moonorchid

They are really setting the stage for Jackson and Maggie. Ugh.

Maggie as a character doesn't bother me and I was with her this episode when I wasn't bitter about the Blantant writer manipulation to get the audience to love her. The same damn qualities that are positive for her are negative for april. When April stands her ground she's a bitch but when Maggie does it she's empowering. Maggie goes through a crisis and the damn Calvary gets rounded up while april has lost a baby and been literally gutted to birth her second child and no one is looking at her with any sort of concern. Even next week with Jackson being all worried and concerned watching Maggie work makes me want to gag. maggie was given the "George" treatment this episode and I personally don't find that it was earned outside of mer, Amelia, Richard, and maybe Alex. But outside of that, episodes like JTS and this show that there is still quality in the writing when it's focused on a few characters in an episode. Did I miss everyone we didn't see tonight, not really cause in the frame work of the episode they would have been out of place...much like Arizona, and Jackson to an extent was this week...but what bothers me is like what someone said above...this characters have on going arcs that are just stalled for this. I wish these writers would figure out a better system of figuring out which arcs to move forward and still touch on everything else. Like last week we could have gotten a ten second awkward scene between japril to just get a glimpse of what post JTS is like for them...but no we get a three episode arc of Maggie.

They better not go there with Maggie and Jackson.

Jackson and arizonas presence kept taking me out and making me roll my eyes. how is Maggie enticing this much concern and care from these people when this same group couldn't decide on a freaking gesture for japril when their baby died. Give me a freaking break! other then that, considering there hasn't been enough time to really get attached to Maggie's mom I was engaged at the end. I can't imagine going through something like that.

Maggie is just too much. number one: even if this was just a boon Job, it's none of her fucking business what her mother does, and if she wanted to ask questions then maybe she should have checked her judgemental attitude at the door. number two: Jackson doesn't control what comes out of her mouth. How could he let her talk to her mother that way? That's all you sister. You wanted to act like a child and freak out like a teenager, she might as well have stomp stomp slammed. Jackson is too stand up of a guy to be like. "I wanted to tell you but I don't control what comes out of your mouth". But meeting her mother, you see why she's like this. Her mother (and father) have sheltered her to the point where she can't express herself without screeching. amelia is another one who is too much. number one: she changed the rules on Owen, she doesn't get to turn it around into "owen the mysogonist" this is not because of Owen and instead of opening up about her fears she's going to blame Owen for not blindly just being okay with her changing the rules on him. He wanted her to come home and work on them cause when she freaked she just let him with no explanation and comes back and is continuing to avoid the issue. Her turning it around to make it Owen's is a bitch move and bringing up cristina is low. Number two: much like Owen was wrong to make Cristina feel bad about not wanting kids, making Owen feel bad about wanting them is just as bad. There's nothing wrong with either stance except when your married to a person who doesn't want what you want. Amelia is emotionally manipulating him because she's too emotionally unstable to handle her own shit. Owens has done nothing but beg her to come home and when he finally tries another tactic she goes off. I can't with these two because the truth is, if Owen is gonna choose a life without kids, then he needs to move to Switzerland. im sure I'm supposed to find this thing with Meredith and Nathan charming. I don't. Shit or get off the pot Meredith, that's what Nathan wants but instead you want him to list his qualities to convince you to date him...it doesn't sit right with me.

I can understand the female doctors not changing their names after establishing themselves with their own. It seems like an identity thing and I don't have a problem with it, nor has any of the husbands for that matter.

The only thing that still kind of bugs is the patient story line. It really felt like the parents were willing to gamble with their childs life just so she wouldn't lose her voice, and Jackson is making insane promises and goes as far to tell april that his only option was that procedure but he didn't like it. The levity wasn't there but it was a major experimental never been done before surgery. I know this show bends reality and I get the entire point of the patient storyline was about jacksom finding his voice, but a part of me almost wanted the patient to die to make the point of, there are worse things in life then losing the ability to speak. It all worked out in the end and it was a sweet scene.

