S11.E19: Crazy Love

[LakeLover]

OK, so everyone knows that PD has asked for time off, but why do we need all the "where's Derek?" drama? There are easier ways to have him not be in every episode. Stayed home with the kids, doing a very special brain surgery in Africa, anything but the drama of is he cheating, is he dead. I have loved these two from the beginning, and Mer with out Derek is like jelly without peanut butter. It just doesn't work for me. I can't believe they can't find a solution for what is likely the last season anyway without breaking Mer and Der up or killing him off. Seriously show?

 

 

He and she are both under contract until S12, so we may have more unrealistic drama to come. Having said that, it's the "ER" syndrome, when the doctors change from being the doctors to being the patients in ever more horrific accidents. Since the ferryboat accident through the shooting, plane crash and storm (am I missing one?) it's gotten worse and worse over the years.

[AnitaM86]

Now Alex is just there to listen to various female characters. Avery is kind of just there. Derek has become a hashtag. I don't even know what to say about Owen.

I was watching some vintage interviews about Grey's and when Shonda spoke about what the show was, she usually said that it's about powerful women. We should've taken that as a sign that men would just be props and that's it. It's a shame as most have a good character background that would be great to explore. 

 

but why do we need all the "where's Derek?" drama?

 

Because that's the best that the marketing department can do? 

[windsprints]

I can think of 18 times over 15 years that ER had the doctors as patients but there were probably more. I can think of 18 for Grey's too but could be also more. Grey's may end up beating ER at that in the end. Its a close race.

 

ETA: I forgot a couple, I have GA at 20.

 

You know the hashtag thing is dumb when you have media like Ausiello pointing out how PD tweeting pictures makes it pointless - https://twitter.com/MichaelAusiello/status/586348236589240320

Edited April 10, 2015 by windsprints

[Bort]

What position does Richard hold these days? I'm under the impression that he's "just" another surgeon - and that he wouldn't have had any authority to tell April not to call Mama Avery. I loved April standing her ground, and that loving moment with Mama Avery and then back to business.

Richard is in charge of residents. April is an attending, in charge of her own department (the ER), and the penis case was totally in her purview. So yeah, I don't understand why he thought he had the right to bark at her which urologist should be called. I liked that April stood her ground about calling Catherine but I also felt like she should have pointed out that it was never Richard's call anyway.

[PamelaMaeSnap]

Wasn't Paul McCrane in "Fame" even before ER? So it's a Paul McCrane-Debbie Allen reunion. Surprised there was no big song and dance number.

 

Zola always was and continues to be the cutest kid on TV.

 

And the Chief will always be the Chief to me. 

[KaveDweller]

Besides the fact that Alex has twice gone down the road of "good girl tames bad boy" with Izzie and Lexie, I just don't think that there would be time to set up and resolve any kind of triangle or "true love switcheroo." Justin Chambers mentioned in an interview over the summer that he didn't think he would stay after the 12th season, and I can't imagine that this season would change his mind. Please god, don't let him change his mind, my sanity is banking on him leaving!

 

He probably gets paid a ton of money per episode, for almost no work.  I'd stay at that job.  I have always liked Alex though, so I hope he gets more to do.  Honestly, I think I've liked him with every female they've paired him with, so I could get on board with him and Maggie.  I also would be fine with him and Jo getting married though.

 

As for whether Amelia's dead lover was "true love" or not - I didn't watch Private Practice (the first episode turned me off) -  but I don't think true love and being junkies together are mutually exclusive, whether or not he started her up on drugs again. Damaged people can love each other - and be each other's true love - even if they are bad for each other. (like, say, Owen and Christina)

 

Sure junkies can love each other, but I think Amelia knew this guy for a couple weeks.  I never bought them as any kind of true love.  That's not to say it wasn't painful for Amelia, but the love talk always annoyed me.  I do think Meredith has been through a lot worse than Amelia though.  Losing a lover isn't the only kind of loss, and Meredith has lost a lot of people.

[photo fox]

Eh, I give Amelia a pass on most of that speech. It's hard to carry an anvil all by yourself.

[KaveDweller]

Eh, I give Amelia a pass on most of that speech. It's hard to carry an anvil all by yourself.

 

True, and I didn't really mind the rest of the speech.  I just always hated her great love talk on PP, so I hate it here too..

