after yet another eye-roll worthy episode might be one of the only good things that are left of Grey's. So keep it coming!

So this was basically another centric, with only 2 stories and only 4 (5 if you count Catherine which I hate to do) of the main characters affected. With the one two weeks ago and the one following next week about Meredith that makes 3 centrics in 9 episodes. Don't get me wrong, I love that I don't have to see all of these characters every episode, but I can't help noticing that Alex is never one of the characters who has had an active story in any centric and they've been doing lots of them the past few seasons. I'm so beyond tired of Alex always being sidelined.

Me too! But I'm very sceptical if they will thoroughly explore it. I want to see the wedding itself and all that led up to it, actually SEE it and not just have it recounted as they tell the family. It seems to me that next week will be all about the reaction of the family. From the promo teen Kate's story already seems more front and center than Kevin's. But what I really need is some real insight into teen Kevin & Sophie's relationship. Also can teen Sophie finally be allowed to be more than Kevin's arm candy? I want some real focus on their relationship for once. Teen Sophie first appeared in s1, but we have seen nothing of their relationship so far.

Meanwhile Alex still has never been part of a single centric episode...

Not to mention the drawstrings from her hoodie. I guess it was done so she didn't have anything on her to hurt herself. But dear lord could that scene have been any more over the top? She admitted herself voluntarily and while she acknowledged having suicial thoughts, she has never actually tried it. So was that really necessary? Maybe it is common procedure for every patient who stays at a psych hospital but then it's still OTT. And yeah I agree, that place, Jo's room especially looked nothing like a place you would go to for healing. It was ridiculous how they made everything extra dire. It's not the spiral itself I can't understand. It's the fact that she thought in-patient treatment was what she thought she needed as opposed to regular therapy. At the end of last season she just went there without any explanation whatsoever. It's such lazy writing IMO. It's like they jumped to a conclusion without giving us any real insight into the characters thoughts and feelings. I used to like Jo so much, but the superficial way her stories are told has soured me a bit on the character. And there's just never a clear characterization with her. She doesn't even feel like the same person she was back in s9 & 10. And that's too bad, because that was when I liked her best.

No, it was just never explained. Not in the s15 finale, nor in yesterday's premiere. Who cares about the characters motivations if you can raise awareness for another important social issue. Making a statement is the only thing that counts now.