This is something touched upon way back in season 6 and never revisited. In theory Meredith would have had first hand experience with the situation Jackson was going through and maybe his feelings on the matter, but would Meredith has subtly pushed him like april had? Meredith would have told him to put up or shut up and just left it at that. Maybe Meredith back in season 8 would have taken a more personable approach but Meredith now has barely looked jacksons way since season 10? So no, Meredith would not have pushed the story forward like april had by forcing him to talk to his father. Plus I doubt Jackson would have opened up to her like he did to april, and that is in large part due to Jackson and aprils shared history. I resent the implication I'm seeing here that Robert Avery gets a pass cause Catherine is extreme and manipulative. Now we don't know the whole story, maybe she threatened him, forced him out and blocked him from Jackson...but Roberts reaction to seeing Jackson for the first time and realizing who he was was akin to recognizing an old friend from high school you haven't seen in years. And yes maybe Jackson wanted to hear some regret from Robert, which Robert had none. It's like Jackson said, he didn't even have the presence of mind to fake it. For a person whose built this confrontation up in his head for years and has dealt with his own hang ups about his father abandoning him, having your father look you in the eye and say without hesitation how happy he is with his life...it's horrible for Jackson.

Despite if you like japril or not I thought this was one of the better put together episodes of the season. From the acting, writing, directing, heck even the cinematography! There was a lot of care put into this ep from all angles and it really showed. I mentioned before I can't stand the "lashing out" trope, but I will say I'm glad April just wasn't gonna be bulldozed by it. She knew Jackson well enough to know the way to get him to deal with his crap with his father was to make it about the patient. I'm not sure I completely buy the connection between Jackson putting his dad issues to bed with a rekindling of sorts with April, especially since their hook up was more an adrenaline rush than anything else but... i liked how the morning after scene wasn't anything angsty or even unsure. It's more an affirmination to their past and how they still have a connection. They are giving each other heart eyes and two years ago I would have completely melted into a puddle...now it just leaves me happy but hesitant. Cause all the crap from before, and I mean way back to Samuel to this crap with minnick, has still happened and they both still have things they should say to one another. And again, the ways he's treated her the last few episodes and the beginning of this...it leaves such a sour taste in my mouth...it's not ok. Eric Roberts as daddy Avery was jaw dropping casting, I didn't expect it. He did well with not making him a villain but you don't feel for him either. When he said how happy he was...I felt jacksons devastation at that, he didn't even hesitate. That's hard to hear and it was heart breaking to watch, and I'm glad he put the kibosh on him talking about how difficult Catherine is. I've seen the sentiment in fandom, but you know what? Through Catherine's stubbornness and high intensity, she was there for Jackson. May not be in ways he wanted or appreciated, but end of the day, Catherine was there! That means something. I know japril isn't everyone's cup of tea but I thought Jesse Williams really hit it out the park this episode.

I haven't finished watching but I did spoil myself. One point I want to make is I am not okay with the "something else is bothering me so I'm going to treat you like crap" trope and the girl is just okay with it when she realizes the root problem. It's a classic Alex Karev move that Jackson adopted. So the first half of this episode bothered me, especially his constant dismissive attitude over aprils abilities as a doctor.

I agree with you from a logical standpoint, but for me, knowing that Alex got away with what he did scot free, their whole interaction just rubs me the wrong way.

I remember this but I'm unsure at times the show does, lol. but yes, that's why Catherine's actions were considered ooc, there's anger at april for what she did to Jackson by leaving, and there's being manipulative and sneaky and lulling april into a false sense of security during an emotional time in her life to try and take her daughter away from her. Before that Catherine seemed quite fond of april. Catherine is one of the few people who doesn't dismiss at first glance and Catherine can be pretty dismissive. She always seemed to take an interest in april and maybe that had to do with keeping tabs on Jackson, but I thought they've always had a sweet relationship before everything went to shit.