[Anela]

I liked the episode. Am I going to be ducking virtual tomatoes now? I liked that moment with April and her mother-in-law, liked Stephanie and the laugh she had with Jo. I liked Maggie, and Alex being nice to her (although he's now happy, shiny Meredith, from several years back - doing fine personally and professionally, so he's now a prop for the others). I liked Amelia telling Owen that he shouldn't have backed her up. 

 

What I don't like is the idea of them dragging Meredith down again, if Patrick still needs time off. Just let them be happy, for goodness sake!!! 

 

I didn't watch the pilot episode, because I wasn't in the mood to be reminded of how old I am. I have a big birthday coming up next week, and someone mentioned them looking like babies. I looked like a baby when the show premiered. 

[Nobodysfan]

I can´t stand people who behave like they've had it worse than anyone else in their lives and no one can ever possibly know what their grief or sorrow feels like. Shut up Amelia !!!!!! 

The way Meredith was so cool,so mature, by not responding to her,that was the best she coud do,no reaction.

 

And the way A acts with Callie, fighting with her like a teenager liking a surgery to what a carpenter or an electrician do on a house???Is she nuts????? And again she totally was rude to Stephanie, just because Meredith told her the truth, she took it out on a student she should teach and be a role model to?She is such a loser. She sleeps with the chief of surgery and her brother is on board  so she feels she  is allowed to do whatever she wants?Nobody can fire her right?

 

Poor Richard is with that vampire again. Why oh why? Poor Adele, must be rolling herself in grave. Shonda so conveniently killed her off.

 

I like the ease of Alex/Maggie scenes.Very natural. 

 

No more of Dan I guess, that felt out of nowhere. Derek said he talked to A last night,Calie had already had a date with Dan, before she said she would see him in 10 days, he went home last night with a painful leg in plaster case and then they had a date??? When? At 3 a.m.?..... Do these writers care about any timeline?One night for some characters is ten days for the other? Are they nuts,too?

Callie - you say Dan alias Kevin Alejandro is boring???? Come on.... Very lame excuse, I didn´t even buy Sara´s delivery of those lines. There was nothing boring about Dan.Last episode writers really took effort to introduce Dan just to ditch him in next epi saying he is a boring man after a date we as viewers didn´t see? Mind games with the audience.

 

And I HATED the arrogance of Owen towards Callie, such an unprofessional loser that he is,what a shame to be called chief of surgery, he sees no point in listening to Callie´s point of view at all, Amelia even rudely interrupted her and he at the blink of a eye decided who is right without knowing any significant details of the case!!!!,only because he most likely enjoys the blow-job Amelia gives to him (sorry for being explicit), but I am furious with this guy. UNPROFESSIONAL and USELESS. What a drastic change from a man he used to be  from S5. He is unrecognisable and insufferable just like the woman he sleeps with. Please, get rid of them both.

Edited April 11, 2015 by Season5OwenHuntfan

[Nobodysfan]

 

 

Paul McCrane (Dr. Romano from ER!) directed the episode.

 

 

 

Dr Romano directing, no idea it was Paul McCrane....what a lovely surprise.

Edited April 11, 2015 by Season5OwenHuntfan

[craziness]

I liked the gallery scene during the penis reattachment surgery. The talk of how one could be so mad at a spouse to cut it off. Bailey's story of pictuing her husband with a butter knife in his neck, with fancy jam dripping down his neck. Arizona and Callie 's interaction, and the reminder that Arizona is an amputee thanks to Callie (pun intented, since she would be dead without the amputation - from the way she said it, I wonder if she still thinks Callie did the surgey). And, yes, I hope they eventually get back together in a more mature relationship, either as a couple or just as friends who are raising a daughter together.

[Evie]

No more of Dan I guess, that felt out of nowhere. Derek said he talked to A last night,Calie had already had a date with Dan, before she said she would see him in 10 days, he went home last night with a painful leg in plaster case and then they had a date??? When? At 3 a.m.?..... Do these writers care about any timeline?One night for some characters is ten days for the other? Are they nuts,too?

Callie - you say Dan alias Kevin Alejandro is boring???? Come on.... Very lame excuse, I didn´t even buy Sara´s delivery of those lines. There was nothing boring about Dan.Last episode writers really took effort to introduce Dan just to ditch him in next epi saying he is a boring man after a date we as viewers didn´t see? Mind games with the audience.