Any episode where within the opening scenes of the episode I am incensed and say "fuck you mer!", I know it's gonna be just THAT kind of episode. Ive already written about that point so I won't again. - I just can't with Amelia and owelia...but especially Amelia. She is way too emotionally fragile to be with anyone right now..And it's not like she doesn't have cause. She's a recovering alcoholic, that struggle is forever, but this thing with her and Owen...I said it before...they bonded over their tragic pasts without actually revealing what those pasts were. Asking people to walk in front of her to see if Owen is there, I mean cmon! If you don't want kids that is fine, but let the man know and then let him go. The only person I could ever buy him giving up that dream of a family for is Cristina. - the Webber/Avery/kepner drama. I can't tell if Catherine is actually taking a vested interest in aprils skills or if she's manipulating her, and if she is, to what end? What does April have that Catherine wants to get out of her? Its easy I guess to forget all the crap from last year but I've never been positive april knew Catherine spear headed the custody battle. I'm about done with jacksons attitude. I'm glad he stood up to his mother but he is taking this thing to whole new levels. Whenever he spoke to Catherine this episode he sounded so petulant, especially with his "I've never been more glad of anything in my entire life", grow up Jackson! And at first aprils "are you jealous?" Was ridiculous but then I remember Jackson being all, "you have april, the Avery you want" to Catherine and I was like, huh? I'm so confused on what his actual problem is. Hopefully next weeks sheds light on this cause I was just left scratching my head. - nitpick, when Webber was all, "april you're no longer chief of surgery..." if it was Meredith in that moment he would never have spoken to her like that. I'm so beyond done with this show trying to make me believe april stole mers job and should be considered a snake for it. - God Riggs and Meredith. I'm whatever but he just gets so douchey around mer and I don't like it. I don't understand this thrall she has. Is she that great in bed? Cause there has been ZERO reasons other than that for why Riggs wants to be with her. Every time they speak she's either hostile or dismissive except one to,e they bonded over dead spouses. I'm just not buying them. - I really hope this show doesn't pair Deluca with Alex often. Maybe if this show acknowledged what Alex did was wrong and he was 100% at fault and had him punished in some form for it it would be one thing, but as it stands, you have a man who has to work under his superior who beat him violently and got away with it. Whether this show means to or not, when Alex yelled at him and Deluca eyes got wide in fear...there's a whole other level to it and it makes me uncomfortable. It should not be on Deluca to be the bigger man but in this year of the originals, characters like Deluca have been sacrificed to prop up Alex. It's leaving a bitter taste in my mouth. - the patient case. I felt bad for the fiancé. It sounded like the sister didn't like hi, already and this just pushed her over the edge. It sounded like a horrible accident that he feels horrible for and he wanted to help and be there anyway he could, even taking all the comments and insinuations and barbs the sister was throwing at him. And it affected the brother and he was wrong. My gosh when all he offered was to bring them food and the sister is all, "food?...FOOD?" What you not gonna eat the rest of your life because of this? All in all it was frustrating but with a title like "civil war" it was expected at least.

Word! It's not her looks that make me disbelieve how enthralled Riggs is with Meredith. Ellen Pompeo is rocking it! What makes it so unbelievable is how sour Meredith is all the time. She's given zero indication that she even likes him but one rocking night with Meredith and Riggs is thinking of her all the time, badgering her for attention, and flirting with her non stop. I don't get the appeal for him.

She's not holding any resentment over being interim. She liked the job and was good at it. She wants an opportunity. And she didn't complain about it. She did work so mer wouldn't have to yet all mer can do is fake smile and make a snide comment. Once again...mer can shove her attitude.

April flat out said it...doing the job she found that she liked it. She was good at it. There's nothing wrong with realizing that and wanting to pursue it. and I resent merediths "you stole it". April didn't steal shit, Meredith got suspended on her own violation. April had zero to do with that. So Mer can shove her snob attitude up her ass.

I think maybe by the time Cristina left, none of the others outside of Alex were remotely close enough to Meredith for their to be a legit closer relationship. Cause honestly outside of the "carpool crew" could any of them drop their current lifestyle/storyline to be merediths new circle? It was too late by then so something new had to be drawn up for her because Meredith as "the sun" needs planets revolving around her. That sounds more catty than I intend but it's still true.

Meredith as a character suffered when Derek died and Cristina left. Not because she's not a strong enough character to be independent of them, but because this show never bothered to foster other relationships for her outside of those two. If all she had for the rest of her life was Derek and Cristina she would be the happiest person on earth. But they are gone and she's clung to Alex like a life preserver and feels this obligation to Maggie and especially Amelia. The show gave her a new circle but she doesn't even come close to wanting them like she wanted Derek and Cristina, and it shows and it turns me off as a viewer from Meredith.

BOOM!!!! Meredith gets lauded for being great while april gets second guessed and dismissed. The difference between the two is Meredith had at min two people who had her best interests at heart and gave her a lot of breaks..a lot of them...her attending boyfriend/husband and the chief of surgery/her mothers lover.

I'm not gonna comment on Ellen's looks except to say that the permanent bitch face Meredith is sporting just annoys me. If they are playing this as Meredith is permanently changed from losing her husband, her sister, and in a way her person, I can buy it, but don't tell me that at min three people just want to be around her all the time and everyone else is just Gaga over her. Meredith pre season 9 was a character that cared about others. The Meredith now can barely muster the energy to give a damn about anyone outside of Alex. I don't miss her when she's not in an episode much and most will not agree but I don't think she's needed to tie the show together anymore since the cast has become so large and many of the characters are independent of her. Meredith has little to no ties with at least six characters, seven if you sort of include Owen.

Through it all I still find her a sympathetic character but I know I'm in the miniroty. I've always wished for self awareness for April but that is only given in spurts which are few and far in between. At this point, in my opinion, she's been punished enough. Jackson divorced her and made it known he wanted little to do with her, at least till he found out she was pregnant. And now they live copesetically as co-parents. Who knows what will happen in this centric.

Never mind, it's just going to go around and I don't want to argue let's just see if April can be there for Jackson in any way despite the past.

Right cause why would knowing your baby is breaking his bones in utero, giving birth to the baby you know will die, and then dealing with PPD and the grief of losing a child ever distract april from "what about Jackson?!?!?" i don't even know if I hardcore ship them anymore (thanks greys for ruining a great ship but tell me again how much mer "gets" Riggs) but to just wipe away actual story points just able to call april "wrapped in herself" just takes away from the whole point. besides, what else is she going to do in this episode when in the synopsis it says "april is forced to step up and get him back on track"? regardless, I get the sense that this is more a Jackson episode than japril and I'm looking forward to that. Jackson doesn't get many chances to actually let the audience get to know him, and it's not because Jackson is a "lone wolf" and "keeps things close to his chest"...it's cause the writers don't care about a character they've had for almost eight years and never bothered to give him a solid perspective. Besides being angry at april that is.

I wonder if the issue that Jackson's mind is on is his father possibly returning? Would be interesting. The second part of the synopsis makes it seem like april will finally be able to be there for Jackson in a way she couldn't before, cause she was too wrapped in her grief.

When I finally watched the episode today I thought it was a more well put together episode then my impression was from reading reviews from viewers last night. It seems the only time it bothers people when doctors project their problems onto patients is when it's a doctor you don't like. Funny enough I didn't find that Jo was projecting her issue, it came off as more her relating to the mom in that she also was a victim of domestic violence. This was some of camillas best acting because the writing let her be more subtle than "I USED TO LIVE IN MY CAR". When Jo was talking about not letting the dad give his kidney because he would use this to weasel his way back in and gain control over them...it was the realist moment Jo has ever had. You felt that she HAD been there and knew the fear the mom had. Abusive situations are about the abuser gaining control over a person and keeping it at all cost. So I may not know first hand but I felt that Jo did and feeling that isn't something this show excels had nowadays, so brava. Riggs on the other hand was completely projecting his own guilt over moving on with his life after his finance went missing, the anger he dircted at the parents was equal parts "wtf dude you need to chill" and "he's angry with himself and a part of him always will be" with me and I was able to accept it. Now do I enjoy that this was a moment the writers used to show how compatible Riggs and Meredith are? Meh not really but sometimes it's easier to just go with the grain with this show, especially when there are storylines going on that absolutely make my blood boil. Arizona is a hypocrite in my eyes and while I was able to forgive rattimg it aprils pregnancy to Jackson without so much as a warning, this I may have a harder time with. She has side eyed and smugly gone on about how misguided april is and yet she feels it's ok to "consort" with the enemy, except she doesn't want anyone to know cause she's seen how everyone treated april. So yeah, hypocrite. Webber and Jackson talking shit about minnick is so grade school. Minnick may be smug, but guess what, so are Jackson and Webber. I was happy to see some semblance of professionalism this episode. No one likes it that Meredith isn't there but April is the replacement and if you want to continue your profession you need to work with her, and I liked how april handled her role this episode. She had a tough decision to make, listened to both Alex and Webber make their case and heard all the options, ruminated for a second and then confidently made a decision. April is beyond capable and I wish she was given more credit for it, especially by... Jackson. He has taken this whole thing super personally and his smug, petulant attitude is not a good color on him. He's completely miscontruting the situation to justify his anger. April didn't steal anyone's job, Bailey gave it to her. Minnick didn't steal webbers job, Bailey gave it to her. I just can't with Jackson and his attitude towards April. This all reeks of him still having resentment over her leaving him for Jordan, and April taking this interim position has triggered it. Which if this is revealed I may understand it all better and have a better idea of where his head is at but it doesn't excuse any of it. He has said and implied that he thinks very little of April as a doctor and this is not the first time. It bothers me as someone who ships japril. I don't need or want to see the kids on this show but I think it's lazy and irresponsible and incompetent to not frame the world your writing around the situations that have been introduced...like the fact that Meredith has three kids, one being at least toddler age by now. Meredith can be bored even having kids at home but oh she's soooo bored that she's looking up bylaws, give me a freaking break. Which brings me to my last point, I was glad Meredith mentioned looking up whether she can be suspended. I still think it's a slippery slope but it's nice to know that the board members don't just have free reign. Otherwise what's the point of having a chief of surgery. P.S: Amelia is totes preggers