He either lost two of his men the night before and/or ten days ago per the screwy timeline. It would be weird if he was super exciting. I didn't expect to see him back, but most of the characters have no story, and instead of writing stories for them, the writers keep wasting time on stuff that goes nowhere.

[windsprints]

I was surprised Dan even got a mention at all. It didn't have much to do with Callie at all and was just used to prop Maggie's date storyline. Just like Alex, gal pal to the Ellis Grey siblings, now gives pep talks.  Only being used to comment on another and its not about them.

 

She sleeps with the chief of surgery and her brother is on board  so she feels she  is allowed to do whatever she wants?

 

Reminds you of someone, doesn't it? Hmmm, sleeping with an attending, mother slept with COS, allowed to do whatever she wanted - sound familiar?

Dr Romano directing, no idea it was Paul McCrane....what a lovely surprise.

 

I think he may have directed another episode this season but I'm not positive. I know he directed an episode or 2 of Scandal also.

Edited April 11, 2015 by windsprints

[kingshearte]

I think Alex was just being sweet, like he can sometimes be.  And since a lot of his sweet moments have been with Meredith, it seemed non-romantic, and like he's accepting Maggie into their little group.

I thought that — or at least hoped it — too, until that last little scene. The slow-motion, slight blur as he gazed off at her while his actual girlfriend was talking to him? Not platonic editing. And I'm not excited about that. While it's true that Jo & Alex are kind of boring, they're also fairly functional, and seem to actually talk to each other when things do come that would cause earth-shattering drama for most other couples on the show. I think my husband & I would probably make pretty dull TV, too, but that doesn't mean we need some stupid love triangle to come along and make us more entertaining. There are plenty of other avenues for drama; leave Jo & Alex alone!

 

Also, on the subject of women just walking all over men in this show, how about Alex telling Maggie that it's totally fine for her to completely monopolize the conversation on a date? Setting aside our cultural tendency to significantly overestimate women's actual contributions to conversations, let's take the guy at his word and believe that he never got a word in edgewise, and that she not only talked the whole time, but talked about herself and never expressed any interest in him through the entire evening. How is it his problem if he's not interested in repeating that experience? Blech. I did like, though, that despite Alex's assurance that her behaviour was fine, she recognized that it was not, and apologized for it.

 

Also loved April this week. Both with Catherine and with Webber. Both Drew and Allen did a fantastic job of having a whole beautiful unspoken conversation about their shared personal grief before moving on to the professional stuff. And April absolutely could have (maybe should have) started (and finished, really) with the fact that Webber was not her boss and had no authority to give her orders about what doctors to call or not, but their little yelling spat was pretty entertaining.

 

As for Amelia & Meredith, I agree with the general consensus: Amelia was absolutely right to tell Meredith to step off, but her basically telling Meredith she doesn't know what pain feels like or whatever? Please. Apart from warning Amelia off Owen in the first place, this was definitely one of Meredith's mature human being weeks, right down to her refraining from enumerating all the ways with which she is in fact acquainted with suffering and loss, and simply backing off. I haven't been nearly as much of an Amelia hater as many (most?) around here, but that little tirade didn't do her any favours even for me.

 

And Derek? The anvils definitely say he's not long for this world. But this show does love its misdirection, so who the frak knows?

[RedheadZombie]

Callie - you say Dan alias Kevin Alejandro is boring????

 

 

I guess she never watched True Blood.

[mojito]

I think these past two shows have been the better ones I've seen in a while. For me, this show is best when it stays within the confines of the hospital, fleshing out the shifting friendships among the cast as medical crises happen around them. Alex trying to be supportive to Maggie (he made the effort to be a good girlfriend), the "argument" between April and Richard (no matter his position, Richard is an authority figure, but of course, in this case, he was putting his personal life before his professional life, which everyone will do), the nice scene with the usually OTT character of Dr. Avery, now toned down in both personality and hair. Stick with the hospital-medical formula, Shonda, and allow the characters to interact and relate to each other naturally. 

 

I generally find the romantic pairings boring, as rarely do they convince me that more than lust is the attraction. That said, I like Alex and Jo being established as, well, an established pair, and we can move on from there. Same with Jackson and April. Their interactions with their friends makes them valuable to the show; I don't need to see them together as hot-for-each other couples, I have an imagination. I like Alex interacting with his buds and Jo interacting with Stephanie. April being the competent doctor/administrator that she is. Jackson being so passionate about his field. 

[Rae Spellman]

 

April absolutely could have (maybe should have) started (and finished, really) with the fact that Webber was not her boss and had no authority to give her orders about what doctors to call or not, but their little yelling spat was pretty entertaining.

 

What is the protocol for calling in experts who don't work for the hospital?

 

April telling Richard that she would call her mother-in-law whenever she wants was annoying. Of course she can. For personal reasons. And, it's problematic that Richard's reason for not wanting to call Catherine was personal rather than professional. But, if the surgeon who works at Grey Sloan was perfectly capable of reattaching the penis, why should April prevent Dr. Whoever from doing work that Grey Sloan is paying him for while also taking Catherine away from whatever she was doing in San Francisco? If April's decision to call Catherine was partially because she's her mother-in-law that means that April's decision was just as personal as and no better than Richard's.

 

 

[Deanie87]

I thought that — or at least hoped it — too, until that last little scene. The slow-motion, slight blur as he gazed off at her while his actual girlfriend was talking to him? Not platonic editing. And I'm not excited about that. While it's true that Jo & Alex are kind of boring, they're also fairly functional, and seem to actually talk to each other when things do come that would cause earth-shattering drama for most other couples on the show. I think my husband & I would probably make pretty dull TV, too, but that doesn't mean we need some stupid love triangle to come along and make us more entertaining. There are plenty of other avenues for drama; leave Jo & Alex alone!.

I agree but I have to point out that its hard not to be boring as a couple when you get literally no storyline and 1 minute together every 3 episodes. Jo is pulling leeches from people's noses and Alex is off getting his nails done with his gal pals.

And giving said pals 100% out of character You Go Girl pep talks, instead of giving them the hard truths about themselves like he is supposed to do. Even Meryl Streep and Sir Laurence Fucking Olivier couldn't make that shit exciting!

*Licks hand* Yep, still bitter.

[LeGrandElephant]

Based on the description of Maggie's date, I wouldn't necessarily say she's a horrible selfish person, but I would say that she and that guy will NOT work out well together. If she talks enough to monopolize the conversation without noticing she's doing it, then she needs someone who also talks enough to keep up with her, even if means interrupting each other. Someone who lets her talk for hours while silently annoyed about it is not a good partner for her. Signed, a talkative person. 

[choclatechip45]

I felt like it was OOC for Meredith to look out for Owens feelings. She never really liked him it would have made more sense for her to be concerned about Amelia getting hurt by Owen.

[Emily Thrace]

I like the whole Maggie/Alex idea actually. Jo is fine but I think the age gap works against these two. I feel like Alex has to be "grown-up" with Jo to much of the time. He's always the one taking care of Jo. And since Alex is someone who takes of everyone he could actually use someone who takes care of him. That actually what I liked about him and Lexie she the only person they've ever put Alex with who actually seemed to give something back.  Plus Alex and Jo are boring. Every conversation is Jo says something plucky, Alex grumbles, rinse, repeat. I think the marriage issue is going to come up again and Jo is going to balk and Alex is going to walk away this time.

 

Maggie may be a motormouth but her banter with Alex was at least funny. and fun to watch. I like their dynamic and the chemistry feels a lot less forced. Shonda is usually pretty die hard when it comes to her ships but Maggie didn't exist when she created Jo for Alex so who knows.

[Chas411]

I think the age thing will be an issue for Jo/Alex and I could buy it breaking them up. I hate though that instead of creating natural issues and possibly giving them a storyline were just going to get a stupid triangle plot.

Also Jo and Alex have always struck me as solid. Why Alex is the older one Jo has always been supportive of him and helped him where she could re sittig out his finances last season. She's also supported his friendship with Mer despite how incredibly rude Meredith has been to her. Alex has also always been crazy about Jo. I don't really get how Maggie has grabbed his attention so quickly.. It's just ramdom.

I would support a Jo/Alex split though if it meant Jo actually getting some character development as I do like the character and actress especially in her scenes with Stephanie.

[maasa]

I agree but I have to point out that its hard not to be boring as a couple when you get literally no storyline and 1 minute together every 3 episodes. Jo is pulling leeches from people's noses and Alex is off getting his nails done with his gal pals.

And giving said pals 100% out of character You Go Girl pep talks, instead of giving them the hard truths about themselves like he is supposed to do. Even Meryl Streep and Sir Laurence Fucking Olivier couldn't make that shit exciting!

This, 100%. I don't see how anyone could make "the cafeteria has tots" any more exciting than Camilla did and that's the kind of 10 second scene they've been given all season long.

And since Alex is someone who takes of everyone he could actually use someone who takes care of him. That actually what I liked about him and Lexie she the only person they've ever put Alex with who actually seemed to give something back. 

I feel the opposite.  I feel that Jo is the only person who Alex has been with who comes across as actually caring for him and not always putting him second. Izzie had Denny and Lexie had Mark so there was always someone else in the background hovering. Jo isn't perfect but she at least makes every attempt to be there for him and support him. That is more than I can say for most of the couples on this show and more than any friend or lover has ever done for him before.

 

Alex spends his time listening to the Sun and Thunder go on and on about themselves and their relationships. Perhaps Jo should declare herself a tornado, lisp and babble to him about she and Alex.

Also Jo and Alex have always struck me as solid. Why Alex is the older one Jo has always been supportive of him and helped him where she could re sittig out his finances last season. She's also supported his friendship with Mer despite how incredibly rude Meredith has been to her. Alex has also always been crazy about Jo. I don't really get how Maggie has grabbed his attention so quickly.. It's just ramdom. 

I think its random too. Alex didn't even feel like Alex in this episode. 

Yep, still bitter.

Same.

Edited April 12, 2015 by maasa

[hks]

Speaking of repeats, oh how I love this show making light of violent male genital mutilation.  At least the guy in the second episode ever was an evil piece of shit, but this guy was just a poor fool who got it twice.

 

I totally agree.  I am so sick and tired of people thinking that violent genital mutilation should be played for comic relief.  I know male victims of domestic violence are far fewer than female victims, but in this case, this man really was a victim.  Cheating does NOT open the door to domestic violence, and I hate that message being portrayed here. 

 

With Paul McCrane directing, I got worried when that helicopter showed up on the roof. Poor Romano.

So, I had NO idea Paul McCrane was directing! But that was the first thing I thought when I saw the helicopter on the roof!  Now I know why he went in that direction. :)

 

I really hope that they don't do a Maggie/Alex romance. I love him, and I find her kind of annoying. I think he and Jo are good together, and hope they get more to do in the coming episodes.  I don't really care where Derek is. I don't much care about him and Meredith, although I could possibly like Meredith on her own. I definitely have no cares about Owen and Amelia. They are beyond irritating. I think I would actually be happy with the whole show without them. 

[Nobodysfan]

Can it be relevant that the natural chemistry between Alex and Maggie in this episode might stem from the fact that Justin´s wife Keisha seems quite similar to Kelly McCreary who portrays Maggie,so for the actor it feels more natural to get into the feeling of affection when he experiences something similar in real life, especially the comments with  the lisp, smile, hair,I find it really endearing.

 

 

Is it too weird thinking this?

[Ohwell]

I totally agree.  I am so sick and tired of people thinking that violent genital mutilation should be played for comic relief.  I know male victims of domestic violence are far fewer than female victims, but in this case, this man really was a victim.  Cheating does NOT open the door to domestic violence, and I hate that message being portrayed here.

I was sickened, too, and I thought that the doctors acted like jackasses.  It was not funny. 

[Deanie87]

Can it be relevant that the natural chemistry between Alex and Maggie in this episode might stem from the fact that Justin´s wife Keisha seems quite similar to Kelly McCreary who portrays Maggie,so for the actor it feels more natural to get into the feeling of affection when he experiences something similar in real life, especially the comments with the lisp, smile, hair,I find it really endearing.

Is it too weird thinking this?

Personally, I didn't see the chemistry, but at any rate, I think he had the best chemistry with Katherine Heigl and Kate Walsh and they look nothing at all like his wife. Edited April 13, 2015 by Deanie87

[choclatechip45]

 

Personally, I didn't see the chemistry, but at any rate, I think he had the best chemistry with Katherine Heigl and Kate Walsh and they look nothing at all like his wife.

Well him and wife were always photographed out with Katherine Heigl and Kate Walsh.

[windsprints]

I don't think Justin's wife has anything to do with on screen chemistry with people he acts with. 

 

Justin´s wife Keisha seems quite similar to Kelly McCreary

 

I don't think Kelly McCreary and Keisha Chambers look anything alike.

[statsgirl]

What struck me most about this episode, following right after the repeat of the pilot, is the difference between Derek and Amelia.  In the pilot, Derek is upfront about how having sex with Meredith contributed to giving her the surgery over Cristina, and he has zero regrets about it, while in this episode, Amelia is upset because she thinks that Owen favoring her because they're sleeping together rather than making decisions based on the merits of the case. I know which attitude I respect, and it's not Derek's.

 

Speaking of which, the anvils with Derek missing just too much.  Enough to make everyone stupid.

 

I like Catherine, kinda, but just how did she become a specialist in re-attaching penises?  Are there that many men in the US who have had their penises cut off?

 

Wow, Callie's relationship with the cop ended super fast.

 

 

Based on the description of Maggie's date, I wouldn't necessarily say she's a horrible selfish person, but I would say that she and that guy will NOT work out well together. If she talks enough to monopolize the conversation without noticing she's doing it, then she needs someone who also talks enough to keep up with her, even if means interrupting each other.

Yeah.  I get nervous too because I was socially troubled as a kid but to not even ask a single question of the person she's with for hours? That's Sheldon Cooper bad.

 

I know Amelia's little speech at the end was basically to tell Meredith to back up out of her love life, but who is Amelia to say that Meredith has never cried over a dead (or almost dead) loved one before? Like, Meredith witnessed Derek get shot! And Meredith was there when her sister was crushed by a plane.

In that case, Meredith needs to tell Amelia that, and then she needs to apologize.  I know it was SR's over-the-top style but Meredith really needs to STFU unless she's determined to hold Owen in a glass case in case Cristina ever wants him back. Did it ever occur to her that Owen wants Amelia? Or that a man in his forties can actually make his own decisions about his sex life?  And it wouldn't have killed Mer to ask Amelia how she's actually feeling instead of attacking her.

 

I know, twisted sisters and all, but Meredith's priority should be her sister-in-law who is standing in front of her, not her friend on the other side of the world who happily let Owen go.

Edited April 14, 2015 by statsgirl

[LakeLover]

What struck me most about this episode, following right after the repeat of the pilot, is the difference between Derek and Amelia.  In the pilot, Derek is upfront about how having sex with Meredith contributed to giving her the surgery over Cristina, and he has zero regrets about it, while in this episode, Amelia is upset because she thinks that Owen favoring her because they're sleeping together rather than making decisions based on the merits of the case. I know which attitude I respect, and it's not Derek's.

 

 

You may have missed the next line when Derek said he was kidding about giving the surgery to her because they slept together, and that Meredith followed the case from the beginning and earned the right to be in the surgery. So, there were no regrets to be had.

[Emily Thrace]

I feel the opposite.  I feel that Jo is the only person who Alex has been with who comes across as actually caring for him and not always putting him second. Izzie had Denny and Lexie had Mark so there was always someone else in the background hovering. Jo isn't perfect but she at least makes every attempt to be there for him and support him. That is more than I can say for most of the couples on this show and more than any friend or lover has ever done for him before.

 

I think she tries but I still feel like the power balance between them is uneven and Alex could do with someone more on his level. So many of their stories have Alex mansplaining to Jo about medicine and life and it just doesn't work as well for his character. With Meredith and Derek that worked because while Derek was more advanced career wise Meredith was more worldwise so their was a balance there. With Jo and Alex, Jo is from the same streetwise school as Alex so Jo doesn't really bring anything specific to the table beside a plucky attitude. Plus Alex's straight up delivery means he comes of as an ass when he is delivering Jo the benefit of his experience. I know TPTB are going for a opposites attract she gets him to lighten up he gets her to darken up vibe here but feel like there a disconnect in how the show wants us to see Jo/ Alex versus how they actually come off. I feel like the age gap romance simply doesn't suit Alex's character. Alex has already spent his whole life being the "mature" one in his family his person should just let him be himself.

 

I also think that while Izzie was completely over the top Alex does need someone  who call him on his crap more than Jo is willing to. Some of the stuff with Alex's dad could have gone down a lot easier if Jo had just confronted Alex and gotten him to deal with it. I think what appeals to me most about the idea of Alex/ Maggie not because of her thunder but because of how she confronts people personally. When Maggie confronted Meredith about not going to DC, she wasn't shouty or judgy she was quite and firm and laid out her points calmly but still let Mer know she was upset. That something I think Alex might respond to really well since it wouldn't make him defensive the way Izzie's harping always did. In fact its something Alex has responded to well before its one of my favourite things about his relationship with the cheif (Him getting Alex over his fear of the elevator will always be one of my favourite moments).  It might not work as well with Alex/Maggie but I would like to see them try.

[Coxfires]

I also think that while Izzie was completely over the top Alex does need someone  who call him on his crap more than Jo is willing to

 

 

 

Yep, but with Izzie it felt like she was always calling him on his crap, never the other way around. To me, Alex always had to prove himself to Izzie, all the time, it felt unbalanced.

I personnally never found him patronizing with Jo, I thought he acted how he would act with any other intern: blunt and to-the-point. Alex never was a guy who would cajole his interns, and I find the fact that he is this way with Jo refreshing. No interference of his personnal life into his professional one (which is seldom enough on Grey's to be appreciated).

I haven't rewatched all seasons, but each year, I wait for Alex to have his storyline, a significant one, and it never seems to come, or at least, it is always something going in the background, he is a character that is easily sidelined. I mean, I was expecting a lot more for him this season, but Maggie and Amelia, two newcomers, had far more going on for them than Alex. He lost the boards to Bailey and afterwards, was Meredith prop, and that's it.

As I said, my memory might be fuzzy, but he is also a guy that gets very little on-screen support from his so-called friends. After Izzie left, moments where we would see Meredith or cristina support him were seldom. He got shot but in reality it was all about Mark and Lexie. HIs Dad came back in his life and Jo was there, but the others... When you compare it to how Meredith went on and on and on about Maggie this year, the difference is glaring.

We have discussed a lot here about the possible reasons that Alex/JC was kept in the background all those years (JC not being demanding, Alex not being a female, Shonda not wanting his character in the first place...) but still, it is a bit dishartening. At the same time, it might have been a blessing in disguise character-wise, he wasn't completely ruined, so I guess I should rejoice?

[Nobodysfan]

Personally, I didn't see the chemistry, but at any rate, I think he had the best chemistry with Katherine Heigl and Kate Walsh and they look nothing at all like his wife.

 

I think you are right. I don´t know about Maggie anymore,at first I liked her a lot, but now I don´t know,I think it is her talking too much that I don´t like. Her talking about her vagina and stuff like that in front of  a male colleague, I don´t find it funny at all,it´s weird, simply weird. And the way  she talks about her orgasms in the middle of a hospital corridor on a working day, totally odd. I´m losing interest in her. Plus like Callie pointed out, I get this snobbish attitude from her slowly but surely.

Isn´t she like George in a female body? 

 

There isn´t one female doctor I can relate to,maybe Meredith career and personality wise - otherwise nobody. Maybe Addison, she was really cool, lots of charisma, the way she presented herself like a very admirable lady.

Edited April 14, 2015 by Season5OwenHuntfan

[stopthestatic]

Not gonna lie, I felt more chemistry between Maggie and Alex in one episode than I have between Jolex in three seasons. It's probably an unpopular opinion after this episode but I want them to go there...

I always liked Alex and Lexie together because it would kinda make Alex Meredith's brother-in-law and that'd be a nice connection between them.

Sadly I think Jo (who is one of the most boring characters ever to be on this show in my opinion) and Alex will end up together and probably not get a single storyline in all that time.

[Deanie87]

I think you are right. I don´t know about Maggie anymore,at first I liked her a lot, but now I don´t know,I think it is her talking too much that I don´t like. Her talking about her vagina and stuff like that in front of  a male colleague

This is one of my biggest problems with the new foursome. Besides the fact that Alex and his life are a complete non-entity in every single conversation, all they talk about is sex. And not just sex, but leg-shaving, pubic hair and dusty, crumbling vaginas. For the love of god, if they can't get him a guy friend, can they at least stop treating like a guest host on The View?!?

I have always loved how well Alex gets along with women. He excelled professionally under Addison and Arizona and I loved his friendships with Meredith and Cristina (and to a lesser degree Izzie and Callie). They joked around and talked about sex, sure, but it never skeeved me out on Alex's behalf the way it does now. Maybe because he doesn't have the history with Maggie or Callie that he did with Mer and Cris, or maybe because it is just so much more juvenile and "hack woman-comedian"-y, but enough already.

[Nobodysfan]

This is one of my biggest problems with the new foursome. Besides the fact that Alex and his life are a complete non-entity in every single conversation, all they talk about is sex. And not just sex, but leg-shaving, pubic hair and dusty, crumbling vaginas. For the love of god, if they can't get him a guy friend, can they at least stop treating like a guest host on The View?!?

I have always loved how well Alex gets along with women. He excelled professionally under Addison and Arizona and I loved his friendships with Meredith and Cristina (and to a lesser degree Izzie and Callie). They joked around and talked about sex, sure, but it never skeeved me out on Alex's behalf the way it does now. Maybe because he doesn't have the history with Maggie or Callie that he did with Mer and Cris, or maybe because it is just so much more juvenile and "hack woman-comedian"-y, but enough already.

 

It´s totally awful, I agree. At one point Alex even rolled eyes, totally feeling uncomfortable when she talked about vaginas and her orgasms. It´s starting to get very  very disturbing. Why can´t they develop Alex a male friendship  with Jackson for example. At first I thought the Alex/Maggie scenes were cute, but when you rewatch and look at the dialogue in more depth, I´m disgusted. But it also goes back to that lunch scene,when they discussed shaving, and Maggie said  - it´s in there,he can find it bla,bla bla, that was disgusting at lunch, just totally inappropriate, she has no manners.

 

Do you like Maggie?

Edited April 14, 2015 by Season5OwenHuntfan

[Tuleh2]

 

They joked around and talked about sex, sure, but it never skeeved me out on Alex's behalf the way it does now. Maybe because he doesn't have the history with Maggie or Callie that he did with Mer and Cris, or maybe because it is just so much more juvenile and "hack woman-comedian"-y, but enough already.

They need to bring in more interns if this is the only kind of dialogue the writers can come up with. It was cute in the early seasons, when they all were newbies, but it's gross now that they're attendings.

[Deanie87]

Do you like Maggie?

If you meant me, I don't like her but I don't hate her either. I only care about her as she relates to Richard, but would be thrilled if she left.

I don't want her hooked up with Alex for many reasons, some of which have to do with her and some which don't.

[stopthestatic]

Maggie has grown on me immensely. I do find the Callie-Alex-Mer-Maggie friends group they keep using recently a bit...random? though.

 

The show absolutely needs to get rid of Stephanie badly. I used to be annoyed at her existence because of how useless she was, but now on top of that it also bugs me whenever she has a story because I think about how much better it'd be if Jo was just slotted into her stories instead. Frankly, Jo needs the screentime more as she's in a relationship with an original main character, and her character is completely underdeveloped. Think about where we were with characters like Arizona, Owen and even Jackson and April in their third seasons on the show. My goodness.

 

I was really hoping Stephanie would leave for Boston but then they had her change her mind about the whole thing at the end of the episode. Colour me disappointed.

[Chas411]

 

I always liked Alex and Lexie together because it would kinda make Alex Meredith's brother-in-law and that'd be a nice connection between them.

I've a feeling that's what they're going to aim for with Maggie/Alex.

 

I agree about Jo being underdeveloped but I've enjoyed her and Ales's relationship so far and I think if they'd just try even a tiny bit to develop her outside of Alex it would be of great benefit to the character and the viewers. Even her friendship with Stephanie seems more about Stephanie then her.

 

As underdeveloped as she is though, I'd still prefer to see her and Alex work it out as I've invested two seasons into them and for the most part enjoyed them together. It bugs me that they've gotten basically no screentime this season but now we're suddenly supposed to buy he likes Meredith's extremely annoying sister.

[Macbeth]

This episode where a man is castrated twice....

 

Same episode where we have the "little did we know" last sexy times between Derek and  Meredith...

 

And Meredith turns down Derek's bequest for another round...

 

Yes I am going to say it - Shonda is a Castrating Bitch.